SECOND SESSION.
FOURTH DAY.
RICHMOND, Monday, June 17, 1861.
The Convention assembled
at 10 o’clock.—Prayer by the Rev. Mr. Peterkin.
The Chair called for
reports from Committees, and the Secretary read the list, but no response was
made.
Mr. FISHER.—Mr.
President, I am instructed to ask that the Committee on Post Offices be
discharged from further duty, the whole subject having been turned over to the
Confederate Government, and no further business being before the committee.
There being no
objection, the Committee was thereupon discharged.
The Chair announced
the committee on Railroads to be Messrs. Morris, Cox of Chesterfield, Harvie,
Johnson of Richmond City, and Marye.
Mr. STAPLES.—Not
being present when the Ordinance of Secession was signed, I ask leave to append
my name to that instrument.
The PRESIDENT.—There
is a general order upon that subject, which will enable the gentleman to sign
the Ordinance without the leave of the convention.
Mr. JOHNTSON.—A
document has reached my hand from a county where I do not belong, but,
nevertheless, I take the liberty of laying the same before the Convention. As
the subject referred to is one upon which this body can properly take no
action, I simply present it, and ask that it be laid upon the table.
A VOICE.—Have it
read!
Mr. JOHNSTON.—That
is hardly worth while, for I can state its object in three words. It is simply
a petition from the county of Washington, asking for the establishment of an
election precinct. I move that it be laid upon the table.
The motion was
agreed to.
The PRESIDENT.—When
this body last adjourned it was in secret session, and if there is no other
business before the Convention, I shall direct the lobbies and galleries to be
cleared preparatory to resuming the consideration of the subject then under
discussion.
The Convention
accordingly went into secret session, in which it remained until half past two
o’clock, when the doors were again thrown open.
RECEPTION BY HON. JEFFERSON DAVIS.
The PRESIDENT then
laid before the Convention the following communication in response to a letter
addressed by him to the President of the Confederate States, in accordance with
a resolution offered by Mr. DORMAN, that the latter be invited to state when it
would be convenient for him to receive the members of the Convention.
SPOTSWOOD HOUSE, June 16, 1861.
HON.
JOHN JANNEY, President, etc.—
Sir:—I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 15th
inst., communicating to me the resolution of the Virginia State Convention to
visit me at such hour as it may appoint.
It
will afford me great pleasure to receive you and the members of the Convention
at eight o’clock on Monday evening of the 17th instant. I have the honor to be,
Very respectfully, yours,
JEFFERSON DAIVS.
COURTESIES TO SECRETARY WALKER.
The PRESIDENT also laid
before the body the following communication from the Hon. L. P. Walker,
Secretary of War:
CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA.
Richmond, June 15, 1861.
To
the Hon. JOHN JANNEY, President of the Virginia State Convention:
SIR:—
Your letter inviting me, “in obedience to a resolution of the Virginia State
Convention, unanimously adopted,” to occupy a privileged seat, provided in the
Hall of the Convention, is before me.
Return
to the Convention, if you please, my profound acknowledgement of their
courtesy; and accept, for yourself, assurances of distinguished consideration.
L. P. WALKER,
Secretary of War.
Mr. TYLER.—I move
that when this Convention adjourns, it be to meet at half-past seven o’clock
this evening at this place.
The motion was
agreed to.
On Motion of Mr.
TYLER, the communication of Secretary WALKER was laid upon the table.
Mr. TYLER.—I now
propose for adoption the following resolutions:
Resolved, That this
convention has heard with high satisfaction of the brilliant victory recently
obtained by the combined forces of North Carolina and Virginia at Bethel, in
the county of York, the first regular conflict between those who, under usurped
authority, have invaded our soil and the brave defenders of that soil, and it
being altogether appropriate that our troops should receive a suitable meed of
applause for their gallantry and good conduct;
Be it therefore
resolved, That in the name of the people of Virginia, this convention expresses
its high admiration of the gallantry and good conduct of the officers and men
engaged in the battle of Bethel on the 10th instant, where they repelled and
put to flight more than four times their numbers;
Resolved, That the
conduct of Col. John B. Magruder, the commander of the Confederate forces, of Col.
