Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-12-06
VlRGlNIK STATE CONVENTION.
THIRD SESSiUh-SS EENTU DAY.
THURSDAY, Nov. 81, 1861

ICOScLuDED.
Mr.. BossE.-Nhen will the first Legislature:
under this Constitution, meet
Mr.. HAYMoND.-The first Monday ~
DECEMBER. II We adopt this ausnc1
meut the question will first have to be dec'dSu
uucn by the people befocc s:r Legislature cSA
meet on the first Monday III January. .,;o,
The question was then pu! on Inc sopP'o.
of the mendmen and it was declaea Ill 'h'
negative-ayes As, noes 90 oa ,r.s tbon
The 9Th section, as amehoeo' "~
adopted. G.,
"rhc House Of Delegates shall choose Its
ovn Speaker, and in the absence ut the Lieu
,oront Governor, or when he shall exercise th'
,.fBce ol Governor, Tho Senate shall cnooss,
,r,m their own bcGy, & President pro tenn
pore and each house shall appoint It's "
Ulcers, settle its own iu,eS Ot proceeCihg'
and direct writs Of election ioT supply ing M
termcdia;e vacaucles but j. veciIicles sea:i
occur during the recess OF the General ASSEM-
NV. sucn wits may be issued by the Governor
,nder such regulations rs uay be prescribed
bv lag. Each house shall judge OF The eitc
rtop. Qualification and returns OF It's members,
NAV nualsn them tor disordcrly behavior,
nd 9Th the concurrence oil Two thirds, expei
. ,nsmhar hut not a second time for The SaDe
offence"
There was no change made in that section
The 10Th section II as then read as follows !:
uThe members of the Assembly Shall re-
| ceiye for their services q compensation, 10 DC
ascertained by Law, ard paiu Out OF the ploilc
treasury but no act increasing sucn compsn,.
tstion Shall take effect until after tho end Vi
\ the term for which the members Ut the House
| of Delegates voting thereon "cre e!sctec
| and no Scus;or Or Delegate, durlng the term
/ ror n.h,ch he snSli haze oeen elected, shati DO
appointed 10 any civil office Of prodt 'lnder Tue
COMMONWEALTH whlcu has bre:! created, OF tue
| emolu,nents OF which have 6cei, increased,
| durin.. such term, except cMccs HIea ~ sicc-
tlons By tho people"
There was no change ma6o by The Com
| mittee in that section.
the llth section was then read ai follows
bills and resolutions may originator either
| of the two houses OF the General ASSEMBLY,, -
| % approved or rejected by the other, anu meg
be amended by either house, WIN the co'sHi's
Of the other"
There being 60 change IL that, the Secretary
| read the l2;h Section, as follows:
Each house OF the General Assembly Shall
| keep a journal Of It's proceedings, wtlcsl saat
| os published from tine to tlu'e, AID the Yeas
| and nays cf the lnenbsrs CT citace Rouse on
any question shall, at the desire c; one-tith
OF thoss present, be entered GA tue journal
No bill snsll become n law untt!S n:S been
! reud Oh three different days Q: the srssloG IN
tue house in whsch It originated, 1ui2ss l"o-
tnlyds Of the members tiec.ea u :eat ROUSE
shall otherwise de.eIEairir.
There bring no change g the Co!naIitlac
IN that Section, the secretary Tssu Ihs reSt, or
! 18th section SIS i0i!0ES:
..The whole number of meIIGsrs to Tnlch tho
| State may, ct any time, os entitled III the
| House of Representatives Vi the Confederate
| States, shall ce apportloned as nearly IS may
| OF amongst the several counties, cities and
| owns OF the State, according 10 their resprc-
| 1--WE numbers which shall oe determined b.
| adding to the whole number OF free persons,
| .ncludlpg those bouud 10 service for a term OF
| 7ears, and excluding Indians, NOT taxed, three
Afths of ali other persons"
Mr. STuAkr.-Tnsre has been 40 change
made in tnat, except 10 substitute ire |1rda
Conf dera.c States" Ter un!,.,i STATES.
TIE Secretary then read the l4.a sec;!9a, Is
follows:
ia the appor:!oaIneat, tae Sta. shall 70
| divided in:o districts, corresponding 10 nue.
DER with the representatives to which II Lay
oe entitled IN tue u,I;s Of Representatives q!
| the Congress oi the Confederate States, WHICH
snail bs formed respectively Vi Contiguous
| counties, cities and ro"Is, DO compact, aud To-
| Guide, as nearly as may Of, an equal nuinoer
Of the population, upon wa!cTi Is oaSea repre-
sentatlon in the House Of Representatives OF
The Confederate States"
There Was no change made in that except
the change Of United States ,nso Confederate
otste5, as IN the preceding section.
Tine 10 section was then read, as follows:
"Ths privilege of the writ Vi ha5eas CORPUS
shall mol IN any cass he suspended. Tuc
| General Assembly shall DOT pass aay bill u:
alexander; or any e. poStJacto Law; OF any la%
,mpa,rlng the obligalluu OF canlrscsS; OF smy
law whereby private property Snail pe t:keI
for public uses without just compensation; Or
any isH aor!dgiug The ,Iesdu;u eI SPECIE Or oi
the press. NJ uan shall BIZ c"uipe:led 10 t!=
queut or support any religious worship, place
or ministry mhaiSoe"si; nor shall! any man be
enful esd, restrained, uIOie$lcd. VI baT.huned IN
DIS body or goods, or 0ttcrT;se suiicr on &c
cuuat ol his religious opluioLS Or BELIEF; buS al
men shall be free to plvisss, AID b. a!gnmsnl
70 MAINTAIN their opinlo:S III matters .! rG!'-
| glon, and the same snail in rowiSe ahec;, d.
minish OF enlarge their ciS,i capacities; and The
General Assembly SHALL not prescribe any re
liglouS test whatever; or confer any peculiar
privileges or advantages on any Sect or d.
nomination.; or pass any law requiring CT all
| shorizing aoy religious society, or the people
of any district within ta,s Commonwealth, ~
levy On themselves or otaefS any tax for tue
erection or repair Of uny house Tor puoi.c Hcr-
ship, or for the suppor:o, any church o- minis
lry; but It shsll be iei: free to every person.
TO select his religious instructor, aud 10 make
loT his support such private contract as be
shall please"
There was no change made in thai section,
and the Secretary read the 10th section, Gs
follows:
mo law shall embrace mere than one object,
which shall be expressed IN its title"
Mr.. STUAgT-TheTe is no important change
in this clause. The clause in the present Con.
s~titution reads thus:
mo law shall embrace moro than Que object,
which shall bU expressed in It's tile nor snail
any law be revived or amended by reference to
its title, but the act revived or Section amended
[ shall be re-cnacted aud published at length"
The Committee were OF opinion that the
effect Of that provision vas very unfortunate,
IN extending the laws Of the land, or amending
them, at each session ; that you had TO rc.eaact
/ the whole Law Of the previous session with the
amendment. # that law was again 20 te
amended, you would have to re.cpact the orig
ina! law and amendment of the p~re7ioiis ses.
sion, and So on; the Constitution as it now
stands requiring tho re enactmens OF the or:si.
nal law and every subsequent amendment,
whenever any new amendment is acdcd.
I think every gentleman who has had occa-
sion to examine the Acts Of Assembly will say
that this has been attended with very unlCTta.
nate consequences. 1t is, ss some gentleman
remarked. here yesterday, a Yankee notion,
which we ought now to get rid OF. The Com.
mittee, l believe, was unanimous 10 favor OF