The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-03-11

/ his people during the war, and made .
strong appeal in behalf OF the Dill: -,
Mr.. BRAxroH moved that the bill be as
missed; which motion wasrejected-ayes'
The question being upon the passsge, OF
the bill, II was rejected-ayes, rs noes a.
THE CONVENTION BILL.
The Committee Of Resolutions, by tneir
chairman. Mr.. WILSON, made areport upos
the subject of the convention W a'nonu ~.
the Constitution, as follows:
.Tbe Committee on Resolutions, to
| ~hom was referred the Senate Dill to pro-
vide for electing members OF convention,
4 and 20 convene the same, having maturely
considered said bill and other propositions
submitted to them, report the said bill to
the House with recommendation that IT
do not pass, and as substitute for said
bill, and to effect in more appropriate
manner the chief object of the same, they
| submit to the House the joint resolution
accompanying this report, with recon-
mendation that, after being printed LOT N.
| use Of the House, it be adopted, ana seh'
TO the Senate for their concurrence.
aDANIEL A. WILSON, Chairman.
Tho ;o;nt resolution alluded to in TINS
| communication is as follows =
wbercas the Thirty-ninth Congress Q,
tho United States at its late session Pas't ~
an act designed, among other opJec.s, ~
alter materially the qualihcation =. az
and of persons heretofore eiisIoio . ~ ~
in this State under the state Tons.i.u'0,
which act was vetoed by the FreSiuohV ',
the United States, and subsequently passeu
over his veto by the requisite cons..u-
tional majority, and it is anticipated that
the President will deem it to be MS duty
TO enforce said act (unless it may be pro-
nounced unconstitutional and void by the
Supreme Court ofthe United States) and
whereas there is great reason to appre-
bend that confusion, disorder, and perhaps
even bloodshed, may occur at the time of
holding elections unless the people and the
officers conducting such elections are dis
tinctly informed whether the same are to
be conducted under and according to the
provisions of the State Constitution, or
under and according to the provisions of
said act of Congress, which information it
is the duty of the Legislature to give; and
whereas the said act Of Congress contains
also q distinct invitation that convention
should be called to frame constitution for
this State as a measure to lead ultimately
to the recognition by Congress of this
State as a legal State Of the United States,
and the admission of its senators and repre-
sentatives to membership in the Congress
of the United States, and by established
usage, based on grounds of expectancy
amounting almost to necessity, the Legis-
lature of this State has always exercised
the function of calling conventions by APP
pointing the time and place at which cleo
\ lions to them are to be held, and the OIL
GERS to conduct the same; therefore be it
resolved by the General Assembly,
/. That under the circumstances set
forth in the above preamble, an overruling
necessity requires the people of this State
to submit to have the elections to offices
coming within the purview of said act OF
Congress, and to any convention called In
pursuance of the invitation above referred
to. conducted in strict conformity with the
provisions of said act, unless the same be
pronounced unconstitutional and void by a
decision of the Supreme Court of the Uni
ted States.
2. That in the opinion Of the General
Assembly it is expedent, under existing
circumstances, that o convention should be
assembled in pursuance of the invitation
above mentioned, and that it is the appro-
pirate function of the General Assembly
to take the usual initiative steps to con-
vene such convention, and for this purpose
the officers conducting the elections LOT
State offices on the fourth Thursday IN
Nav are hereby directed to open polls Tor
the election of members to State con-
vention, at which every one entitled 10
vote for State officers shall be entitled TO
vote for members of the convention.
3. The officers conducting the aforesaid
elections shall cause the names Of all re-
iected voters to be entered on the back OF
the poll-books, with statement OF the
causes of rejection, and when o vote is
challenged and accepted, the cause OF SAID
challenge shall also be stated on the poll
books. . -.
4. The elections for members of the
convention shall be held on the fourth
Thursday in May, 1867, and polls shall DC
opened at all the election preclncts hom
allowed by law, and the poll-DooKs snai,
be returned and certificates OF eleovloI
given in the time and manner pIescIipeu
for the election Of members Oh the uone
raj Assembly of Virginia, except tnat .ne
certificates Of election shall DC ior"araeu
to the Governor.
come number Of members as the present
House of Delegates of the General AS
sembly. and the several counties, cities,
and election districts shall be entitled to
the same number Of delegates to which
thew are entitled in the present House of
delegates. The pay Of the members OF
said convention shall be six dollars per
day during the session of the convention,
| and twenty cents per mile for all necessary
travel in going to and returning from the
| same.
6. Any person may be elected a member
i of the convention who at the time Of the
election has attained the age of twenty
one years and is citizen of the Common
wealth qualified to vote for members of
the convention.
7. The said election shall in all respects
be conducted in the mode prescribed by
law, and the officers conducting the same
shall be vested with the powers and per-
form the duties, and receive the same COM
pensation, and be liable to the penalties
prescribed by law for general elections,
except as herein provided.
8. The members of the Convention
herein authorized shall assemble ct the
capitol in the city of Richmond on the
- day Of, 1867, and proceed to OF
ganize and form State Constitution.
9. In the case Of contested elections,
proceedings shall be had in all respects as
provided for by existing laws in regard 10
contested elections in the House OF Dele-
80. .,alors ofharxyisn ordered by the con-