Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-11-19
VOLUME IYIII.-NUMBER az

HESS rs IL appears tIa[ We nave only ont
hundred aud thirty.six members in all, I mav.
th4t ma ajority OF that number shall be hclG
to constitute quorum.
Mr.. HARylE.-l understood the Chair has
decided no motion TO BE- in ori:r in the absence
Of quorum.
Mr. MoSrAGrE-Is tha. the decision o! the
Chair?
The pRESlpEHr.-T so ruled
Mr. MpNTAGrg.--I appeal FROM that decision
The | til rule which we nave adopted says:
"a majority of tie members of the Con-
vcntiun sEail be necessary 10 transaa. bust
ness"
maintain that under that rules majority o
the members present constitute Q quorum
Mr. HARvIE.--That rule was adopted whc,I
VIC had Il fnii Convention, and ofcaur<c c0nlcm
plated that seyen!y.seycn vas to be 4 quorum
| think the gentleman begs the question when
nc says that m.jori,y ofthe number present
constitute quorum. \ majority OF the Con
vention az it. existed when that rule was
adopted did constitute L quorum; but can.
not suppose that this rule applies TO the Con
ventiDa as it now exists. 1t was never CON
templaled to do so, for no SUCH result rs has
since supervench could have been antici
patcd. when the raie VAS adopted
\. all events there ara membcrs now com.
posing this bod: wu have been elected since
oTr last session, whose right to a seat we
should first Investigate before Slopting any
rule prcd:catcd upon the number nOw occupy
ing seats Lcre Some members claiming Seats
mere have received, MS | understand, but two
or three Totcs, and insist that the claims OF
thnsa members shall be investigated before
consent tia. my action here shall be paralzsd
br gent.cncn coming here upnn such eIuIvt-
cal grounds rs the reception Of :mo vnies.
the PRESIDENT Tho irrn OF the Chair is,
that ShoulI sc%enty.scven mcmocTs fail 10 sp.
pear, the Convention would have it in it's pow
er 10 adopt en- amendment 10 the rule consii-
tutBg majority Of the ;;;li;i Der present n
quorum. believe that sevr!,!y-seven mcu!-
bers are now III the city, and il seems to nle
that it would bc well 10 defer any ac:iUn chang.
ing the hlsis Of organization until The quorum
is present. IF tic Convention, impatient CT
delay. shall decide 20 make tue change in the
rule which have Indicated, shall be happy
to see the change made lt would he better
c7cn if SUCH change was contemplated to
await the presence Of 4 quorum, and thus give
tie force Of legality to the act.
Mr. MoIRls.-I understand that the gentle
man from Goochland, (Mr. LEAkE,) is in camp
near The c.tr, md world move ;ral the Pres
ldent pAicn messenger ior him.
Tie p':rsiDGSr.--l. requires TIC Iro:i9G-
The Cha: VIII order him 10 ue seat !ur.
IGe second do"rkeeprr was accordingly srnt
:c the camp lbr Mr. LtAgr.
Alr. GMcoRY, OF King william i under
staai the Chalr to Gcc:dc t:.at there Is not 4
quorum present.
The PEEsIDEHT.--ir4, sir.
Mr. GKEGJHY.--hGd from that decision
understand the gCntlelnst from M:ddieseS,
(Mr. MoSTAGUE,) 10 appcsl. Is not that The
question now III order
The PRESIDENT canno: see how the ap-
peal can be t5ken since you can do nothing
without quorum. TO not regard an appeal
as in order; bat am willing TO do anything
that shall r,eat the views of tho Convention.
Mr.. T. }. RASDoLpn.-Suppose, by some act
Of Ged, that one hail Of the State vas sab.
merged in thc ocean, according 10 hat dsci.
sion y0u would hav. lo government 1T all
the whole government OF the STATE woa!I he
literally extinct.
The PRESIDENT That is not the csse. how.
over N.aughter.)
Mr RANDOLPH But, sir, lhe el:euiy is in
possession OF portion OF the State, ana the
effect ;s "sly much the Same as II IL TaS sub.
merged. Suppose the ememy was in posses
s:oa Of half the State, according TO TINT dec!.
sion the other half would haze no government
a!istcccr.
Mr. BI4EkY.-UnIer the rlic y6u have lad
dpSn, suppose j: should happen that The fvss!-
dent should decide tha: seventyseven mem
bers would not br q quorum, would there be
no remedy?
The pREslDESr-That is not supposabie
caSc Laughler.)
sir. BAYLOR, oi Augusta.---lt seems to lEe
tha, s1me members have come in snce the rol!
has been called. think il wGuld be well ~
call Lie rol! again.
The roll WAS again called, when Mr.. SAMUEL
g. WILLIAMS answered TO his name, making
Is members III all.
At t;iis stage there was Il long pause, await
irs the arrival Of members.
After an interval Of about half or three
quarters OF IN hour, Mr.. MAgNApuHE JonN.
soN, who was engaged III court, arrived, which
increased the number 20 15.
Mr.. DogMAS.-lt seems to me- SIR, that we
rum in tue city, but there seems 70 be some
difficulty in getting them here.
apprehend, sir, that, inasuuch, as there Is
so,uc Gaubt as 70 tho discretion Of the body TO
determine that any Short ot the usus! number
(77) should constitute 9 quorum, the proper
course TO pursue is to examine the election rc-
turns, which, understand, are now in posses
sion Of the Chair, aid to determine, as speedily
as may be consistent with a full investigation
Of the claims Of tho gentlemen claiming seats
by virtue OF these returns, who are entitled 70
seats under the elections held 10 till the racan'
ces created by the expulsion OF members at
the last session.
move that the returns bo referred, ct once,
to the Committee on Elections. and that the va.
canc;cs now existing IL that committee be hi!ed
up.
Mr. HAYao%o DO understand you &s de-
Gliding that We cannot constitute quorum
out Of 4 msjoTitT Of the members present!
The PgEsluuYT- The Chair has determined
in case the scrscant.at arms who has been dis
patched il search OF members, shall fail IN hIs
errand, to entertain an appeal from the decI-
sion of The Chair, and throw tho responsibility
upaE the body.
Mr HAYMoNp-I would make 4 suggestion
sir.
It seems 10 me that there is some confusion
in constituting the provision Of tho Constitution
whics! requires that no brII, making an sfpro
pciation Of money GU, Of the putllc treasury
shall become q Law, unless it receives msj ri
,y Of the whole number elected to b1,h branch
cs Of the Legislature.
Now, that Is not the ruIo here. We did no
,5n ,ta rt,Inv Cf thc lI1nu. re II 1laoltps hi
the rules Of the ConTeu;ion Of l3j0-5l. Ant
what are these rules 81 far as they relate Il
the question now under consideration : Tha,
I majority Of the members present shall con
stitutc quorum. What constitutes this Con
vention, but the delegates elected to this body
Why, sir, half Of us might die within the pc
Rod allotted f3r this session. and in that event
| apprehenl, we would have Convention
Undcr our rule, it certainly cannot happe!
| that if few members Of this Convention ar
,uil.- oc th,t which dicnusl iiips them from