Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-06-27

phraseology OF the report Itself Will be under c0n
alton. do not know how it can be amended II I
to understand that the proposition is not to b. ncoI
rated As it stands in the constitution will not n.
NV proposition against the wishes of the friends Of M
report. have made suggestion for their Consider.
ton have no objection with that UNDERSTANDING T.,
i the withdrawing Of the amendment offered
SO the amendment accordingly withdraw
! Mr. TAYLOR. | rise to offer IN alnendm.o, =, -,
fifth section The eighth line Of the section provide
sion thereof which shall be held next after a" ,o iAs se
said vote, de- Now desire to amend by putting b
fore the word Session the word ''reguiar" will
state though think the object very we'll understood
what the object Of this amendment H. Th. i = conn.,
pact, compromised is a bargain between two CON-
tending secous-and in this bargain in MI other ho
terms should be defntre and opportunity given T.,
those who to act for to cvade the letter or th
spirit Of this compact BY any meals whatsoever Nav
unless this word regular be inserted before session il
may be that the governor may call session Of the le
stature and the time Of this reapporonment be csr.
instead of being made when it is here intended .a,
understand the spirit of this bargain be this N,E
people decide in favor of the suffrage basis III sG5 then
the legislature which shall re apportlon representation
under that basis shall assemble in the year 1867 but
The effect will be that it will not be until the Year ls6p
that new legislature under the new apportiunment
shall assemble. THE understand to be the spirit as
well as the fair meaning uf this provision, and desire
it should be so expressed that he who runs may read
Therefore, in order that not particle OF time may be
]
by having the appointments at called session Instead
of the regular session. propose to inert III the eighth
! line Of the fifth section the word regular
/ The amendment was agreed to.
| Mr. BOLTS. | desire 10 offer amendment 10 the
second section propose in the second line of the
ond section to strike out the word biennial II now
reads of these shall be called the House OF Dele
gates and shall cou-i, of hundred and fifty members
to b. chosen bcuniay. desire i'll very few lords
to give my for hi. change. When this Conren
10. .l1.l,, ,,f n.
fed that there was no one member Of this entire body
whose mind was more thoroughly convinced Of the pro-
piety of biennial sessions than myself IL came 10
this Conv entiou with determination more frmv
fixed than another believe it was to reduce the meet
ny OF the Legislature to once IN two wears subsequent
reflection anu subsequent inquiry has entirely convinced
me that was wrong have taken occasion during the
past winter confer with gentlemen OF distinction
from those States in which this provision has recently
been adopted III the several constitutions that have
been formed and have not in single instance been
able to find solitary gentleman who has not informed
me- that wherever that provision has been adopted II has
in its practical working met with the decided dlsappr"
baton of the people, and they would most gladly chas
it, That is not the only nor the chief reason for
the proposition now make. wish this question to b.
eft open for the present There is no necessity for II.
being decided here in this compromise" 1t Is question
that desire should be held open for further consldera.
ton aud reflection. Ny chief reaso'--ihe reason That
presses upon my MUD with force than all others
cannot fail to produce the effect upon the minds
Of other gentlemen when they come to thllH Of It, IL
is that would not confer the power upon any living
man that will necessarily be conferred upon the governor
This Commonwealth to appoint in the event OF death
or resignation both the Senators from the State of
Virginia in the Senate of the United States. Nowlt
will be- perceived that in the event OF the death OF til"
one aud the resignation OF the other or IN the event oil
the death resignation OF BOTH the duty would de-
voye under the constitution OF the United States. which
We have power prevent, upon the governor OF this
Commonwealth to appoint two Senators to represent
this State the Senate of the United States for an en-.
tire year Is there any gentleman upon tins floor Will
ing TO give that powe to the governor am as iuliy
aware as auy other gentleman, Of the necessity of r..
stcting the Legislature Of the State, but there ar"
other modes by which the same object can be accom-.
plished. You may for example, FIX upon The time OF
The meeting of the legislature upon the hrst oil January
and By fixing at the same time the Time OF Your
State elections at III earlier day, say some time i'll the
month Of April you will be sure that you Will not have
very long sessions. Gentlemen will have an Interest
Themselves in adournng the Legislature to 80 home AMI
attend to their elections. Or you may limit the
term of the session TO three months As you uk
proper There various modes BY which this object
can he accomplished aud for my part would rather
see seni annual SESSIONS of the Legislature than that the
mower to which have referred should be conferred up
on the governor Yet it will be perceived if it shall DO
the pleasure of the committee to adopt the amendment
have proposed it will be still in their power to make
the came provision elsewhere. only ask that it may
not be done hastily and without reflection.
VI i,
pose to strike out the word biennial and leave
blank
Mr.. BOLTS. Yes sir. Let it be filled at some other
day with the best provision that can be adopted ON that
subject.
Mr SUMMERS think it is an inappropriate Pc
Rod to enter upon the discussion Of the of the
delegates OF the sessions Of the Legislature whether
annual biennial The report of the legislative com
mttce provides for the biennial sessions That will
come up when take up the report of the legslatv.
committee. So far as am concerned would have n"
objection 10 the motion submitted by the gentleman
from Henrico, that the word biennial be stricken out
for the present does not affect III all the other great
questions embodied in that compromise 1t will leavo
the question open be decided hereafter when the
port of the legislative committee shall come up and re-
lieve the matter from the difficulty suggested by tho
gentleman from Southampton
Mr.. DAVIS ! rise for the purpose of returning
thanks my honorable colleague, for having anticipa
ted me in the motion which myself had intended to
make. If l had my ybill before me-which has
been much in request that none of them now to
be found laughter either in Dutch or in English
could show that declared in the distinctly
determination under all circumstances to adhere to the
annual sessions Of the General Assembly being limited
in its term. With the other sentiments expressed by
my colleague, concur most heartily And would add
that this General Assembly should meet Mt lcAst often
the Congress Of the United States especially in view
Of the prospect before think regard to this sub
ect it should 60 to the legislative committee at leas i'll
blank hope it will be the pleasure Of the committee
70 10 report IL.
The question then taken the amendment, but
before the result aunounccd--
Dir. Bolts. ] ask for the yeas and nays
The CHAIR. 1t is too late, division has been had.
Mr.. Bolts Is it not always in time to call the yeas
and nays before the result is announced
The CHAIR. The President of the Convention has
decided that it is too late after division.
MIR BO1'TS. But the house has not decided.
The CHAIR. The house has decided. but the qucs
ton is now decided The house has decided one way
the other.
Mr. ROTTS. Do understand that the President Of
the Convention has decided that it is order call
for the yeas aud nays any time before the final result
announced.
Mr.. MASON, (rrest of the Convention) The 10th
rule reads thus: Any member (seven others concur
rny) shall have right 10 demand the ayes and noes up
any question any time before it is put" The ques
ton is considered put when the affirmative and negative
sides have both been stated That has always been tho
construction put upon the rule
SEVERAL MEMBERS. Let him have the yeas and
nays.
Mr.. Bolts. Do | understand that leave is given to
call the yeas and navsl
Mr. MASON. am perfectly willing for
The CHAIR The Chair did not understand that