The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-01-06
The V5rgiaei0 Co1aveaatsocs
ORDERED BY CONGRESS TO
FRAME A STATE CONSTITUTION.
SIXTEENTH DAY.

SATURDAY, january 4, 1coo'
The Convention met at the usual hour.
PRAYER by the Rev. DR.. kynett.
-a ,:& RESOLUTIONS.
Mr.. PLATTE offered the following:
sIWhereas it is highly desirable that
some definite understanding should be ar
rived at in relation to the pay OF members
and employees of this Convention; and 1t
being desirable, if possible, to avoid the
necessity of laying a special tax; there
fore - -
RESOLVED, That q committee of three
be appointed by the Chair to wait on
Major General Schofield and the Auditor
of the State, and confer with them upon
the best course to be pursued"
Mr.. HOLMES offered the following:
!" Resolued, That the Committee on Elec-
lions be requested to report as soon as
practicable upon the contested seats and
upon the seats of disfranchised MEMBERS"
Mr.. BowDEN. moved the resolution be
laid on the table; which was agreed to.
Mr.. HAwKHURsT asked leave Of absence
for ten days for Mr.. WILLIAMSON which
was granted. fr..-.-:-
Mr.. JAMES offered the following resolu-
ton: vi
"Whereas the, James and other rivers
in the State Of Virginia are Distracted by
sunken wrecks and other debris: and
whereas the, said wrecks, &C., are nuclei
of sand bars, and which have been left to
accumulate for over two and o half years,
and which are daily becoming more danger
Gus to navigation and difficult TO remove,
it is therefore 9 = Isl.
"Resolved, That as two, and half years
have elapsed since the war ceased, and that
no action has been taken by the Govern
ment to raise the sunken property and
clear the rivers of these instructions in
their navigation, that committee ofthree
of the members of this Convention be ap-
pointed to wait upon the Secretary of the
United States Treasury to request him to
abandon this property to the State au-
thorities, that they may be authorized to
remove said distractions without delay /;
or that the Secretary be requested to lose
no more time in removing the same I; and
in the event Of the object failing with the
Secretary, that the same committee be
authorized to apply to Congress for leave
to remove the same.'' FL
Mr.. JAMES offered the following
| @ WI eTostS LILO WOIhluR ucu VI IuC otato
of Virginia are at present laboring under
insurmountable difficulties by circum-
stances necessitating them to labor an in
definite number Of hours per day, and that
| in consequence of the whole Of their time
being thus employed, and their physical
ability being exhausted by untimely and
| excessive labor, they have neither the time
nor the energy to devote to mental or
moral culture; therefore
|" Resolued, That this Convention do take
into consideration the condition Of the
working men, and as remedial to the great
evils which priyation and ignorance entail
on posterity, provide that the time for
hired labor be limited to eight hours per
day." a.4.z sl5.;
BY Mr.. JAMES:
Whereas the James river possesses an
available water-poWer, which is, Of re-.
sources, amply adequate to the employ
ment of factories capable Of supply wing all
the requirements from Virginia to the far