Evening session.
The President stated that the pending question was, ‘"shall the main question be now put?"’ and on this the yeas and nays were demanded. The roll was called, and the vote resulted — yeas 59, nays 51. So it was decided that the main question should be put.The vote was then taken on the adoption of the preamble and resolution, and resulted as follows:
Yeas.--Messrs. Ambler, Jas. Barbour, Blakey, Bouldin, Branch, Cabell, Caperton, Cecil, Chambliss, Chapman, Coffman, Conn, Robt Y. Conrad, R. H. Cox, Critcher, Deskins, Echols, Fisher, Flournoy, Garland, Gillespie, Graham, Gregory, John Goodo, Jr., Hale, A. Hall, C. Hall, Hammond, Harvie, Holcombe, Hunton, Isbell, Kent, Kindred, Lawson, Leake, C. K. Mallory, Jas. B. Mallory, Marr, Miller, Montague, Morris, Morton, Neblett, Orrick, Parks, Preston, Randolph, Richardson, Robert E. Scott, Wm. C. Scott, Seawell, Sheffey, Slaughter, Speed, Staples, Strange, Sutherlin, Tayloe, Tredway, Waller, Wilson, and Wysor.--63.
Nays.--Messrs. Janney, (President.) Armstrong, Aston, Baldwin, A. M. Barbour, Baylor, Berlin, Blow, Boggess, Brent, Burdett, Burley, Campbell, Carlile, Carter, Clemens, C. B. Conrad, Couch, Custis, Dent, Dorman, Early, French, Fugate, Gray, Goggin, E. B. Hall, Haymond, Hoge, Holladay, Hubbard, Hughes, Jackson. Peter C. Johnston, Lewis, McGrew, Marshall, Masters, Moffett, Moore, Osburn, Patrick, Pendleton, Porter, Price, Pugh, Rives, Sharp, Sitlington, A. H. H. Stuart, C. J. Stuart, Summers, Tarr, White, Wickham, Willey, and Wise.--57.
So the preamble and resolution were adopted.
The President said the next business in order was the appointment of three Commissioners.
Mr. Scott, of Fauquier, nominated Hon. Wm. Ballard Preston, of the county of Montgomery.
There being no other nomination, Mr. Preston was unanimously elected as one of the Commissioners.
Mr. Summers, of Kanawha, alluding to the fact that one gentleman who had formerly been a member of the Cabinet had received an appointment, and he would place in nomination another who had filled a high position in the councils of the action-- Hon. A. H. H. Stuart, of the county of Augusta.
Mr. Staples, of Patrick, nominated Hon. Robert L. Montague, of the county of Middlesex.
Mr. Montague said there were three parties on this floor — the Secession party, of which he was one; the middle party, of which the gentleman from Montgomery was a representative; and another a little lower down.
A voice.--‘"A little higher up!"’
Mr. Montague.--No sir, a little lower down; the extreme Union party, to which the gentleman from Augusta belongs — and he thought that each of these parties was entitled to one of the Commissioners. For his own part, while thanking the gentleman who nominated him, he declined the mission; no power could drag him to Washington to ask a favor of Abraham Lincoln. [Symptoms of applause.]
Mr. Speed, of Campbell, nominated Hon. Robt. E. Scott, of the county of Fauquier.
Mr. Scott declined, being, he said, unable to leave the city at present. He cordially endorsed the nomination of the gentleman from Augusta, (Mr. Stuart.)
Mr. Morton, of Orange, nominated Mr. Samuel McDowell Moore, of the county of Rockbridge, as a fairer exponent of the principles of the "submissionists," as he would term them, if he preserved the same courtesy of language that was used towards the secessionists; but he would term them the extreme Union men.
Mr. Moore preferred that the appointment should be conferred upon Mr. Stuart.
Mr. Wise explained his position in voting against the preamble and resolution.
Mr. Conrad, of Frederick, said that while he should vote for the gentleman from Augusta, he wished it to be distinctly understood that he voted for no man as the representative of any particular party on this floor.
Mr. Harvie wished to know if it was to be understood by this declaration that the Secession party was to have no representative in this Commission.
Before Mr. Conrad had an opportunity of replying, Mr. Branch raised a point of order, which was overruled.
