Year: 1860




to communicate to the Convention the state of various
Branches of its business, they cbnsdera
ton before the Prior the adjourn of the
Convention Charleston, principal subjects of action
before it, One, the adoption of doctrinal resou
tons constituting the platform; the other voting upon
the nomination candidate the Presidency In the
of the discussion of the question platform the
Convention adopted vote the effect which vote was


TO amend the report OF the maortyof the Committee the
Platform by substituting the report of the minority of
that committee and after the adoption of that
the substitution of the minority majority report


division called for upon the several resolutions con
stituting that platform-beng five in number The LIST
5 4th ana 9th OF these resolutions adopted by
Convention and the 2nd rejected After the vote on
the adoption of the 1st Sd 4th resolutions mo
ton in the case was made to reconsider the vote


motion was also made to lay the motion upon
the table, but neither of these resolutions to
and to lay the table was put, the putting of
these motions having been prevented by ithe inter
Vention OF questions of privilege AT the time when the
Convention adjourned there remained pending before
the Convention four motions of upon the
four adopted resolutions of the platform and the
question adopting report majority as amend
ed by the substitution report of the minority Those
questions, and those only, as the Chair understands
motions before the Convention were not acted upon
prior to the adjournment After this, and after the dis
position of the intervening questions of privilege


to vote for candidates for President President
and upon that notion the Convention instructed the
Chair TO make declaration of nomination except
upon vote equivalent to two-thirds of the in the
electoral college of the United States; and upon that
btoting no such vote being given that order was nnnn


the motion of the gentleman Virginia (AIr Russell


aid upon the table for the purpose of enabling him to
propose the motion which he subsequently did this
Convention adjourn from the city of Charleston the
city of Baltimore this day. and with provision concern


ing the filling of vacancies embraced in the same reSolu
ton which resolution the Secretary will please read
The Secretary then read the resolution follows:


Re'oLred That when this Convention adjourns to-day,


1T be adjourned to re-assembIe Baltimore Md on the
18th day of June next, and that respectfully recon-
mendei to the Democratic party of the several states
to make provision for supplying all their
respective delegations to this Convention, when it shall
| have re assembled


The President-The Convention will thus perceive that
the rules adopted by it, provided among other things
that respectfully recommended to the democratic
/ tn NAL


ing all vacancis in their respective delegations this
| Convention, when it shall have reassembed What is
the construction of that resolution? What the scope
OF this application is question: not for the Chair de
termine or to suggest to the Convention but the
convention itself to- judge or determine. However that


may pe IN the preparatory arrangements for the present
re assembling of this Convention there
the Chair the credentials of members elected purpor
| ing to be elected, or members affirmed and con
| frmed by the original Convention, accredited to
| perhaps four of them, the credentials were upon
their face authentic and complete, and presenting
no question of cortrovertng delegates. In the of
our others TO wit the States of Georgia. Alabama Lou
slana and Delaware, presenting contesng delegations
the Car was called upon to determine the question
whether he possessed any power to determine the prd
tdc!e membership of this Convention and that question
was presented to the Chair in its and com
plee form In the the State of Mssissipp where
there no contest either of regularity com
peng delegations and so also in similar if not lenti
cal degree in the the of Florida Texas and
Arkansasand upon these last four cases, involving
conflict of delegations and apparent authenticity com
mission the Chair called upon determine the naked
and abstract question: whether he had the power prma
ry and prelimnarily determine the srinaa f1cie
membership oil alleged members to this Convention The
Char would gladly have satisfied himself that he
this power but upon the scrutiny of the of his
power, to wit the rules of the House representatives
comforting upon the Chair the power power
than the rules of the House of Representatives imply
unable discern that he had any power even yn
tdcte, to scrunize and canvass credentials although
those credentials should upon their face be free from
controversy either of form or substance. and
therefore he deemed duty to reserve the etermna
uon OF that question to be submitted the Convention
due time the Chair will present this question as
tO he eGony


And now, gentlemen, having thus presented you
exact state OF the questions pending involved in the
action of the Con venton when it adjourned the Chair
begS leave only to add single observation of a more
general nature: Gentlemen, assemble here now
at time when the enemies Of the Democratic party
me say, the enemies of the Constitution of the United
States iappause in the field with elected leader
with their banners displayed, advancing combat
with the Constitutional interests party of the United
States; and upon you, gentlemen, upon your action,
upon spirit of harmony, upon devotion the
Constitution sOlicitude to maintain the inter
ests the honor and integrity of the Democratic party
the guardians of the Constitutionupon depends
whether the issue of that combat is he victory de-
feat for the Constitution of the United States. Zap
plause 1t does not become in the Chair discuss
any of the incidents elements of that question
may he permitted me, however to exhort you, in the
spirit OF our community of party interests, in
mon respect for the Constitution in the OF
mon devotion to the interests and honor country
to feel that came here this day to determine any
mere technical questions of FORM merely gain per
sOnal party trumphs, but to feel that here in
the exercise of solemn duty in crisis and condition of
Affairs in our country such as has never befaen the Uni
ted States. Shall not all, gentlemen upon this
unIv solemn ana profound conviction of
sponsollty which is devolved upon of our high duty
to country and to ourselves and the Constitution
United States? Applause Gentlemen, the Convention
is now in order Tor the transaction of business Mr. How
ard OF tennessee had taken the floor for the purpose of
making motion.


