The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-04-30
ina conyention-Its Harmonious
,l'sa a Conclusion.

rna r.onvention-Its Harmonious
800 Conclusion.
rhst NIGH. session Of the Convention On
Wednesday developed wide difference OF
on;n,ou between the main part Of the Con-
,sn,;on and email body Of gentlemen
Who we're restless under the force Of events
and stirred up by feelings Of dissatisfied
ton. which It was plain they must Dc
a,,osed TO express. The strong PROPOSE
,,on,Elo Mr.. aoopE, stated in his clear and
,o.;cal manner, came over the Convention
az dream Of the past, and for the While
unsettled the practical judgment OF some
and to this Mr.. SHAcKELFoRD ADDED the
3ervor Of his earnest exceptions to the
policy proposed to the Convention. MIR.
J.xEs BaRBoun's tactics were in time' and
combined with these things, excited appre-
tensions Of differences bordering on the
;rreconcilable. But the "situasion was
no. understood, as yesterdays proceedings
showed.
as soon as the Convention met lat 10
o'clcck}, Mr.. GooDE withdrew his minority
report in q graceful manner, announcing
that he favored Mr.. sHAckELFoRD's propo-
sition for convention ton days after the
Presidents proclamation for an election in
Virginia should be published.
It was then determined that the debate
on the propositions before the Convention
should close ct / O'Clock, the intervening
time being equally divided between the
opposing speakers.
Governor WILLIAM SMITH, of Fauquier,
took the floor, and occupied the time Of the
party opposed to the majority report. The
Governor made capital speech, in which
no displayed the fire and action of his more
Youthful days. He inveighed against the
division Of the Conservative party, which
had led to the withdrawal Of the Conserva-
tive ticket, ana attributed that division to
the committee Of nine, which he criticised
sharply. The appearance Of this venera-
able, spirited, and brave gentleman to
have tilt with the sblest men Of the body
WAS most interesting. Even his adverse
ries admired the manner in which he bore
himself. He seemed transported back to
the days that are gone, when the public
voice and the public elections were free,
and exercised without the supervision of
military authority. Like Old LEAR, he was
once more snthroned, and "every inch 9
King"
Messrs. BALDWIN and EDMUNDs made
the argument for the other side. Theirs
was hard, granitive kind Of logic, which
soon dissolved Governor SMITHS brave de-
clarations Of what we should do, and could
do, like the baseless fabric of vision.
Many who responded to much Of his senti-
ment and cheered his gallant bearing saw
the inpracticability Of his views.
Mr.. BALDwIN's personalities were fair
retaliation, which excited as much merri-
ment as Governor Smiths ridicule Of the
"ninen had elected. The two efforts were
remarkably fine, and, being characterized
byentire decorum and good feeling, created
not particle of unpleasantness.
Mr.. JOHN r. EDMUNDs's speech concluded
the debate, save few brief words from
Messrs. SHAcKELFoRD and McMULL1N. 1t
was remarkable for its sound views and
cogent reasoning, and was listened to with
profound attention. So was Mr.. BALDwIN's.
This gentleman was particularly forcible
upon the duty of the people to the Federal
Government. A synopsis Of these speeches
appears in this mornings Dispatch.
At the conclusion Of the debate, the sub
stitute proposed by Mr.. suAckELFoRD was
rejected by "a to So, and the majority re-
port was adopted without a division.
Resolutions reported by the business
committee for continuing the Conservative
organization were adopted, and q resolu'
ton moved by Governor Smith for the
appointment of committee to wait upon
the President and General CANDY, u
confer with them with regard to the man
ner Of submitting the constitution to thu
popular vote, was agreed to. All of which
has most business aspect, and business Il
what is intended. And thus the Conven
ton ended its proceedings.
The withdrawal of the Conservstiv,
ticket, and the action of the Convention
which preserves the organization, while i
dictates to none Of the party how the,
should act, is sufficiently indicative of thu
views Of the body. The period is trying
and circumstances are well calculated Il
irritate feelings and arouse sensitiveness
Nevertheless, events work themselves out
and reflection and judgment undisturbed
by anything bearing the remotest resem.
blance to dictation will the more certainly
lead to wise action.
The main purpose and desire Of the Con.
vention was but gently touched by Judge
GUILD on Wednesday but MIR. EDMUSDs on
yesterday boldly and ably developed it.
he argued that the question was between
the party Of prescription and the party OF
general amnesty. Governor WELLS led the
former, and Mr.. WALKER, Of Norfolk, the
latter. The WELLS party was composed
nineteen-twentieths Of negroes, and its
policy was hostile to the whites, visiting
upon them disabilities and expressions.
If it succeeded it would administer the Co.
vernment uDjustly to the whites. The
WAIKER narSu rn..ak dari No Eco ,.n;x s,,n-