D. A. Hill, the commander of the North Carolina troops, and of the officers
under their command, evinced in the opinion of this convention high military
skill, united to unshrinking valor;
Resolved, That
copies of the foregoing resolutions be forwarded to Col. Magruder, with the
request that he will cause the same to be publicly read to the troops under his
command.
Mr. TYLER. I desire
to say, Mr. President in regard to these resolutions, that the North Carolina
Legislature received with rapturous applause the account of the battle of
Bethel Church, and of the noble action of the North Carolina troops upon that
occasion; and so inspired were they by the intelligence of the gallantry of
their commander, Col. Hill, that (if the papers are to be relied upon.) they
immediately promoted him to the grade of a Brigadier General.
Sir, when you come
to estimate the value and importance of that battle, considering that it is the
first regular action that has occurred on our soil—though I would, by no means
forget the bold and gallant stand made by the Fauquier Rifles—and when you
calculate the circumstances by which our little army was surrounded and the
battle was fought, it is impossible not to confess that it stands by the side
of the most brilliant military achievements that history every recorded.
At the battle of
Agincourt, in former days, we are told that the English fought in the
proportion of one against ten, and obtained a victory; but it must be
remembered that it was then against an undisciplined rabble, under no military
restraint, and unfamiliar with even the rudiments of military discipline; but
here we have had to encounter troops acquainted with the art of war, well
drilled and formidable.
They marched up to
your ramparts; they advanced against you four to one, and your handful of men
dissipated them like chaff before the wind. I cannot imagine anything more
brilliant than this engagement. I cannot conceive of braver or more undaunted
men, or of military skill more consummate or successful in its results.
Cheerfully do I contribute the praise which properly belongs to the
achievement, and to the noble volunteers who participated in it.
You will remember
that we were to be overcome by these invaders; that all these disturbances of
the country were to pass away like a morning dream. When the enemy came upon
the field, it is said they talked with derision particularly of North
Carolinians, as mere cornstalk troops, whom they were to drive from their sight
without a blow; and yet those same corn stalk troops, under the orders of their
gallant leader, by one single dash of the bayonet, put the enemy to flight and
relieved themselves from the further embarrassment of their presence.
[A VOICE.—They
whipped the Zouaves, the crack regiment.]
Yes, I thank the
gentleman for the suggestion. We have whipped their best regiment off the field
without difficulty, and thank God, with the loss of but one man. We brought
against their four thousand but eight hundred muskets, and almost in the
twinkling of an eye that four thousand was dispersed, and victory perched upon
our banners.
There is but one
occurrence of a similar kind in our history with which I can compare it; it
took place upon the celebrated battlefield of Buena Vista. You all well
remember the gallant conduct of the present President upon that occasion. It
was supposed that the day was lost, that our handful of five thousand were to
be trampled upon by a host of twenty thousand Mexicans; but whose heart did not
thrill with joy on reading the account of the momentary retreat under Col.
Davis until he found a better position when, coming to a right about, the order
of “forward march” was given, and they dashed into the ranks of the enemy.
Another brilliant incident deserves to be mentioned in connection with Bragg’s
battery of Flying artillery—the same gentleman who is now commanding our
Southern troops at Pensacola.
I received the
account from the lips of Gen. Taylor himself. He had with him but two hundred
men. A body of four thousand Mexicans were advancing, and the fate of the day
depended upon that contest. Gen. Taylor was close by to encourage him by his
presence—standing there, as the brave old man told me, with no expectation of
leaving the field alive. The fire opened, the enemy recoiled, hesitated, and finally
retreated before the little force, and the day was hours. And now, as then,
when you compare the disparity of our numbers engaged in the late conflict at
Bethel, you have cause to exult, proudly exult, in the character of the
achievement and the conduct of our troops.
