Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1868-04-14
UNCONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.

MONDAY, April 6.-The morning was con-
sumed without any important action
LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT.
The sections of the report on the legislative
department not yet acted cn were called UP
The second and third SECTIONS were adopted as
follows:
''SEC. 2. The senators shall be elected for the
term of four years, for the election of whom the
counties, eities and towns shall be divided into
not more than thirty nine districts Each coun-
ty, city, and town of the respective districts at
the time of the first election Of its delegate or
delegates under this Constitution, shall vote for
one senator. The senators first elected under
this Constitution in districts bearing odd num-
bers shall vacate' their offices at the end of two
years, and those elected in districts bearing even
numbers at the end of four years. and vacancies
occurring by expiration of term shall be filed
by the ELECTION Of senators at the fall term.
The fourth section was adopted as follows:
''At the first session of the General Assembly
after the next enumeration of the inhabitants
of the State by the United States re appor-
tionment of senators and members fthe House
of Delegates shall be made"
AFTERNOON SESSION.
The thirteenth section Of the report ON the
Legislative department was adopted as follows
''SEC. 13 The privilege of the writ Of haleaa
corpus shall not be suspended unless when, in
cases Of invasion or rebellion, the public safety
may require it. The General Assembly shall
not pass any bill Of attainder or any ec post cto
law or any law impairing the obligation Of con-
tracts; or OF any law whereby private property
shall be taken for public uses without just COM
pensation or any law abridging the freedom Of
speech or of the press. No man shall be com
PEELED to frequent or support any religious wor-
l.. ,bs+1o L
man be enforced, restrained, molested or bul.
thened in his body or goods, or otherwise suffer
on account of his religious opinions or belief
but all men shall be free to profess, and by ar
| gument to maintain, their opinions in matters
of religion, and the same shall in no wise affect
diminish, or enlarge their civil capacities Ano
the General Assembly shall not prescribe any
religious test whatever, or confer any peculiar
privileges or advantages on any sect or denomi
nation, or pass any law requiring or authorizing
any religious society, or the people of any dis
trict within this Commonwealth, to levy or
themselves or others any tax for the erection Of
repair of any house Of public worship, or for the
support of any church or ministry; but it shal
be left free to every person to select his religious
instructor, and to make for his support such
private contract as he shall please"
The report in the case Of Mr. Allan was calle(
up 1t was laid on the table.
After some further squabbling, the Conven
ton adjourned.
MIXED SCHOOLS
TUESDAY, April 7.-Bayne offered the fol
lowing:
1.-The free public schools in this State shall
be open free to all classes, and no child, publ
or scholar, shall be elected from said schools OF
account Of race, color, or any invidious distinc
ton and the General Assembly shall have pou
to make any law that will admit of any invidi
Gus distinction in any public free schools in thi
State"
A motion to lay this on the table was lost
ayes, Is; noes, SO.