Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-12-24

tl:iGn that 10 C0uid nov cAloAo w .usu-
They know full we'll that wc aro anxious 70
their Ua;on With US il this no7cnent-the
know that before the passage OF INC ordinnne
OF secession--a result brought ABOUT by ster
necessity-we were considering the best mean
10 induce them to cooperate with US; The
know that while Ts were endiRVoring TO Sc
them TO confer with us, we were forced
choose between en- altitude OF base Submission
or ndependepce.
have suggested :re rd2p:ie5 Of y resolu
ton which, in m5 Judgment, |ll thec; NOR
than speaehes, 70 communicate formally, o.
ls,.57, through the Presiden; Of the Conven
ton. the acuon of shis State, With re9ucs
that these States would Cooperate with ns
spd give their nid 10 the future struggle. TIL
will ooly cost ths State Ihe postage upon n
I,t,c-s. /, does seeia TO me that in neg6iia
tons @! this or any other character, we shoult
ps7 due reg lrd TO the outlay which tie sending
uf &c many commissioners must involve, espe'
c,rlly in Ills irs:sace, where no hope OF sue
cessfui issue il, or. at least, can be entertained
Unless can be convinced that this movement
holds out any prospect of good result,
must vote against it. So FAR, See no enrth'E
good that clu Come Ga! ci il, and hopo till
ordinance will be rejected
>The PAEsir ss-.-Ths Chair will remark
+ ma 81 i.is or rt,o House, s Question Uncs
determined, rhali remain as the judgment o
the Convrnticn, aud as the Chair understands
whilst thero may be some trivial difference be
tween this and the proposition rejected oa yes
tsrday, it is In efsct the same question.
The decision OF the Chair is, that it is oar o.
order
Ne AxnLsa.-I otrsr the following resoiu
ticn:
Resolved, Thut Messrs. Randolph, Iscfsr'
land and Montague be appointed committee
to examine the ordinances, proceedings and
debates OF this Convention from which the sea
CT s,cresy has rot been removed, and allow
such c: esid ordinances, proceedings uca de-
bates, as 10 their opinion msy be compatible
with the public inte!a5ts, 70 be published
Mr. MoyTAoGE-Whs hsn does TIE gentleman
expect this service to be performed7
! Mr. Moyr.rr.-I offer the following ss Rc
amendment to that resolution:
Resolved, That the Injunction OF secrecy DO
removed So far Us to authorize the publication
Of the ordinances, proceedings and debates OF
| this Convention.
Mr. AMaLzn-Cna difficulty occurs 10 mo
with regard to that resolution. We have re-
ceived report this morning from the Major
General Commanding, US to the actual force
at uarper's Fsrry. That is point that ought
to be kent secret. Under tho resolution Of
the gentleman, that would be mads public
|, |; absolutely necessary that we should have
committee 10 examine everything that has
transpircd here, anu strike out what would be
Injurious to the Commonwealth, and give to
the public what would not bs Injurious to the
public interes.
1. has been suggested to tne tha: the geuslo.
man from Mi6diesex fMr. MoSTAGuE,) ia en-
sayod in the ADVISORY Courcii, gnd canDot.
therefore, attend 10 tue duty which this rese-
| iuticn imposes. | would ssk leave TO suostI-
! iv;e hr. Jcuaios, CT Richmond :or ar. 4os-
| TAeUE-
AR. EAgLr-I hope the resolution otIe,e
by the gentleman from Rappahannock tMc.
Mo.rErT.) will be adopted. When VS. a! 60
| nome oow we will not have the privilege to
explain 10 OUT constituents what has traDs-
pirfed here, and We will thus be placed in q
| peculiar predicamels
Now, ses no objection 10 publishing whs,
has ,ranspiied here this morning IL regard to
Hsrper's Ferry. The government at Wash
:ngioa viii very socn ascertain all ebout tie
state Of afIirs ST that point:
sir. AYsLER--lt strikes me that that would
! hn -ery wise cou7so to pursue Thcc To
snow ;ha. CD Effort is heirs iasdc by our enc
| :..e, TO asc.Iiain the exact strength ot cur
forces there
Mr. EanLY-We are Only furnished With the
nuuber there when the report Tas Inade out,
and .his number will Of ccurso increase with
the necessity to have additional troops at that
point. There are no doubt plenty there in the
enpioyment OF the United States Government,
wno would give full intormat!ca On the subject
10 that government
| Mr. AMBLEg-in answer TO thIt, would
! state that there is q gentleman just behind NE
who has lately arrived frcn Harper s Ferry,
and be believes that the actual number tnere
ls three time: what it really is, ond that IN
preston, he uays, very generally prevails
Mr. EARLY. do not see any objection
to publishing that return, inasnuch Sd the
public will be IN possession OF the true stese c'
| things, while, by suppressins II, VIC cinno;
/ withhold frcm tho enemy the Information they
seek 10 obtain on tha. head. If We giTe TO q
committee the privilege Of publishing what
ever lney nay think proper, why according to
their views, they may make public what J.:
most necessary 70 be suppressed. when We
ro.urn nome 70 our constituents What condition
will re be il when our lips are sealed 10 re-
gard to all that ha. trEnspiTe5 oeret
trust the amendment viii be adopted.
Mr. SaEfrgT-I move to amend the amend
ment by striking out the word debates" so q;
to limit the publication 70 the ordinances nne
| proceedings
,hlnk 1t would be committing to this CON-
mi!tee al unlimited power to say that my re-
marks shall be excluded and the remarks o
other gentlemen published, or that my re-
marks Shall be published snd the remarks o
other gentlemen excluded.
I mcye, therefore, to strike out the word
debates" and l.aVe tine contract with The
E1itors Of the Richmond Enquirer Tor the
publication Of the debates as it stands. We
nave no right TO interfere with that contract
and commi. to 3 conmittse the power to eb-
solve Us from lha! contract
Ir. BRaScH.-l approve the resolution O.
the gentleman from Louiss, (Mr. ANsLgg,,
and OF the amendment of the gentleman froH
Sny,he; and | now cali the previous question
The cal! vas sustained and the ;aain ques-
ton ordered, which was upon the smendmen,
offered by Mr.. SuErrET; and the vote beins
t.ken upon it, vas decided in the affirmative
The question .hen REQUIRED up-n tbs sdop
ton Of ice amendment as amended.
Mr. AusL.R-I will call the attention Of the
Convention to enc fact Il is cat ar net o.
Justice to those wno s:o in minority here
that the fact should be called to the attention
of the Convention, that the minority have been
refused the privilege CT ha7ing announced /;
tie public tao csuse of their opposition to th'
course which tho majority have taken Now
this majority denies TO the minority the poo
privilege oflotting the public kr1w upon Ths
ground and under what circumstances the,
opposed the action Of this majority. Eou hav
kept this iron rule upon lis iiun tho time p
, cams into this Ccnyeotion TO this very hour
and now, when we ask you to let tue peopi
, OF Virginia know what We have done here
. you say that sll that is 10 DC given to the pub
lie is tho bare proceedings OF Tie Conveutic-
9 and We must 20 before our people withou
,,r,, tbo ooucr of -iod:ratnn our oourc