Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1862-01-14

people of Virginia, elected, and in Convention
assembled in pursuance of said act, do propose
to the people the following Constitution and
form of Government for this Commonwealth
ARTICLE l. a. '>-' 20
BILL OF RIGHTS.
The declaration of rights, as amended and pre-
fixed to this Constitution, shall have the same
relation thereto as it had to the former Censti.
tuition. @'-"
ARTICLE II.
0 DIVISION. OF PowKIs. -5 -..-....
The legislative, executive and judiciary de-
partments shall be separate and distinct, SO that
neither exercise the powers properly belonging
to either of the others nor shall any person ex-
ercise the powers of more than one of them at
the same time, except that justices Of the peace
shall be eligible to either House of Assembly.
s7'-.' A p" ARTICLE III. -@'', Zen
~ M QUALIFICATION OF VOTERS Il
b L. Every white male citizen of the Common
wealth of the age of twenty one years, who has
been a resident of the State for two years and Of
the county, city or town where he offers to vote,
for twelve months next preceding an election,
and no nother person, shall be qualified to vote
for mem bersef the General Assembly and all
officers elected by the people; but no person in
the military, naval or marine service Of the Con-
federate States shall be deemed resident of
this State by reason of being stationed .thersia ;
and no person shall have the right to vote who
is Of unsound mind, or pauper, or nsn-con-
missioned officer, soldier, seaman or marine in
the regular army or navy of the Confederate
States or who has been convicted of bribery in
an election, or of any Infamous offence. sI.t4i
q. The General Assembly, at its first session
after the adoption of this Constitution and after
wards as OCCASION may require, shall cause every
city or town, the white population of whioh ex-
ceeds five thousand, to be laid off into convenient
wards, and separate place of voting to be es-
tablished in each, and thereafter no inhabitant OF
such city or town shall be allowed to vote except
in the ward in which he resides. .--..- :.
3. No voter, during the time for holding any
election at which he is entitled to vote, shall
be compelled to perform military service, ex-
cept in time of war or public danger; to work
upon the public roads, or to attend any court az
sutton, juror or witness; and no voter shall be
subject to arrest under any civil process during
his attendance at elections, or in going to or re-
turning from them. .1o1 -s55t..a-T5s ~ s19.--l
A. In all elections votes shall be given openly
or visa soee, and not by ballot, but dumb person,
entitled to suffrage may vote by ballot. i45 Is
80 ~, - 60 ARTICLE ". .--
LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT.. s...i
/. The Legislature shall be formed of two dis
tinct branches, which together shall be a com
plete Legislature, and shall be called the Genera
Assembly of Virginia $40 ID -is4it y. e3 i.4 i.
HOUSE CT DELEGATES.
2. One of these shall be called the House O
Delegates, and shall consist Of one hundred anG
fifty two members, to be chosen annually fer anG
by the several counties, cities and towns of ths
Commonwealth, the distribution and appoint
ment whereof shall remain as now provided By
law, until a reapp ortionment Of the same shall
be made by the General Assembly, as hersnafte
provided. The General Assembly shall havs
power upon application of majority of the vo
of the comfy Of Gamnban TO 4ha
instead of two delegates to be elected by sale
county, the town Of Lynchburg shall elect ent
delegate, and the residue of the county Of Camp
bell shall elect one delegate. And the sale
General Assembly shall have like power, on thf
application of majority of the voters of the
county of Norfolk, to provide that instead of two
delegates to be elected by said county, the city
of Portsmouth shall elect one delegate, and the
residue of the county of Norfolk shall elect one
delegate.
SENATE. ~. f-
8. The other shall be called the Senate, and
consist of fifty mem bers, for the election of whom
the counties, cities, and towns shall be divided
into fifty districts. Each county, city, and town
of the respective district, at the time of the FIRST
election ofdeegates under this Constitution shall
vote for one Senator and the Sheriffs or othet
officers holding the election for each county, city,
or town, within five days after the election shall
meet at the Courthouse of the county, city, or
town first named in the district, and from the
polls taken in their respective counties, Cities
and towns, return as Senator the person who has
received the greatest number of votes in the
whole district. To keep UP this Assembly by
rotation, the district shall be divided into four
classes, and numbered by lot. The fret class
shall consist of twelve. the second Of thirteen,
the third of twelve, and the fourth ofthirteen-
The seats of the Senators of the frst class
shall be vacated at the expiration of the FIRST
year after the commencement of their term of
office; of the second class, at the expiration of
the second year, of the third class at the expira-
third year, and of the fourth class, at the expi-
ration of the fourth year, so that one class may
be chosen every year, and the vacancies thereby
occasioned shall be supplied from such class by
new election in the manner aforesaid. This ro-
tation shall be applied to each class according to
its number, and continued in due order annually.
For the election of Senators, the District
shall remain as now arranged, until representa-
tion in the two Houses shall be reapportioned in
the manner provided in thisConsttution.
APPoRTIoNMENT OF REPRESENTATION.
5. 1t shall be the duty of the General Assem-
bly,, in the year one thousand eight hundred and
sixty-fve, and in every tenth year thereafter, in
case it Can agree upon principle of representa-
ton, to reapportion representation IN the Son.
ate and House of Delegates in accordance there
with; and in the event the General Assembly,
at the first or any subsequent period of reappor-
representation, and to reapportion representation
in accordance Herewith, each House shall sepa-
rately propose scheme of representation con-
tanning principle or rule for the House Of Del
egates, in connection with principle or rule for
the Senate. And it shall be the duty of the
General Assembly, at the same session, to certi-
fly to the Governor the principles or rules of rep
resentation which the respective Houses may sep
arately propose, to be applied in making reap
portionments in the Senate and in the House OF
Delegates; and the Governor shall, as soon
thereafter as may be, by proclamation, make
known the propositions the respective Houses,
and require the voters of the Commonwealth to
assemble at such time as he shall appoint at their
lawful place Of voting, and decide by their vote
between the propositions thus presented. In the
event the General Assembly shall fail in the year
one thousand eight hundred and sixty five, or in
any tenth year thereafter, to make such reappor-
tionment or certificate, the Governor shall, i'm
mediately after the Adjournment of The General
Assembly, by proclamation, require the voters
of the Commonwealth to assemble, at such time
as he shall appoint, at their lawful places of vo-
ting, and to declare by their votes:
FIRST, whether representation in the Senate and
frage Basis that is, according to the number of votes
in the several counties, cities, and Senatorial
districts of the Commonwealth
Or, second whether representation in both Houses
shall be apportioned the Mixed BASIS !" that is
according TO the number of white inhabitants con-
tanned and the amount of State taxes paid in the
eral couAlles, cities and towns of the Commonwealth
deduclng therefrom all paid on license and law
process ana any capitaton tax on free negroes allow