Richmond semi-weekly times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 184?-1853, 1851-07-29
STATE CONVENTION.


STATE CONVENTION.
FRIDAY, July 25th, 1851.
line Convention met pursuant to adjournment. No
clergyman present.
The reading Of the preceding days journal was dis
pensed with
SCHEDULE REPORT.
Mr.. BROWN presented report from the Schedule
Committee.
The schedule provides the mode of submitting the
constitution amended the people, for their ratca-
ton or rejection and also for the election by the people
of the Governor, Lieutenant Governor the Judges and
other officers OF the State, if the constitution was adop-
ted Laid upon the table and ordered 10 be printed
INSTRUCTIONS. ..-
Papers presented from the citizens of Amherst
and Nelson counties-one signed by 100 and the other
by las misunderstanding COL Randolph to vote
of the reconsideration OF the Compromise Laid upon
the table.
Mr.. CLAIBORNE moved that the report of the Com
m.e OF the Whole upon the subject Of Education be
taken up for consideration.
nr. SUMMERS moved to amend the motion by strik inc
out the word Education" and insertrq he words.
"apporonment of the Members to tie General AS
sembly"
The amendment was disagreed to, ayes 40, noes 10.
REPORT ON EDUCATION.
The report Of the Committee of the Whole upon
the subject OF Education then taken up for cons
derson. .
The question pending when the subject was last Under
consideration, was the following substitute proposed for
the latter portion OF the report of the Committee by
Mr.. CARLILE:
"The Literary Fund shall, for the future, be safely in
vested ID the bonds OF this State other public secu.
Titles; and no portion thereof shall be given or loaned
to the Universities Colleges of the State; nor shall
the same in any wise be diverted from the purposes OF
primary educaton;" for which Mr.. FLOYD offered the
following substitute:
/. The permanent capital of the Literary Fund shall
be transferred to the Commonwealth and the faith Of
he STATE hereby pledged tor the Of the said
capital and the future increase thereof.
q The accruing revenue of the Literary Fund sha
be annually added to the permanent capital and the
fund so constituted shall be denomnated the Free
School Fund" It shall be held nvioate and shall be
this Commonwealth, nor shall the Free School Fund
be applied to any other purpose whatever.
3. The Legislature shall provide that the people of
the several counties, cities and towns of the common
wealth may by vote OF a majority Of the qualified
voters thereof, annually provide bya capiiation tax
upon heads offamies and an ad yalofem revenue tax
in equal portions, such sum shall, in addition to the
dstrlbutable quota OF the Free School Fund" which
said counties, cities and towns may be entitled be s1i
Gent for the education Of all the free white children in
each OF said counties, cities and towns.
4. The annual interest of the Free School Fund !"
except fifteen thousand dollars thereof which shall be
appropriated to the University shall be apportjoned
amongst the severa counties, cities and towns of the
Staie according to the proportion which The free white
population within such county, city and town shall bear
wealth.
The question being taken upon the amendment. it
was rejected. ~
Mr.. PERKINS then offered the following az sub
sttute to the proposition of Mr.. CARLILE:
l. knowledge and learning, generally diffuseG
OF free government.
Q. 1t shall be the duty of the General Assembly to
provide by aw, that the heads of families in districts
not exceeding - miles square, Lmay elect to have
common and primary schools, and 10 elect commits
sloners tor the same and TO levy equal tax under
proper limitations of law in such mode as thew for
themselves may adopt for the support fthe same; but
system or systems OF schools, except the moiety Of
Inc captaton tax required to be imposed by this con-
sitution. ~
.; The Literary fund and its accruing interest," to.
geher with any increase thereof from any source shall
oe held sacred and applied, as in the existing mode
OF distribution amongst the several counties of The
State tor the purposes Of primary instruction.
A. No loan from the Literary fund shall be cancelled
by the Legislature but the Legislature may provide by
law 1o the security OF any such oan and the colec.
ton OF interest thereon.
A division was demanded, and the question being
nrst taken upon striking out the proposition of Mr.
CARLILE, twas agreed to, ayes g. noes not counted
A division was demanded, and the question being
taken upon insertngin the blank the first secion of Mr.
fuRK1Ns amendment, IT. was disagreed to.
The insertion OF the remaining sections was also
disagreed to.
Mr. Boris moved to fill the blank created by stri-
kine OUT Mr. CARIILEs proposition, with the follow
"The Legislature shall provide by law for a general
system OF primary education, upon such plans or plan
as may from time to time seem ,expedient; and all
the sources OF increase now provided by law for the
augmentation ofthe Literary Fund shall be continued
and the revenue arising from such fund sha be here
after applied exclusively to the purposes OF primary
education; and the Legislature shall have no power to
impose any general tax for that purpose, other than
that provided for in this constitution"
MIR. FERGUSON moved the following as an amend
mend to the amendment:
LIST; The permanent capital of the literary fund shall
be held sacred and nvioate, and the proceeds thereof
shall be applied exclusively to the purposes of education
IN primary and tree schools. i1I
I'd. The General Assembly shall provide bv law Tor
the DIVISION OF the counties of this common wealth into
school districts, with the privilege the qualified vo-
ters therein, to adopt such system Of primary or
Zee schools az three-tiilhs OF Them shs desire
4 division being demanded, the question was first
taken upon striking OUT Mr. Boris proposition, and it
Was agreed to.
then taken upon the first section Of Mr.. FERGusoN's
scheme, and it was agreed to-ayes "a, noes SO,
The question then required upon inserting the second
section and was disagreed o-ayes 16, noes 73
Mr.. WISE moved the addition of the following to the
amendment as adopted
All lands and other property, which have been, |
or may hereafter be gyen granted bequeahed the
state, to countess cities, towns, colleges academies,
schools, school districts, individuals, or communities,
Tor the purposes of education the promotion of the
arts and sciences and the proceeds thereof shall be
consecraed held invested aud applied for such objects
and IN accordance with such gs granite, or bequests
ana Tor no other purpose. Agreed TO.
Mr.. CHAMBLIs moved to add to the first section as
adopted the following proviso
Provided, the Legislature shall not be compelled to
Withdraw an annual appropriation 10 the University |
OF Virginia. upon the conditions imposed by law
Agreed to--ayes 81, noes d.
Mr.. CARLILg moved the indefinite postponement OF
the whole subject, which motion agreed to-ayes
g. noes 40
Thereupon,, on motion OF Mr.. BococK, the Conven.
ton adjourned
MEETING OF CLERGYMEN-RIOT.
TORONTO, July 25.