Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-10-22

Mr. President, onr Of tho few from
! Eastern Virginia, who 10 day recorded their
vote; epuirsl The ordnance Of secession which
has bcel, PASSED here 10 day; and | trust, il
am on, Of order in abiding but for 2 few mo-
m-nrs TO The reasons which operated upon inc
in Twin, tina, vntc, that the Convention will
h.amr v;;h me. know | an subject to the ten
minutes rule; | know | am transgressing tile
rni. in r~rrsrrirg 10 the merits of any question,
or stating any reasons other than those which
an,Iy TO the propositions before the House,
h,s throw myself upon the indulgence Of the
Convention, aud ask at their hands to be per
miitcd TO State the reasons which influenced
me in voting against the ordinance Of Scces'
sion.
In voting against the ordiuunce vi secession,
yoi.d in. shat I believed to be, strict accord
ance with the sentiments Of the panple whom
have the honor TO represent here. | voted
in slric: accordance with my own Judgment
also upon that SUBJECT; because if | had hclIcv'
ed that the people OF my county were unanl'
mou; in favor Of such M ordinance, and my
judgment did no; approve it, | could never
have consented to give my Vote for it, and
would feel bound to resi- gn my seat here ant!
allow MY constituents To substitute another
who would carry ont their will. / thought,
sir. according to my poor judgment, that by
the passng Of this ordinance We were trans
fcrrlnp the war, rs already commenced, from itS
prrsent scat to ollr own State, and especially
"a the borders Of my own native county; and
although, like the gentleman from Northampton
afr. FISnEg,) / would willingly oiicr up the
little | have ~ n sacrifice to preserve the honor
OF nv native State, yc; there were ties that
bound me 10 her ana tu the Union more holy
than IN. mere rights Of property, than mere
| d,llarS and cents. ] 10 nut wish to see an aged
mo;iIrr and sisters, vino arc dependent upon
ne, who vii! tee-i say it without egotisui--ii
the first Of Ibis conflict say | do not wish 10
see them dying from itc county, as ] arpre-
herd they will have 10 ITO, i";a5Inuch Is i; il
likely to brcoIuc the scat of The inst conflict,
hoina in fact in sight Of the cmissar!cs Of the
Federal Government, and likely TO DC before
long IN their exclusive possession. | voted
against this ordinance of secession to avoid
transferring tbs scat Of war to that %scctinn;
and | did so. moreover, because, as | l!avc SAID.
| believed that in 81 dong. | reflected the w!iI
and sentiments Of the people represent.
In regard 10 the resolutions now before TIE
Convention, I Snald say that those which have
been rsfarcl By ny friend from l~lenrico (Mr.
WIcKHAM.) meet M cordial approbatiniL !!
understand Tie resolutions o; the gentleman
from the city oil Il edmond (Mr. RANDoLFH,)
there is A portion of tiiGm that | never can give
M ssscri: .o--I mean tnat pOrliOn which OK
tends an invitation 20 The off .crs Of the army
ard navy ur the United St.trS who may he na.
tive V,r.inians or residents q: Virginia, to re
s;cn their positions in that service, AID enter
the ~servicc at Virginia. /! the resolution
stopped %iih 4 mc"G invitation. | woni1 make
10 objections to il bat it places u. Ftrgi.
mans, in the Illuminating attitude OF IF ring 4
bribe to Virginia ofi :crS in the United States
service. The Administration al Washington
has already arowcd It's policy to be the suhjn.
eatinn OF Virginia; and | take /: that every ofi
Ger from EJ-sinia 1T the United States service
will find in that sulfi :;ant Cause 10 init that
service ard engage III the defence OF his native
State. | should certainly suppose thnt no
stronger sLunG!nnt could in :ifJ!dt! t. . IA.
triotic heart, ard rnu3r II TO rrpldiata n! con
| ner;iun with .i,a; Guy>rnmeUtihnn The pr0c!a-
na;iun Ola uurpuS': 10 invade and Su!)ng,;c tiIe
soil wherein it lirst thrcbbcd. II I'M
dprslanl these resolutions, which think
do, tho gentleman from Richmond (Mr.
RAyDoLpu.) could not have given to the
SiiDlrCt lilil ttltUclallOIl HiiiSfl ''i'iI =
izos his management and preparation of
al subjects wh'ch lie undertakes 10 act upon
{ certainly cannot look upon it in any o'ler
light than rs u humiiiNtnng ofltr ID those E'r-
einiars who now hnld commissions under the
Federal Government 10 resign these cn'amis
sions upDn the Considerations that are con.
tanned in the resolutions. Ali considerations
Of patriotism seen 10 he Ignored, when it
| should DC the tirSt presented. | believe that
there is not nj officer now holding Z comm's.
-ioi, under the Federal Government in tie pre-
sent condition of ~thirgs-thsL Is il ali that we
heard to day he true, namely, that wc are now
engaged III a %coEii;c: at two points 81 The Gem
mon|ealtil-
Mr.. VISIT ask il t!is course Of rema,l; is
in ORDER
The p~eEsIpExr--ri,s Chair considers tic
/ gentleman IN order.
Mr. DrI.AHY.- II would say to The gentleman
that | will soon cnlclIdc.
| vas going on to remark when Sas inter
! runtcd bv the gentleman from Princess Acne
| (Mr. WlsE.) tina: | bcli"ye i! the stale OF
things represented 10 US hero TO d1y, he true,
and have no reason 10 doubt 1t, that there is
not a single officer, a native ci Virginia, IN
thu service Of the Federal Government, whJrc
services we desire, lliHt would not voluntarily
throw up mis- commission ard seek employment
in cur ranks. / say, therefore, that never
will consent to hold out any oifer Of rank or
emolument, to gentlemen whose patriotism, !
AIN sure, would. and will i,npel them 10 engage
in the service Of their own native State with
out any such ovcrtures as these resolutions
propose 10 make.
For these reasons, am opposed 10 Inc
substitute and in favor Of tho original pro
position offered By tho gentleman from Hen.
rico.
Mr. WlsE.-[ rise 10 move the previous
question. | want TO cut OF dehnte A. these
night sessions. There are officers whiting
here now upon public business Of The utmost
Importance. ! hate to be specially, even
seemingly diEcourteoIs TO the gentleman from
Richmond (Atr. MAcsARLsND); but The public
interest requires that wc should act promptly
upon the matters now before the Convention.
The call for The previous question vas sus.
tanned. Ten minutes, however, were allowed
under the rule to each member who chose
TO address the Convention rs to why the main
question should not be ordered.
Mr.. Jo1S 4. Baldwin, Of Augusta do
not wish to be placed before this body. nr in
the estimation Of any gentleman belonging to
it. in the attitude Of desiring for one moment
20 obstruct its business by any factious oppo.
sition TO any measure proposed before it. As
I hope to be considered Il lair and candid man,
I am prepared to consider every proposition be-
fore this body upon its merits and with a Sincere
desire to do everything in WY power TO forward
tho object OF placing THIS Commonwealth npon a
footing of complete and perfect armed prepare.
tion for the conflict which is upon ns. That is
nv disposition, sir, and | assure gentlemen
that il any man upon this floor doubts it, he
does me n ~grievous wrong.
But I do desire at the outset, now, upon this
Grs, proposition that is made OF a practical
character, 10 draw the attention Of this Con
ven,ion to great and high considerations affect.
inr the scope Of our power. | must sag that,
1870. Il, ,i1nn ut the YcrH hnginninm unon q