Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-10-22

in the ordinary %D0lltfcai SyhleHi, 10 '""P,J "
matter OF ordinance or appointment Proceed'hE
from the primary or original power. 1t 10 IN
stitutcd by the Convention as proper ana neces
sary in the ordinary experience OF the aoln'1's
tration OF tho affiTs of tho State, but there Il
no sense uor prnpriety w!ateTor in denying tt
the Convention the p6Fer to institute anu es
tablish any and all measures which. III the ap
prehension of the Convention, may be necessaf!
for the security and safety Of the State.
Sir. it is obvious. upon n moments retectlon
that the worst Of all possible consequence
would attend upon the opposite theory. Inc
Convention for the time being is regarded
as the General Assembly Of the people, achng
in the name Of the people, and charged by t"e
people TO do whatever Concerns the Stlet' ano
the honor of the Commonwealth within tlt
limits Of The representative power derived iron
the people; and | understand FROM my Trent
whD sits upon my right (Alr. THoRSToS} ina
the Convention is expressly charged by tht
legislature, under which the election, was
held, to do and ordain whatever may Dc
necessary and deemed cXpedient for the wei
fare of the State. -,
Now, it is Obvious that there can De no de-
eratinn of power in terms more comprehensive
and unrestricted, and allow me to say, thai
there can he nothing more unfortunate t1a0
the popular impression, derived from dlversltios
Of opinion, in this bod in relation tn the pow
or Of the Convention ID commit the credit Of
the State. I do hope, therefore. that gentle
men will bo careful in intimating doubts in
respect to the power and authority OF this
body in reference To measures which must
depend for their efficacy uuon popular consent
and popular response.
There is, in any humble judgment. no Doubt
whatever, in respect 10 theauthority OF this bu1,y
10 commit the credit Of the State to whatever
expenditure it mug deem necessary for th9 Sc
curity Of Inc State. .AlIo e inc to say, IN caH-
clnsipn, that whilst I would have been graft
fled 10 extend tho remarks which ! wls maktng
4 while a.D, The purpose CT which was to SLOW,
If vrlld ~sucrcei in lining 50. that n very aX
aygcra.c4 and unauthorized statement IVES in.
Gulgcd, H. respect to the consequences which
gouId result from 4 contempt Of CO operation
witll the borier sl,ro = atrs. and from innc-
date secession. am grateful to the Con'=a'
ton for its kind attention to my remarks.
Mr. TuouAs BRANCH, Of Petersburg.- - Twink
tire hour has come when we shonld retire rom
labor. Wr have had 4 lprg dag session. and
| a1n satisfied that every g%:atlemln IL willing
now to take the vote. | am willing to fnrcsc
the pleasure Ct speaking tonight provided the
vote is taken.
The PRESIDENT -Hile gentleman must yI"id
unccnli,ionallv, il he yield; ut al.
Mr.. BgAGcn i vii, proceed, then. liansh-
teri though | a:!l sariaiiei every msE,ocr mere
can vote n; intcilil.ibly noT ~ he can after me
House has exhausted its powers ol spatca.--
The prrsImption seems TO be here tin 10th
ing can be done. no vote recnrlcI np'n any
Dropn.iiiou Yill0nt 4 speech. tIrntirricii
must make Speeches n any rist or %saer!!I'o 81
time. for the prfp3zc pf having th2m recorded.
TO be rcId ~ Il future lime. Those VIC fur
sue this policy viii Of coarse asslln" tie To-
spnnsiblitv attaching to their course. =
wcnld remark that. in my opinion, VT IRE
now os,cnsibly in the Union, bu; actually out
or il, Virc;nia stands now where she stood
when eke Declared her Independence in Nay.
l77G--an independent S"vereigniy--snch as
shc was before she assembled win the other
twelve States in philadelphia 10 farm 4 C1nSLi.
tuition. She s:snls, | snf, in that position ',-
| nirht; and [ stand here rs tha representative
| Of the CITY Of Petersburg, ready to maintain
her by every means which may h. rroe9;:acy
for her defence. Gin hnre to irlsils al ti'r IL
preventative Of that patriotic atty, Whiri. /:
known /" be such throughout ;ha c%1'hIf", l"
TAKE the responsibility oi sustaining the h'"1of
1T tine Siate that ~ now no longer part OF me
Uaion. And here, will say, that Wel': TINS
day a. | witnessed The severance al That TIC
which bMlnl Virginia 10 this Gn:c %'"rlo'lS
Confeleracy. have wcpt tears of bitterness
at the disintcgrstinH nj that loTrd Union "a!2h
was the terror Of ~tvrant5 throughout the globe.
I should say that / was not n man II | dn! moi
weep ovtr 50 great Il catastrophe. les, SIR, l
could no. resist the Influence .! tn" sad reality.
Of having to desert the llig which Sustained
and projected me and my l"rrlatho's, and
which commanded respect III every clElnc anh
on every sea
Mr.. President, | sad ! was l,are Ia Iaic any
res oans,b;!iiy that attached 10 rry vote IN ;a"or
nr any measure designed TO maintain tu2 Er;:hr
nf VIRGINIA. repeat, sir, | AL willing 10 take
that re<p visibility, and / only hope thar gen
rlcmen will at onco proceed to take the vote
and cnmr t. SAN. practical conclusion. As
have hefore said. il needs no further Eight TO
enable every member T" :o;c mfSii,g;aI? upon
the proposij:on bcin:e the Convention; anl, !
trust, therefore. tha; We shall have ~ end 10
this system Of intcrminable speaking which
has governed ia heretofore to tha sFrinis delay
Of the public hlaincas. Physical man Is I'm.
lfll 40 Dear ND ullcI liC iihiH~Hi'S tH>"'S
which We have had To undergo recently; and,
inasmnch as nothing can now be gi"e'l o.
further debate up III this question, nope He
vote will at once be taken.
hrr. JAMES P. HoLcoMC:, u! AlbamaTie.-l
will not say one word more tihn Is necessary
t., mat;c the mpint desire to present to the
Convention ineligible. II fe!GiC' To "iir
power.
presume that every member OF The Con
rention will assent 30 thu general pEopn''ih'h
that the Convention, without any Limitation
upon its mower, cnbodies the whole sovereignty
Of the Commonwealth, and could exercise any
authority which tho people are caP"Pie "l t"-
e%rcising tina. all will assent to the pTe':'ir'. Is
and practices Of our STATE, Tnr r~rl't'c": OF
all American S ates. fr Conventions, are
known only in this country and establish The
general principle that n Convention, without
limitation, could do everything which tho com.
munity it represents could do.
Now, I am very doubtful whether any l!ti:-
tation whatever is imposed under this law, on
the authority of this Convention. do rot
raise tho question whether any Limitation
would be binding on the Convention. l ain wI!l
ing to acknowledge that q Limitation expressed
and positive in its terms ought to bind the Con
Vention. Looking carefully 10 the phraseoloSy
Of tho law, you may find that although a re.
ference is made to the people to ascertain
whether or no orr action in any contingency
shall be referred to them, yet it is notexpress-
y made obligatory upon us in either Of the
two contingencies specified, 20 refer Our action
to the people, and | believe that the Tery con
s~truction Of the first para graph is, that the
Convention is here, with the expression au
thsnticated in proper form Of Law, Of q desire
on tho part ofthc people OF the State, that The
action Of the Convention should in two cases
be referred to them, but not R command on the
part Of the people. ] merely throw that out
as q suggestion as to the immediate point
which J. it presents to the Convention. / don't
think it admita of q doubt as to our ability 10
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