The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-04-13
VIRGINIA STATE CONVENTION
fIfTIETH DAY
FsipAy, April IL, 1861

The Convention was called TO order at Ia
O'Clock. Prayer by the Rev. MIR. BessERMAS,
Of the tTaiversalist Church.
Mr. Blow presen ted a memorial from citi-
zans OF Norfolk city, requesting him to vote
for an Ordinance Of Secession. The paper he
>aid. contained 6a2 signatures; and he was
satisfied, from careful examination, that
they embraced the entire Secession party of
Norfolk. The total vote OF the city. in the
las, Presidential election, was l .6A5, aud in
the election for y delegate 20 this Con ven ton
fhr vote was over 500. of which he received
9a2 lie still believed that the ma ority of the
voters approved of the course tha. he had
Tins far pnrsned bat whenever he became
convinced that = change had taken place, he
should feel II his duty, either 10 obey their
behest or resign his seat He produced. per
t0ntsd the proceedings of a large Union meet
ing held IN the city, indicating to him that it
was tho desire of the majority OF his eonsti
tuents that he should continue TO pursue his
present line Of acuon.
The papers Were referred.
Nr. PKtcH, of tireepbrier, called up his
solution. offered last evening, which he now
modified as follows;
Re.olvod That the ssd rule of The Con eniion be.
and thp same i. hereby rescindrd and while CON
Aideriag. in Convention. the report of the Com
ms!tee ea Federal Relations, any amendments
thereto. no member shall be at liberty to speak
more tasn ten minutes GA any one subject.
Mr.. MoRKIs, Of Caroline called attention to
the fsct that the Committee last evening
agreed 10 take mp the resolutions offered some
time &g? by the gentleman from Harrison, MIR.
WIson)
The PAEsIpESr said that these resolutions
were PASSED by, by universal consent.
Mr. WISH Claimed that no quor uin was then
present.
i brief skirmish ensued between various
members, when the PREsipLNT re-stased the
facts In connec tion with the proceedings of
last evening. The resolutions of the gentle
man from Harrison, by universa al consent, he
said, We're passed by, and Mr. Prices resou-
tlon was taken mp 1t was then suggest ted
tha, no quorum was present, and a vote could
hk4 rX Lln n IN fsnr
motion to adjourn then prevailed.
Mr.. WISE appealed from the decision of the
Chair. making the point that when there
no quorum the resolution could not be re-
ceivFd.
The President said that when the resolu
ton was received the fact had not been ascer-
tanned that there was no quorum.
Mr. " e went on wi TIA his objections when
Mr.. Mogfes reminded the President that the
hour had arrived for going into Committee of
the Whole.
The President said the gentleman from
Princess Aane was on the floor, and he could
not call him down
Mr. HoILApAY, OF Portsmouth, raised point
OF order, but the President could not enter
tain it.
MIR. WISE contended that if there was no
quorum present last evening, ii was The duty
OF the chair TO have ascertained the fact be-
fore receiving the resolution. Mr.. Wise having
concluded, the subject was passed by The
Convention then went into
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE,
Mr.. SoUTHALL i'll the chair for the purpose of
eonsiosring the report of the Committee on
Federal Relations.
The pending question was on Mr. Scott's
amendment 4as anended) to the l4th resolu-
ton, viz;
And in the event that satisfactory responses on
the part oi The non -ssveholding States be not
made 'c the proposed amendments to the Consti-
tuition by, the time appointed for the reason
vention that the said States Of Delaware. Nav.
lSnd, Marin Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Mis-
Conventions, snd in conjunction with this State
convene Congress % the said states composed Of
venons e Of dGn
amended Constitution OF Government npon
which the uEion of the said States nd the CouYed
Grated States, with such Of the non-sIav eho oldng
States As may conc0r therein. can be safely eeced
To which Congress the Confsderated States an the
nou-s!avehuidlng States concurriug in the amend
meni. to the Federal Constitution. proposed by
this Convention, ought TO be invited to send Com
MIs,lJners.'
Mr.. WISE moved to further amend the
amendment by striking out the words ssto be
appointed by the respective Conventions
thereof, and to inseri-''to be elected for this
State by the people thereof, voting by Con-
gressional districts for thirteen delegates, one
for each district, and by the State AT large for
Two delegates, one TO be selected from the
East and one from the West OF the Blue
Ridge"
Mr. WISE, in explaining his amendment, in
dulged in some severe thrusts al those gentle.
men who maintained that the great interests
OF trade in Western Virginia were ipdissolu-
bly, connect ted with the border on-sla vehoid-
ing States.
