Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1861-01-22
suit of all is known only to the God of Nations,
moves in a mysterious way,
His wonders to perform ,.
RICHMOND,
The Convention Bill.

its 4 Inc convention Bill t- ~
The following is the bill providing for the as
sembling of State Convention, as passed by
both Houses of the General Assembly: e .1'1
AN ACT to prouide for electing members ofa
Convention, and to conoene the same.
1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly,
that it shall be the duty of the commissioners
and officers who were appointed to superntend
and conduct elections for county and corpora
tion officers in May last at the places established
for holding elections OF members for General
Assembly, to open polls for electiDg delegates to
Convention. The said election shall be held
on the 4th day of February, in the year of our
Lord, 1861. .fT
At the same time the said commissioners and
officers shall open separate poll to take the
sense of the qualified voters as to whether any
action of said Convention dssolving our connec-
tion with Federal Union or changing the organic
law of the State, shall be submitted to the peo-
pie for ratification or rejection; and in order to
ascertain the sense of the voters upon the ques-
ton aforesaid, the said officers shall cause to be
kept poll to be headed, upon the question of
referring such action to the people for their de-
cision, which said poll books shall have two
columns, one headed ''for referring to the people"
and the other "against referring to the people,"
and the names of those who vote for the former
those who vote for the latter, under the latter
heading. When the said officers meet as herein
provided, they shall ascertain and make return
of the number of persons voting for each prop
osition. They shall forthwith send to the clerk
of their respective counties or corporation, q
copy thereof, whose duty it shall be to trans
NIT Immediately a copy thereof to the Pres
ident of the Convention at Richmond. and
also to the Governor of the Commonwealth.
In case any officer appointed as aforesaid shall
fail to act, his their place shall be supplied in
the mode prescribed by the law of Virginia for
general elections. -,
2. The Convention shall consist of one hum
dred and fifty-two members, to be chosen for
and by the several cities and counties of the
Commonwealth, as prescribed by the second
section of the fourth article of the Constitution
of this State, for the election of members of the
House of Delegates The county or counties
which alternately vote for delegates to the Gen.
eral Assembly under the said article of the said
Constitution and which at the next election of
delegates would be entitled to electa delegate or
delegates, shall elect the same number of mem
bers of the Convention, and in the same manner
that they would be entitled to if the election
were for members of the next session of the
General Assembly. $3.50
3. Any person may be elected a member of
the Convention, who at the time of the election
has attained the age of twenty-five years, aud is
q citizen of this Commonwealth. All persons
shall be qualified to vote on the question or in
the election aforesaid, who are entitled to vote
for members of the General Assembly under the
Constitution of the Commonwealth.
a. The said election shall in all respects be
conducted in the mode prescribed, and the oti-
GERS conducting the same shall be vested with
the powers, perform the duties, receive the
nd ha Iah 70 tho
penalties prescribed by the laws of Virginia for
general elections, except as herein provided rug
5. The polls shall remain open for one day
only, and the commissioners experimenting the
said election at the court-houses shall meet in
their respective counties and corporations on the
second day after the election day, shall then
compare the polls for their respective counties
and corporations which elect delegate or dele
gates, and ascertain and certify the votes of the
counties and corporations or parts thereof COM
prsiDg election districts, and deliver a certified
thereof to the officers conducting the
election at the court houses. The officers con-
Quoting the election at the court-houses of the
respective counties and parts of counties of such
election districts shall meet and compare the
returns at the places now required by law for
such comparison, on the fourth day after the e.
lection, and make returns of the election one of
which they shall forthwith transmit by mail to
the Governor, another with the poll books, shall
be delivered to the clerk of the county or COR
poration court, to be filed in his office; and an
other to the member or members elected to the
said Convention. M 4s....ess s.r-7
g. The members 30 chosen shall meet on
Wednesday, thirteenth of February next, at the
capitol in the city of Richmond, and proceed to
adopt such measures as they may deem expedi-
ent for the welfare of the Commonwealth. The
sessions of the Convention shall be held in the
capitol until otherwise provided for.
Z. In the case of a contested election, the
same shall be governed in all respects by the ex-
isting laws in regard to contested elections in
the House Of Delegates, unless otherwise order
ed by the Convention.
8. In case of vacancies occurring previous to
the meeting of the Convention, the Governor
shall issue writs to supply the same and after
the said meeting, the writs shall be issued by
order of the Convention /; and the election under
such writs shall be conducted in all respects as
the elections herein before provided for.
8. The said Convention shall be the judge of
its own privileges and elections, and the men,
bers thereof shall have, possess and enjoy, all
the privileges which members elected to and at
tending on the General Assembly are entitled to,
and moreover shall be allowed the same pay for
travelling to, attention on and returning from
the said Convention, as is now allowed to mem
bers of the General Assembly for like services.
10. The said Convention is hereby empower
ed to appoint such officers, and to make them
such reasonable allowances for their services as
it shall deem proper which several allowances
shall be audited by the Auditor of Public 40
counts, and paid by the Treasurer of the Com
out of any money in the treasury
not otherwise appropriated. 9.a
IL. The expenses incurred in providing poll
books and in procuring writers to keep the same,
shall be betrayed as heretofore in the elections
of members of the General Assembly.
-. Immediately upon the passage of this act
the Governor shall issue a proclamation giving
notice thereof of the time of holding the election
and of the meeting of the Convention herein
provided for. LIZ
ID. The Secretary Of the Commonwealth
shall cause to be sent to the clerks of each coun-
ty and corporation as many copies of this act as
there are precincts therein; using for that pur-
pose special messengers when necessary in his
Judgment. 1t shall be the duty of the clerks to
deliver the same to the Sheriff for distribution,
who shall forthwith cause copy to be posted
at the door of his courthouse and at some pub
lie place in each election district.
a. This act shall be in force from its pas
sage.
MONARCHY FOR THE SoUTH.-The LIVERPOOL
Post publishes letter from Scotch gentleman
in Mobile. The following is an extract: 81 hope
Queen Victoria will lend us twenty or thirty
OF her men, of war shins to oos;st onr