Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1862-02-28

The third section was then read, az follows
ss. The officers authorized by existing laws
to conduct general elections, shall, st the
places appointed for holding the same, Opon a
poli book ou tho day Of 1852, to De
headed tho Constitution "a Amended aud
Schedule, 'snd ID contain two separate columns,
the first column to be headed for ratiiYlng,
the other to be headed for rejecting And
snch officers keeping said polls open for the
sp.ce OF three days, shall then and there re-
ceive and record in said poll book, thu votes
for and against thia Constitution and Schednle'
of all psssons qualified, under the existing
Constitution, 10 exercise the right Of suffrage,
The ssid officers sba!l e. the samc time open
another roll book, tesded the right of sui
ciase,' cont5ninc twc coluunna, one headed
for !ile payment Of the Tererue,. county and
corporation ]ey:es and poor rates, sssosssec
within the preceding year, IS 9usl!tcaton
to vote. the elhsc head lor toe right ol
suffrage, without tho payment Of the revenue,
countr and corporation leyies and poor rates,
assessed within tho preceding year, as quail
fica!;5a to vote. 'rnis poll heck snall. in liha
;paanar, 90 kept cpcn ior iile space o. !nres
days, and the votes Of 81! persons qunlitlsd to
vote for the adoption or rejection q, a'
r-naDaa.; Constitution shall b. rece'Tet' sho
recorded for or agsiDs! said qualification.
Mr. GRAY.--I uova 10 insert in tho second
line OF that section, after the word "snaii,
iLs following: sat the spring election hcZt
after peacs shall have been declared between
the United Ssstes and tbs Confederate
States"
90 act propaso to detuin the Convention
lcus. having but f.v remarks to make.
We haze reen engaged long time in pre-
caring = Constitution. 10 be submitted 70 the
pcopie Of Virginia. W. hsre MADE, doubt
loss, great raforns in It. hIve voted willingly
far sono Of them. have not succeeded in
getting many pcrticna Of it exactly &c ny
;ancy. That is lcoTs ihap mac could expect
But, s;r. tha great point is, Row &c making &
Constitution anidst .ha rcsr o: cannon aad
the .:rTiho storm ne revolution. shall get at
VIA: ! ha7e not los: :i;h in-!hc will OF tho
neuaie. ..--........-.
!:hss occo.re.h; inSh;ca-stTangeiy enough,
a.ns: tina excitement OF thess times-to have
in sc:.;a ::agrec lost sight OF what we were
went 10 recognize as the majesty OF tho peo-
people. But haYs not lost confidence in the
capacity Of man to gover1 himself. Woe to
me when shall loso Sigh: Of that. The ca
pacity Of the people for eelf-govsrnDent, which
s tho great idea upon which Our institutions
are based, seems !o- the while 70 nave been
ohRcured from our minis hy this revolution.
Nov, sir, what 60 we propose 10 COY We
n?opcsa u subrait na / understand from m.
6icaiicns urouad unexpectedly among men-
oers Of the conpittss-to submit amidst tho
terrors and storms Of this revolution, this
Constitution, the fruits Of long labor, to vote
of the reopie. 81 those who advocate the
speedy submission Of this Constitution to the
people, confess before the world that they de-
sire to defeat the will Of the people.
Sir. what is our condition More than oue
third OF the voiers OF tho Commonwealth Of
TyginiR have lot at this hour, nor will they.
have within the next six months, judging BY
the prospsG before us, 80 opportunity to cast
their votes upon this or,any other question
Sixty thousand Of the population Of Virginia
are rcw in the field, AND cannot have it in
their power to examine and dEherato upon
this Constitution, aud cast their YOU. for it in
an enlightened manner. Do no. genageu
perceive that If this Constitution is now 'suo-
mitted to the vote Of the people, the result
will be, 90 it has beon in the late elections III
the Sate, that an exceedingly smsll vote vi III
Do cast; and if Of that vote there should
prove 10 he 3 msjority il favor Of the Consti:
luton, it caano: to s6id that that Onnstitu'
tic.i received the appreciation Of the people. -
Do 20 not ieel that in adopting this course We
arc stirring up Gre .lat will ero long burs;
forth in the indignation of the people: 4s i;
safe for us to try such an expsrinents Vine
is there of ua that can ssy il this should turn
out to be 4 fact that We will not bs7s another
and moro dreadful revolution at homer
DO no: mean to ssy, that, in my opinion. this
Constitution will prove TO be unpopular in
Virginia, but do mean to say that the vote
upcu it, if taken under the present crcum
stances ofrha Commonwealth, will not be regard
ed bv tie people rs fair vote If they are
forced to vote during tbs continuance Of this
val, serious dissatisfaction must ensue; and
IN unwilIingness to be governed by Ccnsti,
futon forced upon them by snap judgment
viii in my Judgment, very generally prevail.
While On my feet, Zee! inclined to notice
remarks which have fallen around me, and
which constitute, 10 NY mind, very strange
fsa!u5e il Tie deliberations OF this bod! and
onn @hioh seems to iack every element o.
consistency. We ara told that three-fourths
Of :n!a Hoaso weEc il favor OF particular views
of cer.ai1 sabjscs, embraced !c :his Constitu
tioa wasn these 7iews we're emphatically re-
pu3ascd hy lilo Convention. do not know
BY what process Of reasoning gentlemen ar
rive 8, tbis conclusion. can attribute il
only III that condition Ct the public mind
which unusual excitement such as now pre-
walls, is apt 10 create. it would seom now as
if gentlemen had grown suspicious Ct each
other. Surely, il sndsa7oring to agree upon
Constitution, we might well have been sup
posed to hayn bsen frank with each other 81
least in the deliberations which took place here
For myself, freely avow it. that have been can.
did and honest from thestsrt- | have not now
voted for this Constitution because j. did moi
exactly meet my views; and yet am willing 70
record my vote in favor Of it, provided this
measure which I nov suggest, and which !
helio7e, IN my soul, to De important for .the
final Success Of any reform that may be
adopted, shall DO agreed 70.
t-ast that gentlemen pi! see, that in thus
fixing point Of time at which the public
miui will have settled down, they will secure
I'LL 49,, ND.sliLuIlOh = 6OlCluu dhu ltllUcl AK
consideration at tina bands Of the people, and
a succeasfui and hnsT triumph.
Mt. CasERToE.-I call the previous question
The call vas wassslstained; and the vote
being taking on ordeFing the main question tc
be put, i: was found that quorum vas Dot
present
Mr. WcoDs-I move that this Convention
90 now adjourn.
The motion was rejsStsd-ayes %, noes 47,
Mr.. KrNDRxD.-I move cll Of the House
The motion was agreed to, and the roll be-
ing called quorum wss found to be present
Tho question was .her put on ordering tht
main question to bc pur, which vas upon tht
amendment offered by Mr. GRAY, and it was
decided in the affirmative.
Mr.. WooDs.-I desire to ask for information
I desire to know whether, aftcr the vote il
taken upon this amendment, the previous cues
ton will still operate to tho exclusion OF tht
amendments to this sectonT
The PREsIDgNT.-No, sir. 81
Mr.. WoGps.-I call for the yeas and nays
upon ths amendment offered By the gentleman