Mr. SINNERS said that the gentleman from
Priucess Auue had not uttered s: word i'm
favor of his amendment but had confined his
remarks exclusively To u reply TO those sub
lnItted by himself on yesterday. Mr.. Sum
Mers did not intend TO discriminate between
the interests OF particular sections of the
State, but included all the border in terests as
connected with the States which he named -
He claimed That this exhibited want of
nafr Ia ft-sFl rh.
hibited our love of country by desiring TO pro-
tect the great commercial interests of the peo-
pie In conclusion, Mr.. ). briefly expressed
his oblectious 10 Mr.. Wise's amendment.
Mr. WISE, i'll reply, criticized the position
which Mr. Summers was assuming when the
e1pira ton OF his ailot ted time com PEELED him
10 stolI-nanely, that the people of Virginia
were not 10 be entitled 10 represen Ia ton upon
the three -iifths principle i'll the proposed Con.
gress Of States. He then quoted the xample of
Gen. Nelson, who sighted the gun which
drove q ball through his own castle at York
town, and told the gentleman from Kanawha
that when the interests of his country re-
CURED it, true patriotism dictated that he,
Too, should send ball through his castle he
ought 10 consent TO the des tructiou of his in
terests, II such course would save the honor
Of his State.
The vote was taken, and Mr.. VICE. amend |
nent wds defeated, AS follows:
YEAs.-Messrs. Amber Jas Barbour Blskey |
B0isseau, Borst, Bouldin. boyd, Branch, Bruce, |
Cabell, Cecil, Chambiiss, totman. Conn, Flour |
n"fs foroes, oafiand, 1laham, gregory, Goggin, |
John Uoode Jr., Thomas L tioode, Hale cyrus !
Hail, Hsryie, Holconbe, Hunton IsbelI, Kent, |
Lawson, Mcfarland, Charles X. Mallory, James |
=; Mallory, Mari, Mary, Miller, Morris, Morton,
Richardson, Rives, shefey, Slaughter, Speed, |
Strange, sutherlin, Tredway, RobertII. Turner, |
Tyler Waller. Williams, Wilson. Wise, and |
NAIs.-Messrs. Armstrong. Aston. Baldwin. Al |
fred N. Barbour, Baylor, Berlin, Blow, Boggess, |
Brent, Brown. Buriett, Burley, Byrns, Campbell, |
Capsrton. Carlile, Carter, Chapman, Clemens,
&. r.. Conrad, Robert Y. Conrad, Couch, Crlteher, |
Castis, Dent. Deskins, DorInan, Dulzny, Early,
Eehole French Fagate. Gil liespie, G1aveiey Gray,
Ephsai,n b Hail, Hammond, Raymond, Holladay.
C. Johnston, kiiby, Lewis, McLomas, McGTew,
Marshall, Aasiip, Masters, Moaeu, Moore, 0sburn,
Psrks, Patrick, Pendi Teton, Porter, Price, Push, |
spuriock Chapman J stuart, Summers; TIT,
Tayies, White, Whitfield, Wiekham. and vii.
iey---A. |
Mr. WILSON, Of Harrison, said he voted in
the affirmative by mstaks.
Mr. MORTON moved TO amend Mr.. Sc0tts
amendment, in the first line, by striking out
the word responses" and inserting the word
answers. -
member, lin his seat. THE gentleman evil
IDENTIFY wants 10 make "A speech.
Mr. MORTON proceeded 10 explain his amend
mtnt, which required bnt few words. He
laen took ground against the policy adopted
by members on the Union side, whieh opposed
aus independent, separate action OF virginia
Aalii AFTER a consultation with the Border
setIes. His argument was cut short by the
expiration OF his time
Hr. LRAkg, OF GoochIand, said a word or
Two in opposition TO the amendment, thus
giving Mr.. Morton an opportunity TO resume.
Border Conference, proposed by the u.le-
man from Fauqafer, fMr. Scott) Hih OWN
Position was secession first, and co-o eration
afterwards. Experience had demonstrated