Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-12-18
SEE WEDNESDAY, EVENING, DECEMBER 49, 1867 NO 80.
I0- The great Virginia Convention

I6r The great Virginia Convention
representing the people Of the State
convened in the Capitol on Wednesday
the llth, and adjourned sine die on the
18th. 1t was composed Of the Inca
and honored descendants Of the glorious
and heroic old State, and its men o.
patriotism, loyalty and integrity. De
scendants ofits Washiugtons and Henrys
its Jeffersons and Madisons, its Ran
dolphs and Masons and Marshalls were
there, and many the peers Of the ablssI
men of the olden time. The venerable
Thomas j. Randolph, grandson of the
author Of the Declaration of Indepen-
deuce" and the Bill Of Rights" oi
Virginia, was the chairman. The Con
venton organized by the election of the
following gentlemen:
For President A. II. H. Stuart, Of
Augusta.
For Vice Presidents: r. M. 4. Hunter,
of Essex; Samuel Mcdowell Moore, oi
Rockbridge Robert T. Preston, Of Mont
gomery; Thomas S. Bocock, of Appo-
mattox; Thomas S. Flournoy, of Hall.
fax; James l.. Kemper, of Madison G.
W. Newton, of Norfolk; William II. Mac
farland, of Richmond; JAS. A. Walker,
of Pulaski; John Randolph Tucker, Of
Loudon; r. W. Hunter, Of Winchester
and Wood Bouldin, of Charlotte.
For Secretaries: II. X. Ellyson, of the
Dispatch; James Mcdonald, Of the
Wig aud W. d. Coleman, of the En-
quirer.
The following gentlemen we're ap-
pointed committee to prepare business
for the Convention:
Messrs. r. 7. Daniel, q. Turner, r. NJ.
L. Hunter, William Martin, w. II, Sta
pies, John B. Baldwin, Thomas S Bo-
cock, James NJ. Wilcox, L NJ Campbell,
James Barbour, George w. Boiling, John
Goode, and John r. Tucker. o. b.
Finney, of Accomac; John Letcher, Of
Rockbridge; Fayette McMullen, OF
Smyth; Moses Walton, Of Shenandoah ;
Nathaniel Alexander Of Mecklenburg
James B. Kello, of Southampton; and
E. w. Massey, Of Clarke.
Zone of the ablest committees ever
appointed in the State,
The committee reported a series OF
resolutions, which we're adopted unani.
mously as follows: /
The first recognizes that by the result
of the. war slavery has been abolished,
and the people of Virginia do not desire
to reduce again To, slavery a people
emancpated by that war and by
amendments TO the Constitution.
The second asserts the right of Vir
gnia to be restored to the Union, and
declares her intention to perform her
duties to the Union.
The third protests against the sover'
eighty Of Virginia being in any way i'm.
paired as not defined in the Federal
Constitution.
The fourth adopts the language of the
resolutions Of the Cooper Institute, OF
New York, that military government is
contrary to the idea Of our Federal Gov
ernment, and will subject the Southern
States to the rule of race just emerged
from slavery, which is abhorrent to the
civilization Of mankind and TO the North.
ern people; that in surrendering, as it
does, third Of the Senate and fourth
of the House, which are to legislate over
us it subjects them to the dominion of an
organized emancipated class, without the
habit of selfgovernment.
The fifth disclaims all hostility to the
black population, and asserts that the
people of Virginia desire their advance.
ment and intelligence, and the extension
to them of liberal protection; but while
any constitution adopted should make
all equal before the law, yet this conven.
ton declares that the government of the
State and Union were formed by white
men, and subject to their control and
suffrage
The sixth declares that the people Of
Virginia will CO operate with all men who
will labor to restore the constitutional
union Of the States, and continue its
government by the white race.
A resolution was adopted authorizing
the Committee to test the constitution.
ality of the Reconstruction Act in the
Supreme Court.
In discussing this resolution General
Imboden, who had sued out mandamus
against General Schofeld, stated his
case, with similar ones relative to
suffrage in Alabama, would be carried to
the Supreme Court.
The President was authorized to APP
point committee to prepare an address
to the people of Virginia and the United
States.
He appointed Messrs, William c. Rives,
R. M. I. Hunter, John Janney, James
Marshall and John Randolph Tucker.