Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1861-01-14

clause prohibiting the election Of member of the
present Legislature to the Convention. He did not wish
the people of Virginia to charge tho Legislature with
creating Offices hold themselves Another reason fer
submitting the amendment that he thought II ne
cessay the General Assembly should be in session at the
same time with the Convention
Mr. KEMPER opposed the amendment The Legisli-
ture has right to say who the people shall elect to
Convention.
Mr.. GIBSON would support the amendment. live
have the power to call Convention we have the power
TO pass such bill may deem right.
Mr.. BISBIE supported the amendment. 1t might be
necessary for the Legislature to perfect some action oil
the Convention
Mr. McKINNIE thought the Legislature ought to be in
session at the time of holding the Convention lie should
sustain the proposition.
Mr. gRBY heartily concurred in the object of the
amendn Of the gentleman from Prince George, and
expression merely Of his decided conviction OF the
improperly and Inconvenience OF eecng members oil
the Legislature TO the Convention, would vote Tor 1t, ad-
hitting the time TO the fullest extent that the
Legislature had right restrict the people in their
severe n capacity in the selection OF their delegates
M observation aud experience, however, had satisfied
him. ring the sttngs of late Reform Convention,
that the duties of the two, if not incompatible, were H.
complete and could not be discharged by the same per-
son at and the time. All seemed TO admit that
the Legislature should be in session during the sitting oil
the Convention. The condition of the country and the
action Of the Convention might and he thought woulu
demand it. and he was unwilling, apart from the incon-
venience and delay consequent hereupon, to lose the
best talent in the Legislature but at the same time ac
knowedged the right of the people 10 elect whom they
pleased 10 the Convention, and the amendment, II
adopted would have binding force whatever and was
only significant OF the opinion of the Legislature.
| Mr.. CHRISTIAN said If the principle involved was
that the Legislature had power to restrict the people
in their election of delegates he would test the sense OF
the House by moving strike out the whole OF the 81
section after taking the vote on the proposed amend
| ment.
| The question on the adoption of Mr. Rves' amend
ment being put it was decided in the airmave-ayes
| 90, noes As.
| Mr.. CHRISTIAN then moved to strike out the whole
of the 8 section as amended. He doubted the const
tutional right TO pass such a section
Mr. ROBERTSON hoped the proposition would be re-
iected He considered the whole proceeding as merely
recommendatory the people, He sure the people
would not misunderstood it.
Mr.. JONES, of Appomatox, advocated the PROPOSE
ton TO strike ont Suppose the people of his county
should choose to elect member of the Legislature to
the Convention, who could object?
Mr. CHRISTIAN withdrew his motion to strike out,
and then moved to reconsider the vote by which Mr.
Rives amendment was adopted He could hardly think
it was submitted az a serious proposition.
Mr. RIVES said he offered it in good faith, and so he
believed the Honse understood it.
Mr. MALLORY said there was, in bis opinion, good
reason why members Of the Legislature should be ex-
cuded from the Convention They had taken an oath
to support the Federal Constitution aud such state OF
things might arise to that oath TO come III con-
hict with what it might be necessary to do.
The motion to reconsider was lost After numerous
verbal amendments, the question OF engrossing the bill
came
Mr. RAYMOND proposed to further amend the bill by
o.ring the following substitute for the whole OF the
first section:
enacted By tss General A,eJ That shall be the duty
and officers who appointed to control
holding elections for ebers o. the General Assembly to open
polls for ectng del gateto Convention to CONSIDER ana pro
pos they deem exped!snt FOR the onmon
adopt he present crisis Of ta aud Nat nal affairs
The said election shall be held the h day Of February In the
year Of o Lord, 1S6l
Mr.. FOREMAN hoped the House would not undo what
they had done after protracted ate. II the pro
posed amendment adopted It would only place them
where they were yesterday.
Mr. BALL said the subject had been thoroughly dis
cussed and they getting along smoothly and
ready pass the bill. Do not reopen the subject OF
contention
Mr.. DUCKWALI. moved the previous question, which
being sustained, the ayes aud ordered, aud
the question on the adoption OF Mr. HAYM0NDS substi
tute being put resued ayes 62, noes 81, as follows
AYFs-Messrs CrutoLfelJ ,speake Allen. Anderson Bay,
Ballard Barbour Basxcrv Bass Basel BELL BOseau Blrks,
Cap ron Carpenter Carter Chapman Chld oaoorne Duck
Graham Grattan, im'nd uunter, James II Jones, T.
j. e. E'nn,a Se%Ps ki9 % L1n LSP Saefy
Nor m Nelson Newton 0rsan R. r. HSol1'IH Ra,hsf'ga
, ~ w Ten Woos iT %oolfEsa '''s "'
Noss-Ms,srs nIder,on ArooiI Ball Bentley B.be Booker
Brown. Casn Christian Coleman Collier, Cowan,
ane, rp Davis Dickinson Edgugton, Perguson, Fei
Fleming Frost D. Gb.on { II G liner, G5odyc5onE Hsns,
Harrison, Hackey, Hoffman Holdway, Hopkins Hunt Jstt,
Johnson Keen, Kee KNOTS, Kyle, Lstweh Loe.e oklgs
Ll~ss McGruieT, J g. Martin, Martin, Martin Mtsie,
Matthews McGrudrr Mckinney Mckenzie Niles, Miller Nor
s ayer, paterou Phelps Porter Preston Peilow Pr tchard
Randolph Reid Richardson, Bddek W robertson, Riye. sAuh-
de' Scott segsr sAerrsd sber Smith, ~ Smith, sta
pr Thompson walker, a. Walton Watts, West, Yerby-si
TIE bill being engro.sed and read third time it ives
PIT upon the its passage ard passed unanimously, l4l
members voting Those absent not voting were Au
thnr j. Foreman, Henry W. Holloway John Kuote, Hen
rs B. Maupin Samuel McCamant, j. Marshall McCuc
John r. Miller, John Seldom Isaiah A. Welsh, and j. NJ
Wilcox.
Mr. CAPERTON was requested by the SPEAKER to
communicate the passage OF the bill to the Senate.
On motion the House adjourned.
NorE-The reporter took full note, of the reasons as
signed by various members before casting their votes; but
a OF time and space necesstates the omission OF
their publication.