Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-10-25
VIRGINIA STATE CONVENTION.
,SECRE.i EESSIOSJ
EVENING SESSION.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL II, 1851.
SECOND DAY.
fCoSCLDrED |

WEDNESDAY, APRIL II, 1881.
SECOND D4Y.
IcoNcLDuED
Mr. WlSs-D:d not the gentleman in Offer.
ing such :rsu!Gl:o,l, ask the President not to
1 what toe U. $. Constitution required him
,p daY Ia ctncr words, the gentleman offered
:e>9ldi,an 20 the elect that to prevent war
/: 5s5 ,pund 10 Violate the spirit and defeat
tle go III ;i,c C,n>titu i2r; and ought not,
fJr lha sax: II sell de!e;ice now, 10 take tue
siue altitude tina; the gentcn u said the Pre-
siUsnt oasht t3 iasc for the sake of peace |
cer::!a!s think we oug gnl; tOr tie Necessity IN
tbe ons Gaze !s as great rs IN tse other. But
! oei:eSe liza; y&u caBuv: have an election next
IN :nsn. NJ "pl,Gon IS. that so many OF the
&C ln!:SS T:it Dc engaged 10 preparations iUr
war, and - riany ahSou! in the camp. that an
el2cItun caanoi ~ h.Ii in theTa. tiesn that
Il: ciec;i al vii: ps iic:a IS nicii viii eShlbl. the
Iru> s.s,= u. t.r,i..: ulIny OF tie counties.
-ay ,tic:,, oar policy is to SEIZE ct oEec upon
the a:iIS and anIua!iu.!s which are now
TitS:n ou- e. n. This doctrine Of adherence
10 I.cnnlc i constituilunal requirements suited
10 ordinary circumstances, will net do, for the
people mu.t ooh TO their own defence. | have
no far cut hat the people will settle this thing
io- themselves. They will take this Salus
G9vai INTO ;Heif own hards Election or no
eec lon they Will lake Harper's Ferry; they
wii isi;a ;ne 'iospGr, Navy Yard; and If you
d. ruL give them an opportunity u d. SO no@,
rh.y "!il tsks them whsn the enterprise will
Involve inInin..nt dangers, and it may &c, q
s,cr.t - WI ch W. cainJ. now conteuio!ate.
L. TIC people ha"a an opportunity 20 protect
tae:r homes. Gi:c :ncm The arms By which
- 2rntect them. They are IHw within their
reach, AMI lnsy OH ,ht TO have them, so that
'Flen en- election Is islrly held they may be
sole to act etfciently III ,icrcncc Of their homes
snG tner hbert.es regret having to trouble
zhc Convention again Sdn'd not have said
o worn now were * not fsr the strange course
ofreina,k in 1hG:, tte. gentleman ndulged.
Mr. j. G. HoLLApAY, OF Norfolk county
i disl ko .csouS.Iug upon the time Of the
H,uss at tilIa la,e hour; but in my judgment
md ty thar .uust stand-it is necessary
for tne t. u,asc :ew remarks in reference to
the COURSE which snail hereafter pursue.
And permit po 20 say that l agree with
mach that hs. faiicl: from the gentleman from
Augusta. tMH. BAipwfS,) and some that has
fallen from ;fe gentleman from Princess Anne,
(Mr. WISE Sud the gentleman will pardon
me for ohscrrnc that !. would be a little re-
markah!e ii ! did not a gree with him to some
extent; for i.s .ias facility Of adapting him
sslf 10 circuu,>r rl'lces, Ii hch enables him 10
cut himself on blth sides Of the same aueS.
tioa. Laughtcrl
voted to-day against the Ordinance Of Sc.
cesson with all NV heart and soul. have no
pe-: OF that act to yetract or regret. have
done eii that could do to stave OF condition
Of ilings which deeply deplured but, in
spite Of rDv To.e and opposition, was unable
10 fleet that which most earnestly desired.
was bornc down by that spirit OF rcvolu.io!
WINCH seevr,s to lave seized Upoh many here rs
veil as outside.
Sir. whiis. concur with the gentleman from
Augusta. (Ar BALDWIN, thar this Convention
is abou, IL transcend its power yet must
io.k at the condition Of things as they now
ezSt, and govern my action accordingly
S.r, ! fnd NY people arc in peculiar a,ti-
tu:a. find that steps may be taken. that
NAV, perhaps, bring on collision which
nay induce the sending on "i Northern troops.
tad That troops have already been sent from
tie city Of Richmond as has been stated here
bv tse gentleman ;rorn Princess Anne, (Mr.
WI.E) Ohstr,.c.ians have been thrown in the
cnaanel with view, as understand, of pre-
yei.i,ng tue eyrcss Of vessels Of Sar now at the
Navy Yard lie SAYS it IS the act of the peo-
pl,. 1t might !:;.ve been the act Of the people;
ont, in iny opinion, the c6ict went forth from
;he c:,c of Richmond before the people Of the
cry ot Portsmouth. or OF Norfolk began to
az.
Mr. TisE-D, vnu aliude - me.
NJ HnLLApaT--i sag it went forth f-orD the
cit: o. Richmond.
NJ. WlsE-I csn say that Gno~ cf the TACT
.h;! il originated in the city of Norfolk. can
subS;antmre il it necessary, and give to him
all the information or thGt subject tele-
graphic dispatch wns SENT from Norfolk to
Richn md. asking inr thousand nen to pre-
vent ,Ele Navy Yard frcm Icing reinforced and
70 take it if possible
DR. HoLLaDAY.-I say nc must take things
ai tt.ey exist; and heiie:;ns hat there is con
i;t; OF things r,:S existing winch calls Tor
prompt action | ain ready 10 transcend the
power .f his ComSeut!0n, ana to give such
vote as will sc necessary IL meet the ex'geicy;
bu; io s:vips.:t fee! that sin acting by an
sssamprn,n Of pow.. that does not rest IN This
Cbnvent,nn. I do not desire, however, that
this action shall be iouhed 20 az precedent
hereafter. to justify similar usurpatlons OF
pas"r. If TINS action should be so held in the
irru1e, Soula depl3re very much tba' 1t had
lLT sa;. ciiOn. know that the assumption OF
Responsibility to exercise revolutionary fanc-
ti3aS nut delegated to the Convention IS very
::r'onS one but, ns have said, great crisis
s G,'nn Us snd ". have to meet it even at the
't,i Of tranSceudias our Legitimate powers
i. has been said here that this act of Assem-
o!y co.,icrs upon this body the authority to act
Std 10 act da1aitely III many respects; and the
Argument has been held here substantially,
tha: scn ,ie people cnnvenrd this Conven
'lon the sovereignty passed from the people to
ihe-Convent'on, proposition which | wholly
deny. | maintain th!s: that when the people
assembled Convention tn represent their
sovereignty, a. q :na;icr oI right thei. action
should be referred back 10 the people unless
they themselves otherwise expressly instruct
br IN this casefhscc have oeen instructions,
and authority has been given to act only upon
t~o questions ard tnst was liuii,ed 20 advisory
acton
It's said, that more than this was conten
plated ir the reference 20 change in onr re.
atlons " .th the Fedora! Goveri.u ent. | Ihold
''aI It is an entire nisconstruction Of the scope
and meaning of the act to assume that it col :
,ers power to the extent sought to be exercised
aere oy some members Of this Convention: If
iue war power is given then this implies sp