Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-03-16

sidering tho majority report Of tho Committee
which. on its face, is incomplete. understand
that it is said in the report that they VIII a5Fee
upon some other form ofjust demand "s'ch IS
not before us. -.
desire to enquire of the Chairman Oh the
Committee on Federal relations whether there
is probability Of the Committee agreeing upon
that ultimatutn, and within what time they arc
likely to agree upon it1 go, r.
Mr. CoSRAp.--It would be impossible for
me to answer the interrogatory oil the gentle
man. at what time the committee will be likely
TO agree upon constitutional au'e''uli'N'1
which are now under their consideration. |
would suppose, however, that IN Inc course ~
this week at furthcst the Committee will be-
able 10 act finally upon that subject. VIII
sta,e that there are various Questions arising
upon the partial report OF the Com'illtteo 81
fur made, which ug ht be probably discussed
even bcior, that adlendgm should como IN,
and That no time would be lost by taking up
the report tomorrow. The amendments would
come In probably by Monday next.
Mr. SuerrgY-i would then move al amend
nent 10 the resolutions offered, liking Monday
70. The purpose contemplated in that reso!u'
ton. =.
AIR. CoSRAp.-I trust the Convention will
NOT sustain the mot1n which has Getu made
to postpone.
We have two days left ofthis week, and theSs
Two days would Le virtually lost ii employed
in a discussion upon no practical question.
Now, We have practical question in this re-
port, SO far Us it goes question, 100, that may
be as we'll Gcbutri in the present condition u
the report, as it would he If tho amendments
now under consideration before the Committee
had been added
The subject, sir is very wide and very
diyslsn ole, aud lhc twu remaining days u
this week, in my juG gment, might be use
fully employed i'll discussing these vital ant
monentvus queSllcns hope therefore, either
that NY iriynd will withdraw his motion tc
pustpoue, or, il not, thut II will be voted uown
llr. SugrsEY Il cannot withdraw tho propC
sl,iun, BECAUSE il does seeTa L. ine that whrt
ae resolve ourselves into Z committee OF IL.
whole ior the purpose ol discussing the lnerii>
vi tbs report OF the MINORITY couin:ttee, vt
ought to have ihsL report Us nnaiitJ WE
ought to have that report complete Vic Cali
not take comprehensive Tle% Oi The entire
subject without VIC have that report before us
ury 1t to be understood by this Convention
that do not PROPOSE any uciay by liking upon
Monday: Tor | desire acllcn, and not delay;
but When this Convention acts, 1t seems 10 INT
that We ought 10 have the whole tield before
it, and ,Yheu It resolves itself into committee
Of the Whole Tor the purpose Of considering
and discussing tie maJrrlty report Iii coiillec
ton with the minority reports, We ought t.
know what are the amrnduien,s t:;at s:e to he
proposed By the usjority OF the commlttee.-
That report is witlou! lGoss auieruinci.s, ahu
IS Imperfect in the very vital e!erlcht oil the
report, and il scrtIs " me that We would oe
adopting that report III Tic ubserco o! that
WHICH Is its very glSL and vitality. | insist,
therefore, upon The amendment which pro-
pose. anu hope il vii! De the pleasure Of the
Convention 10 sustain IL
The question wsS taken, and the amendment
was rejected
The question then recurring cn the adoption
Of the original resolution It Was taken, and the
resolution was agreed 10.
Defence Or TIE STATE
Mr. RlcuAKDSoy.-l desire to call up / reso
luton which / offered 10 the Convention ON
the 2Sth 81 lust month. Ii is one which, Ill
nly Judgment, vitality Affects the interests OF
consideration Of th!s body.
The resolution w.; then read bC ;i.c Clerk,
Us follows:
Resolved, That in iurtherauce Of the rcSosu
tioa adopted by this Convention OH tue 2Oth
inst, seeking information u the Governor re-
garding tie militia, The Au)utant Gchsrul 0l
the State be- anu he Is hereby requested TO CON-
munlcatc 10 this body, as speedily US Is cnn-
patiDle with thorough report on this subject,
now many nnd what kIul Of arms are III the
possession Of the State uEdslributcd, and the
number ard kud Of additional Companies
which can aud will, probably, shortly be arm
cd Also, at what pu;Gts, III his Judgment,
having Luc reference 10 the localities ii the
different mcanicS, and 70 economy III time end
money, tic Whole volunteer force al the State
can be ussciuOlcd III bodies sufficiently large
u te Instructed III battalion esululions, III Lie
uvolutions Of the line, Iii siege, garrison
aud camp duties, inc,deut to the respec-
tive arms oi the Service, and any other
Information in his reach calculated &c
throw light On the uieans necessary to put
the Commonwealth in IL complete stato q pro-
paration against attack.
Mr.. RICHARDSON Is it in order 10 make re-
UlHIhS upOiI bllu lSSobOl!Ol6 OSioiS thS N5''|h
zion agrees tu tuke IL from the table
Tho PKEslDENT-The Chair considers the
not!cn to be debptaLlo one.
Mr. RICHARDSON, (who was ilnpertectiy heard
at The Reporters desk) WAS understood to say ::
do not propose ut this time to give the
thousand and one reasons Why this State should
DC placed in Il complete attitude Of defence;
this will be more proper when there Shall be
Il report i'll accordance with the object OIL
the resolution, but simply to assign few
reasons why the object Of this resolution Should
he carried out by this Convention in other
words, Why this State should lie placed IN il
complete punoI!y OF defence In the lirst place,
this resolution dvss net bring up tina! great
bug bear, taxes, which seems to be So terrible
now .a.days. 1t is were resolution Of inquiry,
preliminary in its scope and object; it docs LOT
propose tho appropriation Of Que dollsr, and 1t
simply asks ior Information regarding the
forces Of Virginia as they now exist. pre-
sunc there is no man in this Convention, M
matter what may be his sentiments, who is not
thoroughly and strongly convinced tEat !ae at
ttude Of Virginia in the present crisis IS one
Of great peril Whatever may be her destiny,
whether She is to act with The North or the
South, with Middle Coniederacy or alone, |
for one, wish her 10 be placed in such attitude
that when she speaks her voice will no. be re-
garded as the iule gaIhie of an old woman
who is utterly unable 10 make good what she
thinks proper to demand. The crisis is upon
us, aud very soon we may have TO decide what
is 10 he the destiny CT the State. II tic State
remains with the North, presume ~ears tc
be involved in Il war With the South. II she goes
with the South, then we may Gc involved in Il
war with the General Government. If she goes
with the Middle Contederacv, we stand chance
of being involved in q war with both sections;
and # she remains alone, with lie North
South, East and West know it is the gene
raj sentiment, that whatever is done in the
way Of putting the Commonwealth in NJ atli-
tude Of defence, 50 far as the details 50, must
be done by the Legislature. But | sec no
objection 70 the Convention instruclins the
Legislature 10 place tho Commonwealth il
An attitude cC. defence and carrying
ont this instruction ~ framing bill
setting out accurat ciy and in detail! exactly how