Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1828-03-13
AN ACT,
Concerning a Convention
PASSED, DEe. II, 1927.


are DESTROYS of amending the Consttu-
ton of this State, and this Assembly
feel it their duty TO ascertain the wishes
of the people thereon:
Sect /. Be u therefore enacted, That
it shall be the duty of the several Sher-
ifs, and other officers, authorised TO
conduct elections within this Common
wealth, atthe time and place of holding
their respective elections for delegates
to the General Assembly, in April next,
to open separate poll, for the purpo
ses of taking the sense of the people
upon the question, whether they desire
Convention or not The poll to be o.
pened shall contain two columns; one
for the names of these who vote in the
affirmative, the other for the names of
those who vote 10 the negative, and shall
be headed thus:
"Shall there be a Convention to amend
the Constitution of this Commonwealth"
CONVENTION, NO CONVENTION.
The Sheriff or other officer, conduct
ing the election, shall take the vote on
the question aforesaid, OF every person
qualified, according to the existing laws
Of the commonwealth, to vote for dele
gates to the General Assembly, who
shall come forward during the election
10 give his vote, and shall write the
names of all those who vote Ill the affir-
native, in the 6rst column, under the
word Convention" and the names OF
all those who vote in the negative, in
the second column, under the words
".No Convention" No person shall be
permitted to vote on the question afore
said, who is not en- titled to vote for de
legates to the General Assembly, under
the existing laws ofthis commonwealth,
nor shall any one be permitted to vote
IN any county or corporation, who shall
previously have voted upon the same
question in another.
Sect. .. And more fully TO ascertain
the sense of the good people of this
commonwealth on this momentous ques
ton, BE it further enGcied, That at the
May and June terms of their respective
county or corporation courts, immedi
ately succeeding the election aforesaid,
il shall be the duty of the respective
Sherifis, or other officers authorised by
law to conduct elections therein,to open
said polls at their respective places of
holding courts, and to continue them o.
pen during the whole of said terms,
when they shall be ready at all times to
receive and record, as required by The
first section of this Act, all the legal
votes, which may offer themselves to be
polled on this question, during such
terms; at the end of which terms, the
said polls shall be returned to their res
pective clerks offices. And it shall
moreover be the duty Of such Sheriff or
other officer, to make proclamation be-
fore the door OF the fact of such poll be-
ing opened, the place al which it is kept,
and of his readiness to receive the votes
of all persons entitled by this Act, to ex-
press their opinions on this question.
Sect. 3. BE it further enacted, That
after the end Of the June terms in the
respective counties and corporations as
aforesaid, the said polls shall be closed.
and within ten days thereafter, IT shall
be TIE duty of the Sheriff or other Off.
GER conducting the polls, aud of the
clerk or deputy clerk, and of the com
missioner or commissioners OF the re-
venue, (if there be more than one,) OF
the several counties or corporations,e EN-
titled to elect delegates as aforesaid, to
assemble at the clerks offices OF their
respective counties or corporation, on
some day to be appointed and made
known TO them by the Sheriff or other
officer authorised by law to conduct the
elections therein as aforesaid. And, if
any Of them shall refuse or fail to at
tend, it shall be the duty of such Sheriff
or other officer, to give notice thereof
to the attorney prosecuting for the
commonwealth in such county OF cor
poration, and those whodo attend, shall
proceed to examine said polls, and hav.
ing stricken theretrom the names Of all
such persons as in the opinion Of a ma
jority of them are not legally entitled to
vote under this Act, te cause two fair
copies of such corrected poll to be made
out and verified as fellows: Each sheet
of such poll shall be subscribed with the
names Of the Sheriff or other officer, or
clerk or deputy, and ofthe commission
er or commissioners of the reveAue, or
a.