Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-04-16
,l'he Virginia State Convention.
FORTEEIGYTE DAY.

QUEEN.
Mr. RICHARD Ii. Cox, presented the follow
ing proceedings OF public meeting in Kin!
and Qaccn, winch we're referred 10 the Com
nittec on Federal Relations:
At e public meeting OF the people OF King
and Queen, held at the Courthouse, on th'
Ith oi April. Archibald Pointer sYas called t.
the Chair, and f. Il. Montague appointed Sec
retary.
Oa motion of Alexander Dudley, the ivlla~
ing preamble and resolutions were unanimousl
adopted:
Whereas, VIC feel assured that the preserra
ton OF our cherished institution Of black labor
demands the Immediate secession Of this Coll
monweaith from her present connection, ant
her union With the Conedcvated States Of tn,
South, and'have seen, with deep Identification
the hesilatlng and d;latory course pursued by
Il minority VI tho Stalo Convention, now il
session IN the city Of Richmond; therefore,
Resolved, lsL That We are opposed to any
Convention uf the Border Slave States, Lv.
cause we regard II ~ move looking To delay
only. We are still more opposed tU any
further efforts being made to obtain concessions
iroi:i. OF Compromises with, the whte.labor
Sta,eS Of the late United States; and, since
our Convention is unable TO decide what
shall be our future destiny, We invite them
to submit 10 the people the question, wheth.
er we Shall remain il union with the cold,
calculating, issn,wnrshipping, money.loYing,
un'riendly North, or shall We cast our 10,
With the noble Scl.s Cf the South, numbers oi
whom sprung IRON Virginia sires, and whose
interests are, in most material respects, ident,.
cs with cur own.
Resolved, %. That we 90 not intend the
foregoing resolutions as an instruction TO our
true and faithful representative, DR.. R. H. Cox;
on the contrary, We return hlm cur earnest
ihaaks Tor E;!c Straightforward, manly course
which &c mas pursued.
l;vls DC Eor Sarded to the Rlch;uord papers 10,
publication, and sur delegate !c requested to
lay tue same before The Cun:crton.
On netioa, tine meeting adjourned
ARCHIBALD POINTER Cl lu;l
Z. Is. MuNrAurE, Secy.
TAXATION QUESTION.
E;ic fREsiDESr-Tic resolution 81, The gen
iie!Iaa irotu Monongaiia, Or. WlILEY.) with
the atnend:nentS attached thr:etO, are now IN
o"ier.
Dir. NlLINr--The amendment Of the gentle
suLn roi; UIouc.s!"r, Sir SEAwELL il seclns
~ Inc, Is Hasnc ii its teruis, and |, adopted
would amount to nothing. 1t is an amend.
nent to eli Amendment onerr, by the gentle
man from Jackson, (Mr. TrgNgR) Th. ::r.end
in=nt offered by the gentleman from Jackson,
! tMr TCnSER, il evidently Incomplete nr H.
lace. BY lis own tcrus it has reference only
to tho 25i section OF Article four Of the Con
Stituti"n, AMI if adopted would certainly tai
.! accomplishing the PURPOSE which the mover
lNf h.,,i, L 4
| provides that taxation shall be equal and mi.
lu;m Throughout: The Commonwealth, and aii
property o.her than slaves sha! be taxed i'll
/ proportion 10 its value
! Now, the amendment offered by the gentle
tuan from Jackson, Cair. TrKSEI,) has reference
only to the 23d section and ii adopted woulo
leave The Inhibition which have referred to
iii the 22d wholly untouched Therefore, as
between Tie competing propositions. l. o:
cnArse, would deciuediy prefer the adoption o,
tile amendment ~ the amendment; but that
III lis lersus is, a:; have already remarked,
| very vague, and ii adnl;-d would amount to
nothing. Ii provides simply that Committee
shall bc appointed t. inquire into the eypedi.
cncy Of certain objects nvt very we'll dCLncd.
Now, the original proposition asks the SENSE ci
the Convention up"n the principle itself, and
|
pointed AT once 10 provide an amendment OF
~, Sc tso Sec:ons IN Article four oi tue Con.
stltutiun, winch shall cunfoilu 10 the organic
law, and to the principle cnuncialcd Iii tie
first resolution winch offered.
| Sir. Presdiut, this mailer mas been before
The Convention for nearly q month, auu ha,
breu discussed on both sides. GvntieucD
nasc had ample time ~ reflect upon il and | iu
trust it will be the pleasure Of tue CongcnLier
! IT, vote down these amendments at once, anG
| give lis ;Ae sense Gl the Convention upon the
| principle itself, AID then give Us Committee
10 CONFORM the Constitution accarulns To iilu
principle shall mol open the discussion I'll
| All, bat have deeutd THE eXplaiat9n nrccs-
| >ary for iair understanding vi the PROPOSE.
lions as thry aow s,aGd bcloir the Convention
Mr.. SGAwELL-l had the pleasure TO move
that amendment ~ lhc resolutions presented
~ IL. s:uticuan l:oIn MUnunsalia. think
| 1t proper that goi.i state, BY way of tXpit.
| na;iur, and i'll reply TO the rcmurks which have
| tll.c!: IRON tic gentleman, Mr.. WILEY thai
urileEc the proper course ior this Convention
20 tabe Is 10 luake IN inquiry as 10 the p:up:i.
city oi lhiS movement ! au not very wei;
"ersed in tie proceedings Of legislative and
;elbCraliVe bodies but | am under The i'm.
preston that upon question ut primary
Importance, such as this il, it is cmnentl,
proper, and is the usual practice, 10 refer lie
subject to Q Committee 10 enquire into It, in lhy
urst instance. The report which that Com
rnutee wg,Ild make does not necessarily bind
the action Of this body but it is necessary
ti,at the subject should be mure fully invesii.
gated in ali It's bearings bv Committee thaiI
u eau possibly be before lilc entire BODY Itself.
|; Is proper that All inquiry should !irst be
| maze.
The gentleman says tilat the subject has been
fully discussed Discussed by whom? II las
'icen very iul!y and very ably discussed by the
scnlleuau und hli friends VINO arc in favor o.
establishing lae principle upon winch nc asks
| that itie'vJic shall HOW be taken but within
M hcarirI. it has not bcen very iu!ly DISCUSSED
Ju tic ollIer side. Not one that recollect oi
AUD my recollection is Confirmed by the
gentleman ncu" nc--hus discussed the subject
! " al.y extent Oh the other SIDE lsuppose one
ft:lSGri why other ge:tleI.cn have not discussed
!nc subject was that they were uctuatcd BY the
same lnn;ire w;licL has Influenced me, namely,
mat did not desire at this time to discuss tue
a.rr;,s Of the question, but wished first to have
:. report upon IL by an investigating Committee,
ard when the subject should have been thus
fully laid before this body, then 10 have al
opportunity of discussing the merits Of the
question according To tho report Of the Com
mittec.
With regard to the objection tu the icst
| ancIidn,en;, that it docs not cover all the
ground, do not think, with all Difference to
| the gentleman from Mono1galia, that that OBJ
Ijccton applies to the second amendment be.
cause that does expressly demand an enquiry
into tie twenty. second and twenty third sec.
tions | will not now so into discussion Oi
the subject; but will simply rsiterate that it
seems Cninent!y proper that the question
should 20 through the ordeal CT Comrni,lcc
Of enquiry, ard iii that manner comc before
this body ior discussion and settlement Ny
ar,cnd:uent, | believe, embraces everything
hat is included in TIE original proposition.