Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1861-01-12

ordered, ana Tue aHlennmcub vas a1opWb-slfs u,
hoes 6l a. follows:
Ye.-Me.sr Aldersjn, Arnold Ball. Bentley. Bi,bis HooA-r
Foreman, Brown Casin, Christian, Coleman, Collier Goras
G.D c5"g s Da' . 'eS rfsp r s
son. Raymond Haeslsy Bofntn, Holloway, hopkn BuhD
M s 1ssa'I M. as'p arn M.n ns M.1. nGs1
ssa"s, Msk D. Hs so R;n Ss, s s %
Riddek Robertson Ryes Sanders seoi, sesa shsrrard a.
bert, X. smith, smith, Staples Walker ".'oo, w.'.
Ssy.NAIsn, Anterior Bailey Ballard Bpb,ur Bass.-yw.
On smss chd, Claiborne, 0ucs.an Esssrd. wan. ssoi'
Garrett, r. Gibson. Gme G,aha~ Gr.aan Hunis james,
McDoxel McG,hee Medley, Miles. Miller MoaI aout,Eus,
Mon sender. sssnnon H. sSs os foaa T
wilson. winsaeld, w.osrs, Mr. sps.ter
Mr.. BASKERVILLE offered TO amend the LIST section
of the BILL by adding the following:
Porsd Whatever be the voc Of PEOPLE the
ect Of the foregoing provdoa the question Of the q
Clnyen appoint Co nmsone with plsnssy
an The mart of m soutrrn states or ALI The ss
Of the Cotfederacy, shall not be affected
Mr. KEEN said his amendment did not deny any such
power.
he could not attain his end by any such amendment
We cannot clothe Convention with power-they are
above For his part after the adoption Of the amend.
ment Just passed. he would hand the bill those
whom he conceived to be its patrons Numerous amend
ments necessary 10 iis perfection.
Mr. KEEN said he had determined, whatever mghtbe
the fate of the amendment 10 yo,e for the bill II the
gentleman regarded il equivalent 10 no Convention
he did not regard it. Since tho declaration Of the
gentleman he should feel constrained still logger de-
lay this BILL by simply asking that this House pass by
the further consideration OF il for the present. in order
| that is may be perfected and made ready for fna
vote.
Mr. CHRISTIAN thought there a msapprehen
sion as TO the effect of the amendment just adopted
That misrepresentation due somewhat to very aNtu
raj state of feeling the part OF gentlemen The
| amendment but compromise between conflicting
opinions important points. 1t had been ably urg-d
that there doubt entertained by some OF the wstst
men in reg ard TO the power OF Legislature 10 call
Convention without having apparent legal autior.
ty from the people. this WAS proposition looking half
way between the extremes OF opinion on material pOus
Mr.. ROBERTSON asked to speak briefly on the ques
ton Of power presented by the bill.
IL appeared to bin that grounds which the p'o
position to call Convention depended, and those on
which the proposition before the House was opposed
are manesly inconsistent When the call Of Convention
by the Legislature objected to on the ground thl u
power belonging to the People and not to the Leg
islature the position he did not understand to be denied
but the exerc;s, of the power justified then by al
eging that calling il 10 pursuance of the will Of
our constituents and that cured the defect OF poSer
But when it proposed 10 provide in the bill for mode
for letting the people say whether the action OF the Con
venon should be final not, then 1t seems to be
sdered that the proposition is reuted by alleging merely
that this power belongs TO the people and not to the Leg
stature Now the power in both cases was in bis Jldg
ment in the people, and not in the Legislature But IL
il equally in the last in the ormar that tie
Legislature may insert the provision well make tie
call if they believe that in doing they represent the
wishes OF their constituents. This view he understood TO
be distinctly taken by the distinguished Chairman OF the
Committee of Courts Of Justice 10 neither Is II
Legislative power. III both the people may super
cede action.
Now voted for the proposition of the gentleman from
Pitsylvanii without the slightest thought that was
putting any trammels whatever the people, but in
order excnde the inference that might be drawn nom
the absence and still from the rejection, Of such
amendment after being offered that the people desired
Convention with absolute iual aud dictatoal powers.
Nv opinion would be- that probably nine out OF ten
of the people would prefer to have opportunity Of
saying whether The action Of the Convention, making
organic changes in the government should be referred
to them or not. Aud entertaining that opinion, rr-
pressed it by my vote but dreamed thereby
trammeing controlling the people 10 any degree
whatever This question Of limited or absolute power IA
the Convention will arise when the candidates be-
fore the people, who will decide it in selecting their rep
resentatiyes and these vi. be farther trammeed than
by the popular will.
Mr. COLLIER moved that the bill end proposed
amendment be recommitted to the committee. lie did
il with view 10 secure harmony.
Mr.. BARBOUR opposed the motion. The adoption
of the amendment Of Ar KEEN WAS not so fatal TO
induce them to retire from lis support.
Mr.. CHRISTIAN opposed rec0mmitting. The b Il was
only different by the addition of the amendment which
had been adopted by large majority
Mr.. COLLIER Withdrew his motion.
Mr.. BASKERVILLE withdrew his amendment.
Ne. RAYMOND moved 10 recons der the vote by
which tho amendment had been adopted in order that
he might offer proposition restoring the bill its or
ginal FORM requiring the people say the day of cleo
ton whether the action Of the Convention should
be referred to them.
Mr., KEMPER favored the notion and Mr.. KEEN OPP
posed it.
Mr. CARTER called the previous question, which
sustained, and the question being the motion TO
consider, Mr. KEEN called for the ayes and noes which
ordered, and the vote being tAken the motion
lost-syes IS, noes 6S as follows:
ArEsMessIs Crutchfeld (spesker) Aleu- Anderson Bal
ley, Ballard Baskerville Bass. Basel Bell Bolsesu, Buks Ca
peron, Carpenter. Ca ter Chapman. Chs Claiborne Cosman
maa Duekwsl, Edwards, syAn Friend Garne 6ibson. J. I'll
Jones r. Jones' Kaufman, Kcmper Kinchelo Kyle Lucas
Lundy, Lynn Mallory, McDow. McGehee, Medley, Miles, MiIe
ng Montague, Morgan Nelson Newton, orsan Ptchard
Robinson, Ryes Rutherford seddo1, shannon smith,
Tomim, Tyler, Ward, Watson, Wilson, wngGed, Wen, Wool
folk.
-AIdeson Ball, Bentley Bsbe Booker FOREMAN Gas.
SIM Christian Co er Cowap Crane, CTump, Davis Dickinson
Egngon, Fergus fefri Peming frost, Gibson O. H. Gne
Goodycoon Hsnly Harrison, HaeEley Hoffman, Holdway Hop
kns Jett Johnson Keen Lewich Lockridge hagrude
hsrtio, Martin, Martin Matthews, McGruier Mckinney
Reid Richardson Riddck Robertson. Saunders. Scott ssa
sheard SHEET e. Smith, NJ Smith 81 spies rhomps six
Watson, Watts, West, Weed, VERIFY.
On motion of Mr.. JONES, of Gloucester, the House
adjourned.