Virginia State Convention.
Third day--[second session]
Richmond, June 15.
The Convention was called to order at the usual hour, President Janney in the chair.--The proceedings were opened with prayer by Rev. J. L. Burrows of the Baptist Church.
The Committees were called upon in their regular order, but no reports were submitted.
The President then announced that he had received a letter from Colonel Richardson, a member of the Convention, assigning as the cause of his absence the military duties devolving upon him at this time at Craney Island.
The letter was ordered to be read.
The Chair next announced the members of several special committees ordered yesterday to be raised.
The most important is the committee of seven, appointed to confer with the authorities of the Confederate States, on the general subject of the relations existing between them and the State of Virginia James Bigbock is the chairman of this important committee.
The other special committees filled by the Chair have in charge matters connected with the public works and internal improvements, looking to the better defence of the State.
Mr. Fisher is chairman of the committee to whom was referred the ordinance abolishing the Board of Public Works.
Some little sensation was excited throughout the Hall by a statement from Mr. Tredway to the effect that a member whose name I gave was announced as a member of a special committee, while it is generally understood that that member is now in the ranks of the enemies of Virginia.
The matter was laid over for consideration in secret session, and a report received from the Committee on Finance, authorizing the Treasurer to pay the artist who executed the ordinance the sum of one hundred dollars. The amount claimed was one hundred and fifty dollars, but the committee reduced into the amount reported.
The report was adopted.
The general commendations of all who have carefully examined this beautiful specimen of calligraphy, and the universal praise lavished upon Mr. William Flegenheimer, the artist, are, doubtless, esteemed by that patriotic citizen as a full equivalent for the reduction in his account made by the committee.
Mr. Tredway, of Pittsylvania, who, by the way, is endowed with the rare faculty of driving straight at his point, without deviation or circumlocution, submitted a resolution providing for a select committee of seven to inquire into the best and proper mode of proceeding, by criminal process, against persons known to be disloyal to the State.
Mr. Tredway explained and enforced his resolution by referring to the total inadequacy of our existing criminal law, especially in respect to the crime of treason, to punish traitors and hoped the committee would at once report an ordinance which will enable the State to vindicate her dignity and crush out her traitorous and unworthy children.
The Committee on Military Affairs requested to be discharged from the consideration of a resolution referred to it yesterday respecting the construction and repair of bridges, but the accessibly for such defensive works having been insisted on by the mover of the resolution, especially when our western frontiers are menaced by the invader, it was, by general consent recommitted to the same committee.
Mr. Holcomer off red a resolution providing for a committee of five to consider and report on the propriety of an immediate adoption by Virginia of the Constitution of the Confederate States.
Carried, as was also a resolution requesting the Governor to communicate the number and grades of officers appointed by him in the Provisional Army of Virginia up to the time that our military operations were transferred to the Confederate authorities.
The Governor was also requested to urge upon the proper officers of the Confederate Government the importance of immediately supplying the unprovided volunteers of the State with suitable arms; but this resolution was referred to Mr. James Barbour's Committee on Confederate Relations.
On motion of Mr. A. M. Barbour, the name of the standing Committee on Federal Relations was changed to Committee on Foreign Relations.
The President announced several communications from the Executive of the State, one of which submitted two names for appointments, and as these communications must be considered in secret session, on motion, the galleries and lobby were cleared.
The secret session commenced at 11 o'clock, and continued until after 3 o'clock, when an adjournment was ordered to Monday morning at 10 o'clock.
The best feeling prevails throughout the Convention, and regardless of past difference of opinion all unite as a band of patriots and brothers in devising the best means for the expulsion and chastisement of the insolent invader. 