JEFFERSON CITY, February 28, 1861. The Convention met in the Court House at 11 o'clock.

On motion of Judge ORR, Judge GAMBLE was called to act as Chairman pro tem.

Judge GAMBLE on taking the Chair spoke as follows:

"Gentlemen of the Convention: You have called me to assist in the permanent organization of this body. While I preside over you as temporary Chairman, we shall have nothing to do with the momentous questions which are finally to come before this body and be settled by its determination. I shall, therefore, in taking the position, not allow myself to dwell upon the topics and subjects which are thus to be considered and determined. One thing is certain, namely: that the interest of this land, of the State of Missouri, and, in a large measure, probably, the liberties and interests of the United States of America, may depend upon the action of this body; and, therefore, I trust that there shall be not only harmony in its deliberations, but that spirit which will give assurance to the land that here are assembled those who are wise and true men. In the selection of the officers who are to be permanent, the Convention can be at no loss, for there | are within it those who, by experience and elevated position, are familiar with the discharge of the duties necessary to facilitate the business of the Convention. I apprehend there will be no difficulty in that respect, and that the Convention will find itself able to select from its members those whose action as the presiding, and other officers, will meet with the entire approval of the body. I suppose, gentlemen, that the nomination of a temporary Secretary is next in order."

Mr. WILSON nominated Col. Minor, of Cole county. The nomination was concurred in by the Convention, and Col. Minor called to act as Secretary pro tem.

On motion of Judge SHEELEY, the Rev. Andrew Monroe was requested to come forward and open the proceedings with prayer.

Rev. Mr. MONROE thereupon came forward, and invoked the blessings of Almighty God in the following words-the Convention rising:

"Almighty God! We bow down in Thy presence; we present ourselves before Thee, great Jehovah, God over all; forever blessed. We humble ourselves, as sinful creatures. In thus coming into Thy presence, we remember our origin; we feel our weakness and dependence; we desire to come to Thee, blessed God, for aid at this time of need and trouble. Forgive our many sins, and oh! God, forgive the sins of the country generally— of our portion of the country-of the State which we inhabit; blot out our iniquities, and purge us of all our sins, and lead us in paths of righteousness, we entreat Thee, for Thy name's sake; and let Thy blessing, merciful God, rest upon this body, now assembled to consult the great interests of the State and country generally. Oh! God, let Thy blessings rest upon this Convention; preside over the deliberations of the body; and grant that wisdom, and prudence, and forbearance, and conciliation, may characterize all their proceedings.

"Grant Heavenly Father, that Heavenly wisdom may rest upon them; that they may be guided in all their deliberations to do the greatest good. Bless our national country-bless this State and the States severally; and grant, Merciful Father, that we may be kept back from violence, war and

bloodshed, and that all things may come to a happy termination for us, and redound to the glory of God. Pour out upon us the healthful influence of Thy spirit of grace and Heavenly wisdom. Guide us all by Thy counsel and save us finally, through Christ. Amen."

The Secretary called the roll, when the following gentlemen answered to their names:

Messrs. Allen, Bartlett, Bass, Birch, Bogy, Breckinridge, Broadhead, Bridge, Brown, Bush, Calhoun, Casey, Comingo, Drake, Dunn, Eitzen, Flood, Foster, Gamble, Givens, Gorin, Gravelly, Hall of Buchanan, Hall of Randolph, Harbin, Hatcher, Hendrick, Hitchcock, Holmes, Holt, How, Isbell, Jackson, Jamison, Kidd, Knott, Linton, Long, Marmaduke, Marvin, McClurg, McCormack, McDowell, McFerran, Meyer, Moss, Morrow, Norton, Orr, Philips, Pomeroy, Price, Rankin, Ray, Rowland, Sawyer, Sayre, Scott, Shackelford of Howard, Shackelford of St. Louis, Sheeley, Smith of Linn, Smith of St. Louis, Tindall, Turner, Waller, Watkins, Welch, Wilson, Woodson, Woolfolk, Wright, Zimmerman-73.

