Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-11-26

which we ourselves originated III ieepee' ~
other Ulcers OF the Government =,
Will this Convention say, that they VIII en-
ter upon the formation Of an organic ia" "
bind nv constituents and the people OF THESE
90 counties through al ii:pe 70 cvme, s"u a'
the same time exclude ti.sn from any PaI,cl'
nation in the work of framagit. iiwril'o DC
unjust to do SO, aud trust, the Convention
will not BIZ guilty of any such act
have stated what believe Influenced the
co,,n,ittee in coming to the conclusion al
.rb;cb they arrived. | believe this is the b.st
u, could d., and if Is b. The pleasure OF the
Convention to come 10 tf=rcnt cocusio'
than that to which the Committee has cjn:e,
we will submit, with all QUE deere c..
Mr.. BxANcH-This seems II be = very pnia
question. 10 my mind, a. least il is lie
question arises here. whether or no. tie N1Flh
y est shall be Represented upon this i 'or
presume every member o! his body Is DrePar-
cd to respond IN the affirmative.
The next question IS how to give these cocn'
ties whose members have been expelled, re-
presentation upon this or In 10 olhe: 1ortn,
as it seems 10 ne, than to IaltY tho clect'olis
which have been had, by admitting ti;s" s:'-
tlemen to seats The Governor, by al extra.
official act, as understand, issued nj; pr'c!a'
NATION, ordering elections to Ill The vac:nc eS
occas,oned by these expulsons. Wee admit u"
had no power 20 issue this pracllma.lUr; out II
was the unl; means b. which representation
could be secured for these counties My irlsho
from Amelia, (Ar. HAkvIE,) got up here ard
tried to run en- analogy between this act oi tee
Governor ard the course Of the President a
the United States. Every man has seen inc
error OF his argument. The Governor is ac!'
ing under the Constitution, while Lincoln re-
cognlzes no such authority.
But, sir, without gcing into discussion upon
that point, | would stare that, considering the
subject in lis proper light and upon the bass
of Justice and proprictf, no one cen deny Inc
rignt Of these cou0tits TO Their due share Of r.:
presentations; and, inasmuch. as VIC have the
power to We them their r!Lh in this matter,
we should discard all merely technical q :ctio"S
and ratify these elections This Convention
mas, apprsheud, original jurisdiction IN tic
prem sss, and it should have no hesitation IN
exercising this power Of election, made nscrs-
sary by the peculiar Circumstances IN which
we are placed. We represent the sovereign
will of the people, and We certainly can lil
vacancies which occur in this body from c'un.
ties where the elective systcu' Is checked 10y
the presence Of the enemy. can give you Il
pre ceient Tor The exercise Of such a power by
another convention. The Convention of 1929
80, filled vacancy that occurred in the repro.
sentation Of Norfolk, by el~c;ng Mr.. GrigsIe!. /;
and in the Convention Of lS50-'5l, we md that
Mr.. Mason was elected by that body to I'LL the
plsce Of Mr. Hunter, VINO resigned. No o:.e,
i;neeine, will question or right TO ill any
vacancy lnat msy Gccu" here. To argue IN Ia
yor Of this pnHer would te NO L o. sap":'r:"
cation, ard shall r ear 10 Do 80.
But to the vote sir. I cont comc here rG
make speech,s, and it is nos,iry inteni!d! -
occupy The time OIL tie House by Doing So.
came here ~ do business ard | will end*sToi
70 do il, If possible ] stail star here, sir, ant
apply nysrlf with all the ability aud energy
OF which | aln "a psbse, to dispose of tue
amendments 20 The Constitution. mat We HAY
bring TINS session to close as soon as posi-
BILE and return ho!ae hope e"ery member
of this Convention will De governed by the
same desire, and then We will De sure 10 60
on and sct with daspa:ch Gc2oming Con
ven:!eD cf Virginia representatives. L': ms,
il 40 choose, ,y::or, altogether this extra cai-
cial act G: he Cpvcrno. and act w'hru. any
reference t" II, us %e have In oar power TO is.
now offer the foioxing reso!uloa:
R. -oiv;d d. Tha; this Convention proceed ia
the election OF members 10 ill TIE vscal cies
occe>ipnsd by the expulsion o: CaeSier y
Hubbard fruc. IN: cpuaiy ui Ohio, Campbs"
Tarr irAln the cOur:y O; e o,. IL, Jas Burl"g
from the county Of MARSHALL, E Hui ::S":a
the County ii M:ricn, Mar>huil ". p:nt :ran
The county of Mnnongalia, VIM L. Brown
and James c. MIG cw from the County &C
Pressuu, John S 3 i-de.. !roal the c.u:';y I'll.
TAYLOR, John 5 Ca,lils from the cIunty 81
Il !, risur,, au, john j. .T.ckscn IRON the coua
~ Of Wood
~ for iirg the vacancies ocoasioncd -
the expulsion vt these lncn. That is the com
mon sense viex OF this matter, and trust the
Convention will coincide with IL
I offer that resolution as a substitute ;,r the
report OF the Committee.
Mr. HAYNoND.-Wil my friend fro.a Peters
burg permit ne 10 iusN= = suggestion.
Mr. GEANcu --Cercanly, sir.
Mr. HAYNoNp-he viii find BY residing toe
resolution appended to the repcr, Of the c,m
mittee, that il is in elf.e. NOTHING more nor
less than the resolution which he prop Dses.-
the only tfsct Of h:a proposition Will be 70
entail delay, without Obtaining any other result
tu3N WOulu W aCCOul pI!SilCu Wy
once the report Of the cu,nmittec.
Mr. BLAKgY-lt was nor my purpose to
consume the time Of he Convention UPON the
question now under consideration, and should
not have done SO but for the Interpretation
which the gentleman from Amelia, (Mr. Hat
VIE has put upon the motion winch sub
n!.'ed 10 this house,
Now, sir,I viii t:'ishy explain tho onjHct
u hich mad 10 view, and the reasons WHICH
moved me to lne action ;o2k.
at the last session of ,his Convention, we
passed an ordinance authorizing these very
people, under circumstances similar to those
which the parties now seeking 10 obtain seats
here have been placed, to hold an election for
members Of Congress in he camps, and at
such other prlls as they could Legally be held.
Nobody questioned ouT right 10 euthor'Z" such
al election believe nnhody voted against
the proposition II passed VITA the unanimous
consent Of this Convention.
Well, now, sir, | suppose that TO one will
doubt but that w- had a right at that time to
have auihcrlz. d the election Of tneinbers to
fiji these vacancies which wa now propose 10
ill. maintain, then, if We had 4 right 10
authorize this thing to be done, that We now
have the right and the power 20 iasfy it. If
we had passed resolution iii It's original
shape and said thst they were entitled TO their
seats, the legitimate meaning nf the resolution
in that form would have been hat there is 10 "
or ordinance in existence authorizing it. But
there was no such law or ordinance in cxis cncr.
and therefore | thought the word ".ntitled"
inappropriate But, observing that we had
the power to ratfy what has beer done.
prcposed to insert the word ''ad,pi;:ed" 10 place
Of the word entitled"
Now This has been characterized by the gen
tlenan from Amelia as one Of the greatest
uSurpa.ions Of power tea: he has ever knawn.
Why, sir, as you have been infuruieH. tie Con
vent,on of ls29-'SO filled va;a1c;es thaS &C
CURED 10 its own body during its session. 1t
ia true, these vacancies were q led under pro-
vision OF tue &C: Of Assembly. whIca caiec
that Convention into b@ng. Bit still, If lie
Legislature had the right 10 confer that at
thoritv, this Convention has right 10 confer