The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-01-10

Legislature, should deciue that point At all
events, he wished time to examine the grave
question involved, and il he could satisfy him.
self In regard to 1t, he would cheerfully sup
port the bill or If the bill itself should be so
amended as to require the vote to be put to
the people, of Convention" or "no Con-
vention," the amendment would remove
| the constitutional objection, and allow
| him to give his vote for the bill
For Heavens sake, said Mr.. S., give us little
time-one short days time, at least to ponder
upon the great ques tions-the most important
ever presented to the refec ton of American
Observation-Disclosures that involve the very life
OF our glorious institutions. Give us, beg, one
oriei DAYS pause Tor thinking on these thrilling
matters. he lamented, as a man. as q Virgin
an, as an American, that the policy of precip-
| itaton which had begun eisew here and which
threatened to shiver into fragments our glo;
| rlous institutions, and to spread ruin and
| desolation throughout cur once happy land,
had come within the limits of this staid and
| sober Common wealth, and had invaded even
| the halls of her Legislature. But he trusted
| that we would act with caution and delibera-
| ton, and by that caution and elaboration give
to the action of the Old Dominion all that
| moral weight which had always attended her
| counsels, when calmly and dspassionately
given. AT all events, he hoped for one days
| delay, for the reason stated.
Dr. RiyEs said the only amendment neces-
| sary to the bill in his opinion, was to shorten
| the time within which il was proposed to hold
| the Convention. he said the country was dis
| rupted, and that The signs OF the times I'M
pressed on them the necessity OF speedy ac-
| ton. Delays are dangerous.
| Mr.. MALLORY, of Brunswick, said he had
| been unanimously instructed fy his constitu.
ents to vote for Convention. The time liked
| in the bill for its as bling was February
| eth. Any shorter time lessened the period
| within which the people would have to can
vass the merits of candidates.
| MIR. DICKINSON was waiting Tor Instructions
| from his constituents. He wished the action
| of the House to be deliberate, not hasty. He
wanted time.
| Mr. SBGAR withdrew his motion to lay on
| the table, with the leave of the House.
| Mr. ANDERSON debated the motion of the
| gentleman from Madison. sustaining his mo-
| ton for a second reading OF the bill.
| MT HAYMOND.-l see no objection to the bill
| laying on The table and coming up In the usual
order.
| Mr. WILSON, Of Isle of Wight, said: The
vote On this bill is sought TO be delayed and we
| are grayely told we are not in revolution. We
| are to day standing in the midst of q Rsvolu-
| ton, as yet bioodless but it is not in the
| power or the wisdom of man to determine
| what are the fearful issues which are to spring
| out OF il. We are standing to day, amid The
| falling columns and broken arches OF the
| nigh hest and proudest temple ever real ed
to the ger Jus of Liberty. The vandalism
| ct fanaticism has polluted Its affairs, the
| spirit of Liberty has taken its flight. and
| "ichabod" is written on lis deor-pusts. The
| Union OF these States is already dissolved,
| and each Integral portion, each unit Is
| Withdrawing from and re-nniting themselves
| with the powers with which they have III
| vested this multiple, the United States
| Great events are on the wing, and Virginia is
| called upon to say what part or lot she " i'll
| take in matter. Will she act; or, Will she
| wait util others have actedi Is she resolved
| upon doing what others have resolved to do
| Will she be longer bound u broken covenants
| aud violated compae g, with those OF Punic-
worse than Punic-Puritan faith; or will she,
| as the judge Of both the mode and measure OF
| her redress, take her cause in her own
| hands, relying upon God and her arms.
| d 8
| for DELAY. Delays are dangerous, and it be-
| comes Virginia, with q due regard for her own
safety, as well as her honor. that she SHOULD
| act at once. N0,c is the acceptable time; now
| is the day Of Virgluias salvation!
| As Constitutions are above all laws, SO the
| people are above all Constitutions, whether
State or Federal, and IL is the right as well as
| the duty of every people 10 alter, amend or
| annul their Constitutions and Governments
whenever they become burthensome or oppres-
| sve. This is principle as ancient as self
government itself.
