Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-02-22

Pie aSScRpleO nero III MASS IouNellioh~ru
be kept under the control Of our employees, Of
whether il shall bc diluted through the chan
ncis Of private enterprise and private capital.
The resolution was then read By the Clerk,
as follows:
Resolved, That the President OF this Con
venton have authority to employ, ata fixed rate
OF compensation, sufficient number Of Report
ers to take down rs thcy occur the Debates Of
this body with Wow to tho publication Of the
same hereafter in II portable form, if it shall
be deemed by thus body cxpe,lient Or neces-
Sary.'
Mr.. CLEMENS (ltcsuming)
Mr.. PREsIDEST--[ desire TO say but single
word in tho advocacy Of that resolution,
shall then put it to a test vote OF this body, be-
fore | enter upon the personal explanation
which is due to mysclf
So Far, this i.ody presents the singular
anomaly Of having its proceedings reported in
this potential hour Of the Rcpublic-,hc most
solemn, the most grave and the most moment.
GUS that has ever hung over the dcstinies Of
! this great pruple-in the hands Of private CAPT,
tai and private enterprise. And, however com.
lnendatlu i, may be for those who are employ
cl in the emil htcumcrt of the public mind TO
| have control Of the public press in this State,
to crafty the natural and just curiosity OF the
people in regard 10 our deliberations here
submit it 10 the candid consideration y! every
member OF this body, ii it is not m anomaly
! that should be corrected, that we, who are
| here placed in the very crisis Of this nations
fate, standing in the jaws Of life and death,
shall submit To have whatever is said here run
through private conduit or diluted through
/ private water cooler
| This is the reason, and it is Tor no other real
! son, that | propose the resolution, and while
| here do not hesitate to yield the proper need
of praise 10 those who 80 far hare laid the pro.
ceedngs and the debates of this body before
the people OF this State, believe il is Teserr-
/ ed and sovereign power which VIC, as the agents
Of the people, should hold in our own hands
/ and therefore, have made special provision
that these debates shall bc retained hy this:
Convention, and If il is no. deemed cXpeLieI.t
To publish them n 4 plrlabsc form. that en-
Ici.Sc can be- saved, and so Jar a. AZ. cOI.ccrn
| ed, at leas: as & member Of this Contention,
intend ~ meet the grave Responsibilities which
derolve upon no With whatsoever 81 sturdy
will is in mo- !, at least. shall not shrink troin
. thu proper expression Ut my sentiments when
| the time for the expression Of those sentiments
arrives and claim ii as u matter Of just right
| tn myself individually and TO every peer on this
! ho1r that whatever sentiments or truths Sh:ll
| be uttered here, shall be placed il; the face Of
! this generation and III tho lace OF coming pos
| terity. | move the adoption of the resolution
! which has been read by the Clerk.
Mr.. FIsuER-l was about to OTTER 4 SILT
| liar resolution, and had i! already drafted
to offer, when the gentleman from Wheel.
! ing sent his up to the Clerks desk,
hut did not suppose That different arrange
ment would be made frcn that already under
| taken. understand that the editors Of one Of
the papers in this city have already employed
two Slenographers, and that they have conf
menccd the publication Of the regular proceed
! ing5 Of this body, including tie speeches.
| propose 10 offer resolution authorizing the
Chair to enter into a contract with these gen
tlemen, they being the only persons who nave
employed si.nographerS, whose duty it Shall
be iuipar,ialiy 10 publish not only all the rcgu-
| lar proceedings which are ordinarily placed u!'-
OF; Tic journal, but lhe speeches luade by Tie
| members in this body.
The resolution was then read by the Clerk
as GullowS:
Resolved, That the President Of this C"n-
yeatIon tic authorized to contract with the
proprletors Of the Richmond "ESorKEW' for
continuing and publishing report OF the pro.
! cee'llngs of this Convention.
Mr.. CLEMENS accepted the resolution as
substitute for his own, and it was then agreed
tn by the Convention.
PERSONAL ESPLA$ArlGE.
Mr.. CLCaENs.-i now proceed, Mr.. Fres!.
dent, to the consideration oftte matters 10 which
[ directly alluded in my opening remarks.
know, sir, That III times Of political trial and
political excitement, public man is supposed
TO be, i'll this age, public property. And have
had sufficient degree Of experience in public
lif. 10 snow, Also that thin scurf skin is not
suited 20 lis hot and fierce encounters and that
these who are mot accustomed to them wall
lind that ior a Coz; OF urInS ierraPn or an Ar
nIadil!o is tue best insignia Of at least their
powers OF endurance ] confess that in abiding
10 the matter 10 which / conceive il to be my
duty 10 alludc, acknowledge self.a AMUSEMENT
aud humiliation. Before this grave body, ny
sl odds the gravest and The most gifted with
which have ever lad the honor of being $3.50.
cated, feel it to be my duty, dae 10 the pro.
i,rict-s Of the place and the occasion, 10 re-
strain the sentiments OF just Indignation which
leap 20 M lipS and crave Tor utteranec.
We are told, sir, b. BIZ authority, that The
who eonqaereth his own spirit, is greater Than
ne whn ,aketh city" and in times like these
Il man is not tilted to govern others who
has not the capacity 10 govern himself. l
had supposed it possible that among those
who in other days were associated will! me
and shared my acquaintance in this u'agnanl-
nous city, many Of whose familiar faces now
SEE around me, and who hung with broth.
erly love over sick couch, and mnisercd to
the necessities Of I broken body; had hoped
that among those Of Gods fairrT and better
purt VI creation, many Of whose fair faces now
beam upon me, ana whose soft md velyctty
hands ministered IN the necessities OF q SICK
chamber, would find, when these accusations
were travelling tiic!: ioul rounds in the public
press, some sense Of indignant remonsirance
coming 10 my rcl:cf, against the charge that !,
member OF Congress !rrm FIrginia could
deliberately, and in cold blood, send under my
hnnd, framed documents 20 free negroes. SIT
it had no sense Of Seli.Iespcct lei;, had
hoped that those who knew ire, and who knew
the honorable families in Eastern and Western
Virginia, in Georgia, in Alabama, in Louisiana,
in Kentucky, in Missouri, in whose veins
courses kindred bload, would suppose that
how evrr Iura,l might be, would no; double
rose leaf under lhrl pillow, 70 give n mo-
ments pain. 1t is one Of the darkest portenls
Of the tines, that under these circumstances
gentelncn--Virgnia gentIelncn-have affected
to believe such charge against me. Sir, il
there is any gentleman in this State who has
hitherto shared ny acquaintance, and who,
knowing me in days past, bas believed could
DC guilty Of SO mean an act let him never dare
to raise his eyes or hand 10 kindness to me
again.
But, sir, d. not choose TO deal with this
question in this indirect way. It happens that
| hsre the fullest and the Innst complete proof,
which will be submitted to the proper au,hori-
ties at Washington. 1t happens that left
Washington city ten days before tic ASSEM-.
bling Of this Convention, and was at home can.
vassIrs for seat in this honorable body, and
during my absence, without consultation witt
Inc, wi,hou, MY knowledge, without my concur
renee in any shape or form, half sheet Of the
:, !; 10 H.. s..,i