The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-02-06

WEDNESDAY, February S, 1868.
The Convention met at the usual hour.
Prayer by the chaplain.
Half an hour was consumed in correct
ing the Journal. "a.
Mr.. THOMAS. from the Committee on
Contingent Expenses, reported an orai-
nance providing for the payment OF VII
nesses and other persons for services 10
the Convention. This was read for hrst
time, and, under a suspension OF the rules,
read second time, and ordered to be laid
on the table to be printed.
AGRICULTURE.
Mr., MELBOURNE, from the Committee on
Agriculture, submitted a report, which
was ordered to be printed without reading.
CONTESTED SEATS.
Mr.. PORTER, from the Committee on Pr
vileges and Elections, submitted lengthy
report upon the case of Mr.. MAUzY. Inc
report concludes with the recommendation
of the following resolution
+" Resolved, That Fayette Mauzy was at
the time of his election Ineligible to seat
in the Convention, and that he is not emil
tied to hold the same.''
The report was ordered to be printed.
DISTINCTION IN TIE GALLERIES.
LEWIS LINDSEY offered the following:
Whereas, since the rule and regula-
tons have been adopted for this ConVen-
ton, in which the eastern gallery was set
apart for ladies and gentlemen accompa-
ming them;
"Whereas the doorkeeper of this Con-
vention have violated this rule by admit
ting white male citizens in the said gallery
without ladies, and refusing colored male
citizens the same privilege; be it therefore
Resolued, That hereafter no distlnc-
ton shall be made in admitting persons in
the galleries, and the doorkeepers are re.
quired to act accordingly" [Copied word
for word.] Laid over.
EXEMPTION FROM LEVY.
DODGE offered the following:
" RESOLVED, To prevent great suffering
and crime, that the Committee on Limita-
tons and GUARANTEES be instructed to in.
quire into and report the expediency o.
exempting an amount of property not ex.
ceediDg fifty dollars from levy or distress
from taxes" Referred.
FENCE LAW.
WATSON (mulatto) offered the following
"Whereas the ordinance or act passed
by the last so-called Legislature of Vlr'
ginia relating to fences was intended to be
general in its application when adopted
by any county, whenever such adoption
should be necessary; and whereas the
County Court of Mecklenburg have made
said act applicable to only portion OF the
people thereof; therefore be it
"Resolred, That General Schofield be re:
quested to examine into this matter and
correct this invdious distinction, to the
injury of the poor and in the interest OF
the rich landholders." Referred.
REDUCTION OF PER DIEM.
Mr.. MELBOURNE offered the following:
Resolved, That on and after the 18th
of February, 1868, the per diem of the
members of this Constitutional Conven'
ton shall be 81 per day."
Mr.. SSEAD moved that the resolution
be laid on the table.
Mr.. CLEMENTS called for the ayes and
noes. Sustained.
Mr.. WHITE moved that any member
who slipped out while the vote was being
taken should not be allowed any per die'n
Mr.. J. G. GIBSON asked that the door
be closed.
The doors were closed. The vote wa:
taken on Mr.. SNEAD's motion to lay on the
table, and resulted-ayes, As; noes, "a.
While the vote was being taken, PETET
JONES explained bis vote. He would vote
ave because be thought his services were
worth as much to-day as on the first day o
the session.
ORDER OF THE DAY.
Mr.. HINE offered the following:
Resolved, That hereafter the regular
order of the day shall be taken up at half
past II, instead Of at l o'clock P. NJ" Laic
over under the rules" Laid over.
ORDER OF PROCEDURE.
PETER JONES offered the following:
Resolved, That on and after this day
when the hour of the day arrives for the
Convention to consider the different ar
ticles and sections of the Constitution now
being framed, that this Convention resolve
itself into committee Of the whole.
"2. Resolved, That under the rules that
each member intending to speak on the
subject under discussion shall not speak
more than fifteen minutes without the con-
sent of the House"
PETER spoke for some moments on the
resolution. He said that he had read the
reports in the newspapers about colorec
members getting somebody else to write
their resolutions for them. He didn't gil
nobody to write this resolution for him.
He composed it himself, and had beer
thinking of it for some time.
The previous question was called, Sc
conded, and sustained-ayes, rs; noes, 6
The resolution was then rejected.
Mr.. SNEAD offered petition, which wa
ordered to be printed.
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT.
The morning hour having expired, the
report on the Executive Department wa!
taken up. The following amendment to the
fifth section being under consideration,
Mr.. ALLAN moved to amend by insert
ing the words "to remove political .disa
bilities consequent upon conviction i'm
mediately after the word conviction, .
on the fifth line from the bottom of the
section.
Mr.. MADDOX offered the following sub
stitute, to take the place of all the words
after general Assembly," in the ninth
| line:
"The Governor, Justices Of Supreme
Court of Appeals, and Attorney General,
or major portion of them, of whom the
Governor shall be one, may, upon such
conditions, and with such limitations and
restrictions as they may think proper
remit fines and forfeitures, commute pun
ishment and grant pardons, after convic.
ton, in all cases except treason and i'm.
parchment, subject to such regulations as