Virginia State Convention.
Wednesday, February 13, 1861.
The delegates elect to the State Convention assembled in the hall of the House of Delegates at 12 o'clock M. The outside pressure was very great, and it was with some difficulty that the crowd could be kept from filling up the hall.
The galleries were densely thronged, the eastern one being entirely occupied by ladies.
Temporary organization.
The assembly was called to order by
Mr. Robert E. Scott, of
Fauquier, who suggested that the
Convention appoint a temporary
Chairman, and on his motion,
Mr. James H. Cox, of
Chesterfield, was unanimously chosen.
Messrs. Patrick and
Summers, of
Kanawha, conducted
Mr. Cox to the Chair.
The
Chairman returned his profound acknowledgments for the honor, and reminded the
Convention that they held in their hands the destinies of this great nation — upon their action, he believed, depended the salvation of the
Republic.
On motion of
Mr. Scott, of
Fauquier,
Mr. Wm. F. Gordon, Jr., was appointed temporary Clerk of the
Convention.
The roll of delegates was then called, and it was ascertained that a quorum was present.
Permanent organization.
Mr. Summers, of
Kanawha, nominated
John Janney, of
Loudoun, for
President of the
Convention.
Mr. Flournoy, of
Halifax, nominated
Valentine W. Southall, of
Albemarle.
The vote was then taken, and resulted as follows:
Mr. Janney was thereupon declared elected
President of the
Convention.
Messrs. Summers, of
Kanawha, and Floursoy, of
Halifax, were appointed a committee to wait upon
Mr. Janney and inform him of his election.
this duty having been performed, the same Gentlemen conducted the
President to the Chair.
He addressed the
Convention, in substance, as follows:
‘
Gentlemen of the Convention: I did not realize the fact until within the last two hours that I might possibly be called to preside over your deliberations, and therefore have no production of my head to give you; but my heart is full, and from that I desire to address you briefly.
I return you my most cordial and sincere thanks for the honor conferred, not upon myself alone, but upon the county I partly represent.
I am called to preside over the deliberations of a body by far the most important of any that has assembled since 1776.
I am without experience, know little of parliamentary law, or the rules of proceeding.
I have nothing to promise but strict fidelity and impartiality.
Errors I may commit, but they will be Errors of the head and not of the heart, which your kindness will excuse, and for which your body will find a prompt corrective.
it is now almost 73 years since a Convention of the people of the
Commonwealth assembled in this hall, for the purpose of ratifying the
Constitution of the United States.
The one main object was to consolidate, not the
Government, but the
Union of these States.
Causes which it is not now necessary to enumerate, but which are fast passing into history, have placed that Constitution in imminent peril.
Virginia has been called to the rescue, and well might the call be made upon her, the country expects it at her hands.
Her honored son, whose ashes rest at
Mount Vernon, the political
Mecca of all future ages, was the
President of the body who framed the
Constitution.--another son, whose brow was encircled with a civic wreath which never fades, was its Chief architect; and five of her native sons have been called to the position of
Chief Magistrate of the
Republic.--the responsibility resting upon us is tremendous.
It cannot be that a Government thus founded can now be permitted to fail, without reproach to the wisdom of its founders, as well as our own patriotism and intelligence.
The old flag of the
Union which has triumphantly waved for nearly a century, in battle and in peace, now floats above this capital, with one star which represents this ancient Commonwealth.
God grant that it may remain there forever.
But I know I speak the sentiment of every member of this body, when I say, that it must remain with its original lustre, undimmed and untarnished.
[Applause.] We shall demand full and equal rights with New York,
Pennsylvania and
Ohio, and nothing more.
We would scorn to ask more than would be conceded to the little States of
Delaware and
Rhode Island.
Rhode Island! God bless her!
a little State, but with a heart big enough for all. She was the first to repeal her Personal Liberty laws, and it is hoped that the others will follow her example.
I repeat, that the responsibility resting upon this body is awful.
I consented to be a candidate for a seat here with fear and trembling.
The people will revise our action, and I trust that our measures will be brought to such a conclusion as that some of our sisters of the
South, who, from what they believe to be just causes, have wandered from their orbit, may be brought back to this their older sister.
I hope that even
Massachusetts will remember the land whence
Washington came to struggle for her liberties, and, awakened by our example, expunge from her statute book that which her wisest and best men say is a disgrace to it. Gentlemen, this is no party Convention.
We must elevate ourselves into an atmosphere where party prejudice and party passion can not live.
In conclusion, I again thank you for the honor you have thought proper to confer upon me, and hope that your action may redound to the good of the
State and of the
Union.
’
the
Convention then proceeded to elect a Secretary.
Mr. Tredway, of
Pittsylvania, nominated
Stephen C. Whittle, of Powhatan, who was
Secretary of the Constitutional Convention of 1850.
Mr. Patrick, of
Kanawha, nominated
Green Peyton, of
Albemarle.
Mr. Barbour, of
Jefferson, nominated Samuel.
T. Walker, of
Rockingham.
Mr. Barbour, of
Culpeper, nominated
Zephaniah T. Turner, of Bappahannock.
Mr. Southall, of Albemarie, seconded the nomination of
Green Peyton, and urged his election.
Mr. Moore, of
Rockbridge, nominated
John L. Eubank, of the city of
Richmond.
Mr. Garland, of
Amherst, seconded the nomination of
Mr. Eubank.
Mr. Scott of
Fauquier, seconded the nomination of
Mr. Turner.
Mr. Leare, of
Goochland, nominated
S. Bassett French, of
Chesterfield.
Mr. MacFARLANDarland, of
Richmond, advocated the election of
Mr. Eubank.
Mr. Montague, of
Middlesex, nominated
John Bell Bigger, of the city of
Richmond.
Mr. Wickham, of
Henrico, nominated
R. Landsay Walker, of New Kent.
Mr. Fordes, of
Buckingham, advocated the election of
Mr. Eubank.
the
Secretary then proceeded to call the roll, and the result of the vote was announced as follows:
There being no election, the
Convention again proceeded to vote, and the result having been announced, it appeared there was no choice.
A gentleman then moved that upon the next ballot the candidate having a plurality of the votes be declared elected Clerk of the
Convention.
Negatived by a large majority.
A third unsuccessful ballot was taken, after which all the candidates except
Messrs. Turner,
Eubank, and
R. L. Walker, were withdrawn.--This fourth ballot resulted —
Eubank 58,
Walker 51,
Turner 19.
Mr. Wickham, of
Henrico, then withdrew the name of
Mr. R. L. Walker, and the fifth ballot resulted —
Eubank 76,
Turner 60.
So
John L. Eubank was declared elected
Secretary of the
Convention.
Mr. Scott, of
Fauquier, moved that when the
Convention adjourn to-day, it will adjourn to meet at the Mechanics' Institute tomorrow at 12 o'clock. Adopted.
Mr. Morton, of
Culpeper, moved that the sittings of this Convention be daily opened with prayer, and that the
President invite the clergymen of the city to officiate.
Adopted.
Mr. Clemens, of
Ohio, moved that the rules of the House of Delegates be adopted for the government of this Convention until further ordered.
Adopted.
A motion of
Mr. Price, of
Greenbrier, relative to the occupancy of selected seats in the hall of the
Convention, was, on motion of
Mr. Montague, laid on the table.
On motion of
Mr. Scott, the
Convention adjourned, to meet at the Mechanics' Institute on Thursday, at 12 o'clock.
