Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-06-04
THE CONVENTION


Secretary of State, Treasurer, Auditor and Board
of Public Works.
The report of the Executive Committee, in re-
gard to the Lieutenant Governor, was modified in
some of its details; but not in any important fea-
ture. As the provision now stands, that officer is
to be elected by the people, and, like the Governor
10 hold office for five years. In case of the i'm
parchment and conviction of the Governor, his
DEATH refusal or inability to qualify, resignation,
or removal from the State, the powers and du-
ties of the office are to devove on the Lieutsn-
ant Governor; and the Legislature is authorized
10 provide for all other cases in which it may be
necessary 10 have locum tenens whilst neither
the Governor nor Lieutenant Governor are per-
forming igubernatorial duty. Whilst acting as
Governor, the Lieutenant Governor to have the
salary of Governor. He is also to preside over
the Senate, in the same manner that the Vice
President presides over the U. s. Senate, and
when he is acting as Governor, or is for other
cause absent, the Senate to choose presiding
officer. While President of the Senate he is to
receive the compensation allowed to the Speaker
of the House of Delegates.
On Mr.. Randolph's notion the report of the
committee was SO modified as to make the
Secretary of State eligible by the Legisla-
ture, instead of the qualified voters. The vote
this was Al to 81. The Secreary's term OF
Office is five years.
The report provides that Treasurer and Au-
ditor ofPublic Accounts shall be elected, by Joint
vote of the two Houses of the General Assembly
to hold office two years. with the powers and du-
ties now, or hereafter to be, prescribed by law.
A motion was made to strike out the words of
this provision as to the election of the Treasurer
and Auditor by the people, and to insert others for
popular election; but it failed ayes SO, noes A.
The fourth Article of the report directs the Lee
gislaure to organize, and prescribe the duties, and
fix the compensation of Board of Public Works,
consisting of three Commissioners to be elected
by the qualified voters, one to hold office for two,
one for four and the third for six years, and their
respective terms TO he determined by lot; and there
after one to be elected biennially to hold flee for
six years. The Board to appoint all representa-
tives of the Statei in Improvement companies.
Mr.. Smith of n moved to strike out the clause
prescribing general election, for the purpose of
inserting provision that they be elected by dis
tricts. The committee voted to strike out, ayes
SO, noes 80.
Mr.. Neeson moved to amend so that the districts
should be laid off according to the qualified voters
therein-agreed to.
Mr.. Smiths amendment as amended was then
adopted.
Mr.. Garlic moved to amend so as to lay off the
districts by East and West lines-rejected
Mr.. Letcher proposed North and South lines
rejected.
Mr.. Camden proposed that the term of Office
should be three instead of six years-rejected.
Mr. Letcher moved to amend by providing that
Commissioner may be removed from office by
a vote of majority Of all the members of each
House of Assembly.
Pending his proposition, the Committee rose,
Mr.. Trigg having first given notice of an amend
ment to strike out the whole article, and insert pro-
visions constituting Board of Public Works con-
sisting of five MEMBERS one to be elected by each
grand division of the State, and the fifth by the
State at large to hold office for four years, and
the Board to recommend every improvement to
the Legislature before appropriation in its be-
half can be made.
ne VOleS III COmmlltee upon these very I'M
portant matters afford scarcely any test of what
the sense of The Convention will be- There are
now some ftty.fre members absent from their
seats, and their views will probably modify many
of the decisions made in Committee of the Whole.
We shall not follow tho example of some preach
ers who scold small congregation, because it is
small, when their reproofs ought rather to be ad-
minisered to the absentees; bat it is thing WORTHY
oftheattention of the public that two.1hs of their
Constitulion-makers are this day away from their
posts, when subjects of the utmost concern are
hourly disposed of.
AT the annual meeting of the American Unita-
rian Association in Boston, on Tuesday the Rev. |
Samuel May. of Syracuse, offered preamble |
reciting that President Fillmore, Daniel Webster,
Abbott Lawrence, Hon. Samuel A. Eliot, Jared
Sparks, Rev. Dr. Dewey, and Rev. DR.. Gannet
are all members of the Unitcran Church, and all
inculcate obedience to the fugitive law, and de-
caring that law "a most fearful violation of the