ABSENT-Messrs. Bast, Chenault, Collier, Crawford, Doniphan, Donnell, Douglass, Frayzer, Gantt, Henderson, Hill, Hough, Howell, Hudgins, Irwin, Johnson, Leeper, Matson, Maupin, Noell, Pipkin, Redd, Ritchey, Ross, Stewart, and Vanbuskirk-26.

A quorum declared present.

On motion, the members present were requested to come forward and hand the Secretary their credentials.

On motion of Gen. WATKINS, the President was instructed to appoint a Committee of five to examine credentials and report to the Convention.

Agreed to, and Messrs. Watkins, Birch, W. A. Hall, Linton, and Orr, appointed as such Committee.

Mr. ORR moved to adjourn until to-morrow morning at 10 o'clock.

Mr. WILSON requested the gentleman to withdraw his motion, as it was proper to appoint a temporary door-keeper.

Mr. ORR withdrew his motion.

Mr. ROWLAND moved that a Committee of seven be appointed to report on Permanent Offi

cers.

Mr. WELCH suggested that the motion was premature. Permanent officers could not be nominated until after the Committee on Credentials had reported.

Mr. ROWLAND said his motion was not to present names to the Convention, but merely to designate the offices which it might be necessary to fill.

Mr. BROADHEAD suggested as an amendment to the motion, that the committee be required to report rules for the government of the Convention. Amendment accepted by Mr. Rowland.

Mr. ROWLAND's motion was then put and carried.

The President appointed Messrs. Rowland, Price, Broadhead, Welch, Wilson, Hatcher, and Hendricks as the Committee.

Mr. POMEROY moved that J. A. Davis be appointed temporary doorkeeper. Agreed to.

Mr. WELCH moved to adjourn till 10 o'clock, but withdrew his motion at the request of Mr. Birch.

Mr. BIRCH moved that the Convention adjourn until 3 o'clock, then to meet in conclave for the purpose of determining whether the subsequent sessions should be open or what was called secret sessions. He said he had sufficient reasons in his own mind for making the motion, and trusted it would be agreed to by common consent.

Several members suggested the hour of 10 o'clock on Friday, instead of 3 o'clock, P. M. Accepted by Mr. BIRCH, and Convention adjourned until 10 o'clock to-morrow (Friday) morning.

SECOND DAY.

JEFFERSON CITY, March 1, 1861. Met at 10 o'clock. Opened with prayer. The journal was read by the Secretary. Mr. BIRCH remarked that if no gentleman desired to amend the record, he would move to execute the order of yesterday, in regard to secret session.

Mr. WILSON. Would it not be better to receive the credentials of gentlemen who have arrived since yesterday?

Mr. WATKINS. I understand the members who came in since yesterday, have handed in their credentials already.

Mr. BIRCH. I was aware of that, and in making the motion now, to execute the order of yesterday, I renew the statement of the reasons which actuated me then. It is for the simple purpose of determining in conclave, whether our proceedings shall be in secret session or conclave, or open. I suppose the motion will scarcely meet with any opposition, that being the sole object.

Mr. WILSON. It occurs to me that perhaps it would be better before the Convention proceeds to execute the order for a secret session, that we should elect our permanent officers. That having been done, the Convention, if deemed advisable, could resolve itself into a secret session, for the purpose of considering the propositions made by the gentleman. I therefore move, if I can meet a second, that the Convention proceed to receive the report of the Committee on organization, which I understand is ready, and that then, if that report is approved, the Convention may further proceed to provide itself with the officers therein recommended, or such of them as they think necessary.

