The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-12-17

hASN - - WIN kONs
in compliance with the recommendation Of
the general Congress, ordain and declare Il
form OF government CT Virginia.
,. And, whereas, a Convention held on
the first Mon day in October IN the year one
thousand eight hundred and twenty- nine
did propose to the people of the Commo on
wealth and amended Constitution or form
OF government which was ratified by them.
J. Aud, whereas, a Con nven1ion, held on
the first day of August, 1851, did propose to
the people of the Comiaon wealth an amend
Ell Cons titntion, which was ratified by them.
!, And, whereas, tne General Assembly OF
Nnglnth, bs an Act passed January 18th
ISL dtd pa" Fide fur the eleo lion by the peo
pie, OF delegates 70 meet in general Cot ) Ell
uon 10 consider the rropTiety, amosig other
lhiugS, OF Changing the organic INV uf the
state and OF submitting the same To The
Feop4e Tor fatilcitioa OF rejection
D. We, therefore, the delegates OF the 9ood
people oI Virginia, elected. and IN COnven-
loh assembled lu pm stianCe Of said act, do
propose io'the people the following Constitu-
tloh and form OF Government for Ahis Com
mon ealth
ARTICLE L.
BILL oF RlGATb
The declaration of rights, a Inauded and
prellNed 20 this Cons stigution. shall have the
same relation thereto rs i: had 10 the former
Constitution.
ARTIOLE II.
DIVISION o. FowKR3.
The legislative, executive and judiciary de-
partlAenfs shall be separate ana ii5tinct 50
tAat neither exercise the powers p!,,pae,y be.
lCnGlnS 10 e!tnSr of The Others; n~ssaf. a ii any
person exercise the powers Lf more than one
of then at the same time except that Justices
Il The peace shall be eligible to either House
of Assembly.
ARTICLE IL.
4rAlFIc4TEoS OF NorE.e
!. Every white male o.tiGlA II the Com.
'Aon" ea!th Of Tie ase Of lweutJ one years
" 40 has beeu resiltu- Of he State tor tyEu
years ana u the couLty, city 0r tC gvl. where
n oilers 10 vote, tor twelve months next pre-
SodIng az election, and no other person. shall
bc 4uaiiled To vote for mem ters OF tha Gene
RAJ Assembly and ali CiDcels elected uy tn 2
lvV Vpi'; but 40 person in the military. naval
or marine service Ot th5 Confederate States
snail ce deemed resident Of this .,t3 ia b.
reason oi belug stationed therein, and no per
SOY shall have the right IL Jte .y no j. OF an
sound mind, or a paupEr, or n -COmr1is-
. stoned officer, soldier. seaman or mrIine in
the regular army or navy oi the Con teGerate q
states, or who has been convicted OF bri berry
Ill an election, or OF any Infamous offence
=. The General Assembly, at its first ses-
SION after the adoption OF lhs Constitution
ana afterwards as occasion may require shall
cause every city or town, the white pOpuIa-
ticn OF Which exceeds five thousand, TO be- laid
OH lhto convenient wards, and "A separate
place OF voting to be established in each and
thereafter no inhabtaut OF sUch city or town
shall be allowed TO vote except III the ward in
which he resides.
| No voter, during the time for holdin q
any election a1 which be is entitled to vote
| shall he compelled 10 perform military ser
vice, except in time OF war or public danger
10 work upon the public roal ls or To attan Il
| any conrt It's stiitor, Juror or witness and no
voter shall he subject to arrest upaer ony
evil process dnrIug his attendance at eIec-
tlohS, or IN gong 10 or returning from them
J. IN All elections votes sha II be given OMEN
" or Ltca rae, and net BY ballot, but dumb
lot 'o'' ~ o'i-
ARTICLE ".
| LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT.
/. The Legislature shall be formed of two
distinct branches, which together shall be q
complete Legislature, and shall be called IN .
| General : ssembly OF Virginia.
