Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1861-01-18
Contention Law.

0OMS Ch1xUA 2ASaSse
The following is the Law concerning a
Convention of the p opse, as passed by both
Houses of our Legislature:
A Bill to proyiae for electiny nsembers Of q
Convention, and to congene the same.
l. Be it enacted by the General Assembly that
it shall be the duty of the Commissioners and Off
GERS whe were appointed to superntend and con-
duct elections for county and corporation officers,
in May last, at the places established for holding
elections for members of the General Assembly, to
open polls for efecting delegates to Conye ntion
The said election shall BE- held the 4th day Of
February, in the year of our Lord, 1861.
At the same time, the said Commissioners and
Officers shall open separate poll to take the
of the qualified voters as to whether any action OF
said Convention dissolvng our connection with the
Federal Union, or changing the organic law Of the
State, shall be submitted to the people for ratf-
cation or rejection. and in order to ascertain the
sense of the voters upon the question aforesaid the
said officers shall cause to be kept poll book
headed, 'upon the question OF referring such ac-
ton to the people for their decison," which said
poll book 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 shall be written under tho
former heading, and 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 proposition. They shall forthwith send to
the Clerk of their respective counties or corpora
tiona copy tn reo, whose duty it shall be to trans
nit Immediately copy thereof to the Governor
at Richmond land also to the Governor Of the Com
monwealth. In any officer appointed as
aforesaid should fail to his or their place shall
be supplied in the mode prescribed by The law Of
Virginia for general elections.
Z. The Convention shall consist OF one hundred
and ftty-two members, to be chosen for and by the
several counties and cities Of the Commonwealth,
as prescribed by the second section of the fourth
article OF the Constitution OF this State, tor the e.
lection of members of the House OF Delegates.
The county counties which alternately vote
for delegates to the General Assembly under the
said article of the said Constitution and which at
tle next election for delegates would be entitled to
elect delegate delegates, shall elect the same
number OF members OF the Con vention, and III the
same manner that they would be entitled to ii the
election were for members OF the next session OF
tbs General Assembly.
g. Anyperson may be elected memb n Of the
ConvenL ~ who at the time Of election has attain
do tie age OF twenty five years, and is Il citlz
this Commonw ealth All persons shall be qualified
to vote on the question III the election aforesaid,
VINO are entitled to vote for members OF the Gen
eral Assembly, under the Constitution OF the Com
monweaith.
A. The said election shall in all respects be con-
Quoted in the mode prescribed, aud the officers
coruuctirla the same shall be vested with the pow
ers pei form the duties, and receive the same com
pensation, aud be liable to the penalties prescribe
by the Laws OF Virginia For general elections. eA-
cept az herein provided.
: 4 he uo.ts shall remain open for one day only,
and the commissioners experimenting The SAID c.
lection shall at the Court houses i'll their re-
specure counties and corporations on the second
cav after the election day, shall then compare the
polls tor teir respective counties ana explorations
wn.oh elect delegate or delegates. aud ascertain
and certify the votes OF the counties OF corpora
tons OF parts thereof comprising election districts,
aud deliver certified statement thereof to the Oil
at no han
The officers onducting the election at the Court
houses OF the respective counties ana pa ts0t couu-
Ties ut SUCH election districts, shall meet and cum
bare the returns the places now required by law,
lur such comparisons, Oh the fourth day alter the
election, anu make returns OF the election; OF
winch they shall forthwith tt ansmlt by mail o the
Governor another, with the poll books, shall be
dey el the cierh OF the coantysor corporation
court, to be nled Ill his Ollce anu another to the
member or members elected to the said Convention.
+ 6- The members CT oseu shall meet on w ed
mes .ay the thirteenth OF February next, at the
Carito. in the City OF Richn0nl. and proceed to
adopt such nca ufeS as they may deem ext edlent
Tor The welfare OF the Commonwealth. / be SEES
sions OF the onventlon TO be held III the Capitol
until otherwise provided for.
Z. In the case oi a contested election, the same
shall be governed i'll ali respects by the existing
laws III regard to contested elections III the house
OF Deles ateS ,-uniesS CtHeiWlac ofueftd py Tie
Convention.
s. In case of vacancies occurring previous to the
NEE ting OF the Convention, the dOyernof shall
sue WrIts to supply tue same and alter the SAID
meeting the Writs shall be issued By order of the
Convention and the elections under such Wits
shall be conducted III all :pect as the elections
herein before provided iof.
.. The said Convention shall b. the Judge Of LIS
own privileges sand elections, and the members
thereof shall nave possess ana ENJOY all the priv
I,eres which members elected to ana attending on
the General Assembly are entitled TO- aAd moreo-
yer sinai be allowed the Same pay fof tftYeilng to,
attending On and returning tTo.A salu Convention
Is - NOW allowed to 1inotro oi TIE General AS
senlbiy for like services.
TO- .he said Convention is hereby cmnowel ed
to aupo.ut such officers, and to make them SUCH
reasonable allowances for their services as 1t sha
deem proper which several allowances shall lie
audited by the Auditor OF Pubic A COUNTS, and
pald ,y the Treasurer of the Commonwealth, out
OF any money IN the treasury not OTHERWISE appIo-
priattd. So
IL. The expenses incurred in providing poll books
and in procuring writer's to Keep the same, shall
be detrayed heretofore in the elections OF mem
bers OF the u enerai A Sc nbly.
r. Immediately upon the passage OF this act the
Governor SHAH issue proci iiiIdtiou giving notice
thereof of the time Of holding the election aud OF
the meeting OF til Convention herein provided Tor.
IL The secretary of the Commonwealth shall
cause to BE- sent to the clerks OF each county and
cornoraian as many copies OF this act the are
precincts therein; using for that purpose specla
messengers when necessary in his Judgment. l.
shall be the duty of tie clerks to deliver the same
to the Sheriff for dlstributlon WHO shall )fthWlth
cause a copy to be posted at the door OF his court
house and at some public place in each election dis
riot.
Ii. This act shall be IL force from It's passage