The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-02-19
me T5rqSassa Convention
ORDERED BY CONGRESS TO
FRAME A STATE CONSTITUTION.
FIFTY.FIFTH DAY AZ

FRAME A STATE CONSTITUTION.
r1rrY.TIrTH DAY.
TUESDAY, February IS, 1868.
The Convention met at the usual houf.
Prayer by the chaplain. x Il
| INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS. y -
Mr.. HusS1curT offered the following ;.
"Whereas the honest, enterprislng, ana
industrious merchant, mechanic, ana
others, though not landowners: are ~.
terested in. the future welfare OF the osa.e
as affected by works of internal improve
ment, and should therefore not De eA-
Guided from the right OF determining
whether they should or should not De COZ
structed therefore be it
!" Resoiued, That the Legislature be IN
vested with power to authorize any city,
town. county, or township, to vote Tor
subscription to any work Of internal I'M
nroyement q portion of which may be IN
it's limits, if majority of voters so WISH.
Mr.. PLATTE moved to lay on the taDie.
Carried. -
Mr.. BowpEN offered the following as o
section to come in the report on finance !:
9aNo tax shall be imposed on any OF tne
citizens of this State for the privilege OF
taking or catching oysters from tneir nd
tural beds with tongs in the waters tnere-
of: but the amount of the sales OF oysters
so taken by any citizen in any one year
may be taxed at rate not exceeding tne
rate of taxation imposed upon any otner
species Of property"
Mr.. HUNNICUTT moved to lay this sectlon
on the table.
Mr.. BowDEN expressed surprise at such
a motion when the gentleman had been
advocating the very principles embodied IN
the proposition.
Mr.. HUNN1cUTT withdrew his motion.
/ Mr.. PLATTE moved to lay the section on
the table for printing.
| Mr.. MCLAUGHLIN moved to postpone the
matter indefinitely. Hostages, 81
noes, 81.
4 Mr.. N1CKERsoN moved that Mr.. PLATTE
be allowed to withdraw his motion. OBJ
lection being made thereto, the ayes and
noes were called. Result-ayes, 81;
noes, 80,
i Mr.. PLATTE moved that the section be
adopted. Objection was made on the
ground that the motion was out of order
A number of points of order were raised
An appeal was taken from the decision Of
the CHAIR, that the subject was in order,
by Mr.. MCLAUGHLIN.
u H1NE moved to lay the appeal on the
table. The previous question was then
called, seconded, and sustained-ayes
so; noes, 3S.
The proposed section was adopted-ayes
40; noes, A.
A BLooDLEss sPAT.
| AS the names were being called, several
members arose to explain their votes
Among others was Mr.. CURT1ss, who said
that as he believed the proposition was
one that, if carried out, would rob the
State of the last vestige of property from
which revenue could be derived by the
State, he would vote "No."
Mr.. BowDEN "Mr. President, those
words are personally insulting to mem
Der of this House and they are unbe
coming of a gentleman of the House
call him to order"
Mr.. CURTIss: "They are true, never
theless."
Mr.. BowDEN left his seat, and getting
beyond the bar of the House, said Anc
you are id scoundrel!" Sensation.
CURTIss's countenance grew shade
whittier, though forced smile overspreat
it. Mr.. BowDEN walked up the aisle be-
.. hind Mr.. CURTIss, repeating his remarks.
Mr.. ALLAN called Mr.. BowDEN to order
and moved to have him brought before the
bar of the House for censure. He re-
: ported the words to the Clerk, to be re-
corded.
The words were recorded.
Mr.. PARR: eyes, sir; but take dowr
the words spoken by the other man, SIR
Laughter and confusion. Cries of " Shu
the door,"
The words of Mr.. CURTIss were taker
down. He corrected them. Objection!
, and explanations were made. BAYNE sale
: something about CARRIERS making expla
) nations. CARTER said that he had RICH
to make explanations BAYNE talked too
much he made explanations on any anc
all occasions.
BAYNE: "Dat's not so, sir. nuUe
made an explanation before, sir and e
you say so, l dash it back in your face"
: Order being restored,
Mr.. BowDEN said "Mr. President, wa
outside of the bar Of the House when
made these remarks, and I intended them
for that man pointing to CURTIss).
!, meant no reflection on any gentleman,
member of this House. I considered hi
remarks insulting, and I called him ;
id scoundrel; not meaning to insult any
, other member of the House."
Messrs. LIGGATT and FRENCH declared
, that they were not insulted by the remark
The voting was concluded after this, ant
when the vote was announced there wa
: some applause from the Radical side.
Mr.. LUTHER LEE, Jr., moved to recon
) slider the vote by which the section wa
adopted.
Mr.. CLEMENTS moved to lay the motion
on the table. Carried-ayes, so; noes, AZ
: Mr.. ALLAN, after speaking in severed,
l reprehensive terms of the conduct of Mr.
f BowDEN, offered the following:
RESOLVED, That the member from Nor
folk (Mr. BowDEN) be arrested by the ser
geant-at-arms, brought before the bar O
the House, and reprimanded by the Presi
dent for the language used"
HODGES moved to lay it on the table.
Mr.. BowDEN hoped that it would not b,
laid on the table. He wanted to be brough
before the bar of the House. There wer.
other members who would have to b,
brought before the House before the ses
sion was over.
Several other motions were made; ant
finally HoDGEs's motion was put and car
ried