Mr. S. CAMERON, of Pa.-That motion is now before the house.

Mr. H. J. RAYMOND, of N. Y.-That motion, as I understand it, is that the Secretary of this meeting call the list of States, and that, as the name of each State is called, some one on behalf of that State shall respond to it, and present the list of delegates claiming seats from that State, together with their credentials.

Mr. S. CAMERON, of Pa.-I have those of Pennsylvania in my hand now, ready to present.

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The CHAIRMAN.-The question is on the motion of the gentleman from Pennsylvania, as it has been just stated.

The motion was agreed to.

Mr. SHAW, the Secretary, proceeded to call the roll of States, and lists of delegates were handed in from Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, California, Oregon, West Virginia, and Kansas.

From Missouri two lists of delegates were presented, one elected by the Radical Union Convention, and the other by the Unconditional Union Party of Missouri.

CONTESTED SEATS.

Mr. THADDEUS STEVENS, of Penn,-I move that all contested cases be laid over, and that the delegates from such States shall not be entered on the roll until the credentials shall have been sent to a Committee on Credentials and reported back.

The motion was agreed to.

The District of Columbia was also called, and it was announced that there were two sets of delegates from the District.

The CHAIRMAN.-All the States embraced in the call of this Convention have been called by the Secretary. Is it the mind of the Convention that he shall stop there, or shall he call the other States.

Mr. THADDEUS STEVENS, of Penn.-I move, Mr. Chairman, that if there are any representatives here from States which have not been called-and I understand that some of the States in secession claim to be represented here-they present their credentials to the Committee on Credentials when appointed, but that they be not called in this order.

Mr. J. H. LANE, of Kansas.—I move to amend the motion of the gentleman from Pennsylvania, by directing the Secretary to proceed with the call of the States and Territories, with the understanding that

the credentials which may be presented shall be referred to the Committee on Credentials.

Mr. THADDEUS STEVENS, of Penn.-I am afraid that that will be some recognition of the right of the States which now belong to the Southern Confederacy to be represented here, and, of course, to be represented in the Electoral College. I think we ought to march with great caution in this matter; for, although I have no doubt there are many very excellent men here from such States, yet it is a question which ought to be settled before we commit ourselves at all, whether they are entitled to be represented here or not. I may as well say at this point-though, perhaps, it has nothing to do with this question-that, in a meeting of the Union Republican members of the House of Representatives, they have unanimously declared that no such States can be represented in Congress, or ought to be represented in the Electoral College, or, in their judgment, ought to be represented here, as that would give them a right to be represented in the Electoral College. I do not want to have that question now discussed, or now decided. I have, therefore, made a motion, which I thought would leave it open for consideration, to refer it all to the Committee on Credentials, who will carefully examine the whole question, and report to this Convention, so that the business may not now be interrupted by what may be a protracted discussion. I hope the gentleman from Kansas will see the propriety of this proceeding being taken, as it will decide nothing, but simply place the question in a position for adjudication hereafter.

Mr. J. H. LANE, of Kansas.-It will be time enough to decide against the claims of Nevada, and Colorado, and Nebraska, who expect to cast electoral votes for our candidate [applause], after an examination by the Committee on Credentials. It will be time enough to decide against the free State of Arkansas, whose Senators and Representatives are knocking at the doors of Congress for admission, after consideration by the Committee on Credentials. It will be time enough to decide against the gallant Free-State men of Louisiana [applause], who propose to elect Senators and Representatives so soon as they can, under their amended Constitution, after an examination by the Committee on Credentials. These States are here with their delegates. All they ask is the poor boon of being ranked in the call with their sister States [applause]. They are willing to abide the decision of the Committee on Credentials, and the decision of this Convention. The State of Missouri has two sets of delegates here: there is a question to adjudicate, and we have received the credentials of both sets of delegates, and referred them to the Committee on Credentials for adjudication. The delegates from Arkansas, the dele

gates from Louisiana, the delegates from Tennessee, and the delegates from Nevada, Nebraska, and Colorado, have a question to be adjudicated. Send their credentials to the Committee on Credentials, as you have done in the case of the contestants from the State of Missouri. Let me add, the delegates from Nevada, Nebraska and Colorado especially, ask recognition here for the purpose of strengthening the State movement within those territories; and I hope, as a matter of policy, if not as a matter of justice, that you will permit their credentials to be received and referred to the Committee on Credentials.

