Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-07-19
VIRGINIA STATE CONVENTION.
. SECOND SESSION.
~rOCPTFF2TY DAY.

FOURTEENTH D4f
RICHMOND, Friday, June 2sth, 1851.
The Convention assembled at ten O'CLOCK.
Mr.. SoUTnAIL in the chair. .
Prayer by the Rev. George Woodbridge, oil
the Protestant Episcopal Church.
LEAVE or ABSENCE.
On motion Of Mr.. Cox, leave oil absence Tor
the remainder Of the session vas grantea 10
Mr.. MALLORY, the member from ErnnSWicN' on
account Of illness in his family.
REPORTS OF COMMITTEES.
Mn. JOHNSON, from the Committee on Mill
tary affairs, asked to be discharged from Tue
consideration of the following resolution
"Resolved, That the Military Committee be
instructed to enquire into The expedlency anu
necessity Of establishing a line o! telegraph
from S,aunton along the S!aunton and Far
kersburg turnpike road TO tho town OF Bever-
ley, in Randolph county, and such other point
West Of it as the military defence Of the State
may require"
Mr.. .Io1Ssoy.-lt is proper for me to state
tina, Gen. Lee has been consulted in regard 10
this subject, and has expressed the opinion that
a telegraph line would he both useful and desir'
able. but be added that there vas not at the
command Of government a sufficient quantity OF
acid to work the line, and consequently 1t was
no, worth whIle to undertake it ut this time.
The committee was accordingly discharged.
Mr.. CHaMBlIss from the Harper's Ferry
Committee made the following report upon the
subject Of
THE STORES, MACHINERY AND PROPERTY CAFTrE
Ed AT nARrER's FERRY.
The COMMITTEE to whom was referred the
inquiry, "what measures onght TO be taken IN
reference to the stores, machinery and proper
ty captured at Harper's Ferry by the Virginia
forces" beg leave to make the following re-
port:
The property captured at Harper's Ferry.
consisted principally Of machinery for the
manufacture Of rifles and muSkets-a portion
of which is common to both arms. This ma
chinery has been brought to Richmond and,
in the transportation, some was lost, some IN
iurcd, and some broken not sufficient, how
ever, to materially affect its completeness and
value. The Executive of the State, BY the
advice OF the Advisory Council, has consented
to send to the State of North Carolina tina. parl
of the machinery intended for the manufacture
of rides; and about one third Of it has been
removed to Fayetteville, where there are build
ings suitable for its accommodation, and motive
power capable OF driving it for immediate use
and to its full capacity. The public necessity,
and immediate demand for arms, justified any
course likely to effect the desired object.
All the muskct machinery is in the armory
building in Richmond, but not put up for use
and cannot be until the buildings are in a more
forward state Of completion.
Fur information on the subject of tho Armo
re- building, its capacity TO receive the machine
re-, &c, the committee refer to the communion
ton Of Colonel Burton, herewith filled, marked
(A.)
By the terms Of the convention entered into
between Virginia and the Hon. a. II. Stephens
| Commissioners Of the Confederate States, OF
the 9th Of April, 1861, in the city OF Rich
mond. i. was stipulated that, after Virginia
should become 4 member Of the Confcderacy
under the permanent Constitution Of the Con
federate States, she should turn over 10 said
! Confederate States all the public property. naval
stores, and munitions Of war, &c, she may
then be in possession u, acquired from the
| United States, on the same terms, and in like
manner, as the other States d ssid CUntcdc
racy have done in like cases"
The committee regard this Ms an obligation
to transfer the Harpcr'S Ferry machinery and
material; and the only difficulty occurred from
the want Of information as 20 the terms on
which other States had turned over property
of like character. The only information the
| committee has been able 10 procure On that
subject is contained in a letter from the Presi
dent Of the Confederate States, herewith re
ported, marked OBJ From this letter it ap
pears that no uniformity in the manner or
terms CT the transfer has been pursued each
State making such stipulati0ns rs to it seemed
proper.
The committee are unanimous that the .llar.
per's Ferry machinery and material should be
turned over 10 the Confederate Government.
not only because Of our stipulation TO do so,
but because that government cal cmploy ii
more exDcditiously and valuably, for the com.
mon defence, than Virginis can at present do
yet they deem it proper tina: Virginia should
s.ipulate in the transfer that the permanent
location Of the Arnory should be within the
limits Of the State. AT what point, will be a
question for the Confederate Government here.
after to decide.
The conmittcc, therefore, recommend the
adoption of the following resolutions:
/. Resolved, That the Governor Of the Com.
monwcalth Of Virginia turn over and trausf T
to the Government of the Confederate States,
for use during the war, all the machinery, arIns
and stores captured by the Virginia forces at
Harper's Ferry, now in possession OF the State,
rescrving the right Of property in the same.
2. Resolved, That, III the said transfer, it
shall he stipulated that the pcrnanen! location
OF the said machinery shall be within the limits
of this Commonwealth; that the Government
of the Confederate States shall pay any demand
which may hereafter arise, from any quarter,
on account of the seizure and capture OF the
same; also the expense OF removal from nar-
per's Ferry to Richmond.
8. Resolved, That the Governor Of Virginia
be authorized to allow the Confederate Govern
meut, on such terms as he may deem just and
reasonable, the Armory buildings at Richmond
for operating said machinery.
JSo. F. CHAMRLIss. Chairman.
(A.)
STATE AnMoKY,
Richmond, June 10, 1861.
To JSo K. CnAMBLIss, Esq,
The Chairman QfMe Committee on Machine
ry, dc, from Harper's Ferry:
Sir: In obedience to your verbal instrnc-
tons of the 18th inst, I beg to submit the fol
lowing report on the subject Of the erection and
use in the Virginia State Armory, Of the ma
chinery, &c. removed here from the armnries
at Harper's Ferry.