Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-10-28
yIRGINIa stats CONVENTION.
SECRET SESSION.
rGcSspAy, APRIL Is, 1861.
TEIRp D 4 J.

TEIRp D 4 y.
coSCLrDED
q WI. BALLARD PKESroS.--I have but
.,-a 81: iwn - say.
Tx. a.s...!ns, with view of covering thi
,9gis question. the gentleman from Fauouier
II. >co?r,N ,nnde suggestion, and had
,,n,mi:tce raised Tor the purpose of inquirin!
shs: wou!d be necessary to be done durinI
,,,c n..y.ni between this period, and that upo,
whi.!. she people shall vote on the ordinance
secession.
prtsulue BE WHOLE question of provi
>;naui s.gtrGIlcnt will come under tho super
s,,., ot :Hat committee. 4 large majority o
Is, ;'cIia"e. have agreed that it would b.
cry mo *:rsnt for us to leave our posts at ,h
.uptr.sni crisis. Now, if the committee vii
.IoI; 50 As TO inspire confidence to trade anc
5ss;n.sS matters, shalt have 10 objection t
,',rra as Socu after ihnt r-rnr1 is mnde Of
,h, ,r.r,v-Hucn may choose The resolution
- - ccI'! ic1ian from Greenbrier, (Mr. PRICE
49, titsTsi, IS understand, with view t
tz day. saw the Governor since dinner,
ai,; had conversation with him. feel, fron
F:Ai h4ya asccrtained, that it would be i'm
p:0Dc- to leave the Governor, under the cir.
..ll>!hsitSS lt W ICu lC 10 lON
,i!:ion-l Gid to tighten the burdens which
hi; emergency will throw upon him. In view
.. h, ace=y duties which must devolve upon
! IL, il IS essential that he should have coun.
i, around him Tho would share the duties and
responsibilities. of his position. We expect to
f:>rly. aid in short time from quarter for.
er:. To us row but soon hope to be in union
sir as. When that aid arrives, which it will
q Gsy or two, we will be able to determine
xi,a norc exac:ncss than we now can, what
2isr oi military organization it will be best
iyr u: y adopt in the outset.
i~on;d suppose that council Of Safety--a
,.:;;=o.i to aid the Governor, clothed with like
.-'s-T as the Governor for the cXgency, be-
t:evG this and the day on which the vote is
;sser. would be rery proper associate foI
!he Governor in this emergency. But we have
90 had ti,oe So far 10 provide the committee
il is better, perhaps, we would have day OF
;po uinre for reflection upon this subject. And
7lii observe ir this connection, that this is
a@l tine for precipitate action Let US take
:in,a t., kunT the ground on which We stand,
sHi Oh which our constituents will stand be.
:.s:! this period and the period at which
:;.-r will cast their votes upon the Ordinance
Il Secession. The committee should have due
tine for elaboration, and q full opportunity to
iriermnU and recommend to us whatever they
think IS necessary. agree with the sugges.
:i,n CT th3 gentleman from Richmond, (Mr.
RASDoL?u,) to call upon the Governor and
XccIts!n from him what may be necessary to
enable him 10 meet the present emergency.
:Tust that gentlemen will not abandon US in
This tiue Of peril, so thx it may be said, we
lad lst: the people as the mercy Of the enemy,
a;er We had taken the war tender made TO US
IS Lincoln | have no apprehension that
;sntsemsa will abandon their posts in view ef
;aa serious consequences which such an act
would involve to our people. We are com.
sei;sd 10 stand up and maintaia ourselves with
H. the aasaas that God and nature has put in
3ar power. What Eieaus may be necessary to
g. tat time and events can alone determine
!; Ills tiu,s, il is impossible to designate g
.,7 when We might adjourn and, for my part
IN utterly unwilling to leave here until all
itas is necessary 10 be done TO meet pressing
s-osrgencos shall be done.
M.. BgSs. WILSON, of Harrison. There is q
Schj"c:, Mr.. President, to which desire very
much 70 call the attention Of the Convention
Do moi propose for moment 10 interfere with
he consideration OF our national difficulties
The l:.t.rr 20 which refer is of considerable
:gpo,,snce, relating as it does to the condition
Of our S;atc bonds and to the status Of Virginia
10 financial point Of view.
Virginia has DOW assumed an independent
po,i;lon. which will devolve upon her the ne
,,Ss'ry Il providing means to meet the large
expenditures incident to this change in her
relation 10 the other States Of the Union. 1t
) Terv Important for her to look to her credit
sr,i s4c hy hat means she can best obtain
he money Geaessary to meet the emergency
upaa ner
On me 2-sh day of February last, had the
hc,n3T t" odcr a resolution looking to that
,ay"ct, anj that resolution now lies upon your
abe /: docs not propose to raise commit
!ry1 il merely requests the Auditor to give the
lr:'-'nst:on called for in that resolution. l
taHz the information referred to. is such as
r' "nsa; to have, especially, in this hour of
'1,u!ty. ask that that resolution be taken
4p.
The motion was agreed to.
The resolution WAS then taken up and read
i follows
Resolved, That the Auditor OF Public Ac-
Goalts be requested to report to this Conven-
aea whether any loss has been sustained to
:a'S State, frcm the manner in which the
to'nmssOnprs Of the Board Of Public Works
hare disposed OF the bonds of the State; if so,
Shat the loss is, Of what it consisted, and when
!! occurred And that he DO also requested
10 report 10 this Convention the amount le-
TtG oy each county Of the State for the yenr
is6v Tor the compensation Of Justices of the
'eaos. Also the amount paid to jurors for
services rendered in the county court from
he State und county treasures during the
ane period"
DIR. WILSON, now move to amend that
solution by adding thereto the following:
+ solved, That IN order to facilitate the
sport Of the Auditor as to the condition Of the
'ja;e bonds, he be instructed to call to his aid
ne commissioners of the sinking fund.- and the
.c:etary Of the Board of Public Works, if in
Is opinion i: shall be necessary for him to do
,ir. WnsoN.-It will be remembered that
pers.ion under the last Constitution, our
';s:e bonds were aboge par Tho last sale Of
ur bouGS in this city show tncn to be S0f
,.r csnt below psr. Indeed | have seen it
lated in the papers that they have been kept
i tie market at SO cents in the dollar. IF
Virginia has to raise money by means OF State
,0rds, which are 10 be sold at 80 cents in the
ivi.s7, VIC arc truly in deplorable condition.
Mr. ilaEvIE.--I don't see hat is the object
u 'his Inquiry.
Mr. WusoS--f understand that under the
Fs,en, system Of the Board of Public Works,
a'se bonds are 50 disposed Of that the credit
'he Sla:e is very much impaired, if not en-
ireig ruined. Ten years ago, our State bonds
'eTe .hc mos. desirable in the world. They
zero sought with aTidity everywhere abroad,
I'd hecausc Of Some tnisn,anagementth they are
,oS selling perhaps at 40 cents in the. dollar.
me last quotation saw was 90 cents in the
"l!ar, It is very we'll known that we have
'!ovsion in our statutes requiring that our
'9ads shall not be sold for less than par, and
es, Notwithstanding tha: provision our bonds
re sold IN this town for 40 per cent below par.
'9*, we have recently incurred an additional
eb! of one million dollars, and are about to
neur a million more; and desire to know by
hA