and the presiding officer of the court stand upon
the same platform. One has to make the
argument and the other has to give the deci-
sion. The only difference is this, that the
judge waits for the argument of counsel, but
there is no waiting for argument here. They
decide first, and refuse to hear the argument
even afterwards. That is the position in
which we stand here. We can no more dis-
cuss questions than if -we were in the most
distant part of the universe. The poor priv-
ilege of a reasonable time to express our views
on particular subjects is denied to us. I move
to lay the order upon the table.
The PRESIDENT. The chair rules this order
to be out of order, being in conflict with the
55th rule, which requires one day's notice,
no notice buying been given. The rule is :
"Rule 55. No standing rule or Older
shall be rescinded or changed without one
day's notice being given of the motion there-
for."
Mr. PUGH. I give notice that I will submit
the order to-morrow.
EVENING SESSIONS
Mr. CHAMBERS. I would propose the recon-
sideration of an order passed some days since.
We have made the experiment of night ses-
sions, I think, to our complete satisfaction.
When the order was adopted I had no idea
that it was to be a permanent regulation,
We were discussing particular subjects; and
1 supposed gentlemen had come to the conclu-
sion to come to the end of them. This busi-
ness of having continual night sessions is an
exceedingly onerous matter. It is generally
conceded that five or six hours of intellectual
labor is a five amount, excepting for a short
time under very pressing and urgent circum-
stances. Legislative bodies, approaching the
close of their work, have held night sessions.
I have been acustomed in courts of justice,
when a session has been prolonged, and there
has been a necessity tu build a session at a
given time in an adjoining county, or upon
any other emergency, to hold night sessions.
But as a permanent matter I have no knowl-
edge of such a practice.
It is not only of itself onerous, but in our
predicament is singularly so. The fact is
notorious that a comparatitively large number
of our delegates regularly persist, as soon as
the hour arrives, in taking their departure
for Baltimore. The result is that the burden
falls upon the few who remain. Another
consequence is, that even if we have a quorum,
our work is incomplete. We cannot carry
along with us at any time any assurance that
a vote of less than a majority of this body
maiy not be reconsidered; and reconsideration
after reconsideration has become ourpractice.
1 find myself obliged to retire at my ordinary
bed-time. My health requires that I shall
not violate the ordinary rules by which 1
have been governed. |
I have come to the conclusion that one of
two things must be done by this body, so as
effectually to come to a conclusion, of their
duties. We must either discontinue our night
sessions, or we must remove to Baltimore and
hold our sessions where the members are to .
be found. The last has not been acceptable
to the decided majority of the body. I have
been opposed to it myself, and am so still.
But it is essential that some means should be
taken by which our work can be accom-
plished. I move a reconsideration of the
vote by which night sessions were ordered.
The PRESIDENT. The gentleman is not is
order. He voted in the negative upon that
order.
Mr, STIRLING. 1 suggest that under the
ruling of the chair it requires a notice of one
day to rescind that order.
Subsequently,
Mr, CHAMBERS moved that when the conven-
tion adjourns it adjourn to meet to-morrow
at ten o'clock. -
The PRESIDENT. That is not in order. A
standing rule or order cannot be changed
without one day's notice.
Subsequently,
Mr. CHAMBER gave notice that on to-mor-
row he would move to rescind the order
passed July 21.st instant (page 253,) by which
the convention holds evening sessions.
PERSONAL EXPLANATIONS.
Mr. PETER. 1 rise to a question of privi-
lege. My attention has been called to an arti-
cle in the Baltimore American of July 22d,
1864, signed "S."
That article has made a direct attack upon
a member or this convention from Montgum-
ery county.
The author of it was too base and cowardly
to sign his name and assume that responsi-
bility which an honest and upright man
would, under any circumstances, rather court
than seek to avoid.
Whilst the name of the member from Mont-
gomery county referred to is studiously con-
cealed in this article, it refers in terms to one
of them, and may be applied to me. If so,
Mr, Prisident, 1 pronounce this article a base
and scurrilous falsehood, the offspring of an
evil, contemptible, and malicious heart.
My colleagues are here to speak for them-
selves; for myself, I can but say that I be-
lieve its charges are as false and groundless
in regard to them as 1 pronounce them to be
in regard to myself.
Mr. DUVALL. So far as I am concerned, aa
a delegate from Montgomery county, 1 pro-
nounce lhe article, if it refers to me, an un-
mitigated falsehood, as false and malicious as
the author himself.
Mr. LANSDALE. I am implicated in this
matter; and I have no doubt at all that I am
the party to whom the article refers. |
