Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-02-26

the fact that she has not seeded from this Con-
federacy, that it is eminently proper she should,
through her Convention make these inquiries.
Virginia, to-day, is part Of that Federal TO-
vernment; she is row in the Union; she is one
of the sovereign States who compose that Fe-
dcral Government. Surely, as one OF the par
ties to that Government, interested in its &C
ton as Federal Government, rs we'll as Intc'
rested in the condition Of the State itseli-lt IS
eminently proper that the State Of Virginia
should appeal TO its own Government to know
what are its views in respect to any State.
with respect TO any action whatever.
hope tina. this resolution will be adopted,
because ir it results in no good, it vii! produce
no harm.
Mr.. CAELlLE-I nm satisfied that the in
formation sought to De obtained by this reso.
luton wi! DO good | think am in the pos
session of facts sufficient TO authorize me to
say, if there have been any apprehensons on
the part Of any portion of the people Of Vir-
gina that anything tending To their injury
wns intended by tie Federal Government in
the action referred to- that those apprehensions
will be relieved by the information which will
be derived from the passage Of this resolution.
But sir, | cannot consistently with my duty,
as citizen of the Federal Government, resort
10 extra Constitutional modes to obtain that
which have the right to demand in Consti-
tutiona way; and it is because Of that reason
that shall vote against the resolution. Anxious
to promote the object which the mover Of the
resolution had IN view, did suggest that our
servants in the Federal (iuvcrnment-our Re-
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS seninels upon the watch
lover, who had the right to call for the infor.
! -. L,l Ial
should be requested. in accordance wiki the
Constitutional mode Of proceeding in such
measures, to make the call.
have no desire 20 dctain the Convention !;
and as the motion which intmutcd would
submit, would possibly require two votes upon
this resolution, will Withdraw it.
The question was then taken OF the adop.
,Gu of the resolution, and it was decided in
the ahirmatIve-so the resolution was agreed
ID.
CORRECTING THE JOURNAL.
Mr. HAyNoND-Mr President, is it in order
10 correct the journal Of the Convention
The PnEsIDgNr.-Certainly, sir.
Mr.. HAYMosD-I find the list Of delegates
elected to this Convention, Ms published in the
proceedings is erroneous in one particular.
and desire 70 correct it. II is in regard to
Benjamin ". Byrnes. Nho represents upon
this floor the counties Of Braxton. Nicholas
Webster and Clay. In the journal it reads
Braxton, Nicholas and Craig. ! move /"
| strike out the words and Craig an, nscrl
the words wv ebster and Clay"
The PRrslDExT-The Chair will regard
! us the Sense Of the Convention that this cor
rection be made, no objection being indicated.
The Secretary will make the correction
Mr.. FISHER offered the following resolution ::
Resolved, That this Convention does not
wish 10 inausurute National Convention, ard
would not rely on such body 10 afford re.
dress for the grievances md wrongs Of which
the South complain, nor give such guarantees
as would satisfy the people of this State that
their honor and interests would obtain an ef-
fectivc protection from such Convention; but,
on the contrary, that the people Of the South
might reasonably apprchend that such body
would re-organize the judiciary system Of the L.
States, and make the Judges elective by the
whole people Of the Union rs Mr.. Seward has
declared his party would do rs soon as they
acquired the power; aud that such body
would make other Innovations upon the now
recognized rights Of the minority section.
Mr. CLEMEHs-ls il in order to object to q
resolution that it may lay over! | understand
such TO bu the rule
The PRE;lrESr-TLe Chair thinks that the
resolution goes before the Committee on Fade-
raj Relations.
Mr.. CLEMEHs-Do not the rules adopted,
which understand to DC those laid down in
Jefferson S Mammal, require that resolution
shall lay over when objected to?
The PKESIuENr-The Chair is Of opinion
that, under the resolution adopted by the Con-
ycni!on, it is competent for the gentleman TO
explain his resolution, and than to have it re.
icrrrd to the Committee on Federal Relations
Mr.. FISuEH-l desire TO say that offered
that resolution with q view 10 dlsabusc, as !
hope the public expectations in the Federal
metropolis. If had any doubt as to the pro.
priety OF Offering that resolution before Gid
offer it, it is dspelled by the objection made by
the gentleman from Ohio tMr. CLEMrSs) /
desire to say that in all human probability,
Mr.. Lincoln will, on Monday week next, pro.
pose to the United States Of America the call.
Ing Of q National Convention, upon condition
that some one State OF now disrupted Union
will demand it. desire to know by vote Of
this body, whether Virginia is prepared to
yield al her interests, 10 submit her honor 20
the action of any National Convention that now
can be convened. can say fer one, sir, that
would as soon have Inv right arm ampulaleL
as agree to such a proposition.
Why, sir, how would We stand in that Ma.
tonal Convention, with nineteen States against
US Seward has, within the last eighteen
months or two years, proclaimed that as soon
rs the Republican party got possession OF the
Federal Government it would re-organizc the
Judiciary system, by making it elective by the
people; so that thereby they might have, on
the bench Of the Supreme Court Of the United
States, Judges whose feelings and sentiments
would be in harmony with those of the Re.
publican party.
With these views am opposed TO National
Convention, because if all the slaveholding
States should <" into = Convention, they might
expect what the New York Tribune, in lis issue
yesterday, declared, that the slave owners
would b. compelled 10 yield the representation
which slaves now give TO the Southern portion
Of this Conlederacy in Congress. 1t also de-
cared that if they choose to recognize slaves
as persons, that they would be prepared to
meet US; but that they will not recognize then:
as persons and property-as persons for the
purpose Of increasing the representation Of
the South in the Congress Of the United States,
nor Ms property. because tho Chicago platform
has declared that this is the time when all idea
Of property i'll man shall become extinguished
want, then, that those who arc coming into
power IN Washington shall understand dis.
tinclly that Virginia will not yield TO Nation
al Convention, even the present rights which
she has under, the Federal Union. We know
that il she was to 90 into Il Convention, com.
posed as that Convention would be, that even
these rights which she now claims would be no
longer preserved. 1t is for these reasons, sir,
and with the hope that these were the unan-
nous opinions Of this body, that | submitted
that resolution. In this hope, however. an
evidently doomed TO disappointment, Judging
by the manifestations made by the gentleman
from Ohio. (AIr CLeMEs<). I must still in
dnlge the idea. however, that thus Convention
will, at least, be nearly, il not entirely unani-
nous in the adoption Of this resolution when.
ever it comes to 10 acted upon. If, under the
rule i. shall 80 to the Committee on Federal
Relations, Of course cannot object