AN IMPORTANT MOTION


Mr. Howard, ofTennessee-My motion simply this, |
Mr.. President, that the President of this Convention
direct the Sergeanta Arms to issue tickets this Con-
venton to all the delegates of this Convention orig
nally constituted and organized at Charleston. Jap
pause.l


Mr.. Cavanaugh, of Minnesota-Mr President, move
to lay that resolution the table, and motion
demand the previous question, and call for vote bv
States. Applause and Kisses.


Mr. Russell, of Virginia-I rise to question of the
CHAR for information suppose it will constitute a
privileged question: that will be entitled it.
Notwithstanding the motion which has been made. i
would ask the President if he has not undertaken
eide that the gentlemen who sit here delegates from the
State of Virginia have right to sit here9 If has
undertaken to decide that question: him to state to
this Convention upon what grounds he decided tha
we have right to be here ask him to state if it was
upon the ground that had appeared and been recog
nzed the proper delegates to this Convention when it
formerly in session If he acted upon ground in
regard to the Virginia delegation and other delegations
here, | ask him to state for information why
he has not, upon the ground, issued tickets |
to all those who formerly sat here with uncon tested
seats sght applause if their had contest
ed who had been decided be the proper occupants of
their seats by this body ask the Chair whether
he has undertaken in consequence of any action which
these delegates then selves have TAKEN consequence
of any rumored reported action elsewhere in the coun
try to decide that they have deprived themselves the
right to return here as we have returned Also with the
permission of the Chair desire the Chair wheth
the same rule not all these delegations
applies to Virginia or any other unconested delegation
here.
The President-With permission of the Convention
the Chair will respond to the question Othe gentleman from
Virginia. if it be understood by the Convention that it
competent for the Chair to do, pending the motion of
the gentleman from Minnesota table the mo-
ton of the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Howard).


Mr. Stuart of Michigan-I only wish say, sir that
hope there VIII be unanimous consent given by the Con
venton to hear the Chair but that the Chair
the gentleman from Virginia had any right make any
statement. lCres of "leave, leave.nl
The President-The Chair then states to the Con-
venon in response to the inquiry of the gentleman
Virginia. that the Chair did undertake to Judge any
thing neither decide that there were not vacan
ces All that the Char undertook say the
venton at the time of its adjournment were entitled to
the recognition of membership precisely to-day they
yesterday if the Convention had beenn session YES
teray Applause To have gone beyond this point would
have been to enter into the of conflicting creden
tals upon new election of members And The Sboir
thoroughly convinced that he no power to enter
into that inquiry of conflicting credentials of persons
alleging to have been elected to this Conyention b Sot
Conventions held since the adjournment of the Conyen-


on at Charleston. The Chair will suggest to the gentle
man from Virginia that that question did present
itself in the form of simplicity and unity in which his
inquiry would place it, inasmuch States to
which he refers did that the resolution involved
in the adjournment created vacancies be filled by
action of the States. If the Chair had entered
into any inquiry of the new credentials it would have
become necessary for him to hold hearing and nvesti
gate the facts in regard to eight States Of Union as
to the action of States called since the adjournment of
the Convention at Charleston. He believed he had un
der the rules of the House of Representatives, no more
power in the matter than any other member of the
Nenuoni whist the Chalr disposed to
| whole power of the Speaker of the House of
Representatives, having entered upon the dis
| charge of this most unweceme and response |
BILE duty with determination without favor and
also without fear yet the Chair knows it is i'm
possible for him to maintain order in this Conyen-
tOn that its deliberations shall go with any system
OF regularity, unless the Chair takes walk
fully and vigorously in similar line of routine and
technical authority. Applause Within the line of
technical authority and the rules of the House of
Representatives, constituting the guide of the Chair,
the Chair will take leave to decide all questions they
| may arise in out Of the Conventions: but the |
| Chair does not propose to assume any Judi |
| cia quasi judicial authority in regard to the
canvass of credentials and authenticity of membership
an authority manfestly not conferred upon the
presiding officer of organized legislative body
most expressly, according to the precedents uniform
usage of the two Houses of Congress of the United
States prelminary determined by the presiding
officer Of either of those Houses In issuing tickets to
gentlemen borne upon the roll Of the Convention or off
cialy authenticated by the Convention itself as mem
bers at the time of its adjournment the Chair did
least that which within the sphere of its duty
| in doing that he in degree involved preiudped
the question of what is the right gentlemen That
depends upon the action of this Convention;
Chair now, as the Chair informed the Convention he
woud do makes this the first question and question
of privilege that the Convention instruct the
in regard to its duties to the delegations of the
| States.


Mr. Church, of New York. desire to ask the gentle
from Minnesota whether he will withdraw his
motion to lay the resolution the table en-
able to offer amendment, which, think will
pose the whole question: to the satisfaction the Con-
| yention.


| Mr. Cavanaugh. of Minnesota-The resolution of the
gentleman from Minnesota be read for the informa
ton of the Convention without the withdrawal of my