Mr. President, I am
restrained from making any discrimination among either our officers or soldiers
in referring to the recent battle. All behaved nobly and all alike deserve
commendation. But if I were to make any distinction of the gallant Major of the
Howitzers, whom we all well know and appreciate. But I abstain. I trust, Mr.
President—and this is one of the great objects of these resolutions independent
of a rendition of a tribute of respect and applause to those who deserve
it—this example will stimulate all to meet the invaders and drive them from the
soil without hesitating to count either their own or the number of the enemy—to
meet them dauntlessly—meet them as has been done by this handful at Bethel, and
my life upon a victory will crown our [endeavors] at every stop.
RAILRAOD BETWEEN WINCHESTER AND STRASBURG.
Mr. R. Y. CONRAD—I
desire to call the attention of the Convention to an ordinance of considerable
importance in regard to the railroad connection between Winchester and Strasburg.
I move that it be taken up and put upon its passage.
The motion was
agreed to.
Mr. CONRAD—It may be
necessary to state in regard to this ordinance, that it is intended to
authorized the construction, by the Manassas Railroad Company, of a military road
from Strasburg to Winchester, a distance of about eighteen miles. Winchester is
now the Headquarters of the whole force under the Headquarters of the whole
force under the command of General Johnson, who has fallen back upon that town
which will probably be a point of conflict. This road was deemed so important
by the Governor and council as well as by the Commander in Chief, that they
have not only recommended the adoption of the Ordinance, but have agreed,
without authority from the Convention, to advance the sum of fourteen thousand
five hundred dollars to pay the revenue duties on the rail road iron proposed
to be used in its construction. They have also made a contract, depending upon
the approval of this Convention, with the Manassas Gap road, by which the work
will be done without any expense to the State. The only difficulty in regard to
the passage of the Ordinance of which I am aware grows out of the fact that the
connection between Strasburg and Winchester has heretofore been a subject of
controversy in our Legislature. But I have to state that the causes of that
controversy have been entirely removed by the present condition of the country.
The rival which caused the opposition thus made no longer exists or can exist.
It was formerly supposed that this road might be prejudicial to the interests
of Alexandria; but the President of the Manassas Rail Road Company authorizes
me to stat that he is now anxious for its construction; and that he himself
made the proposition concerning this contract, which has been approved by the
Governor and Council and General Lee. I hope, therefore, it may be unnecessary
to make any further statement to the Convention in reference to the matter. If
there be any such occasion, I think I can satisfy the members of this convention
of the propriety and importance, in every point of view, of granting the
authority for the construction of the road.
Mr. GREGORY.—I
desire to submit a motion which I have never before made in any deliberative
body. This is a question of some interest, and likely to require the
consideration of the Convention longer than the present late hour will warrant.
I move that we do now adjourn.
The PRESIDENT. The
Chair would suggest the propriety of taking a recess until half past seven
o’clock.
Mr. GREGORY.—That
ought to have been my motion, and I now make it.
Mr. BORST.—I hope
the gentleman will withdraw his motion for five minutes, as I believe that this
matter may be settled without further discussion.
Mr. GREGORY.—I
should prefer to have it lay over until we meet again.
The Convention then
took a recess until half past 7 o’clock, p.m.
EVENING SESSION.
VISIT TO THE PRESIDENT.
The Convention
re-assembled at half past seven o’clock.
At ten minutes to
eight, the body adjourned and preceded by Hon. Jon Janney, the President and
Hon. John Tyler, visited the Hon. Jefferson Davis at his parlors, in the
Spotswood Hotel, the members being severally introduced to the Chief Magistrate
by Mr. Eubank, the Secretary of the Convention. There were also present Hon.
Messrs. Toombs, Memminger and Mallory of the cabinet, and Mr. Brown, the
Assistant Secretary of State. An hour having been spent in the interchange of
courtesies, the gentlemen retired.
SOURCES: Lyon Gardiner
Tyler, The Letters and Times of the Tylers, Volume 2, p. 660-1;
“Virginia Secession Convention,” Richmond
Enquirer, Semi-Weekly Edition, Tuesday Morning, June 18, 1861, p. 2
