Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1868-01-28

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what he said here or elsewhere.
| The following committee was appointed to in
| vcstigate the matter, VIZ: Curtis, Parr, Bland,
negro, Radicals, and Williams and Walton,
! (Conservatives.)
Mr. Thomas moved that the committee have
power to send for persons and papers. Adopt
| ed.
| Lewis Lindsay, negro, offered the following:
| Resolved, That the committee on elective
franchise and qualifications for office, be request
ed to report the expediency OF engrattlng within
| the constitution the following provision That
the following classes shall not register, vote, or
| hold office In this State to wit: All persons
who were elected to any Office by the citizens of
| this State, city, town Or county, or appointed
| by the executive department. or by the judiciary
| department, and afterwards Is known to have
| given aid and comfort to the enemies of the
| United States in the late rebellion.
| lst Members of Congress, members of the
| General Assembly, clerks and officers thereto.
End. The Governor, Lieut.. Governor, Sec
retary of the Commonwealth, Treasurer Au-
| ditors, Members OF the Board Of Public Works,
| and all officers and clerks thereto.
| 3rd. The Judges, Mayors, Magistrates, Al
| dermen, Attorneys Of the Commonwealth Con-
stables, Sheritfs, Policemen, Inspectors, Clerks
| of countless Overseers for the Poor, and all Of
| fcers and clerks thereto.
| 4th. All officers OF any Incorporated company,
such as Presidents, Cashiers of Banks and
| branches thereof, Presidents, Superintendents,
| and TreasUrers of Railroad or Canal Companies
5th. All military or militia officers who are
known to have given aid and comfort to the So
called Confederate States.
| Provided, that the General Assembly shall
| have power to remove the disabilities from all
| those who were forced into rebellion against the
United States against their will, who produce
evidence Of that fact, and the above clause sh all
cease March lst. 1880.
| In the evening session the eighth section of
the bill OF rights was adopted as follows:
| That all elections ought to be free, and that
all men, having sufficient evidence of permanent
common interest with, and attachment to, the
community, have the right of suffrage, and can
not be taxed or deprived OF their property tor
| public uses without their own consent, or that
OF their representatives so elected nor bound
| by any law to which they have not, in like man
ner, assented for the public good.
| The Convention then adjourned
THIRTY FIRST DAY.
TUESDAY, Jan. 2lst.-The Committee on the
Legislative Department requested that the SUBJ
| ject OF uniform metropolitan police be referr-
ed TO the Committee ca the Judiciary. Agreed
to.
The Committee on Banks offered a lengthy
report which was ordered to be printed.
RESOLUTIONS REFERRED, &c.
By Morgan, of ofPeters5urg resolution that
committee OF five be appointed to receive the
names of the DISTINGUISHED Union men ct Vir-
ginia who desire to be restored to their former
privileges, and consider the same
| The delegate from Matthews moved that leave
of absence be granted all members not inclined
to listen to useless discussions, and that when
the windy members shall have exhausted them
| selves, committee of three be sent after the
| furloughed members This caused a marked
sensation.
Mr.. Leahy moved to lay it under the table.
|. But the motion not to receive it offered by a.
mother member, prevailed amid much merrl-
| ment.
Mr.. Lydick then offered resolution to protect
the property Of married women from being
bound for the payment Of debts contracted by
their husbands.
BY MIR. Llggett-To exempt all soldiers
wounded In the late war from the poll tax.
by the mulatto member from Southampton
A resolution exempting minors from poll tax.
| BY Mr.. Lee, Of Koanoke-That there be no
tax for school purposes except poll tax.
BY the same--Proposing an impartial system
Of suffrage, based on property qualification.
| BY MIR. Curks-Exempting from taxation
$500 worth OF personal property, and the pro
perty Of benevolent and educational institutions.
| Kelso oflereu a resolution to prevent the sale
OF Intoxicating liquors on election days.
GENERAL GRANT INVITED.
Mr.. Morrissey offered the following:
| Nv hereas 1t is known that the commanding
General of the armies Of the United States is
at the present time stopping In the city OF Rich
mond, therefore be it
"Resotued, That a committee Of five be ap-
pointed by the President to wait on General u.
5. Grant, and extend to him the privilege OF the
floor OF this Convention, and that he be request
ed to address the Convention"
On motion of Mr. Porter, the words ''and that
he be requested to address the Convention
were stricken from the resolution. 1t was then
adopted and the following committee was ap-
pointed Morrissey, Platte, Kelso, French,
and I'll. H. Lee.
Mr.. Lee said that he respected General Grant
highly, and would with pleasure wait on him
had five white men been appointed upon the
he could not serve on a committee of the kind
upon which there was a colored man.
Mr.. Lee was excused and Mr. E. Gibson was
appointed in his stead.
MIR. Gibson said he would serve with pleasure,
as he had great respect ior General Grant. He
had refused to wait ON General Butler, not be-
cause he had been an officer of the United States
army, but because he considered that, in con-
sequence of his Butler s. past conduct, he could
not as gentleman, and with the pro per respect
for himself, countenance his presence.
THE BILL OF RIGHTS.
The subsisting order OF the day, to wit, ''the
bill of rights, was called up at l clock, when
the remaining sections were adopted. We ap-
| pend synopsis OF them:
9. Against the suspension of laws or the exc
cution of laws without consent of the represent
atives of the people.
10. That accused persons shall be confronted
by their accusers, be informed of the nature of
the offence charged have the right to summon
witnesses, and be tried by jury of their peers,
&c.
IL. Against excessive bail or cruel and un-
usual punishments
II. Restricting search warrants.
13. Giving preference to trial by jury.
IA. Decaratory of the freedom of the press.
| Is. That militia is the natural and safe de-
fence of free State; that standing armies in
time of peace are dangerous to liberty, and that
in all cases the military should be subordinate
to the civil authority.
| Is. That no government, independent OF the
government of the State OF Virginia, ought to
be established within the limits thereof.
| II. Recommending the people to be tempe
rate, frugal, virtuous and religious as the surest
safe guard for the preservation Of their Hber-
| ties.
| Is. That neither slavery, nor involuntary SER
vitude, except as lawful imprisonment may con-
| stitute SUCH shall exist in this State