PROCEEDINGS OF THE Democratic National Convention AT CHARLESTON, 1860. FIRST DAY. MONDAY, APRIL 23, 1860. IN accordance with the call of the Democratic National Committee, the Delegates to the National Convention assembled at 12 o'clock this morning, in the Hall of the South Carolina Institute, in Charleston, S. C. Hon. DAVID A. SMALLEY, of Vermont, Chairman of the Democratic National Committee, called the Convention to order, in the following words: GENTLEMEN OF THE CONVENTION: We are assembled on this occasion as the National Democratic Convention, called by the National Democratic Committee, pursuant to the authority confided in them by the Convention assembled at Cincinnati, to nominate candidates for the Presidency and Vice Presidency of the United States, and to transact such other business as the interests of the Democratic party may dictate. What is the pleasure of the Convention? Mr. H. R. JACKSON, of Georgia, nominated THOMPSON В. FLOURNOY, of Arkansas, as President of the Convention pro tem. Carried unanimously. Messrs. H. R. JACKSON, of Georgia, and G. W. McCook, of Ohio, were appointed a Committee to conduct the temporary Presiding Officer to the Chair. Col. FLOURNOY, on taking the Chair, said: GENTLEMEN OF THE CONVENTION: I thank you most sincerely for the honor you have done me, and I shall endeavor so to demean myself as to bring about a speedy organization of this body; and, I hope, in a satisfactory manner. The Rev. CHARLES HANCKEL, D. D., of the Episcopal Church, then addressed the Throne of Grace in prayer. The Delegates all in a standing position during the prayer. Mr. FISHER, of Virginia. We are not yet organized. as I understand, nor. has a Secretary yet been appointed. I therefore propose the name of WILLIAM F. RITCHIE, of Virginia, as temporary Secretary of the Convention. Carried unanimously. Mr. FISHER. I now ask the Presiding Officer to read a letter which I will send to the Chair, and in connection with which I have a resolution to offer. Gov. J. A. WINSTON, of Alabama, objected to the reception of the communication until the Convention was permanently organized. Mr. FISHER. The letter relates to the organization. The PRESIDENT. The Chair decides that if it relates to the organization, it is in order. Mr. FISHER took the Secretary's stand, and was about to read the communication, when Mr. JOHN COCHRAN, of New York, claimed to be heard one moment before the letter was read. Mr. FISHER. That is the very issue involved. Mr. COCHRAN. I claim to have the floor, and shall retain it until I am properly interrupted. I rise to a question of order. The resolution must be offered before the communication is read, otherwise there is no question before the Convention. Mr. LAWRENCE, of Louisiana, rose to a point of order. The gentleman from New York has no right to address the Convention. Mr. FISHER. The gentleman is not properly a member of this body. Mr. COCHRAN. I rise to a point of order, and shall not yield the floor. The gentleman from Virginia claims that he has a resolution to offer. It is out of order to read a communication when no motion is before the House. The CHAIR. The Chair decided that if the communication refers strictly to the organization, it can be read. Mr. Pug¤, of Ohio. The proper way of the gentleman from Virginia will be to communicate to the Chair, or to the Convention, the substance of the letter; then we shall see to what business it relates. Mr. FISHER. I have been requested to read the communication, and I shall do so. [Mr. F. proceeded to the Clerk's stand and attempted to read the com munication.] The CHAIR. Before the letter is read, the Chair inquires of the gentleman whether it is a communication from a State? Mr. FISHER. It is from a Delegatton claiming a seat here. Mr. COCHRAN. I rise to a point of order. I had been awarded the floor, and had not yielded it. I claim, therefore, that the gentleman from Virginia is out of order. Mr. FISHER. The State of Virginia is not responsible for my conduct. I am responsible alone for my own acts, and I stand here on the right to the floor, awarded me by the Chair. The CHAIR. The gentleman from Virginia is out of order. The Chair decides that the communication, being only from a contesting Delegation not now recognized by the Convention, is out of order. The gentleman from New York (Mr. Cochran) has been awarded the floor. Mr. FISHER. The Delegates from whom this communication comes are representatives of the State of New York. They claim it as a right