The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-01-21
The Virgi7edG Convention
ORDERED BY CONGRESS TO
FRAME A STATE CONSTITUTION.


MONDAY, January ~, 1868.
The Convention met at the usual hour.
Prayer by the chaplain.
DISMAL SWAMP CANAL.
Mr.. WINSTON, from the Committee on
Internal improvements, submitted report
upon the resolution of Mr.. L. LEE, Jr., in
curing into the sale of the Dismal Swamp
canal. The committee recommended
nothing. Laid on the table and ordered
to be printed.
BREACH OF ORDER.
Mr.. THOMAS, from the special committee
on the breach of order committed by Mr..
HUNTER in saying that Mr.. HUNNIcUTT
lied in his teeth in the statement that R.
NJ, T. Hunter was traitor, submitted a
report. The report detailed the facts, and
set forth that the committee had had seve-
raj sittings, but had arrived at no conclu-
sion.
On motion of Mr.. HINE, the report was
recommitted.
ENFRANCHIsING FELoNs.
Mr.. ANDREWS offered the following:
"Whereas the preamble of the recon-
struction acts declares that the present
governments in the late rebel States are
illegal, and have been such since the act
of secession, all the operation of the same
based upon such authority must have been
null and void; and whereas it is well
known that there is large class of prison.
ers now committed unjustly by the order
of the courts of this de tacto State Co.
vernment; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the Committee on Elec-
tive Franchise be instructed to inquire
into the expediency of reporting upon the
propriety of exempting the same from dis
tranchising from felony unless the recon-
structed courts of the State shall declare
them guilty."
PRINTING.
Mr.. ALLAN said that it would be remem-
bered that some days since certain gross
charges had been made against the Com
mittee on Printing by the gentleman from
Giles (Mr. GIBsoN). That gentleman had
shirked the charges afterwards, and in the
course of remarks subsequently made by
him had refrained from mention of the
charges, as he (Mr. ALLAN had said that
he would require Mr.. GIBSON to bring
proof of the charges. He demanded that
committee of five be appointed to in
quire into the matter, which could report
whether he was thief or Mr.. GIBSON was
liar.
Mr.. GIBSON replied that the gentleman's
reply to his charges came rather late. Two
weeks had elapsed since they were first
made. The statement that he had shirk-
ed any responsibility was false. The gen.
tleman who made it knewit to be so. The
whole house knew it to be so. If
the matter were to be made g.. personal
one, the member from Prince Edward had
another and more gentlemanly way to set
tie it. He repeated the charge that the
gentleman-if gentleman he was-had
made false report to the Convention,
had perpetrated fraud upon it, and had
slandered an officer Of the Convention. He
would have him understand that he held
himself responsible for the charges he had
brought against him. AS far as any report
that might be made as to his MT. G.'s)
being liar was concerned, he would say
to the gentleman that if the charges were
not proven on him (Mr. A. he would give
him any satisfaction he might want.
The committee of investigation was APP
pointed as follows: ,Messrs. Curtiss, Poor,
and Bland tRadicals) and Walton and
Williams (Conservatives).
Mr. FRENCH submitted q report concern
ing this matter from the Superintendent
Of Public Printing, accompanying which
was note from that officer asking that it
be read. The House refused to read it,
and it was referred to the Committee Of
Investigation. ~
SWEEPING DIsFRANcH1sEMENT.
LEWIS LINDSEY offered the following:
"Resolved, That the Committee on Elec-
i've Franchise and Qualification be re-
Iuested to report the expediency of
within the Constitution the fol-
owing provision That the following