The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-01-13
The TrgiaeSa Convention
ORDERED BY CONGRESS TO
FRAME A STATE CONSTITUTION.
TwENTY.TnIRD DAY.


Prayer by the chaplain.
BASIS OF REPRESENTATION.
Mr.. HAwxHURsT, from the Committee on
the Basis of Representation and Appor-
tionment, submitted the following:
uThe Committee on the Basis of Repre-
sentation and Apportionment beg leave to
report that they have had under conslde-
ration various matters appertaining to their
duties, which the committee deem necessa-
nv for themselves and the Convention IN
order to arrive at satisfactory conclusions,
and respectfully ask that they be printed
to wit:
"No. Statement showing the number
of white and colored persons above the
age of twenty-one years listed for taxation
in 1866" "No. 2-Statement Of the re-
gistered voters under the Reconstruction
acts, and how apportionment would stand
on that basis" "No. 3-Statement of the
population of 1860 by counties, showing
how the apportionment would stand on
that basis,'' "No. Abatement showing
the number of votes cast in the Preslden-
tial election of 1860" $" No. 5-Statement
showing the value of real estate in 1850,
and the personal property in 1866"
"The number of delegates marked oppo-
site the counties and cities, and put there
merely for purpose of illustration, and on
the assumption that the House OF Dele
gates shall consist of los members"
Mr.. CuRT1ss offered the following as
substitute:
"Resolved, That the Committee on the
Basis of Representation and Apportlon-
ment be instructed to adopt the registra-
ton lists as the basis of representation and
apportionment to be adopted by this
Convention"
After discussion, the substitute was lost
Mr.. CLEMENTS moved to strike out num-
bers "4" and "5." Lost. The question
recurring to the original proposition, it
was adopted.
UNCONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.
Mr.. L1GGATr offered the following:
"Whereas the Government of the United
States, on the secession of Virginia from
the Federal Union, assumed and declared
such an act of secession to be in violation
of the Constitution entered into between
Virginia and the other States Of the Union,
and therefore nugatory, and that the status
of Virginia as a member of the Federal
Union was permanent, fixed, , and unchange-
able and whereas the war waged and the
armies collected by the Federal Govern
ment against the State of Virginia and her
sister southern States, united together
under the style of the Confederate States
of America, was for the avowed and pub
lished purpose, expressed in Executive pro-
CARNATIONS and congressional enactments
of preserving intact the State of Virginia
and other States confederated together
as members of the Federal Union, in &C.
| cordance with the powers subsistiDg on
the formation thereof; and whereas the
pains and penalties for political offences
cannot be visited upon the government of
any federatiye member by the General Co.
vernment Of the federation, but only on
individuals regularly tried and convicted
by due form of law; and the terms agreed
upon on the cessation of hostilities between
the North and South did in no manner
claim or establish power or right to the
prevailing section to dispose Of the ancient
domain of the seeded States as conquered
foreign territory, or the private property
of the citizens thereof as confiscated; and
whereas the benefit of amnesty was granted
by the Executive Of the United States to
many citizens of the southern seeded
States engaged in what was termed
by the North rebellion, on their COM
pliance with certain conditions, and
which amnesty was accepted by them
and the conditions fully met; and
whereas amnesty under the laws of nations
means the burying in oblivion of oil past
acts or offences and renewal Of any pc
nalties attaching to such offences from the
persons so offering and whereas the Con-
gress of the United States has, in defiance
of these Executive proclamations and an
tecedent congressional enactments, made
previous to the surrender of General Lee,
and in opposition to the laws of nations,
refused to recognize the seeded States,
among which was Virginia, as members of
the Federal Union, entitled to rights, privi-
leges, and immunities of States, and has
infracted the amnesty granted to the citi-
zens of such States, treating these States as
foreign conquered provinces and the citi-
zens thereof as criminals; and instead ofre-
organizing the seeding States as restored
to the United States Government as mem
bers of the Federal Union, has proceeded
to initiate q reconstruction of the State
government thereof, or the building up of
an entirely new formation under q bill
known as the Sherman Shellabarger bill,
which said bill is in direct conflict with
the Constitution Of the United States, the
right of the States under said Constitu-
ton, with solemn protestations of the ex-
ecutive and legislative branches of the
United States Government, violating am
nesty, assuming treason, &c post tacto in
its operations, abolishing in effect this
great writ of hc5eaS corpus and the
right of trial by jury, making the
civil tribunals Of the State subordinate
to and under tho control of military
authority, investing ignorant and incapa-
bic men with the elective franchise, and
depriving those legitimately entitled there
to of its exercise; and whereas the peo-
pie of the State Of Virginia, who had ad.
hered to the South il the late difficulties
between the North and South, after nu-
merical force had, and they had reassured
allegiance to the Federal Government,
were loyal and true to their allegiance
and whereas they have been coerced un-
der this congressional bill into an election OF
members of convention, which Convention
is the body now sitting in the capitol for
the purpose, under the congressional die
tation, of forming q Constitution for the
said State of Virginia Now, the members
of this Convention, by reason Of the facts
set forth, do hereby declare that they have
no right to frame any Constitution for the
State of Virginia; that the bill being ille-
climate which called it into existence, the
product of congressional violence on con-
stitutional rights, all the acts of such Con-
vention Dlust necessarily be usurpative
and nugatory; and this being SO, they do
hereby declare all proceedings appertain-