to be heard The CHAIR-[rapping to order.] The gentleman from Virginia has been ruled out of order, and I call upon the Convention to support the Chair. Mr. FISHER. I have the floor, and I do not mean to be unfairly ruled out of order. [Shouts of "Order! order!"] Mr. JOHN COCHRAN. I move, Mr. President, that the rules of the last National Convention be adopted as the rules to govern this body. Mr. L. P. WALKER, of Alabama, rose to address the Convention. The CHAIR. Debate is out of order, unless some question is before the Convention. Does the gentleman from Alabama make any motion? Mr. WALKER. I desire to speak. Mr. WALKER. I appeal from the decision of the Chair by which I am ruled out of order, and that I have a right to do. The CHAIR. The gentlem in has a right to appeal. The question will be, shall the decision of the Chair be sustained? Mr. WALKER. I desire to be heard-[Cries of "Question! question!"] The CHAIR. Nothing is in order until the question on the appeal is decided. Mr. CLARK, of Mississippi, in a loud tone of voice, claimed the right of the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Walker) to be heard on the appeal he had taken from the decision of the Chair. The CHAIR. If the Convention will come to order, the Chair will state the question before it. Mr. WALKER. If the Chair will refrain from entering into a conference with me, and will allow me to speak for a few moments, he will then himself understand what is the question to which I desire to speak. The CHAIR. The Chair has no desire to prevent the gentleman from being heard, unless the Convention itself shall decline to hear him. He is in order if speaking on the appeal from the decision of the Chair. Mr. WALKER. The question properly before the Convention is, whether the communication presented by the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Fisher) shall be read. It is simply a parliamentary rule that any gentleman who offers to a body like this a respectful paper, has the right to demand that it be read. The gentleman from Virginia has presented a communication relating directly to the organization of this Convention, from a State Delegation claiming the right of a seat here. It must be entertained at once, if the right of the contesting delegation is to be respected at all. I hold that the question on the reading of the communication is before the House, and as I rose to speak to that question, I hold that the decision of the Chair ruling me out of order is incorrect. The CHAIR. The question before the Convention is, shall the decision of the Chair be sustained? The Chair was sustained by a vote almost unanimous. The CHAIR. The ayes have it, and the decision of the Chair is sustained. Mr. FISHER. I now offer the resolution which I purported to offer in connection with the communication which I desired to read. 'The CHAIR. A question is already pending. It is the motion of the gentleman from New York, that the rules of the last National Convention be adopted as the rules to govern the present Convention. The motion was unanimously adopted. Mr. FISHER. I now ask to read the communication and the resolution which I purport to offer in connection therewith. The CHAIR. It has already been decided that this subject is not in order. The decision of the Chair in that respect, has been sustained by the voice of the Convention. The Chair is therefore compelle i to rule the gentleman from Virginia again out of order. Mr. GEO. W. McCook, of Ohio, offered the following: Resolved, That a Committee of one from each State be selected by the respective delegations, whose duty it shall be to select permanent officers of the Convention. Mr. FISHER. I move to amend this resolution, and I presume my right to do so will not be disputed. The CHAIR. An amendment will be in order if it is pertinent to the question before the Convention. Mr. BARKSDALE, of Mississippi, obtained the floor, and moved the following as a substitute for Mr. McCook's resolution: Resolved, That a Committee on Credentials be appointed by the several delegations respectively, to be composed of one from each State in which there is no disputed delegation, whose duty it shall be to report to the Convention the Delegates that are entitled to seats on this floor. Mr. RICHARDSON said: Mr. President-I hope my friend accept the amendment of the gentleman from Mississippi. troversy in the State which I represent upon this floor. Convention, and I want the country, to see what are its merits. from Ohio will |