1In our last we stated, that Mr. Bland had introduced the proceedings of the Legislature of Virginia on the subject of Amendments—it may not be uninteresting to state the substance of the observations that occurred upon this business. On one hand it was observed, that the application of the State of Virginia was made with a view of obtaining amendments, agreeably to the 5th article of the Constitution: That although the address of Virginia had been transmitted to the several Legislatures, but few of them had thought proper to coincide with that State—That it would be giving the address due consideration, to refer it to a committee of the whole, to be taken up at the time assigned for the House to consider amendments, of which notice had been given yesterday—That the address was from a respectable State, and merited an equal compliment at least, with other applications that had already been referred to the committee—That although this address might stand alone, yet it might be of weight in the decisions of the committee—That it rested on the basis of its own merits, and could not in the nature of its operation, committed, contravene the spirit of the Constitution—That as it was a standing rule of the House, that they should go into a committee of the whole every day there appeared to be a propriety in the commitment.
2In reply it was observed—That although the application was undoubtedly from the most respectable quarter, yet it appeared to be more proper, that it should lie on the table for the information of the members—that when a sufficient number of similar applications should be made, it might constitutionally come before Congress—That it ought to be treated with due respect—but that Congress had no deliberative voice, with respect to calling a Convention, agreeably to the application—That when two thirds of the States should apply they were bound to call one—That it would not be paying proper respect to Virginia, to commit the application to a body which was not competent to deliberate or decide upon it—That as the House had been led to consider the fourth Monday of the present month as the time assigned to go into the consideration of amendments, then would be a proper season to bring forward the application—That it would be paying proper respect to it, to enter it on the journals: This was therefore acceeded to with the addition, that it should be put upon the files in the Clerk's Office.