| The nature OF The compac to which the sew
erai States accsded, Implies the right TO secede
when the conditions and Obligations upon
| which it was made have been violated by the
| other parties to it But / have no dispos ition
to discuss this question here now. am tor
| action-actlon-imm -date and decisive.
| cannot, Mr.. Speaker, sing raans to an
| Union that is dead. While it did indeed exist,
| it was an Union of wrong, of injustice. of iu-
| suit and oppression. 1t was born with the
| seeds OF disease. II has sustained itself u body
|
| having the form OF Union, while the essence
| was DEAD. 1t stinks in the nostrils of men,
| and it is high time Virginia had freed herself
! from the BODY Of this death.
| Mr. VOOLFOLK called for the previous qUeS.
| ton; which, being ordered by The House, the
| Speaker put the main ques ZION, on which the
| ayes and nays were called by Mr. KEMPgR-
| The voting resulted Tor second reading-ayeS
| los, nays 80.
The bill was then read by sections.
| Mr.. JONES, OF Appomattox, submitted
motion TO change the time to 3lst January.
| Mr.. ROBERTSON, OF X, favored the time
| 9th February in the bill as reported from
| committee.
| Mr.. RAYMOND said he lived only Is miles
| from Pennsylvania. He was not afraid of the
| Black Republicans. He was opposed TO
| shortening the time for holding the Conven-
| ton.
MI ANDERSON, from Webster and Nicholas,
| said his people did not take the Richmond
| papers, and if the 3lst of January was fixed
| upon as the time for holding the Convention,
he would move that the Governor be eQQested
| to send special messengers to his people TO in
| form them what they were expected to do.
| Mr.. KEMPER again impressed on the House
| the necessl " of the Convention being held at
an early day as possible.
Mr. A. KNOTS advocated February 9TH, as
| the time of holding the Conventio
| Mr.. CHAPMAN, of Monroe, thought if We
| are to have u Convention we mad just as we'll
have it speedily.
| Mr.. CRANE made a strong Union speech
| explained his own position and that of his
| constituents-they wereNirginians. but Union
| men also. He was under the impression that,
| carried away by the feeling OF the hour, he
| had already given several votes which his
| Judgment could not approve.
| Mr.. Mcdowell called for the previous ques.
| ton but was induced to Withdraw the mo-
| ton at the suggestion Of
| Mr. ROBERTSON, of Richmond, who made a
personal explanation. he said remark that
| fell from the gent eman near him mr.. kemper)
| demanded word of reply, lest his silence
| nigh seem admit Justice. laDpeal. said
| Mr. X 10 this whole House, to every mem Der,
| Whe her, in his whole public service on this
| floor, he ever presented in single instance In
| connection with The class of questions We are
| considering, advanced propostlOn,or gave
vote, that invited was founded party
| lines. If there was any thing he had constant
| ly and earnestly deprecated, it was drawing
| such iiaes on questions OF this nature II there
was any Thing he had constantly sought, it was
the effacing OF all references TO such differences
| where the honor and interests OF Virginia
| in her relation to olher States were involved.
| He doubted If another gentleman on the floor,
except The distinguished gentleman near him,
Rad tor d moment construed the remark
| which he had CON IN ted in the sense which
| he had seemed 10 unde rstaudit. 1t was haI day
necessary to say II was an Interpretation
| wholly unwarranted Dy hiss purposo ., or, as lie
thought, by his language 1t imported The
| simple fact, not disparagins-not peculiar
natu al " all us-by none more eQ uently or
painfully realized than by hlinseif-thtt
| party defeat, W ere We thought great and vital
| Interests. AID the sucte.s of those we sup
ported were involved, did OCCASION tural
| Sfnaring and excitement under the d!sip-
| poin ant There was no hing less thought
| II by him, than drawing party lines or exciI-
| ing party feelings, and be had not thought he
| could have been SO misunderstood, uii he
frand the gentleman nearl him had so inter-
| pr-ted hin.
The House, by a vote OF ayes and nays,
| changed the time of holding the Convention
from the 9TH OF February to the Attn OF that
| month