Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-06-27

az fo.ows: ..;,, ,r,c.,L
~ aIct The members of the Provisional CGn-
GOO, hv Districts. as far rs can be done.
Ropsr.-I deem it proper to make Il ieW
remrLs in response to tho gentleman 'roul
Fa,uier. may, perhaps, have miSunder-
stott the force OF the remarks Of the gentleman;
huff I am correct, he says lie shall be loath
r. .ote for any representative outside OF THIS
Convention. ask the gentleman if report
hiyr correctly. Why it is he came to such " con
c,,,ion Nc that ] cannot imagine. l see no
rool and sufficient reasons for it. for | 90 nope
and,rust. that all the wisdom OF Virginia Is not
concentrated in this body. | hope we have
coue statesmen outside this Hall, "ho are quite
a. conpetrnt to represent the Old Common
uolb ~ any gentleman in it. The gentle.
M, from Fauonier remarked that il he coCid
6nl some one who had the sam experience rs
nrmbers of this body, perhaps he might vote
fo- him. nope the gentleman has seine
aI;,ht aeoaaintancc with the name OF the gen.
,l,man have introduced. If no has no
troUlcdpe of lis ability and craftsmanship,
,rlI r.cer him to the old Commonwealth that
h.s honored him On so many OCCASIONS anu
lad. him = representative ir the old Senate oil
The United States.
There he can receive information IN regard
j,o thc name of the Hon. James NJ. Mason, OF
IV;rrin;a-thcre he can learn whether be Is COM
netent or whether he is acquainted with the
financial matters OF the State. | have no couot
Inc is acquainted with all that it is necessary
ITO know as the representative OF virginia OF
] tho honnr would not have been conferred upon
! him Of an appointment on tie most important
/ committees of the Senate Of the United States.
These facts ought to satisfy the gentleman that
the name I have presented here IL All nppro'
4 pirate one for the consideration Of THIS Con
v%ention.
care not whether he DO p NOMINEES Tor the
State 1T large, or Of the S!h Congressional
district. nominated him as an elnInertiy
suitable man for the place, and as Q daty t!Es,
we owe 10 the Valley Of Virginia, which IS ipls HES
the scat of WAT. llo is there, il the uiidsgsss
our volunteers. who have bren tiockinG Py
thousands to tho town Of - inchester& fgd
where, as q matter OF course, hc can leariSFaer
wants and understand their interests. ,Sha"
we then he excluded frCm representation III
Congress. simply because the name OF the
Gentleman from Montgomery tMr. PEksTnS)
has been presented here? hope rot The
names Of these two distinguished gentlemen
ought not 10 CONC in competition. We nave
10 representative in the Confederate Congress.
and | have made this nomination knowing that
il sill be acceptable TO ali. | trust it viii Eni
be The Measure Of this Convention 20 select
none bu; members of this body. The influence
upon the COMMONWEALTH will be emHhaticaliy
bad. and conceive il " be bright to have s0Eie
respectfcr public opinion in the election Of mem,
bers OF Congress. / hope that Dots. tnssc
gentlemen viii be elected, but that their
names will not ZONE in competition.
Let the name Of the gentleman FROM Mont
gomcrv Lc Withdrawn aud let Us Il: once coli.
firm the nomination Of JAMES NJ. MAsGS.
NJ. CsITcnrs offered the following rcso:u.
ton:
Resolved, First, to elect two membtrS 1i
Congress from the State =. large, and alter
wards one from each Congressional district
executing those districts which arc now repre-.
scnied.
Mr.. CoSRAp.-l move To amiead the anend-
mant proposing 10 carry this territorial a.
vision even further than is intended by TIE
resolution that is upon the table. /! reads aS
follows:
Resolved, That the Convention will elect two
delegates from the State at iarge-one from the
East aad the other from the West side OF tnc
| Blue Ridgr-and also one from each OF tn
thirteen Congressional districts Eow vacant.
Nj. r. Y. CcSRAp.-l will say but a word or
two.
find myself compelled 20 disagree entirely
from NV friend FROM Fauouier, (Mr. ScurT,) IN
regard 70 the principles which should govern the
Con;cntjon in this matter. We are assuming 10
elect representative Of The people in Congress,
and whist | cordially concur in the sentiment
that we ire NJ, ~ represent parties nor sec
tom! Interests. irt wc E;" :" represent pep
nj. ~ ,lis;riris-inr .r"rc j. :trn most :'"ayS
bs sont. ,ii"r,.:ty O. in!cr.-. a'n'"'E ~'i''!:reIt
Stat.
Mr.. Prrsri"',t. tie .c:g duty tnhi SO assume
nos 10 !~,c:iDiIn ~ regulated, rs II hc.-;!Is ~ HE,
by. one Of the lundaunrrt.l rules uI ctr inStitu
lions. | am not aware Of any instance where
any representative body has ever been elected
except TO rcpresen. districts OF people. /; i;
the principle Of the Virginia Constitution. II
has always been Inc principle Of our congics
sioaal representation. IL Is the principle IN
England, from which we take this principle,
that representation must be by districts or
pcoplc. | know that under the permanent
Constitution, representatives Gre to De elected
from districts. Where is the necessity to elect
these representatives in tho manner indicated
By the gentleman from FauGuier, (Mr. ScoTr.)
Why not pursue, as !nr us w ca, tho forms 0!
tho Constitution, ard elect them from different
districts ? appreieru that this great princi-
pie Of representation should override all me
Considerations which have been presented b.
the gentleman from Fsuquier, in favor OF eject
ing these representatives 1t large, because,
probably, they might be at!s to select more
talent in this representation But the great
principle that the representatives OF Tue people
must he chosen frouI among the people, | re-
4 - .v-,I M. Il sf.
kin,l. THUS believing, | I'm compelled to d!S
seat entirely from the proposition Of the gen
,lel,an, ard to sustain the resolution en- your
table.
The resolution referred to reads as follows:
Resolved, That the Convention will elect
two representatives from the State at large
one from the East ard the other from the West
side Of The Blue Ridge-and also one from each
of the Congressional districts nov vacant
Mr.. HARvIE.-lt will appear us somewhat
singular, differing as | do from my friend
from Fauouier, (Mr. SCoTT,) that, notwlLhstand-
ing that difference Of opinion, huvo come to
the same conclusion with him, and stand en-
ac,ly where he docs in regard TO the principle
upon which We should make these selections.
am opposed TO all three Of the propositions
made by way Of amendment. | am opposed 10
the last amendment submitted by the gentleman
from Frederick (Mr. CoSRAu,) because il. nc.
c~essarliy requires us to elect first two dele.
ratcs. FIRST for the State at large, and then IL
delegates, one from each Congressional district.
Now, We want the best representation i'll this
Congress that we can get. In selecting five
representatives heretofore, $50 elected them
withcu, reference to locality, and with refer
ence exclusively to their qualifications. They
are with one exception recognized as represent
.aliyes nov by Thu action nf this Convention:
Dir. BLaEEY-Were not the FIVE seiecicd
from fire nj the Congressional districts Of the
State!
Mr.. HAgvlE,-li they were, it was more the
result Of accident than pre.aT1angemsnt-
Mr.. MoxTAGUE.-When We were electing the
five delegates it occurred to me that as We had
five large State divisions, the intention was to