Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-11-19
rc,v7,x,.rn PROM .,Rsr pAoS.l

ATIlfEO ClO hAbE e4Np
1o,,bt be present when wo meet after tao re.
cess
IA Isaid, it is important that We should OF
ssr1xe to-day, 80 as to permit the Committee
o, Elsction, to 90 to work. We should rea Ky
,ommsnce 1T once, il we intend to do anything,
Rv .3iourninr over until Saturday after the
Csmni,tee on Elections shall have been filled
mn time i'll be afforded to that Committee to
act and it can in all probability make q report
on Saturday. For my part. should IN n"
event consent to an adjournment beyond to-
morrow were it not for tho praiSe.w"rthy pur'
po.. for which tho aay has been set spar by
ia. President. The Committee, however, may
seize unon some brief interval 10 cut out their
work tor hoal action within the usual morning
honrs allotted for It's meeting previous to the
assembling Of the Convention. Every gentle
man must ace the Importance Of enabling this
Committee to euter Upon its duties at the car
lest possible moment, and trust it will DC
the pleasure Of the Convention to take a recess
until half past 4 o'clock this afternoon:
Mr.. BRANcH.-I see no reason for tins has.e
on the part Of mombers. We arc sent mere 70
discharge the public duties, snd we shon!o 40
so, We are paid for doing so, and there Is no
need for this unreasonable haste. 1t IS known
thar tho nanyille cars will arrive in about
twc,tv minutes from this time, when it is pro-
bobi. sufficient lumber of members will he
nr,ssnt 10 constitute q quorum, and mus put
an end to this difficulty.
WHY should we be in this great haste to go
off and parade about the streets doing mischief,
!, NAV he. Sir, We should remain hero until
we GET e Quorum. | hesitate not to say that 1t
is ynbecoInins OH the part of this House to
come here, and because Of half An hours deten'
ton without 4 quorum. to become impatient
and seek 10 adjourn. We have come to attend
to public matters, and as true representatives
az the nenpls we arc bound to stay here anu
discha;s re the duties dsvolving upon u.s. For
tay p,rt, [ aln very anxious to get home; but
| feel thai | hsTe q duty to perform to the
prtlic and | aln determined to perform It TO
the best o, my ability. / shall avoid, II posi-
BILE, any cause Of reflection upon my action
during tho remainder OF my public life; and
aporenand thst in abandoning my duties here
st this time. I would be suhjec!ing myself to
deserved censure. I do not intend to do so,
however, and I would ask gentlemen all round
inc 10 await patiently the arrival OF the mum
b.r necessary 10 constitute a quorum, SO that
we NAV DO in 0 condition to proceed to bust
ness without further delay.
lie question: ha tuSti PoS VIZ th0 aiosion ="
take 4 recess, and it was decided in the Hega-
tive. After another pause Of fifteen or twenty
m,UuteS-
Mr.. J.. B. MALLORY said--It is very obvious
that there is no chance Of getting u quorum
here to-day. | have been accused L under
stand. of getting tho Convention into this oil
tieul,y If 10, il was done innocently. Upon
our meeting here Yesterday, a number OF gen
t;,,nen came around me and requested me, as
being tho Oldest man in the body, to call the
.,ony.n,ion TO order. I refused, for a time, 10
IT,, 80 but finally agreed, and, thereupon
moved that you, sir, be appointed temporary
President. -.
IL gas ascertsiaed soon after, upon . call OF
the roll, that there we're but forty.six mem
bers present, and the Convention adjourned
until to day.
came hero, sir, to close this session of the
Convention ~ speedily as possible. | can
hardly believe thut this body will undertake
. make sny radical changes in the tundamen-
tai law Of tho State under present circum'
stances. |, for one, will stay here until the
Convention gets q quorum, when, | hope, a
motion will DO made TO adjourn zine die. That
nGs INV position whsu We took this recess at
the last session. WAS opposed to any such
Istt.lCN , ouS loS ~ " SSS '"
wac submitted by the distinguished gentleman
:rc,s Montgomery (Mr. PREsroS) prevailed,
and he recess was taken against my will and
vote. I stated then that the tine for q change
in the State Constitution was very inauspi-
c,ous | think 80 now. Sir, if you gu into
Charges cf tho Constitution now, and you at.
sG,pl 70 restrict the right of suffrage, with
sixty thousand oe our people in our camps,
,.,l.t ,-,'l ,ha- c.-y Than Till pof,1ra1rc or
while we gre lighting your battles you are dis.
frsnchlsins u. And yet that is one of the
charges contemplated to be made. / am in
:.vur Of su,ne changes at the proper time but
that .nns | do not consider as now existing
L.; US gn home and let the people at the pro-
per tine ei-ct others with special reference to
these changes.
came here, sir, with these impressions, and
still retain them. My hcpo is that no man
will stay here, but that we shall adjourn forth.
with, aud leave the people to select others who
can act witil 8 better knowledge OF their wishes
Oh 'his subject, and at q more fitting period.
| aio saGls lied, sir, that We shall have no
quorum here 10 day, and I, therefore, move We
adjourn until Saturday.
The question having been put on that mo
'ion, Was decided IN the negauve-Ayes, 80;
nays, SO.
Nr. SPEED having expressed a doubt who
thar the President counted two members who
had risen after the count Was made in the sec.
count was made and resutted-ayes,2 20; noes, SO.
Another long pause ensued. when
Mr.. BANcu said-It seems to me that it
is non possible for US to get a quorum to-day.
Information has been received that nine mem.
,, L.,, 1.,,oJ - <L4 na.-.11o -.t~ L,t |
ttey refusa to attend this evening.
The PkEsIDSNT.-I would suggest that MIR.
LEAkE wlll DC here in a few moments, and that
&c h.i better wait for his arrival, and have
these papers sabluitted TO the Committee on
--.'..
Mr.. HArNoyp. The Committee on Elections
is not full, and | have therefore been unable
10 get a quorum Of it together to enter upon
>ur duties. 1t is important that it should bs
filled at urce, so that it may proceed to exam.
Inc into the claims Of newly elected members
Eho now occupy seats Oh this floor.
Mr.. HALL, Of Wetzsl.-As the chairman Of
ina Committee ON Elections has stated that hs
mas been unable to get a quorum Of the conf
;niires together, aud as there are a good many
parRnus who are claiming seats by virtue Of
their election to vacancies declared TO exist at
the last Session in certain counties, it is essen.
tial that tho committee be filled up and an op.
porluni,y afforded to proceed at once to ex-
xmins the returns of elections furnished by
the Secretary Of State. | am aware of the
fac, that the chairman Of that committee has
been aealousIy seeking since yesterday to get
j qloram together, but without effect; and in
to obviatc any further difficulty in that
| would suggest that, by general con.
sent, the chair be permitted to fill up the com,
lnittee and enable it to proceed to business at
once. Let US, in Gods name, 60 on and do
something. We will, without doubt, have a
quorum here on Saturday. Meanwhile, the
cnrnrittee can, if filled up to-day, proceed to
tue returns, and it will probably be
in a condition to report by Saturday. If we
.,,nr,r ,r,.n;,o I'D oofnr - o,r 5,f;ou