Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-11-22

MI. JASSEf.--l was not appr1SeQ Of the &C
tion OF this body upun tho receipt Of the let
ter which had the honor 70 address to it, and
which felt it my bounden duty to address 10
it. Whether there was any formal vote of
acceptance or not have not been informed
| But take it for granted, from what now see
around me, from what sec this body endeav
oring to do-to elect PreSident--thae there
was some ordinance of this body provi-
! ding that this day they would proceed to elect
presiding officer. If that be so, there is a
! very strong implied acceptance Of the resigna,
ton. Be that as it may, si:, trust that there
will be no objection to the acceptance of the
resignation. II the Convention shall deem it
necessary to take any formal action with re.
ference 10 il
1t is true, US the gentleman from North
ampton has remarked, that | nave no desire
to hll this honorable position agGin, not That
10 not think it ali honor for any man TO fill
it; but the state OF my health would render
| il impossible fur me to perform the duty, end
would not clog the proceedings cs this body
by accepting the trust, even IL 1t shond be The
pleasure oi this body ~ coaIe: u again upon
me.
trust that the Convention will proceed
| WITH the election AS il = formal vote had been
taken upon the resignation.
Mr. FlSuEK-lt was certainly understood
when We adjourned on Thursday, that We were
to proceed to an election Of President this
morning It was objected here that we should
t-anascs auy business until President vas
eiecild, and that, take it, was clearly indlca-
tive of . purpose 10 go into the election OF that
! ofcer to day.
| Mr. HAYAoNp.-Af;er the remarks Of my
friend from Loudoun, (Mr. JANNEY) l shall
move that his resignation be accepted.
/ The PREsiDENT-I don't lhii.h such Il mo-
ton is atall necessary.
Mr.. HAYNoSD.-I don't profess to be aS
much Of a parliaInentarian as the gentleman
from Northampton, Mr.. FIsHEE;) but it strikes
ME that his analogy of the relative circum-
stances Of the presiding officer Of tnis body
and gentleman in the military service of the
Lincoln Government lacks force. There is,
in fact, no analog.".
Be that as it may, however, vii! withdraw
! the motion.
Mr.. Moons, Of Rockbridge Il imagine the
business before the House now is the election
Of President
With regard 10 the gentleman wEa mas been
put in nomination, take great pleasure ain
saying that have observed from tiuie TO time
! his action in the chair, and it appeared t' me
to te perfectly fair, just and impartial oa all
occasions. But, sir, i. seems 10 ma that as
thar gentleman has TO preside over a3olher
body that will probsby, be in session at the
same time that We shall be, il wclid be better
! for US to have gentleman who viii nnt be in.
ulnbered in that way DO not think we can
do better than retain the gentleman who now
! occupies the chair. H is, in my opinion,
| perfectly competent to discharge the duties Of
the position, and, l therefore, pu: him in nom!-
| ton.
Mr.. Taos J. RANDOLPH then took the chair.
| Mr.. F.snEA--I don't know whether any 9TH
er gentleman is TO bs put in .,1;uina!lon or
not. have no objection to ,no gentleman
from Chesterfield, fMr. Cox J but it seems to
me that the objection urged by the gentleman
from Rockbridge (Mr. MooRE) is not sound
one If the gentleman IRON Mic0sescx tNr.
MoxTAGUE,) should be elected as the presiding
| officer of this body, ae can do as a great many
| members DID last winter, who were membe-s
| both OF tue Convention and Legislature
have heard Of 10 complaint On the part Of tue
| eonesi.aeats of these gentlemen, for n fnilure
10 discharge their duties in each Of these
bodies bur, il it should turn out that the gen.
tlenan from Middlesex would find the duties
| of presiding othcer of this body incompatible
with those tia, might devolve upon him as
President o! the Senate, I have 10 doubt he
| will resign the one or the other.
will take occasion to say here, sir--let the
blow fail where it may-that there is il this
| Commonwealth too strong desire to hold
| more thaa one office. | will say, however,
that the gentleman from MiddleseX (Mr. Men.
rAoyE,) VINO has been nominated, can, | urn
satisfied, discharge the duties of both positions
by appointing betimes in the Senate Z sub
stitute, which he frequently does, as all pre-
siding officers do. | confess | have great
abhorrence to tho desire which has been IMAM
ifested, ls it seems to me, in Virginia, on the
part Of great many gentlemen, to take and
hold all the Offices that could be conferred
upon them. Ii supposed that the gentleman
from Middesex could not discharge the duties
OF both Offices properly; il supposed that
there was any incompa,lbity in his holding
the Office of President of this body, With his
duties az presiding officer of the Senate,
should certainly not vote for him. But be-
lieving that he can discharge the duties Of
both, rs members Of this body discharged the
functions of Legislators in the General Assem-
bly, and members of this Coureutlon, during
last Spring, will most cheeriuily give him
my support.
Mr.. HAyMoSD-l adult the justice Of tho
remarks of tho gentleman, but It strikes rne
that there is something in the objection which
has been urged against The gentleman from
Middlesex.
We do not know huw long this Convention
may be in session. 1t may be five days ten
days or twenty days-it may be two months.
We have a Constitution to act upon, and if
we take as precedent the action Of the Con-
vention of ls50-'5l, in amending our State
Constitution, We will not get through in few
days.
It may be that the gentleman from Midd!ese1
might discharge satisfactorily the duties OF
both positions; but there is manifest incom-
pstibility in holding two Offices Mt one time,
offices, too, of character requiring the pre-
sencs all the time. if possible, of the !ncum-
bent
have tho highest esteem for the gentleman
from Middlescx, but em unwilling TO concede
that there is such dearth Of men competent TO
preside over this body as to necessitate the Sc
lection Of gentleman holding an office sume-
what similar to that 10 which 1t is now pro
posed 10 elect hun. So lar Rs lam concerned, do
not mean to establish the precedent Of choos-
ing officers TO preside over more deliberatise
bodies than one.
will now pu. in nomination Nr. FLEMING
B. MILLER, the delegate from Bo.ctourt ana
Craig, who has been member Of legislative
assemblies for r long time, and have no doubt,
fully competent 20 discharge the duties Of pre-
siding officer, aad trust 1t wil be tiG plea.
sure of the Convention 20 elect him.
Mr.. MILLER Il do hope my friend will With
draw that nomination.
l have no desire, assure the gentleman, to
be President cf this Convention. feel, in
fact, almost incapable of doing the duty Of
that position, and would, therefore, request
my friend to Withdraw the nomination. My
hope il that the sessions Ct ;h's body viii cease
this evening.
Mr. HAYMoSn--I am satisfied tic gentle
man is fully cnmretcu, 10 discharge the duties
of fhe office If elected: but inasuuch as he