The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-04-19

Every member, except those claiming
the floor, called out "Order ~ One Of
them, white member, yelled out little
too loud, and was promptly put down by
the Sergeant at Arms, who said: Look
here, sir! You take your seat dar, and
make less noise, Mr. Member" In the
midst of the confusion, some member
cried "Question!" which was soon so gene.
rally taken up that the Chair decided al
debate at an end, and put the question a.
| to whether or not the words 4" Sherman
Shellabarger bill should be stricken ont
and the words Stevens.Shellabarger Re.
construction bill inserted instead.
The question was decided vociferously
and unanimously in the affirmative after
which a colored member proposed three
cheers for Thaddeus Stevens, which were
given with vim.
The question then required to the reso-
lutons in full. Another rush of speakers
contending for the floor followed.
A motion limiting a speaker to five
minutes debate on any subject, and only
allowing him to speak once, was adopted.
Mr.. Hodges, (colored,) then gained the
floor, and proceeded to speak upon confis-
cation. He had not spoken long when q
member arose with watch in bis hand
and cried out, "Mr. Speaker, the five
minutes is up. claim the floor" [Cries
of Times up" eco on"l The crowd
seeming to be in favor of the members
proceeding, he went on to state that he
was president of society, and that his
constituencies wanted land. AS he re-
tired, a white member said " If the gen
tleman wants farm I'll give him one"
az don't want one. I've got $50 acres
now," replied the coored member.
He was followed by Rush Burgess,
white member tromnPetersburg, who spoke
rather against confiScation. In the course
of his remarks he said: 81 was a loyal
man during the war, and did you not en-
joy the same political rights as | did
[Cries of "Non' No. "Why, yes you
did. could not vote for Abraham Lin
coin without running the risk of losing my
life" Voice "Wcl, why didn't you
lose your life, then ,"l The gentleman
could not appreciate the joke, SO he re-
turned to the subject of lands.
After he had concluded, there were
about fifty calls on "Mr. Chairman" Mr..
Clemmitt, of Portsmouth, being the sue
cessful competitor for the floor, proceeded
to digress upon his pet aversion, the Loco
toco Democracy, and thought that the fact
of any mans having been member of that
party ought to diSqualify him for Repub-
Iican. Cheers. "Down with the Demo
cracy."
lie had not seated himself before tn
clamor for the floor was repeated. On
colored member raised his stentoria
voice above the rest, as follows =" Brother
Chairman,--I have not troubled you yet,
and you wont Civ me de floor. | declar
you amt done right" Mr.. Freeland, OF
Petersburg, (colored,) got ahead of him,
and proceeded, with great precision and
dignity, to express his delight that this
Convention had assembled, and delegates
had been admitted without regard to
"color, position, or Improvements" The
colored man would now have his rights.
They would demand them of Congress,
and have them, if necessary, by violence.
Martin Lipscomb, of Richmond, white
said he heard some doubts expressed as to
the success of the Republican party. 1t
could not be beat. If it was beat, it could
all back on Congress, and if Congress
failed to back it, then they could have the
army and navy to support them. The
other party had no one to fall back on bat
Andrew Johnson, and precious little good
could he do them. [Cheers.I
Mr.. BUTT arose on the subject Of confis-
cation, and thought it had better be drop
ped and left to Congress.
He was interrupted by Mr.. Mckenzie,
who stated as a point of order that the
gentleman had spoken too much in this
Convention. [Colored member.-I second
de motion.
The Convention sustained Mr.. Mcken-
zies point, and Buttz was forced to sub
side. He retired with the following re
mark, made to Mr.. Mckenzie "Ah, sir
You may feel sore that you were not ap-
pointed Chairman, but you cannot touch
me now"
Mr.. Parker, of Alexandria, (mulatto)
thought that the resolutions and address
covered the ground of coniiScation. He
for one didn't want more than the white
people. [Colorcd member: eyes, but
you've got more"
Mr.. Becklcy, of Alexandria, (mulatto,)
thought that the subject of contscation
ought to be dropped, on the ground of po-
Icy. There were those who would not
join the Republican party if they persisted
in confiscation. [Cries: We want no
such men,"
The question recurring to the resolu
tons, they were unanimously adopted.
Mr.. Oliver, of Richmond, (mulatto)
arose TO ask the gentleman from Peters
OF fha ltyi1
lcnce " he had used in regard to Congress,
rs it might create wrong impression.
Mr.. Freeland thanked the gentleman,
and said that he had used it in reference
to the ballot-box, and not to the sword.
4 resolution was then offered eulogistic
of Abraham Lincoln, which was voted on
in silence, the members all standing. 1t
was carried unanimously.
The Committee on Address then sub
mtted the following address as the plat
form of the party. 1t was read by John
Underwood, of Alexandria.
3" Fello,c- Citizens of Virginia:
"On the 18th day of April, 1861, con-
yention, which had been elected by large
majority of Union men, was, In this capt.
tai of the Old Dominion, overawed by a
band of volunteer conspirators in the in-
terest of slavery and treason, and driven
to pass an ordinance Of secession, to tram
pie the flag of our country in the dust, and
to bring upon us all the horrors of a civil
war, which for four years vas waged with
cruelty on the part of our ene-
mics, unequalled in the annals of any
civilized people on the face of the globe.
1t was marked with ferocity such as no
human beings could manifest who had not