Mr. Early, of Franklin, obtained the floor, and endorsed the nomination pf Mr. Stuart. He took occasion to say that he thought some gentlemen, in the ardent expression of their views, lost sight of the dignity of the subject. He took exception to the term "submissionists," which had been used.
Mr. Morton disclaimed having applied that term to any party on this floor.
Mr. Goode, of Bedford, nominated Hon. Henry A. Wise, of the county of Princess Anne, to whom he paid a high tribute.
Mr. Wise said there was but one condition upon which he would go to Washington, and that was that he should be allowed to go alone and pursue his own course. He did not doubt but the President and himself would have a perfect cheek-by-jowl time; but he would understand him before he left him, or he would have a good deal of trouble. He thought that the President, ignoramus as he was, did not understand the sentiments of this people. He (Mr. W.) would not come back with any undecisive answer; but he could not go there with two of the three Commissioners against him. He believed the policy of the Administration meant war — the people were now slumbering over a volcano — and he believed the response of the President to this Commission would be such as to lull the people into a false security, while he wanted to see the veil stripped from the prophet of Khorassin. He was surprised to hear the remark of the gentleman from Frederick, that while he would recognize no party on this floor, he would still have none but those who belonged to one party.
Mr. Neblett, of Lurenburg, hoped the vote would now be taken. He had no doubt the gentleman from Augusta would be elected with unanimity, after which, he thought, the Convention would vote with equal unanimity for a gentleman whom he should put in nomination.
Mr. Morton withdrew the name of Mr. Moore from the list of candidates. He was decidedly in favor of the election of Mr. Wise, even if he went alone. Mr. M. went on to express his belief that the policy of the Administration was war, and an equivocal answer from the President should be construed into a war policy. He believed the gentleman from Princess Anne would bring back a direct answer, and he seconded his nomination with great pleasure.
Mr. Conrad, in reply to the gentleman from Amelia, (Mr. Harvie,) said he recognized no party on this floor. He would vote for no man who would go there with the hope of not getting a satisfactory answer.
A Member.--What do you call a satisfactory answer?
Mr. Conrad did not choose to be interrogated. He occupied a position here which he deemed right, and paid no head to vituperation.
Mr. Holcombe had no expectation that the measure would lead to any great results, but he thought the experiment ought to be tried. He would vote for the gentleman from Augusta with great pleasure, having understood the gentleman from Princess Anne to decline. He gave notice that he would nominate for third Commissioner Mr. Geo. W. Randolph, of the city of Richmond.
Mr. Goode withdrew the name of Mr. Wise, and Mr. Stuart was elected without opposition.
Mr. Holcombe then nominated for third Commissioner, Mr. Geo. W. Randolph, of Richmond city.
Mr. Conrad nominated Mr. Geo. W. Brent, of Alexandria.
Mr. Brent asked as a personal favor that he would withdraw it.
Mr. Stuart, of Doddridge, nominated Mr. Jas. Marshall, of the county of Frederick.
Mr. Marshall hoped that his name would be withdrawn.
Mr. Brent again appealed to Mr. Conrad to withdraw his name, and he consented; but it was renewed by Mr. Stuart, of Doddridge.
Mr. Moore, of Rockbridge, nominated Hon. Geo. W. Summers, of the county of Kanawha.
Mr. Summers asked him to withdraw the nomination, and it was done.
Mr. Critcher, of Westmoreland, nominated Mr. Geo.Blow, of Norfolk city; but withdrew it at that gentleman's request.
Mr. Stuart, of Doddridge, consented to withdraw the name of Mr. Brent; but being determined to have somebody to vote for, he successively nominated Mr. Tredway, of Pittsylvania; Mr. Price, of Greenbrier; Mr. Conrad, of Frederick; Mr. Branch, of Petersburg, and Mr. Moore, of Rockbridge, withdrawing them all at their request.
Mr. Hughes then nominated Mr. Stuart, of Doddridge, but that gentleman declining the honor, his name was withdrawn.
The vote was then taken, and Mr. Randolph was unanimously elected.
The Commission therefore is composed of Messrs. Preston, Stuart, of Augusta, and Randolph.
On motion of Mr. Patrick, of Kanawha, the Convention adjourned.
