Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-11-26

I c9nCleS IN tbs OOn|eutlOu, CTedlc3 " WV "a
pulsion Of thsir respective delegates there
fore, -,
"Resolvcd, That this Convention will now
proceed to the election Of delegates from said
several couoties to supply said vacancies
Mr. WYsoR.-I withdraw my resolution.
Mr.. BGuokE My object 10 Offering thatre
solution, is TO discard all considerations OF the
action VI The Governor, and TO proceed as II
no sucn proclamation had been issued.
Mr.. uARrIE i dad on looking over the law
organizing this Convention tho following
clause:
"In casa Of vacancies occurring previous to
tho meeting OF the Convention. the Governor
shall ISSUE wri.s OF election to supply the same,
and after the said meeting, the writs Shall be
issued by order OF the Convention, and the
election under these 1rits shall be Conducted
in all respects as the election heretofore pro-
Vded for"
Now, sir, here is positive enactment In d..
rect CONFIRMATION Of the proposed action OF
this Convsati ton, which seems disposed to dis.
regard the very law which gave 1t birth, and
take upon itself to ignore the rights OF the pto-
pie Of Northwestern Virginia by electlnS their
delegates for them. am not capable OF en-
,eriEg into the constitutional arguments In
volved in this question, and ] would hardly
think it necessary to do SO even did feel my
self competent, for the matter seems 10 me so
plain as to reeJ no elaboration II We admit
this TO be representative Government; II We
admit this Convention to be the representa-
tive Of the sovereignty Of the State, It is plain
to my mind that these people are As much mis-
represented whom yuu select representatives
for them, as il you took action Oh tho organic
law without the representation OF the people
There is no man who appreciates more hlgny
the ability md eminent htness for the trust OF
the gentlemen Tor whom those seats are clalmed
than do. have no doubt, that they would
faithfully perform the duties which would de-
yove upon them but sir, cannot with my
COUNCILLORS of the illegal character Of these
elections, o,nsert TO the admission OF these gen
ttemen to seats On this door.
Scr, this Convention has been In session timu
and again, and the impression has generally
prevailed, that it has long s!nce ceased to BIZ Il
true exponent Of the popular sentiment, and
that i'll fact il has no representative character.
! 'rbu existing sentiment now in the Common
wealth is that it hulds nothing IN common with
the popular will, tn changes Ia public sentiment
since IT'S organization having been so radical
and thorough As to place 1t lar behind the
popular sentiment, and To r-.ier it's functions
only applicable TO timus long passed. That
being SO, if this Convention undertakes to
! change the organic law Us it proposes 10 DO III
its mp6l Important features; if ycu cha lge
the character OF representation hJou ohInSe
from the system Of popular election, 10 sys'
ten Of unpopular appointments, 50 to speak,
and you submit these changes to tue peopls-
emanating, as they will, not FROM Convention
tina. has kept pace with the popular sentiment,
but that has 81 great measure adnereo 10 's
old proclivities-the result will be, that your
whole scheme will fall to the ground, aud diVl'
sim aud dssension will be produced At lane
when all should be union and harmony
THIS, sir, is great question Oi policy, al"
nov when the enemy surrounding Us u e'-
ery point, We should be cautious 10 lake 40
! step wh,ch would tend in any way to dirrn'sll
the efficiency OF our army, or create d!sS;tio-
| faction. 1t will DC difficult to avoid either re-
suit i this Convention proceeds 70 do what II
! mas proposed
AS late .s to-day, sir, saw an address rom
Con SEeTua;i 10 liz people VI o0uIh Carolina,
thrown out by way vi II .oclt to tra~ on tue
! ueople Of that gallant State from their nl!esl-
anc. To- the new government, and induce ti'oih
70 h-.. TEA: abaminatiD!i IN the shcpo OF gov
ernurut. III Lnu North. And, indeed be pro-
DOSES o. M equivalent for this al!egIaucr, the
protection Vi Idle; N9f.Aern Government
In ri=r of lheac circumstances, Regard II
! as extremely uuHl3u tor this C"nvenilun to
undertake framing Constitution Tor lh9 pcG-
ole without cjnSu!,lns their ~Isaes IN respect
To it, because tho people hsvo had no oppor.
! ,unty TO express il!=!r views ~l;h reference 10
il .nss1nuch Is The nempcrs Of this UUtyen
,,un were elected SlLhout any References 10
change in tho Constitution.
Ia. ys.pi: nhou! have an opportunity OF
ala.t!nx u.aer3 win reference ESPECIALLY 20
r:jvrnis in our State CONSTITUTION, and then no
Gauss OF dissatisfaction could exist, Inaslnuch
az TITO wishes CT lue people would be ialrly and
iui!y represented l'yOu change your organic
law nc4, wl,b the changes IN the represents
zion FROM the Nrytli- vest, how csn you expect
these pcupie, WHO had LID 7cicc i'll the choce Of
their delegates, to RCquiesce i'll your nctiou
with aay degree OF unaulml!y!
If the Convention is determined to proceed
with the amendments TO the Constitution, l
think j, had better DO 30, without giving fur
Their CAUSE OF irritation by elccsing repreSen-
'tatycs for onc portion Of the State without
any sanction rom lhose who are more intna'
d,aleLy interested.
Mr.. STUART-I am DESTROYS that the vscan-
ces in this body should be filled SO that we
Can nave full representation for the consider
a.ion OF the Important questions which we are
called upon to decide. But l ain DESTROYS ut
the same time that the !acts should appear up.
Oh the record OF tie Convention and by way
of argument, Will suggest proposition when
think will reinoYe sULn4 uf The difficulty ~hlcn
noI exists.
propose the following preamble and reso-
luton, which will DO found to Set !orln the
facts us they really exist:
~ i.rens, vacancies have occurred IN the
repTesc n;alivn OF the counties Of Ohio Brooke,
Marshall, Mariop, MonoAgaiia, Preston, Taylor,
Harrison and Wood, by the expulsion OF the late
Delegates from the said c0antles, and IN the
coult,ce u; Randolph AID Tucker by the death
of john n. Hughes, late oeisgsie from those
countlcs; and
Whereas, ltns. .acancics could not be filled
| in tn. mcdc presii,hs'i b. las, IN consequence
Of the o:cuuaiivu ui .a;d couniIcs by the pub
lie enemy; and,
"Whcreas, Tho Governor, in order to provide
,yr the ex,sency, issued proclamation (adHl
soty in lis character) inviting the loyal Citizens
al those counties to vote in their respective
camps for delegates to Gil those Vacancies.
under which proclamation, elections we're ac'
cordngly held in the several camps, at which
elections, Joseph Ii. Pendieton was chosen re-
nresentptivc for the county Of Ohio; joseph D.
PICKETT for the c.nnty of Brooke; Jefferson
I. Martin, Tor the county Of Marshall; Stephen
A. Morgan, for the county ii Marion; Jonsthan
4. Heck, for the county Of Monongslia; Rob
ert E, Cowan and {. j. P. Cresan, Tor the
county of Preston; John a Robinson, for the
county Of Taylor; William P. Cooper, for
the county Of Harrison; Edward D. Mcclure,
for the county of Wood and Jacob W. Mar
shall, for the counties Of Randolph and Tucker.
"Be it, therefore, ordained, That said cleo
tiuns he, AMI the same arc hereby ratified, and
the said Jos II. pcn5leton, ssph D. Pickett
!, ff;.rsnn T. iiarlin, Jonathan NJ Heck, Rob