Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1861-04-10
VIRGINIA STATE CONVENTION.

embia and resolution offered by MI. Pres
ron on Saturday, for the appointment Of q
Con,mittee TO wait upon the President of
fhe United States to ascertain his policy was
taken up.
Mr. Stuart, Of Augusta approved of the
natriotic motive of the mover OF the preamble
and resolution, but opposed their adoption
in their present form as calculated to do
harm.
Having asked Mr. Tyler, Is one who had
filed the chief executive chair, to give his
oninion Of the manner of the reception by the
President OF such communication,
Mr.. Tyler explained the course proper to
he pursued in SUCH matters. aud said that In
ordinary affairs the President WAS shielded
from making public any information that
was necessary to he kept secret; but IN this
emeroeucy he thought the public good re-
,uired A full and uureserved disclosure. and
# the request was respectfully made, res
nectful answer would be returned. He had
no idea, however of debating to the
President Of the United States the policy
that he ought 10 pursue.
Mr.. Conrad, of Frederick. intended TO vote
for the resolutions III some form. lie did not
believe that the Administration contemplate
ed any Coerciye policy towards the seeded
States; but thought the answer would be
such as to produce soothing effect upon the
couatry. lie differed with the mover of the
resolutions in respect TO the method of ad-
dressing the President, and read substitute
which he Mr. Conrad) proposed to offer.
Mr.. Scott, of Fauquer. heartily concurred
n the object which the gentleman from Mont
yomery Mr.. Prestun) had in view. lie
could not believe that the President would
hesitate, if approached respectfully, to give Al
full and frank response to the interrogato-
zies. But whether he did or not, Mr.. S. was
in favor Of the application, with view to
she government Of his own action as q mem
Der of this body He was free to say that
the moment ii Was disclosed to him that the
President intended to pursue an aggressive
policy towards the seeded States, he would
90 for an ordinance Of secession. Suppress
sed applause.
Mr.. Scott declared his belief that the Pre-
sident contemp late1 q peace policy. He did
not think the resolutions were at all disres-
pectful: he would even be willing to make
use of stronger language--to let the Presi-
dent know that upon his response depended
the action of this Convention.
Mr.. Randolph, of Richmond City, argued
IL
military exredition, now fitting out at New
York, was intended to operate against the
Standards or against the seeded States.
Mr.. Wise favored the proposition: he con-
tended that the country oug INT not to be kept
in this state of suspense.
Mr.. Riyes, Of Prince George, opposed any
proposition which contemplated the sending
OF Commissioners to Washington.
i i, aI or or rrh w
Messrs. Treadway, Branch, Holiday, Flour
nov, Scott, of Po=haran, Garlic, Shelley,
and Speed.
Mr.. Carter, of Loudoun. said he was au-
thnrized to state that there was no truth in
the report Of correspondence between the
Governor of this Commonwealth and the
President.
Pending the discussion, the Convention
.ook recess.
On reassembling, the question was shall
"the main Question be now putt" The roll
was called, and the vote resulted-yea5 50,
NAYS 81. So it vas decided that the main
question should be pat.
The vote was then taken on the adoption
of the preamble and resolution, and resulted
as follows:
YEAs.-MessrS Amber JAS. Barbour, b!akey,
Bouldiu, Branch, Cabell. Cnperton, Cecil, Cham
bliss. Chapman Cotfman. Conn, Robt. !. Conrad,
r. H. Cox Critcher DeSkina Echols, Fisher,
FIournoy, Garland, Gillespie, Graham, Gregory,
John Gooae Jr, Hale, 4. Hall, c. Hall, Ham
,nonl, Harvie, Hoicolnhe, Hunton, Isbell, Kent,
Kindred, Luwsoa. Loalte, c. X. Mallory, Jas. y.
Mallory, Mari, Miller. Montague, Morris, Morton,
Neblett Orrick, Parks, Preston, Randolph, Mich
ardson, Robert T. Scott, VIM. c. Scott Seawell,
Shelley, Slaughter, Speed, Staples Strange Suth,
erlin, Tayoe, Troadway, Waller, Wilson, and
Wysor-62.
NlYs.--Messrs Janney, {Prasdent,l Arm
strong, AStsa, Baldwin, A. NJ. Barbour, Baylor,
Burlin, Blow, BoggesS, Brent, Burdctt, Burnley
Campbell, Garlic Garter, Clemens, {. i. Conrad
Couch, Custus. Dent, Dorman, Early, French, Flu
gate, aray doggn, f. b. Hall, HAMMOND, Hoge,
Holladay, Hubbard. Hughes, jackson, Peter Z.
Johnston, LAWS alcGrew. Marshall, Masters,
Mose;t, Mocre, G>burn, Patrick, Pendleton, Por-
ter Price, tuyh R:ve:, Sharp, Sitlngton, 4. H.
II Stuart [. }. Stuart, Summers. Tarr, White,
Wickham, Wiley, and Wi5e-57.
So the preamble and resolution we're adopted.
The President said the next business IN
order was the appointment Of three GommIs-
sioners.
Mr. Scott, Of Fauquier, nominated Hon
VIM Ballard Preston OF the county OF Mont
gomery.
There being no other nomination, Mr.
Preston vas unanimously elected As one the
Commissioners.
SIR. Summers of kanawha, nominated
Hon A II. H. Stuart, of Augusta.
Mr. Staples. Of Patrick, Illuminated lion
Robert L. Montague, Of the county OF Mid
d!e@ex.
Mr. Montague said there were three par
ties on this hrOr-the secession party, OF
which he was one: the middle party, Of
the gentleman from Montgomery was rep
resentative and another Il little lower down.
\ yoice--"A iittle higher up"
Mr. Montagae.--No sir, i little lower
down the extreme inion party, to which
the gentleman from Augusta belongs-and
he thought that each Of these parties was
entitled to one Of the Commissioners. For
his own part, while thanking the gentlemen
who ominatad him, he declined the mission;
no power coul drag him TO Washington to
ask favor of Abraham Lincoln.
Mr.. Speed, of Campbell nominated Hon.
Robt. f. Scott Of the county OF fauquler.
Mr. Scott declined.
Mr. Morton, Of Orange, nominated Mr..
Samuel Mcdowell Moore, Of the county OF
Rockbrdse, as Il lairer exponent Of the prin-
ciples Of the "SuhmiSSioplStS, a he would
term them, if he preserved the same courtesy
al ianpuauf that WAS used towards the SeceS-