Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-04-25
ppoosyn,ycso Of STATE CONVENTION

me- FER been further than ten miles away from
no ne. lie had read his Bible snd knew it by
hslrt but knew very little Of worldly matters;
an he took it into his head to become q can.
d:dl.e for the Legislature, Well, he started:
and when he got a little below our Court
house, the country began to open up before
him. and be was led to exclaim, "Great God,
if I had known the world had been half &c
LARGO I never would have started out from
home" Laughter If these gentlemen who
talk about revolution were to 60 up into oul
mountain peaks, and look out upon the broad
espsuse that would be spread before them
tney would be astonished and amazed to sec
how large the State Of Virginia is.
Why, sir, do these men who follow after
bands Of music in the streets, represent thu
masses Ct The people of Virginia. Sir, the
masses CT the people of Virginia are at home'
In these towns, where men congreSate together
in masses, and where the element of excite
ment and disorder prevails, you may IND d.
monstralions which gentlemen nay mistake
for evidences of popular opinion. Ii gentle
men will look abroad over this Commonwealth,
to see how large It's, and how many people VIC
have, | think they would see the fallacy OF this
idea of a change in popular sentiment
Sir, the gentleman who claims to be Of the
States Rights school has threatened, whatever
may be the voice # this Convention, lido !
understand him to say of the people p that he
still will ioin the banner Of this Southern ar
nv. What, sir, becomes of al these pretcn'
sions of devotion to Virginia? l acknowledge
my f.al,y to Virginia. l intend to stand by
her. az / said before, whatever may be her
{; s:inr for veal or woe. But sir, will the
.o.l-oo -h1 cloi~- ~ he the RSnPclal
champion of Virginia's rights, place bis VOICE,
his wishes, in opposition to the wishes OF the
people of Virginia?
Mir. GooeE, Of Mecklenburg-Does tho gen
tlemaa desire an auswer:
Nj. EARLY indicated his assent.
Mr.. GooDE-l said to the gentlemen then,
,hat be the action of the Convention what il
nay. we Of the East will neither be held IL
this government under a Republican admins
tration by the powers at Washington, nor oy
the powers that, p%erchance, may lie west o.
the Allegheny mountains
Mr.. EAxLY-Then, sir. the gentleman is
not only going to sccede from the Union, but
to secede from the State of Virginia; and |
say, what becomes Of his claim Of devotion to
Virginia, her affairs, her honor aud her int.
rest? Sir, | have belonged to a party that
s1S GthHNS uESl III d tiliHOt Ivy III llHo S'1tS
ever since l knew anything about publ;
afTsirs. ! never have set up my voice against
n. Will Of the people; when that has been ex'
pressed, | have submitted. But when the gen.
tleman, under this new doctrine ofState Rights,
Sc 5 UP bis opinion and the opinion OF his
constituents, against the will Of tho majority,
Great God, sir, if the honor of Virginia IS to
be co-ided to such hands, / want to know
what will become Of it
Mr.. GoopE-Wlll the gentleman from
Ffanklln allow me to ask him a question:
Mr.. EARLY have doue.
The CnAlKNAS-llas the gentleman from
Franklin concluded his remarks?
Mr.. EARLY-fes. sir.
The CnAlRMAS-Then debate ceases.
Mr.. GooDE-I beg to ask the gentleman one
single question.
The CuAIHNAS-The gentleman from Neck
ielburg will please to take his seat. fhe
question Is upon the amendment to the amend.
Eirn', AID upon this question the yeas and
nays are ordered.
Mr.. VIZ. C. Scorr-I call for the reporting
Of ~. amendment.
Mr.. GoaDE-I submit that I have a right to
rise 10 Il privileged question.
The CuAlRMA>-rhe gentleman from Pow
hatan called for the reporting of the amend
m1nt
NJ. SHgFrgY-Mr. Chairman, the gentle
mai from Meckleuburg rose to a privileged
Question.
Mr.. GoonE, Of Mecklenburs-I rise to a
privileged question. | desire to ask the gen.
tlaman frou. franklin, and l ask him in all re-
spect, whether in his closing remarks, it was
his Intention to cast any imputation or rehec-
ton upon me?
The CnalhNaS-The Chair would explain
tina. he did rot understand the character OF the
Question which the gentleman desired to pro-
pose. l supposed he desired 10 continue the
debate.
Mr. EAkLY-Mr. Chairman, I believe that
the language that | used was pretty much this
that the gentleman proposes TO oppose his will
70 the vii! If the majority of the people Of the
Safe; that he processes to be an advocate u
the States Rights doctrine; and l asked him
If ne is 20 oppose the wishes Of the majority OF
the people vi the State, in the name Of God
what sort Ct support is State Rights to re-
ceire from him? That is about the substance
of it Now, l ash, what right the gentleman
has to ask me the question?
The CuAlRMAS-The Chair did not recognize
the remark as intended in an offensive sense ;
if he had, the Chair would have instantly
iuterposed.
Mr. GooDE-I stated distinctly that l asked
the gentleman most respectfully to say whether
he designed TO make any reflection or imputa-
ton unon me. If he did, | can see no objection
to mis- saying so.
NJ. EARLy-Mr. Chairman, on the other
evening | stated that / should consider myself
unworthy Of the position that | occupied here
if I could be capable Of imputing to any gentle
man ON this floor any but patriotic motives.
Sir, I vas commenting upon the position that
the gentleman had taken in his remarks. The
remarks that | made, l think. are capable of
90 Reconstruction l do insist that the
gentleman has no right to put the question to
me in that way.
Mr.. WISE, lin his seat)-Ask him what the
words we!e.
Mr.. EARLy-Wil the gentleman state what
the words arc, to which he objects?
Mr.. GooDE Il do not r~ecol!ect Sir. l can
not stat. now the identical words used by the
gentleman. I understood him to say substan'
italy this, though, sir: God help the people,
If their interests and honor were to be contided
t, The keeping Of gentlemen such as L."
shall press the question, and, as l stated be-
fore, ] ask him most respectfully whether he
designed 10 cast any imputstlon or reflection
upon me?
Mr.. E,RLr.-I have stated just now the sub
STANCE oi what | said. / think he is entirely
mistaken in saying l used the expression, "oi
gentlemen such as he is"
NJ. GooDf.-Mr. Chairman, l say again, !
ask him most respectfully. have assailed the
rights Of no gentleman upon this floor, and
49,. - NIL r.
gentleman whether lie disclsims any intention
. cast any reflection upon me?
Mr.. WISE.-Mr. Chairman, I must interpose
here. l thirk, decidedly, the gentleman frcn
Franklin disclaimed it He disclaims the words
ne is said to have used to my friend frou
NJ cklennurg. and, Of course, he disclaims the
sense Of tie words. So l understand the gen
tlrrnan from Franklin.
Mr.. Ganpg.--I will ask him another question
If he disclaims the language, whether he alst
aisclaims Ike application of thet language to me