HOUSE OF DEL EaATBs
| 2. Oae Of these shall be called The House of
| Delegates, and shall consist of one hundred
and fifty two mem ber., 10 be chosen annuaily
| tor and by the several counties, cities and
| towns OF Tie Commonwealth the distribution
| and app0l1 tment whereof shall remain as
now provided by law, until resuportion-
ment OF the same shall be made by the Gem
| crdi Assembly rs hereinafter provided. The
! General sscm bly, shall have power unon
| application OF a majority OF the voters of the
| county ot Campbell, TO provide that insteau
! OF two delegates to be elected by said county
| the town OF LYnchburg shall elec1 one dele
| sate, and The residue o. tae county uf Camp
! bell shall tlecg one delegate. and the said
| General Assembly shall have like power. on
| the application OF Il majority OF the voters Of
| the county of Norfolk, to provide that in Stpa 4
| OF two delegates to be elected by said COUNTY
| the city OF Portsmouth shall elect one dele.
| gate, and the residue OF the county shall eiec
| one delegate.
SENATE.
| 5. The ether shall be called the Senate ant
| consist of fifty mem berS, for the election or
| whom, the counties, cities, and towns shall
be divided into fifty districts. Each county
CITY, ana town OF the respective district, al
| the time of the first election of delegates M.
utf thlS CONSTITUTION shall vote for one Sent.
| ter, and the Sherihs or other officers holding
| the election or each county, city, or town
| within Ave days after the election, shall N eel
dt The Court House OF the county city, OF
| town, first named III the district, and fror
the polls so taken in their respective cOuu ties
cities, ana towns, return rs Senator the per
son who mas received the greatest number o.
! votes III the Whole district To keep up thi:
Assem- bly, by rotation, the district shall be d
| Nlued into four classes and mum hered by lot
The 1irst class shall consist OF twelve tht
| second Of thirteen, the third OF twelve anG
| the Iourth OF thlrteeen. The seats OF thu
| Senators of the first class shall be vacated a
| the expiration Of the first year after the com,
| mencement CT their term of office; OF tht
second class, at the expiration of the SECOND
| year OF the third class, at the expiration
| OF tLe third year; and of the fourth class a
| the. expiration of the fourth year, so that M
one c.dss may be chosen every year, and til.
| vacancies thereby ocCasioned shall ne sun
p lad from such class by new election in tb,
| manner aforesaid This rotation shall be an
piled To each class according 20 its NUMBER
and continued III due order annually
| /. For the election of Senator'S the distric
| shall remain SIS now arranged, until represen.
| tatiOn IN the TWO Houses shall be reappor
toned IN the manner provided i'll the Coasti
| tuition.
| APPoETI0NYggT OF REPRESENTATION,
). 1t shall be the DUTY of the General As
| sembiy, in the year one thousand eight hun
|
| thereafter, III case IT can agree upon Il princi
| pie of representation, to TeappOrtion repre-
| sentation in the Senate aud House of Dele
gates in accordance Herewith; and in the
| event the General Assembly, at the first OF
any subsequent period OF rearportionmeat
shall fail 10 agree upon principle of repre-
| sentatio2, and TO reapportcn representation
In accordance therewith, each House shall
| separately propose a scheme OF rep-esen ia
tion ontaining principle or rule for the
| House OF Delegates. In connection with &
| principle or rule for the Senate. And it shall
| be the duty of the General Assembly, at tbs
| same session, 10 certify to the Governor tht
principles or rnles of representation which
| the respective House may separa tely propose
| 10 be applied in making reapportionm III
the Senate aid IN the Honse OF Delegates; and
| the Governor shall, as soon thereafter as
| may be, by proclamation, make known the
| propositions of the res pectiVe Houses, and re.
| quire the voters of the comm on veal tn to a
| sem BILE at such time as he shall appoint al
| their lawful place of voting, and decide by
| their vote between the propositions thus pre-.
| sented. In the event the General Assembly y
| shall fail in the year one thousand eight hun
| dred and sixty-fiye, in any tenth yeal
| thereafter, to make such reapportioment OF
| certificate, the Governor shall, immediately
| after the adjournment OF the General a Assem-
| bly,, by proclamation, require the voters OF
| the Commonwealth 10 assemble, at such time
as he shall appoint, at their lawful places o1
| voting and to declare by their votes
| IeDfesSutatiDu Q