Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1851-08-07

large bodies OF armed troops amoug US,
for cutting off our trade with all parts of
the world, for imposing taxes on US with
out our consent, for depriying US Of the
benefits of the trial by jury, for transport.
ing US beyond seas TO be tried for preten-
ded offences, for suspending our own leg
islatures and declaring themselves invested
with power TO legislate for us in all cases
whatsoever; by plundering our seas rava-
ging our coasts. burning our towns, and
destroying the lives of our people; by met
ting instructions of our fellow subjects
with the allurcments Of forfeiture and CON
fscaiion; by prompting our negroes TO rise
in arms among US, those very negroes,
whom by an inhuman use Of his negative
he had refused US permission to exclude by
law; by endeavoring to bring on the in
habitants of our frontiers the merciless In
dian savages, whose knownrulc of warfare
is an undistinguishedd destruction ofall ages,
sexes and conditions of existence; by trans
porting hither large army Of foreign mer-
cenaries. to complete the work Of death,
desolation and tyranny, then already be-
gun, with circumstances OF cruelty and
perfdy unworthy the head Of civilized
nation; by answering our repeated petitions
for redress with a repetition ofinjuries; and
finally, by abandoning the helm Of govern
mcnt, and declaring US out ofhis allegiance
and protection; by which several acts Of
misrule, the government of this country as
before exercised under the crown Of Great
Britain, was totally dissolved: did, there
fore, having maturely considered the pre-
misses, and viewing with great concern the
deplorabc condition to which this once
happy country would be reduced. unless
some regular adequate mode of civil pohty
should be speedily adopted, and in com
pliance with the recommendation Of the
general Congress, ordain and declare a
form of government of Virginia:
And whereas, a Convention held on the
FIRST Monday in October in the year one
thousand eight hundred and Twenty nine
did propose to the people of the Common
wealth an amended Constitution or Form
Of Government, which was ratified by
thcm
And whereas. the General Assembly Of
Virginia, by an act passed on the fourth Of
March, IN the year one thousand eight hun
dred and fifty, did provide for the elections
Of delegates to mcctin general Convention,
to consider, discuss and propose new
Constitution or alterations and amendments
to the existing Constitution of this Com
monwealth; and by an act, passed on the
thirteenth Of March, in the year one thou
sand eigh. hundred and fifty one, did fur
thcr provide for submitting the same to the
people for ratification or rejection:
We, Therefore, the Delegates of the
good people OF Virginia, elected and in
Convention assembled, in pursuance ofsaid
acts, do propose to the people the follow
ing Constitution and Form of fGovernment
for this Commonwealth:
ARTICLE |.
Bin Of Rights.
The Declaration Of Rights, as amended
and predxed to this Constitution shall have
the same relation thereto as it had to the
former Constitution.
ARTICLE II
Dirjsim If PoweyS.
The Legislative, Executive and Judicia-
ry Departments shall be separate and dis
tinct, so that neither exercise the powers
properly belonging to either Of the others;
nor shall any person exercise the powers
of more than one of them at the same time,
except, that justices ofthc peaceshall be eli
gible to either House Of Assembly.
ARTICLE III.
Qualification Of Voters
/. Every white male citizen Of the Com
monwealth, Of the age oftwcnty-one years,
who has been a resident of the State for
two years, and Of the county, city or town
where he offers to vote for twelve months
next preceding an election, and no other
person. shall be qualified to vote for mem
bcrs Of The General Assembly and all Of
fccrs elective by the people: but no per-
son in the military, naval Or marine service
of the United State shall be deemed resi-
dent Of this State, by reason Of being sta
toned therein. And no person shall have
the right to vote, who is of unsound mind,
or pauper, or non-commissioned officer,
solder, seaman or marine in the service Of
the United States, or who has been con-
victed of bribery in an election, or Of apy
Infamous offence.
2. The General Assembly at its first scs-
sion after the adoption of this Constitution,
and afterwards as occasion may require,
shall cause every city or town, the white
population Of which exceeds FIVE thousand
to be laid of into convenient wards, and
place Of voting to be established
in each, and thereafter no inhabitant ofsuch
city or town shall be allowed to vote except
in the ward in which he resides.
8. No voter during the time for holding
any election at which he is entitled to vote,
shall be compelled to perform military ser
vice, except in time Of war or public dan
ger; to work upon the public roads, or to
attend any court as suitor, juror or witness;
and no voter shall be subject to arrest I'M
der any civil process during his attendance
at elections, or in going to and returning
from them.
A. In all elections votes shall be given
openly. or rira roce, and not by ballot
But dumb persons, entitled to suffrage,
may vote by ballot.
ARTICLE ~.
LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT.
l. The legislature shall be formed of
two distinct branches, which together shall
be a complete Legislature, and shall be
called the General Assembly Of Virginia.
House Of Delegates.
3 One Of those shall be called the
House Of Delegates, and shall consist Of
one hundred and ffty-two members, to be
chosen biennially for and by the several
connties, cities, and towns Of the Com
nonwealth, and distributed and apportion-
ed as follows:
The Counties Of Augusta and Rocking
ham and the city Of Richmond shall each
elect three delegates;
The Counties of Albemarlc, Bedford
Berkeley, Campbell. Fauquier, Franklin
Frederick, Halifax, Hampshire, Harrison,
Jefferson, kanawha, Loudoun, Marion,
IL -.