Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-07-11

Of order, viz: That the gentleman from Ken
lucky should first call for q certificate, and then
proceed in the proper order.
Mr.. Burnett said he had placed the objection
on a higher ground, aud only desired to inter.
pose such objection as his conscience and duty
compelled, One Of the members claiming a
scat from Virginia, (Mr. upton,) confessed thai
he was ineligible 10 a seat in the House.
MIR. Carlisle, in reply to Mr.. Burnett
said: | do not desire, sir, that the people I
have the honor to represent on this floor, or
rather, those | propose to represent, should be
deprived Of any Of their rights under the Con.
stitutionp of the country, by any objection that
can be made here. The fourth Thursday OF
May was the day fixed by the law Of Virginia
for tho election Of members of the House of
Representatives Of the United States. Upon
that day | was elected as a representative from
the district in which T liyc-the Eicvcntl,
Congressional district Of the Stately the
largest majority ever given-a majority almost
approaching unanimity. The only question,
therefore, that can be raised in my case is:
Whether the ordinance Of the Virginia Con-
ventlon attempting TO annul the solemn act of
the General Assembly by declaring that no
Congressional election should he held on the
day liked by law, so as to exclude me from 4
seat On this 1oor, is lawful Or not. That is
the only question to be tried, and, in Difference
to those who differ from INC, | beg to state the
question. | have no doubt about it myself,
and think there can be very little doub!
in the minds Of all men who believe
that the Constitution Ct the United States
is the work of the people Of the several
States as much as is the Constitution of
each and every State the work Of the people
Of each State and the only question that can
be raised in my case is, had the Virginia Con.
v~cntion, itself convened by Il law enacted by
the Legislature perfectly SO far as law is cDn.
cerned, without power-had that powerless
body the right or the power 10 annul the
solemn act Of the Legislature of the State; for
be 1t remembered that the law convcninS the
Convention expressly declared upon its face
that no action Of that Convention changing the
Federal relations of the State, or affecting tie
organized law of the State, should be Of any
validity until such action of the Conycnlia:
should be referred 10 the people ard ratified
by them hy vote ut The polls. This pretended
ordinance Of the Convention was passed right
ia the path Of The ordinance Of secession itself.
which, If recognized. would change the Federal
relations Of the State. Yet that action Was
not submitted to the people; and whatever
might be the iSSun IF the action Of the people.
with regard 10 Tic ordinance OF secession, no
rguncn could be drawn from it in favor of
ali ordinance never submitted 10 the people,
and which by the law c2nvcning the Coavcn-
ton, expressly should have declared that i, he
submitted 10 the people before it should have
any validity.
Mr.. Richardson, Of Illinois, inquired wheth-
er the gentlemen spoke for himself alone, or
for himself aaI colleague?
Mr.. Carlisle spoSka Tor himself Ihe people
in my district, ami the Ulcers legally appoin.
led for conducting elections, Designating the
ordinance Of the Convention, oprncd p.lls for
the election Of representatives from tie Toni
and Eleventh. G!>'r'cts, "LI ! have win ,r
Scnlc uf the poll b ok, cf ,s:oSc counties. and
the certificates 81 !ht ,fli"crs ard clerks Of the
various counties, pTuvii Z ny Irgal election
So far, thea, us M right L" Il scat Oh this !lonr
is CONCERNED. the only question fer the Ilou>e
to determine Is, whether ASSUMING nil thu pos.
or rish,Ially Or wrcngiuily Of The Convcnlinn
Of Virginia, whether that act Of theirs, not
performed i" compliance Of law, aud rot sub.
| mittca 10 the people f2r their final actin, OK.
cludcs tue people Of the District from Il
voice on THIS aacr. | think the most
ardent Sccrssion!si, wlo takes the highest
| ground Of the righ! Of Safe 10 dispose o: the
destiny os the people through what is called 4
Convention-thc mos; ardent advocate O. THIS
power viii hardly say that this ordinance, nc.
yer submitted to The people, can have t!-
slightest validity whatever. Furthermore, sir, |
Il 1n,i,. Ia r., in .,rri.r ihr. II rrn, ,,,f la ,,iS
understood. that ! discard entirely uil such
views Of sovereign POKER in any State. ] be
licve the;e is 10 power in any State, cille"
through q Cnnrcntlon or otherwise, to aEsolvs
its people from the allegiance it owes TO ,hr
Government !prmcd Tor them by their f1.hcrs.
Applause iron the galleries and Il rrT |
maintain, and these I represent on this ii5o:
~nain!a;n, that wc have as much right il .l.
government Of the entire Union as we Eavc i'll
he g9rernment ii Our GEn Sta;c; and main
lain that both governments proceed from TIC
sa,ne sovereign poHr-ti.r powcr'of the pcu-
pie; that they ctnanatc from them, and Will
III. men Of & Sale may c;ansc The laws Of
State, they cannot charge its relations Ii
the Federal Union without the consen,
If the people Of all lie States parties to the
compact. Suppressed applause. Tint is the
scntl:nenI Of the peai'lc | represent; ana We
utterly discard. us Il ua,irpaiion U! power, as All
act Of Tyranny, ever: attempt ezeiicG by thoSr
to whom Inc people, in ali evil hour, cunidrd
The ord;nary representative trusts, AID wig
have turned thvi: back upon c"rri thing like
constitution or lam, and VINO hay. attempted
to effect in u4. mids; a military dcspotism.-
[ am prepared 10 say that The men Of Western
Virginia lave conducted themselves like free
,,.o, opl l,,.,l ,,,,r. and ~. /, ,, f1no;In,1 ~,
fore ill ike void cur Republication Ci all these
acts Uf tyranny, and Our determination to maiI.
tain iDriu!a;u ~ the end Of time or So long as
&c live, the glorious union under which Sc,
liyc, and under which we have grown and pros
pered to an extent 5cyuu1 all precedent in the
worlds history. And VIC desire in the ~natiota.
CaPitol, iii Inc pr-seucn d; the representatives
81 the people, 10 express our reputation, moi
only 10 the Subsequent acts Of tic Virginia
Convention, but everything pertaining To is
organization. Suppressed app!ausc.)
Mr.. Vallandignam, of Ohio, said On Tie
mex! demonstration of disorder. he SHOULD in
>;>t on tie order CT tie House being executed.
Mr.. Garlic, resuming. characterized the &C.
iiou Of Tie Els!ern portion OF Virginia It's t
gross tyranny, and Ct clarcd that !hc people Of
Western Virginia were determined t. Uphold
the Union uider which we haze grawn aid
prospcrrd beyond all n!hcr prccedcnss.-
Therefore, they desire in tho National Capitol
that their voice shonld b, heard on every.
i;.ins pertaining 10 she organization Ct the
House.
Mr.. Loycjoy, NJ Illinois, moved tie previous
question Ua the resolution.
Mr.. Burnett, Of Kentucky, demanded the
yeas and nays. hat they were moi urtci 81.
On motion Of Mr.. McGlrriaRd, oI Illinois,
the resolution MAS tabled
Tic Virginia delegation vas then swnrH
in, as also the Delegations flom the other
States.
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TIE PREVAILING DIsEAsE.--The following
arc said to bc most ~efeclual remedies for the