Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1861-1862, 1862-02-19
PROVISIONAL CONGRESS
No.

PROVISIONAL CONGRESS
MONDAY, F,s 4
Congress met to-day at 10 O'Clock. ,
opened With prayer BY the Rev. Dr. HOr.
Mr.. BLRNwELL announced the presr,..
L. ORR, q delegate from South OaroGr. -
ward, was duly qualified, and took biz eu
Congress then went into secret session. A.
Gems. w. W. Loring and Geo. B. Crit,eos.4
frmed a. htjor Generals. The irjunc,,o,
va. removed from said con6rmations.
After some time occupied in secret .,.,,.
resolved itself into open SESSION.
Mr.. BOCoCK, Of Virginia, offered the IA.
luton, which vas unasimously adopted.
Rssolrsd, That the thanks Of T. HON..
" due, and are hereby rendered 70 TIA n
Cons, President oil the Provisional Corg,.-
nifty, ability and impartilliry which have ;.
tiuguished bis official csndrc. as the prs.it',
this body.
Mr.. BOCOoK then moved that Cons,.
journ.
The motion was agreed TO, and P,e,id..,
dressed the Congress as follows:
Gentlemen ofths Confederate C9rcrop
Not a. mere Formally do receive Il,
adoption Of the resolution just corsieeresL
aud before discharge the last duty iD,1.
As your presiding cfiioer In declaring III, :.
journed without dSy-permit me, in d.
nv heart, to return you my grAufll ~.
whatever success may have d schArged a.
truly say that no pre-iding officer ever Nos, II
dial corporations or such generous suppor ~
whose CHAIR he occupied. And though q. u
rived for dissolving our connection At IL.
our service, trust the time will never ~
ing the ties which have been formed du,;,.
ton.
The occasion naturally bears our mind IA.
of our assembling-when the represea at,,'
ereign States. In distant capltol-il can ~
delibsratsd over their destiny, and sOusaN = 3
their free institutions upon the basis .toc,,1
theirs. One after another Of our sister SUI
her fortunes with ours, until to-day The ursy
teen of the old Government marks also ,.
our Confederates.
Within tina. period the Constitution III.
pared and submitted 10 thu oounIry du r,S,
most unanimous approval OF our cOasttus, !.
of your legislation has bsen In like ma.ns, !.
the bar Of public opinion. | AN preplrsi n u
the country, that when the veil Of secrse, ~
has induced Us 10 throw over our deLb,a,0,
removed, like endorsement Of the eulir, ~
body vii be the verdict oil al enlighiea,t :,
while il has been complimentary to yo4 |, n
need OF praise due 10 the patriotism .. b, j
say, that 4 more generous confidence "a, ~
ed to raleIs under more trying circunsl,s,,
Several OF our number hays been taken B, u
our midst. Pardon more direct a-li,5
with many other noble spirits, ha, selIe! ,,s }
on the field of battle the policy and le.. ", /
dom assisted to devise and prepare. T,s ;.
the occasion would be incomplete viAO.. d,
tribute to the II ustrious dead.
The scene of TO day il something IM.hy Ia N
bered. At our assembling, we were dol.t !,
unlimited power The Provisional Coasi.
seli.constiIu,ed limit to our powers-ll!, W D
lousy regarded and maintained as i hid
charter OF our right. The period Of or ,,s,
voluntarily sniIed by ourselves, and TO DAY >,
" surrender ous powers to those elected "a.
eminent provided by ourselves. Thy l'e lz.
csssors. This Congress has no successor. IL
| rate q Government, which is thu SUCCESSOR q
yisionsl Government. To thass facts, rl,:
spirit Of boasting-but to repel the uriuszz
persis,en ly cast upon US by our uusctITes
that thi; was military de,potisu, sa..l..
the power Of our arms.
The new Government will be fully inigs,1,
22d-an appropriate day for placing in Oprl,
s.ilution characterized by the conser'asa "
nen,ly distinguished "the Father Of h. C0ag
Capitol Of the old Government on the a.,
cold, hesrtless and hypocritical ceremony sls
cd by their rulers OF listening to the preet,l
| in his last legacy TO bis countrymen-tte psu
regard of which by themselves has forced
SAFETY and liberty under a new orgsIIlte.
rrast il before the world-let them decd, y
Ia truth, gentlemen, ] must refer 10 o. n,
characteristisiic OF this revolution which ts.l
from all Others recorded 10 history. Il cas-
prominently SET forth, or too often coriiz.-
its conservatism. Usually revolutions ma,
the excited passions Of a people thOse PsslS
hsrsted, and hence their popular terdstaa
| frequently degraded them into anarcb! ID |
Bat here the people at the ballot ooi e.
vote q revolution to escape from u, VI!
which they see impending aud to pres.rI' lti
ystive principles OF the iarhers OF the Rep.
were fast being overwhelmed by poplar i,al
Every step In the drama has been MARIE: T
II
80 sng,asted and sdopted with The an,
80, ness Of tbs history Of thi. war vii N,
.;,hyonr, ,se checks of Goyerument. b.y, -,
onrssIv.s The most conservative phpei,...
snam;ss h, wing the organized Govern neptL,n
nadsr foot evepv constitutional Limitation 9;
al ali nnhIo and nriyate rights. Thai tlu 10.
,ha naprIs ,hemssIve and Il not due alos, % .
~. ru,.,s 4, NANTES. from Inc f,rt Ar
r.. ' ona 81 ~. s,,t,s the y,ry ore.sio, d \
80 49, % -s,o,r THAR Own Co..pr,s
naa -. =. - ;,,a.,ss;n, mi, s,ms co,ser,,..
-pUo i 81 ,Ss a,.,s
!. nnn.,.man h.. nernsns detained ,o- 20
.ono' n,osa x;,hou, commsnding 10 ,.os d
y. in eovs1nment one element OF .rw,s
NAV nsrb,ns ,ttribute TOO much. | rs!,r 70 {
ols conf fence which each depar,msn. Of Il, \,
Government has exhibited towarcs al o'te.
common danger there should be DO GiTiioi
Of party has never shown itself tor az ir''i-
d,'iberations, and would that { sto7t Be y!
tuae Of each successive presiding oG,si, !
scene Of every Congress, to be able 70 bHa
ny now publicly give TO the honor Of LIS b:
When / Grst took this chair, veGlCFs. u
that our separation was "perftct, eoGPes q.
al" II any doubted then, the past ysr ~
that doubt, and no person can no" Be i'r.