Mr. BIRCH. I regret exceedingly as the gentleman from Andrew is so near to my room that I had not conversed with him more freely, as to the objects. I am sure it would have prevented his motion. All I will say in that respect is that with the views I entertain of our duties here, and the hopes I entertain of the result of the deliberations of the Convention, I think that we should commence the good work right at the very point of electing our officers. I will but say here that I came here in the spirit of conciliation as a Missourian, meeting gentlemen, as I am aware, of almost every grade of opinion; that I anticipate that we shall leave here all of one mind, and I think that we should commence the work right at the starting point. I will not be more specific in addressing myself to such intelligence as this Convention represents. If it will be the pleasure of the Convention, however, that we should proceed publicly, and forego the execution of the order for the purpose of seconding the motion of the gentlemen from Andrew, I shall not complain.

Mr. WATKINS. On yesterday a committee of five was appointed upon credentials, with instructions to report at ten o'clock this morning. That Committee has performed its duty and is now prepared to make its report. I will suggest to the gentlemen if it would not be more proper that that report should come in first. We shall then have official knowledge of who are the members of the body, but until that report is received we cannot have that knowledge.

The CHAIR. That is the natural order of proceeding.

Mr. WATKINS. I will suggest to the gentleman then to withdraw his motion.

Mr. BIRCH. I will do anything whatever in courtesy to the gentleman, but I will suggest to the gentleman from Cape Girardeau, that in order to obtain his object he must move to forego the execution of the order for secret session.

Mr. WATKINS. I would observe to the gentleman that I am acting within the order. This committee was appointed by the Chair, and has orders to report at 10 o'clock. We are now prepared to make the report. If it is the pleasure of the Convention we will report.

THE CHAIR-The Chair is at a loss to know whether the motion of the gentleman from Clinton has been seconded?

Mr. BIRCH-I will state very briefly, that I made that motion merely in form. I suppose it to be imperative on the Convention to execute the order of yesterday, and although there appears to be a conflicting motion, yet it was, of course, contemplated that we should hear the report in conclave. I will not press the motion further, as I have no wish, whatever, to hear myself talk.

The CHAIR. If that motion is not pressed the report of the committee will be in order.

Mr. WATKINS. Then, Mr. President, I will state that the special committee appointed yesterday to examine credentials, have performed that duty and instructed me to make the following report, which I desire the Secretary to read.

The Secretary read the report, which presents the same names as those contained in yesterday's dispatch.

Mr. FOSTER moved that the report be received, and the committee discharged.

Mr. IRWIN. Before that report is acted upon, I desire to say that there are members of this Convention whose credentials have not been presented. The effect of this motion is that the committee will be discharged, and cannot hereafter examine credentials.

Mr. WATKINS. I will observe that besides the evidence which the Committee on Credentials had before them, I went to the Secretary of State's of fice for the purpose of ascertaining from the returns who is elected, and found that there were counties which have not yet been heard from. So we were not enabled to make a full report.

The CHAIR. The Chair considers it the right of any gentleman who is elected, and has the evidence of his election with him, to present his credentials now and be admitted. I will ask the Secretary to perfect the roll accordingly.

Mr. FOSTER'S motion was then agreed to and the Committee discharged.

Mr. ROWLAND, from the Committee who were instructed to designate the offices of the Convention and report rules for its government made a report which was read by the Secretary. The Committee recommend that the following offices be filled: 1st, President; 2d, Vice President; 3d, Secretary; 4th, Assistant Secretary; 5th, Door-keeper.

Also, that the rules adopted by the State Convention assembled in Jefferson City on the 17th of November, 1845, be adopted as the rules of the Convention, excepting rules numbered 41, 42 and 44, and all but the following words of rule 49: No member shall be allowed pay for any day that he shall be absent from the session of the Convention, unless prevented by sickness.

Also, that 150 copies of these rules be printed for the use of the Convention.

Also, that each delegate, before entering upon the discharge of his duties, be required to take an oath to support the Constitution of the United States and of Missouri.

Also, that each officer of the Convention, except the President and Vice-President, be required to take such an oath, and besides, to swear that they will not divulge anything that has transpired in secret sessions.

Mr. WELCH moved that the report be adopted. Agreed to.

Mr. WELCH. I would inquire if the vote taken on the adoption of the report is considered as an