The Daily Dispatch: July 1, 1861., [Electronic resource]

Evening session.
Congressional Representation.

On motion of Mr. Staples, the unfinished business was laid upon the table and an ordinance to reapportion the districts of the State was taken up and considered. In the course of the argument it was stated that the 9th district originally embraced Jefferson county. The committee proposed to annex Jefferson to the 10th Congressional District, and to supply the deficiency in the 9th by adding to it Warren and Page.

Mr. Borst moved to restore the 9th District is originally reported. The motion was fully discussed and was finally rejected.

An ordinance was then passed reapportioning Congressional Districts, and was as follows:

To Be, it Ordained, That number of members to State is untitled in the House of Representatives of the Confederate States, shall continue to be apportioned. Amongst the several counties in corporations of the State, arranged into Sixteen Districts.

It was further provided that each of said shall chose one Representative in the Congress of the Confederate State.

It was then determined to take up a resolution providing that Wm. G. Brown, and there now supposed to be in arms against the Commonwealth, be notified to appear before this body, in advertisement in a public paper in Richmond, and explain the charges made against them. On this question a lengthy discussion arose, the object of which was to take out the name of Wm. G. Brown, and insulted as follows — ayes 58, noes 17.

Mr. Montague hoped that every gentleman in the House should vote. Mr. R. E. Scott said that no power on earth could compel him to vote unless he was certain as to the corrections of his vote. Mr. Baldwin came to the rescue of Wm. G. Brown, and thought we should not denounce him until the evidence was before us in black and white. Mr. Baldwin was not, however, sustained by the House. Mr. Moore. of Rockbridge, did not think there was sufficient evidence to expel Mr. Brown. Mr. Macfarland followed in the same strain, and ‘"apprehended"’ several times that we should not thus summarily condemn Mr. Brown. Mr. Hall, of Wetzel county, replied to Mr. Macfarland, by remarking that ‘"fellow feeling makes us wontons kind" ’ Mr. Macfarland here desired to know what Mr. Hall meant by his remark. Mr. Hall rejoined, ‘"I meant, sir, just what I did. You and your friends always went with Brown while he was here, and now when he is proved to be a traitor, you wish to vindicate him." ’ Mr. A. M. Barbour vindicated Mr. Brown on reasons of personal friendship Mr. Timothy Rives spoke also in reference of Mr. Brown. Mr. R. E. Scott followed in a speech in which he maintained that there is not sufficient evidence to criminate Mr. Brown.

At 9 o'clock a call of the House was ordered, and excuses made for absent members.

On motion, the Convention adjourned.

[Mr. Ambler requests us to state that yesterday he said that the construction placed by the authorities upon the law, was that an officer in the militia who volunteered forfeited his commission in the militia. He thought it was a penalty upon patriotism, and he wishes to have this construction overruled, and the ordinance before the Convention was a proper one to add to, in order to accomplish his objected.