Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1861-01-18
1aily 9ntplliqF1r6Rr.
FRONf- RICHMoNn.


FROM RICHMOND.
The PrectpitatIonIsts Cheek-mated.-
a MhOle.ons Dread ofa Convention
6srs-.Mr. TEtGIEhan, OF Henrico.
'Wis6Ss 10 Prevent IT from Taking
rag S49yeS the Same as Other Prop
the tax and on that Ground Goeb In
Tor the Convention. .El. - p
RIcmNoND, Jan. 18th, 1s6I. i
EaltoTI 4Htekhgeneer.-The, heartyof ev-
cry true friend of the Union beats freely
70. aay, toE the preeipitationts:s. who sought
10 call Convention and declare Virgin.
Ia ont of ths Onion ~ithout tue peouls to
have any voice IN the matter, have been
defeated. The House of Delegates passed
the Convention bill similar to the draf, 1
sent you IN my last letter, but with most
important amendment, providing that at
the time of electing the delegates q pOlI
should be opened to take the sense Of The
people on the question, whether, in case
the Convention shall change our present.
Constitution, ,or shall pass any accession
ordinance, the same shall be submitted TO.
direct vote of the psoplc for ratification
or rejection. They also amended the bill
SO as to prohibit any member of the pres.
cut Legislature from being member of
the Convention, and fixing its time of
meeting for the llth of February. This
Dlll having so passed the House was, late
IN tne afternoon of yesterday, communities
ted to the Senate, which body Immediately
agreed to hold ~ night session for its CON
sideration; and accordingly met Mt
O'Clock for that purpose. Mr.. Wickham.
OF llenTicO county, upon its second read.
ing, offered an amendment, disclaimiug
the right of the Legislature to pass any
provision limiting the jurisdiction of the
Convention, yet certifying to it, AS the
opinion OF the General Assembly, that the
Convention should not alter the present
provisions of the existing Constitution cx-
emptirg slaves from taxation. In suuOort
of his amendment he contended that if
slave property should be taxed it would he
extremely onerous upon all Eastern Vir-
ginin; and he instaMted his own little
county of Henrico, which would then have
to pay $4,000 more than she now docs.
THIS amendment forthwith produced great
excitement butll in the Senate and in the
gallery, aud it soon became evident TINT
the bill was in great jeopardy should the
amendment prevail. Seeing this very
plainly, Mr.. Wtckham, on consultation
with several Eastern Senators, withdrew
his proposition.
The Senate then changed the time for
the meeting of.the Convention from the
llth TO the 18th Of February. They also
by y vote of 24 to IA, struck out Of the bill
the provision inhibiting any member of
the present Legislature from being elected
as member of the Convention
Just before the voto was tuksn on the
passage of the bill, your Senator, Mr.. Cald-
well, got the floor aud snid that he was
opposed to the bill in the form it had been
originally reported by the Committee. but
iaaSnlueh ne IL had been SO n atl,Apded ma t.,
give the people reyisory power !over any
hasty action of the Convention in regard
to our Federal relations, and because it
was to be constituted upon the white basis
Hud would possess plennry power to amend
our rpresentconstitution aud tax slave prop
erty the Same as other properly, lie would
now give the bill his hearty support
This explanation of Mr. Caldwell brought
up, one after another, several Eastern SEN
ntors, who explained that they would vote
for the bill, but with very grcatreluctance,
that'they heartily disapproved of many Of
its provisions, but preferred to take it as
was rather than have no convention
The vote being taken the bill was passed
with but one dissenting voice-thOt of
Senator FiRney, of Accomac county. Its
PasSage yesterday in the House of Dele.,
gates was unanimous. There is no doubt
but that the House will on Tomorrow con-
cur with the SenAte's amendments, and the
bill will then be a law.
The Westhave now the Opportunity, by
electing, the 4th of next month, men
true to her Interest, men of irmness, OF
honesty, of decision Of character, men who
can neither be bribed, bought or caioled
into betraying the interests Of their sec
tion for the sake Of the smiles and hospi-
fAIIfiAa nj fhn. ENnDk
constitution which shall disentlIral them
from long endured Eastern oppression, but
to avert civil, wars, and to decree that the
stars and stripes shall float over Virginia's
capitol, the emblem of Republican liberty
IN the future, as it has been the ensign of
popular freedom in the pasta ~
1t is already. understood hRtmanymem-
bers of both houses ofthe Legislature viii
be andidates for seats in the Convention.
x.
The Convention. and the Circum.
stances Attending Ats Cali.
(Extract from letter to gentleman In wheeITn,j
RICHMOND, Va, Jan 18th, 1860.
Dear Friend THE Convention bill
passed both Houses of the General Assent
bly, this morning, and il, therefore. now a
law. The election of members takes place
on the 4th OF February, and they meet in
this city on the l3lh of February. The
counties vote for members in the same Wnv
that they will at the next general election
vote for members of the House of Dele.
gates. This gives Ohio county two NOM
bers, and Brooke aud Hancock counties n
member each. 1t is provided that wien
the people vote for meinuers, they wilu4ote
also on the proposition whether any action
of the Convention dissolving the Union or
altering tue State Constitution, shall he
referred to them for ratification or not. If
they vote .'for a reference" then the, Con-
Vention will be instructed to submit its
action to the popular vote If they vote
against a reference then the Convention
will feel empowered to go 1t blind; and in
these days of vascillntion and inconsist.
ency, it IS difhcult to say what they might
not do. They could dissolve our connec-
ton with the United States of. America.