The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1865-12-15

IL.
7a.5 81. RICHMOND, Va, iDec.51l, 1865.
The question of a new choice of Uni
ted States, Senators to.rpepresent vir-
ginia at Washington came up in the
House this afternoon and ELECTED a
most pertinent and pointed debate, the
text of which have deemed worthy of
preservation, for the reason,t that it es-
sentiallyi looks to the election of new
Senators, based upon the alleged ne
cessity Of having men. of more rebel
antecedents in those positions than
'AIessrs. Underwood and Segar can pos
sibly lay claim to-. n ~ q
The following resolution, offered by
/ Mr.. Turner, of Albemarle, inaugurated
the debate: =
That, the Senate concurring, this
| houseIwilI proceed, on the - day of
-, to the election of two Senators to
represent the State of. Virginia in the
I SENATE of the United States.
An influential Petersburg delegate
moved to lay the resolution on the
table, and in doing SO said: The resolu-
ton involved grave and important
question. The people of the Common
wealth stand in a position unpreceden-
ted and not to be tried by any ordinary
rules, but by such us we. have resolved
I to submit TO. The Constitution of Alex
andria We have accepted as bona fde,
and 1t Will not do to go behind this pol
.tliCy, and what we have, sworn to adopt.
I 1t will not do for this people to repudi-
4 atethht work. It Wilt not do to say to
this people that they will not agree to
accept the government established at
AleXandriai and while we have ratified
| the act abolishing slavery, have we not
considered these Senators duly and fair
1 ly eleeted. No one s1Pposes the mp:
I pointmentS of MesSrs. Underwood and
ESegar are to be revoked at pleasure.
When NE have chosen those officers the
/ net Is complete and we have nothing
further to do with 1t, and it is even now
all the more important we should stand
up squarely, firmly and honestly to all
the acts of the Alexandrin 1egisla-
.ture.i ~ iia1fil = r. ~
Mr.. Herndon, OF Frederic sBurg, re-
piled I agree that. this question is one
! of grave importance, and would there
fore deem it better to refer the matter to
la committee to investigate the election
| of those Senators, and to take into con-
| sideration the standing and surround
ings of those gentlemen, and ask them
\ to resign. They do not represent ten
counties of this State, nor majority In
them. L.-,-u or yDIy..I ~ = HtEa
tA1r. Wilson, of Lynchbnrg, patri-
archal member, said: 1 had Hoped
Isome gentleman would have given us
some snbsthntial reason why these
Senators may not be considered duly
| electedatiI presume all the proceedings
1tOf that Legislature We're under the con-
stitution of this State, and rs no infor-
nation has been sent to this House that
there is any vacancy, l do not sec the
i reason for the Introduction OF such res
\ olutions. I do not know as the mem
! ber Is authorized to state q sufficient
4 basis for n reconsideration of the vote
i even on which these gentlemen were
4 chosen. . If our present Senators are
Enotthe proper representatives of this
House of Delegate, or its constituents,
4 OF, of certain people in this State, 1, for
4 one, in good fnith, am ready and willing
Il to perform all my duties, snd while I
may not consult my own individual
l.opiniOnS, Il act under certain rules
1 which would not lend in a precedent
Il to break from. 1t Will not do for me to
assert those political opinions in which
III was reared Mt my mothers knee. The
.i5logiC of events as well. as YOU are
4 bound and compelled to submit 10: I
am identified with the interests of Nir-
t-ginia as she is, as she was before the
l5war, and am praying and striving to
return her to her proper position; and
while it's not subjected to that but a
| few counties were represented, we have
! acknowledged their action in other
\ matters as binding, and their constitu-
ton, under which we act, as bona fde.
4 WewilI not now repudiate it. @
Mr.. Turner, the author of the resolu-
ton under discussion, said in rejoinder:
t-bwish to press an inquiry upon the
gentleman; from Petersburg, We know
TINT one of the gentlemen elected to
Congress by the Alexandria Legfsla-
turel JSas at the time, has been, and is
I ~ ~ i
n IS at least our duty to inquire how
4 taEihis refusal to resign his office as u
Judge may not prejudice his election to
I Congress. ~ .l.
Re t' MI. Ioynes, Of Petersburg, replied:-
ri, have no objection tor the inquiry
bwhether they were properly elected,
but / would say that until Judge Un-
4 ldefYood has been admitted into the
VI lSenate OF the United States he should
4 not be chilled upon to vacate his posiA
ton. What objected to was the reso-
Hutton, the allegation being given out
4 that the Alexandria Legislature was
,tnot a constitutional body. ~
,b4 Mr.. Monscol iGarnett, allaading dele
I gate, said:@I think tis the desire ofthis
House to get rid of these gentlemen
4 entering the United States Senate. 1
lido not yield one iot in loyalty to the
Government or my State. BY the jour
j pal of that Legislature which elected
w
llv0tes cast, and las 4 learn through the
\ public prints, Senator Sumnetis report
4 ed to have said che would as soon ac-
4 cept a adelegatfon from the Town Coun-
i Gil of Alexandria as these tw0persons. u
A dtOur constitution-the Alexandria affair
I j-provides for a quorum of twenty in
the Senate, and eighty in the House,
and as hut sixteen We're present and
'typted, ], Would offer resolution, if the
gentleman will withdraw his motion to
iIitahle.g.a 3Iaa 'ls5l
4 Mr. Yoynes consented to this, and Mr..
II Garnett offered the following:I
II tHeSotUcd, That the resolution propos-
ing to go into the election United Suites
Senators be referred to n joint commit
I tee of five members of the House and
three members of the Senate, with Cli-
1 reetions 70 inquire whether the election
\ OF MeSSrs.i Underwood and Segar was
in accordance with the constitution and
laws of Virginia, and whether they
hold said offices in accordance there
Il with, and whether said offices are not
tIioW VMcantl e.s-.4s.jsiG "a . a5rs - 10
Mr.. Moodson offered tho following
amendment to Mr.. Garnett's amend
4 I.ment:-44l0s- rsiigiiaT ii ssI trI
'ioll That n joint committee, consisting OF
five members from the House and three
from the Senate, be- appointed to in
Z quire into the expediency of fixing an
II early day to proceed to the election OF
two SenatorS to represent the. State OF
4 Virginia in the Senate of the United
J States. - ~ lSl5Ef
I whereupon Mr.. Peaehy R. Grattan,
of Richmond, said: We are getting at
too many of these Joint resolutions :
nndlas we haye two houses for separate
consideration of the business of the
State, would respectfully submit TINT
| the gentleman refer tho 0uautinn fo :,