Mr. HORACE MAYNARD, of Tenn.-I rise to say that I appear as the Chairman of the delegation from the State of Tennessee, sent here by the loyal Union portion of the population of that old State, extending as they do from the mountains to the banks of the Mississippi river. I presume that, as to the mere matter of their credentials, there can be very little dispute. The question for the Convention to decide is, as I understand it, whether the State of Tennessee, by her loyal, Union, liberty-loving population [applause], shall have a position and a voice in the deliberations of this body. As a right, we are free to concede in one sense that we have it not; but this, as it has been very appropriately styled by the Chairman, is a voluntary representative body, not provided for either by the Constitution or the laws of our country, but growing up by established party usages for a period of almost one generation. Any body of men who choose to assemble themselves within the limits of the U. S. to designate candidates for the high offices of President and Vice-President, undoubtedly have the right to do so, and have equally the right to say who shall and who shall not assemble with them. We concede that fully. We come, making no such claims. In another sense, and if I may be permitted to say, in a much larger and higher sense, they who have sent us here do claim that they have a right to be represented in this body of American citizens [applause]. What is the assemblage? What does it purport to be? An assemblage of delegates representing that portion of the American people who are now, by their efforts in the field, and by their sustaining and co-operating efforts at home, attempting to sustain the honor and the existence of the government against the men who are in rebellious array, endeavoring to break it up and overthrow it. Assembled here under that symbol which typifies our common nationality, we, the loyal people of Tennessee, claim the right to be represented in any such assemblage, wherever upon this broad Continent it may be met [applause]. You have decorated and adorned your hall most beautifully and most appropriately by that flag which is the symbol of our common nationality. Count, I beseech you, before you pronounce upon this ques

tion, the stars that emblazon it [great and continued applause]. That, sir, is our argument; that, sir, is our appeal. The sixteenth star in that constellation symbolizes the existence of Tennessee. And we intend, God helping us, and by the assistance of the loyal arms of the loyal men of our country, that that star shall never set.

I do not propose, in this preliminary period of the deliberations of the Convention, to enlarge on this topic. I rose simply for the purpose of entering, in behalf of those much-enduring, long-suffering men who sent us here, a protest that you should not pass us by, or forget or ignore our existence. Let me say that, for you that drink in the cool breezes of the Northern air, it is easy to rally to the flag to sustain the honor of your country; and, if we had not melancholy evidence to the contrary, I should say that it was impossible that any of you should do otherwise. But we represent those who have stood in the very furnace of the rebellion, those who have met treason eye to eye, and face to face, and fought from the beginning for the support of the flag and the honor of our country. [Great applause.] I will not repeat the story of that people. It has been told many times. All I have to say is that if, after the accumulated evidence that has been thrust upon the country, any man is still incredulous of the sublime, romantic patriotism of that noble people, I beg that he will return with me, and see for himself; let him put his hands into the very print of the nails, and he will have such demonstration as shall satisfy him. Sir, that people sent us here because they are interested in the great question to be decided here. They are interested with you in sustaining and upholding the common government of this country, and they have sent us here to attest, by an additional act, their devotion to our common country, and their desire to be reckoned among those who are ready to maintain, at every cost, our common honor and nationality. Their sons are dying in the field under the national flag. Their blood has scarcely even now dried upon the sand. It was spilled the other day in the defiles of Georgia, and it has marked all the mountain passes in Tennessee. From an humble beginning, at Mill Spring, to that glorious encounter above the very clouds, their blood has been shed on every field. In the name of these heroes we call upon you to receive us among the friends of the Union here assembled. [Great applause.]

Mr. HANKS, of Ark.-On the western side of the Mississippi River is the State of Arkansas, which, although almost blotted out, has sent here a full delegation of true Union men. We have suffered for three long years; we have been trampled down beneath the heel of despotism; many of our people have been carried off to captivity, but we are here

to-day to represent true Union men, friends of the government. Within our limits was fought the battle of Pea Ridge. [Applause.] Having passed through the fiery ordeal, we come here as representing twelve thousand loyal men of Arkansas, who have put down that disturbing element which was the source of all our woes. [Applause.] We are here; we claim to be a parcel of you; and we claim that we have yet a star in the glorious galaxy of the American Union.

Mr. L. H. CHANDLER, of Va.-Before this question is put, I desire to say a word in behalf of the delegation from Virginia. I wish to know the name of the last State or Territory that was called before the motion was submitted by the gentleman from Pennsylvania.

The SECRETARY (Mr. SHAW).—The last name called was the District of Columbia.

Mr. L. H. CHANDLER, of Va.-Now, I wish to know, Mr. Chairman, why the District of Columbia should be called, and the State of Virginia left out. Why, sir, the District of Columbia never can be hatched or piped into a State. [Laughter.] Act as you please, vote as you please, decide as you please here, with all respect for the District of Columbia -and I believe I am standing almost within speaking distance of herhow can she ever throw an electoral vote? But the State of Virginia has contributed 25,000 men to the Union army. [Applause.] She is this day represented in the Senate of the United States, and, but for the inscrutable dispensation of Divine Providence in the death of the lamented BOWDEN, would be fully represented; and she would, to-day, have three Representatives on the floor of the House of Representatives but for the fact that the Committee of Elections decided, not that she was not a State, but that the vote of the respective districts was not sufficient if scattered over the districts, or, in other words, that a sufficient number of counties in each district had not voted. Is that State to be shut out? The member from Pennsylvania who submitted that motion has himself recognized the State of Virginia as one of the States of this Union. [Applause.]

Mr. T. STEVENS, of Pa.-May I ask the gentleman when I ever recognized Virginia, since her Ordinance of Secession, as being in the Union? West Virginia, cut off from Virginia, I voted for admitting into the Union as an independent State, and the gentleman will do me the justice to say that I then declared that Virginia herself had no business to be considered in the Union. I was very sorry, when the gentleman was himself lately an applicant for a seat in Congress, that I was obliged to vote against him, because I believed that Virginia and all other States in Secession-although I knew some of their men were