Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-03-05
The Virginia State Convention,
FOCRTEEETH DAP
FElpAy, MARCH |, 1861.
g DaSvrc1i Procecdincs.)

Resolved, Tha, the Commissioners Of Eir
GINA to the late Peace Conference at Washing
ton be requested, at rs early period as may
be agreeable to them, after they shall have re-
ported according 10 the provisions of the act Of
Assembly appointing them, to explain, several
" before lhc Conventon their views OF the &C
ton of said Conference and of its result; and
ih.. Commissioners Hon. WIN. c. Rives, Hon.
JHhn ". HTockcnbrough and Hon. James a.
Ssdon DC invited, By the President to occupy
seats in this Convention"
Mr.. Pace offered The following rs suosti'
tute:
Resolved. That the President Of this Conven
ton b. instructed to invite the Hon. lillian
G. Rives, the Hon. James y. Seldom, snd the
Hon. John Brockelbroush to occupy seats upon
this floor
Mr.. MAcsaRL hope this question will
be disposed Of w,,hou, any protracled debate.
If the purpose be TO treat the gentlemen IN
question rs Witnesses beg II may DO remem
Grrcd, that it is not necessary to bring them
into this tsli for the purpose of delivering o'S'
courses. IL order - obtain the information we
may desire. they arc gentlemen, am sure,
who will consent TO be INTERCEPTED oy any
gentleman Of this Convention, in the lorn OF q
proper appeal, and who, in response, Will give
al! tic information in their power. L trust
.hcn, that no gentleman will vote for the rcso.
Luton in question, under the apprehension that
va,natc information will be lost, for it is in the
power Vf gentlemen 10 obtain the information
they may desire, without inviting the gentle
men in question upon the 1oor TO perform the
part CT orators.
One word more, Mr. President, understood
my friend, who last addressed US, to refer to
division in this body between uajorities anu
;ninortiss. Nothing u tha, sort has yet been
disclosed which would enable us 10 distinguish
between naj0rilirS and nnorites. IL IS dlLn'
cult TO lei. precisely 10 what the gentleman re-
ters lie surely docs not belong to minority
IN This bJdy, il reference Is mad to its speak
ing talent for ti.Ink. in both the number oil
Speakers and The br.lancy which has marked
.':cir speeches, the gentleman and his irlenoS
might Claim that they were in the majority ana
beg TO rcmind the gentleman that he dispar-
ages his own abilities and the abilities OF his
1reads, when nc suggests that il may be no
cesS2:y To appeal to foreign aid for the pnr'
pose OF supporting propositions upon this
iioor. II We give our sanction to the prece'
dent, know not upon what ground any dis.
tiuguisherl gentleman could be excluded, who
It is suggested might furnish valuable aid, it he
purpose Of addressin. this Convention.
hope. therefore, THAT It may bs the pleasure
o. the Convention to notify the gentlemen in
question that they are entitled 10 seats upon
this .!onr. bat that no sanction proceeding from
this body will Dc given, which either suggests
necessity for their couaselS, or that they
should occupy upon this floor the position OF
witnesses who are TO SubIni. to cross.examlna'
ton.
Mr.. SIsFFrY-l did not anticipate discus
sion upon thus resolution when | offered 1t q
f:w days ago This Convention extended an
Invitation To- the Commissioners Of foreign
State 10 address this body, and lay before them
irc vraSoI,S Why South Carolina, Georgin and
Mississippi had seeded from the Union. We
have sent ComInlSS toner's 10 Washington, Tor
the purruSc Of comforting with the Commls'
SionerS oil other States, upon the great ques-
tons wiich now agItate The country, anu tor
the adjustment O. winch We have assembled
lere in lh.S Hail. | cannot see why the Com.
ln>>loners Of Il foreign State should be granted
i;Ic courtesy Of hearing before this BODY, ana
ou, owu Commissioners bc excluded from that
priviirg. OF tic members OF this body excluded
from hearing them.
have not determined to what party Shall
ultimately Lciong in the adjustment OF this
great question. Can only say, that the i'm.
preston has been made upon my mind, that
the plan Of adjustment which has been report
cd 10 us, no, officially, OF the Commissioners
or The Governor. hui BY the newspapers may
be but ic opening oi the agitation anu re-
opening OF the scenes Of Kansas. IL am
wrong III this impression, desire 10 have my
mind informed by the Commissioners VINO par
t;cpatcd in the Peace Conference at Washing
49,, InnoI
what NAV hare been the result Of their DELHI
erationS, AMI 20 know from them the scenes
behind the curtain. II is with this view that
! desire 10 extend 10 these Commissioners the
courtesy Of granting them hearing upon this
n,or aud to Obtain from them all the light
which their oral explanations might afford to
Us desire 1t !or my own Information and 10
aid me in The conclusions 10 which desire to
come, rs well as for the information of the
members Of this Convention. | offered 1t In
no Other view | desre 10 hear the expIana-
toaS not only Of the gentlemen who are mem
tcrs Of this Con:cnlion, but the other gentle
1nen also who arc not members Of this body.
Mr. DxANcI-l wish to bring to tue notice
OF tic Convention the resolutions which o.
icred the o:hrr day, and which, if read Alright
the indications apparent in this body, are TO
fJrn. basis for our action. regard it so from
the compliments ha,c roccivcdi from hre.eatsrs
and d$union n,en I'll, Oh shout iris city, VINO,
i | were 10 name them, would be considered
rs worthy OF Your confidence.
But to The subject. (b4ughtcr). Ny lrleno
from the county vi Amelia Mr.. UARvIE) whom
! have known for long time, says that he Is
in a minority. II he chooses to place himself
in that category, let MIN know that mn pleas
cd to stand here and defend his rights l 90
with no nInjoiity 10 PROSTATE his rights. IL Is
asked here to DO what: 10 bring gentlemen
he,c to bc catechised MS witnesses. If TN
d,r>tand the resolution. they wish to induce
the Honorable Commissioners from Virginia to
Give TX pare testimony am no lawyer, out
i, the Courts Of Justice where have been on
inyies, they have always had both sides Of a
Question presented. | will never vote to place
the Commissioners Of Virginia in such posi-
ton as to DC catechiscd here. ! will never vote
TO place III. honorable and venerable man whom
l Lave known from my childhood, in such
position. The etiquette which learned IN the
beautiful chinca pin hills Of old Chesterfield
tlau.htcrj will He"cr allow me to place these
honorable gentlemen in such Il category. We
want their report in writing and the substance
embodied in that form. ! beg, gentlemen,
therefore, not to pass this resolution Every
gentleman has his own views of the etiquette,
p7op,iety, aud dignity which are due to these
gentlemen and Which should be accorded to
inern. They may differ from me in the posi-
ton have here taken. but do think that we
should ask these gentlemen TO address us oral,
Is, bu. avow our desire to hear any written
Communication they may choose TO make. Let
IS deliberate as men, as statesmen, as men who
come here actualed only by q desire to save the
country in this its hour OF peril. Let us cast
all pr, jld,ces aside and exhibit that spirit on
Iy winch will best promote the interests we oil
have 50 near at heart.
Mr.. TnagS;ox-l do not desire TO detain the
Convention "tnlc | give Il few Of the reasons