Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-03-21
will read the resolution before sending it TO

the Secretary's desk
Resolved, Tia, the COMMITTEES OF Federal
Relations are hereby requested 10 .cpo!t ihe
Constitution Of The Confederate States ci ;iiq
South, as Firginia's ultiula;uni, and that ;iey
recommend the sane TO the Northern S;ates
OF this Conledrracy for their adoption CT ~
lection, and in order 10 give then lirao 70 &C!
on tho same, this Convention will adjourn ii
meet ssair on the first Monday in O;;!ober,
1851.
Mr.. HALL-Sow, sir, &c have heard great
deal of talk about the Union, the love ol the
Union the reconstruction Of the UGion, &nd
all Of this sort Of thing j gentlemen who
are extra Union men, desire and want 10 per-
petuHte or reconstruct this Union, they cannot
object to this proposition. I take it for grant.
ed, sir, that they are all in love with iirC pre-
sent Constitution Of the United States; that
they have no objection 10 many OF It's provi.
sionS and that they will take them Ms thu basis
for their action. imagine, sir. that there is
hardly mun un this tloor who docs not con.
cede the pruprety and the GecesSitY Of amend.
msnts to the present Constitution. take it
for granted. sir from the report of the Com.
mttec on Federal Relations, also from tic vari
Gus resolutions referred 10 that Cpmmillee,
that this body is unanimous in demanding All.
dltlOnal guarantees or, at least, amendments IL
the present Federal Constitution. But there
is great variety Of opinions about this mat.
ter-what these amendments should consist of,
and especially as 10 the manner Of getting at
thrin imagine also. sir, that it is the desire
Of this Convention, Of the representatives o!
the people OF Firgina, to bring back, il posi-.
Die, cur Southern sisters TO this CGnltdcracy
and i, has been circulated that Mr.. Seward,
the high Priest Of the present order OF things
in this Confcderacy as well as the papers OF
The North, have said, repeatedly, that they
were ready to give US all we might ask for
They are represented IS having said to us
state your demands, let US know what you
want, what are your grievances-statc them
in plain terms 50 that We may know exactly
what you desire, and We will satisfy you-.;e
will give you what you demand.
We find that the people Of the Confederate
States went to work, taking the present Con-
stitution of the United States as their basis,
and have made some twelve important amend.
mentS to that great instrument. The Cnnsti-
tuition which they have adopted is nothing more
nor less than the old- house dressed up, re-
painted, and fixed TOT suit the present order Of
things.
The first Of these twelve important amend
rnents provides that the Presidents term shall
be limited to six years, and makes him inel;gi-
bic Tor Il second terul. That Sir, will Strike
every man as proper and wise.
The third amendment provides that repre-.
sentatires shall be Of certain ugc; but there
Is no limit uS 10 the length Of residence or the
number Of years that he shall live in the State
after becoming citizen.
The fourth amendment imposes a restriction
upon persons CT foreign birth, Dot citizens.
Now, sir, that provision vii! strike ev%ry
man as o matter uf prime necessity. We all
know that in the States Of Iowa, Minnesota,
Illinois, Indiana, and other Western States.
that men, not more than ten days in the State.
nor probably more than ten days from Europe,
baxe often controlled the elections in those
States. have been myself for n few years u
resident in the West, and am somewhat fatni.
liar with the facts which State think sir.
that no man will question the propriety Of this
restriction.
The lIth amendment provides that no person
shall be removed from Office without a specifi
cation in writing to the Senate, by the Prcsi.
dent, setting forth the reasons Of dismissal.
TIE seventh amendment provides that ali
bills for appropriation shall specify the amount
Of each appropriation and the purpose fc:
which it is appropriated; and also provides
that no extra compensation shall be allowed 10
contractors.
The eighth amendment provides that every
law shall relate to but one subject Under this,
sou are prevented from passing All omnibus
;,i11 Nraoi,,,, ot;
The ninth amendment provides that the prn.
cpa officers ofthe Departments. Or at least their
Cabinet officers, shall lie entitled TO seats on
the floor If Congress. 1t does rot, however,
give them the privilege Of voting. hut merely
the privilege Of explanation, such Us is possess
cd by the Cabinet officers OF the Queen Of
England
The tenth amendment provides that the
President cannot pardon in case Of impcach
mcnt; and it is also provided that the General
Government may impcach, and that State may
impcach. And finally it is provided iii the l2!h
amendment that the word 'Slave' shall he sub.
sIituted in the Constitution for The word "ser-
want"
Now, | appeal to the Union gentlemen on
this flo0r and appeal TO the members II the
Committee on Federal Relations, and especial
y TO its distinguished Chairman (Mr R. j.
CoNRAp)-I appeal to him, us be has indicated
the purpose OF the Committee to report amend
ments to the Coasttuton-to take this Cons:i-
tuition adopted by the Confederate States aid
recommend it to the Convention for its adop-
ton.
The resolution was then read as follows:
Resolved, That the Committee Gil Federal
Relations are hereby instructed to report the
Constitution of the Conicderated States as VIZ
ginias utimatuln, and that they recommend
the same 10 the Northern States Of this Con-
lederocy for their adoption or rejection, and i'll
order to give them time to act On the same,
this Committee will adjourn TO meet again on
the first Monday in October, 1861.
Mr.. CoSRAp.-l move 10 lay the resolution
on the table.
Mr.. EARLY.-I rise 10 q question Of order.
We have now question pending before the
Convention upon the resolution OF the gentle
men from Monongalia, (Mr. WrLLEr.) sub.
init whether it is competent +: iterany resolu-
tion at this time, requiring lee vote Of the
Convention. The gentlemen no offered these
resolutions as | understand, cot leave from
the gentleman from Barbour t" introduce them
as suppose, for the purpose II having them
read and referred to The C..uuttee OH Federal
Relations. The point Of order make is,
whether these resolutions can DC offered in the
form in which they are now presented, while
this other question is pending
The PREsiDESr-T pra.tce Of the Con-
vcntion has been by gene'a consent early in
the morning for gentlemen entitled to the floor
to give way fur various motions. This rcsolu.
ton under the statement of the gentleman
from Wc,zel, the Chair su posed would, as IL
matter of course, 60 to the Committee on Fc-
deral Relstinrs. The Chair fu,;s that it is one
Of such character that it cannot gn to that
Committee without the consent Of that body
The motion to lsy on the table would, there
fore be in order.
The question was taken, on the motion Of
Mr.. CONRAD, and it mas agreed TO-
So the resolutions were laid on the table
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE on FEDERAL RELA-
TIoSs.
Mr.. r. Y. CoxRAD.-May I ask the consent
of tine Convention to make report from the
Committee on Federal Relations?
The PREsIDESr-It will he in order if tie