The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-01-22
The V3rginia Convention
ORDERED BIZ CONGRESS TO
FRAME A STATE CONSTITUTION.
THyRTY-FIRsT DAY.

FRAME A STATE CONSTITUTIONS
THyRTY-FIRsT DAY.
TUESDAY, January 81, 1868.
The Convention met at the usual nour'
Prayer by the chaplain.
REPORTS.
Mr.. VIZ. B. TAYLOR, from the Commit
tee on the Legislative Department, sub
mitted a report concerning the petition OF
the citizens of Norfolk in regard to the
establishment Of State Metropolitan Po-
lice force, asking that the matter be re-
ferred to the Committee on the Judiciary,
as coming more properly under their &C
ton. Adopted.
Lengthy reports were submitted from
the Committees on the Executive Depart
ment, and Banks, which were ordered to
be printed without reading.
PEABODY TRUSTEES.
MORTON (mulatto) offered the following
Resolved, That the gratitude of the
people of Virginia is sincerely felt and
heartily rendered to that eminent philan-
thropist George Peabody, who, though
born in Massachusetts,, belongs to the
whole country and the world, for his mag
niicent contributions to the cause OF Edu.
cation; and that the Committee on Educa-
ton of this Convention be instructed to
communicate with the Board of Trustees
of the Peabody Fund, now in session at
the Spotswood Hotel, in this city, for the
purpose of mutual aid and cooperation,
and to invite the said Board to visit this
Convention and to communicate to US their
views and advice upon the great interests
of popular education" Adopted.
On motion, the President of the Con-
vention was added to the committee.
BANKRUPT ACT.
Mr.. ALLAN offered the following:
"Whereas the bankrupt law now IN
force in the United States has fallen short o.
the object for which it was designed, and
whereas the benefit of the first clause OF
that act will shortly expire by Limitation
and whereas the financial prostration IL
which large proportion of the people o.
this section have been placed as result
of the late war, calls for some increase o.
allowance to insolyent debtors over and
NNAAoN1
ing bankrupt act therefore.
!" Resolued, That committee of five be
appointed to draft memorial to the Con
gress of the United States, setting forth II
such memorial the necessities OF the case,
as represented in the above preamble, ano
petitioning relief in the premises; said
memorial to be presented to this body for
approval, Laid over under the rules.
RESOLUTIONS.
The following resolutions were offered
By PETER MORGAN:
"Whereas there are many loyal men
in this State who are disfranchised by the
reconstruction acts Of Congress, and who
have shown disposition to cooperate with
the Union party, and by their means and
influence endeavored honestly to restore
Virginia to her legitimate place in the
Union; and whereas it would add much to
the efficiency and influence of these men,
and be an important addition to the
strength of the party laboripg to promote
reconstruction in Virginia, if such disqual-
ifications could be removed from such citi-
zens; therefore
Resolued, That committee Of five be
appointed to receive the names Of all gen.
tlemen in this State who desire such dis
qualification to be removed, to examine
their cases in full, and to report to this
Convention the names of such as the CON-
mittee may deem proper cases for Con-
gressional action"
Mr.. L. LEE, Jr., moved the rules he sus-
pended in order that the resolution might
be acted upon which motion was lost.
The resolution was, under the rules, laid
over.
By Mr.. CuRTIss:
RESOLVED, That the appropriate COM
mittee be instructed to take into conside-
ration the propriety of inserting the fol
lowing, or similar provision, in the Con-
stitution, viz:
"sThe property and pecuniary rights
of every married woman at the time OF
marriage, or afterwards acquired by gift,
devise, or Inheritance, shall not be subject
to or liable for the debts or contracts OF the
husband, and laws shall be passed pro
viding for the registration of the Wlte's
property" Referred.
By Mr.. LIGGATT
Resolued, That hereafter in the assess
ment of taxes upon citizens of this Com
that all soldiers disabled from
wounds received during service IN the late
war shall be exempted from the payment
of any poll tax" Referred.
Br Mr.. BROWN:
"Whereas many persons (males) in this
State under the age of twenty-one years
are required to pay tax of $3.50; and
whereas no minor, according to the laws Of
this State, is allowed to vote and whereas
the poll tax is now Sl.70 upon male persons
twenty. one years old and upwards; there
fore be it
RESOLVED, That all said minors be ex-
empt from tax, and the money paid by
them be refunded.
"2d. That the poll tax be one dollar, to
be paid by such male persons as are or
may be taxed by law from the age Of
twenty-one years old and upwards said
money to be applied to the support of
public schools"
By Mr.. II. 81. LEE:
Res0lUed, That the Committee on Edu-
cation be instructed to consider expedi-
ency, the propriety, and the justice of
providing in any ordinary way that the
committee may offer to this body on the
subject of education that there shall be no
tax imposed on the people of this State
for the support of free schools except
poll or capitation tax" Referred.
By Mr.. II. 81. LEE:
Resolued, That the Committee on the
Elective Franchise be instructed to con-
slider the expediency of reporting to this
body an impartial system Of suffrage based
upon property qualification" Referred.
By Mr.. CURTIss:
"ReSolued, That the Committee on Taxa
ton be instructed to consider the propriety
of inserting into the Constitution the fol-