Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1867-12-24

reported the resolution of yesterday, with an
alteration, reducing the price OF press-work. per
token, octave form, from seventy-tve to sixty
cents. It was also recommended that 600 IN
stead of 500 copies of the debates OF the Con-
vention be printed.
Mr. Clements thought that the number OF
copies of debates recommended by the commit
tee was too great In his estimation two hun
dred and forty copies we're sufficient.
The amendment suggested by Mr. Clements,
that 240 copies be printed instead OF ,OOO, be-
ing accepted by unanimous consent, the report,
as amended, was adopted.
VERBATIM REPORTS.
Mr.. Gibson offered the following:
"Resolued, That the stenographer who re-
ports the debates of this Convention is instruct
ed to report the exact language used by mem
bers. and is forbidden to publish any language
not used" Laid on the table.
VOTING.
Mr.. H. III. Lee offered the following:
"ResolUed, That the subject OF the form OF
voting be referred to the committee on the Elec-
tive Franchise, and that the committee consld-
er the propriety and expediency OF providing
that future voting in the State OF Virginia De
done by vaua voce vote, and not by secret ballot.
Laid on the table.
Mr.. Fl. II. Lee offered the following:
Whereas, through a resolution lately sub
mitted to this body, there has originated an I'M
to affect the credit of the State therefore,
"Resolued, That, in the opinion OF the Con-
vention, there are no grounds for apprehension
on the part of the public creditors that contracts
of the State will not be complied with; and,
furthermore, in the opinion of this Convention,
the good people of Virginia are determined that
the credit of the State shall not be impaired ;
which it is in their power to prevent" Laid
on the table.
CIVIL EQUALITY GENERALLY.
Mr.. White submitted the following petition j:
"Io the Constitutional Convention Of Virginia :
eve, the undersigned, citizens of Elizabeth
City and Warwick counties, Virginia, pray that
no steamboats, shall traverse Virginia waters
which make any distinction between their pas
sengers on account of race or color that no
railroad making such distinction shall traverse
Virginia soil; that no white ball street cars
shall insult us when in Richmond; that there
shall be no separate schools, but simple chris
tan legislation, such as becomes a people who
believe that God hath made of one blood all ma
tons of men, And your petitioners will ever
pray" Then follows list of names, nearly
all written in one hand.
EQUAL RESPECT TO MEMBERS ON RAILROADS.
Bland (negro) offered the following:
"Whereas considerable disconaforture is felt
by portion of the members of this Convention
and other respectable citizens of this State by
reason of the fact that they are prescribed and
very often greatly annoyed by the agents and
employees Of public conveyances, such as rail-
roads and steamboats, therefore be it
'ResolUed, That General j. NJ. Schofeld be
and he is hereby requested to issue an order to
the effect that no corporation, company, en-
ployee, or agent thereof, within the limits of
this State, shall refuse to convey as first-class
passengers any one of the delegates here assem-
bled, or any other respectable citizens of this
Commonwealth"
J. T. S. Taylor (negro) offered the following ::
Whereas, the ballot is the palladium of
American liberty; and whereas, the disloyal
men Of Virginia are seeking by every means In
their power to prevent the free exercise OF the
elective franchise therefore
''Resolred, That the committee on the Elec-
tive Franchise and Qualifications for Office be
requested to incorporate into the Constitution
of the State of Virginia that all voting shall be
by ballot" Referred.
By Mr. Mclaughlin
'Resolved, That the Auditor of Public Ac-
counts be requested to furnish the Convention
with tabular statement showing the amount
of the capitation tax assessed and actually col
lected in the several cities and counties of the
Commonwealth for the year of 1866, also show
ing the amount Of tax on licenses, real proper
ty, personal property, incomes, salaries, &C.,
assessed for the year of 1867.
By Nash (negro):
''ReSolUed, That the committee on Education
be instructed to consider and report upon the
propriety or improperly Of inserting in the
Constitution the provision making it obligatory
upon the General Assembly to impose capita
ton tax, not to exceed two dollars per head, on
the male citizens of the Commonwealth over
the age of sixteen years, to be devoted exclu-
sively to the purposes of education -
Mr. Woodson offered the following:
Whereas the Auditor of the Commonwealth
is Of opinion that he has no right to pay the
per diem of the members and officers of this
Convention without a further order from Gen
eral Schofeld; therefore be it
'ResolUed, That the Secretary of this Con-
vention request General Schofeld to issue such
orders as may be necessary in the premises. -
Laid On the table.
The Convention then adjourned
FRIDAY, Dec. 20th-The Convention met at
the usual hour
HREAMBLE AND BILL OF RIGHTS.
MIR. Platte, from the committee on pream-
BILE and Bill of Rights, reported a preamble,
&c.,, not differing from the present one except
by the addition of the following as the second
clause of the Bill of Rights
I'll That the authority of the general Gov
eminent of the United States is paramount to
that Of an individual State, except as to rights
guaranteed to each State by the Constitution of
the United States; and that therefore the first
allegiance of citizen of any State is due to the
general Government
The present second clause is made the third !;
and so on.
The following is added to the preamble:
And whereas the Congress of the United
States did, by an act passed on the I'd day of
March, In the year one thousand eight hundred
and sixty-seven, and entitled an act to provide
for the more efficient government of the rebel
States, and by acts supplementary thereto,
passed on the 23d day of March and the 10Th
day of July, in the year one thousand eight
hundred and sixty-seven, provide for the cleo
ton, by. the people of Virginia, qualified to vote
under the provisions of said acts, of delegates
to meet in convention to frame constitution
or form of government for Virginia in conform
ity with said acts, and by the same acts did fur
ther provide for the submitting of such consti-
tuition to the qualified voters for ratification or