The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-01-15


I have right to speak upon the motion to
reconsider the invitation given to General
| Butler"
WHITE, CLEMENTS, SNEAD, GIBSON, j. q.
MAYsE, and others, simultaneously, Mr.
President, Imove to adjourn"
Chorus-of negro members mostl y,
BAYNE leading" No, don't journ; vote
it down."
CHA1R.-Order, gentlemen. Motions are
out of order.
WHITE, SNEAD and CLEMENTS in chorus :
81 appeal from the decision of the
CHAIR"
CHAIR" The appeal is not in order"
CLEMENTS" Then l appeal to General
Butler"
CHAIR" Order, gentlemen. General
Butler, L"
| J. G. GIBSON, WHITE, and others" Mr.
President, an appeal has been taken to the
decision of the CHAIR. l can do that, L
reckon"
Calls of "Question !" "Question !"
CHAIR" All in favor of adjournment
say aye"
"Aye!" with vim.
call opposed, no."
"No!" with bigger vim.
"The CHAIR decides that the House will
not adjourn"
"Division Division!"
| "The call for division is not in order"
Mr.. WHITE, excitedly : !" / appeal from
the decision of the Chair. General But
Ter came in the house pending motion
to reconsider the resolution inviting him
here. and it should be decided, or the
House adjourn"
"Division Division"
The CHAIR seemed very doubtful as how
to proceed.
| The distinguished visitor" had in the
mean time looked on the scene from his
seat with his arm thrust into his bosom,
and with his own peculiar, indescribable,
| expression of countenance, made more in
describable by the contemplation of the
scene around. Viewing the Radical side
of the house on two separate lines of OBJ
servation, he looked as if to say: This
beats me. But go on, Pm waiting for
your decision" At the juncture of affairs
last mentioned he turned to the CHAIR,
and remarked There is division called
for. Let them have it,"
The House was divided, and the motion
to adjourn lost.
The Conservative members arose in q
body and left the hall. WHITE and SNEAD,
from the Radical side, also left.
The distinguished visitor" was about
to start, when he was interrupted by Mr..
CLEMENTS, who appealed to the CHAIR,
with all due respect to General Butler,
that the Convention ought to adjourn and
listen to General Butler in meeting for the
sake of the dignity of the House. General
Butler would be liable to Interruptions
during his speech, and besides, he consi-
dered the introduction of an outside
speaker during the sessions Of the Conven-
ton an innovation.
|. After little more confusion quiet was
restored, and the visitor was introduced
by the CHAIR.
Mr.. UND ERwooD: It'll my pleasant duty
to announce to you, General, that by re-
solution of this house you have been in
vited to appear before US, and at this time,
if convenient and agreeable to you, to de-
liver to US an address.
General BUTLER: Mr.. President and
gentlemen Of the Convention,-I appre-
ciate as highly as can and ought this in
vtation to me to address this Convention,
and / can assure every gentleman here
I believe, wish to interrupt me. You are
now assembled upon the gravest duty that
ever devolyed upon men-a duty which in
the Old World and every other country
before this was only given to princes and
rulers; but in this, our happy country, We
have the right, the inalienable and indie
feasible right, to meet and make our own
laws; and the very first necessity in max
Jog laws is to make the framework, or con-
stitution Of the government.
Ours is the first written Constitution
that ever was operative; although many
Constitutions have grown up with the
people, showing their wants, limiting
the power of their rulers, or dealing with
the laws which may or may not have been
made. In the country from which we
came and from which we derive so many
of our laws, the Constitution remains, as
we all know, still unwritten, and is only
known from the common custom of the
realm. The Bill of Rights, about which, l
have heard, this Convention has been
in a course of discussion, was extorted
from King John by the Barons at Runny-
mede, and was concession Of power to
the citizen. This nowhere prescribed
what the citizen should do; but every
where what should be done by the Gov
eminent to the citizens; and in this re-
gard it has been followed by most, if not
all, the Bills of Rights in our several State
| Constitutions. 1t is so, l know, in the
| Constitution of Massachusetts,. 1t was so,
believe, in that very able paper-one of
the ablest vindications of the rights of the
citizen ever penned-the Bill of Rights of
the Constitution of Virginia, which was, I
understand, written by George Mason.
This, then, brings us to conclusion that
q Constitution is the framework of Gov
eminent; indeed, our fathers called theirs
the Frame of Government"
have observed in many Constitutional
Conventions, and indeed may not be con-
sidered invidious when | state that have
seen one in the State of New York, which
exhibits disposition to deal with many
subjects which are not part of the bust
ness of constitution makers; but are sub
jects of legislation. saw there an at
tempt to deal with the question of inter-
nal navigation, how the canals of the State
should be managed; and I throw out the
suggestion with the greatest modesty that,
in my poor judgment, :; is no part of the
business of constitution makers to deal
with subjects of legislation. They are TO
deal only with the framework of legislation
they are to say, thus far shall legislation
go, and no farther; thus far shall legisla-
tion abridge the privileges of the citizen,
and no farther. It is the grand landmark
around which all legislation shall cluster.
A constitution must be what cur Consti-