The Van Buren press., 1868-01-31
-jdHie tsook isasly Gaseite. .s.r
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.
,'UJ y |llllLl- JAsrAaY %.

trOl. Mount, was rc3i ann FcleTIeu 10 Tue
| Committee on Education.
Mr.. Evans, chairman on committee of
. iml eaelment aud removai from office,
presented a DRAFT on those subjects Tor
the new Constitution Ordered printed
and fixed for consideration on Tuesday
next r-----v- ,.. ,-..--..-. ...-.. 1922 .--.
Mr.. MrCown, chairman of committee
on banking and corporation other than
municipal presented n draft on those
subjects for the new Constitution Or
dered lnirtcd and fixed for consideration
on Wednesday.
Mr.. Brooks. chairman Of committee to
petition Congress for relief for the desti-
tute of the State, submitted a report recit-
ing that great distress prevails in some
parts of the State, especially the cotton
growing districts, and recommending that
the subject be considered by the Conven-
tion in Committee OF the whole. r
/ White (ncgro), of Phillips, offered the
following:
ReSofre1, That whereas the public carriers
and owners of public conveyances in the State
of ArhauSas persistently refuse the ordinary
accommodations TO citizens OF said State:
Therefore, H-.tIt-e- .- 1860 fiiisA
BE Il Resolred, That the public carriers are
| the public servants and that refusal TO per-
form their duty in carrying or transporting all
citizens upon the same terms, and subject to
the same rules and regulations Is an outrage
upon the citizens of this state; and,
| BE IL ResRred. That this body recommend
the Legislature to pass an act making such re-
fr-a al t., or frau prt ait mo
public highways or travel. subject only to the
general rules governing all others, on the va
riOus routes or modes of carry ing. conveying
ortransporting passengers, penal office.
On motion of f8lr. Smith, it was refer
red to Committee on Ordinances.
Gray (negro) of Phillips, offered the
following:
Resolred That the committee appointed to
examine into the condition of the suffering
poor ofthe State, and to report a memorial to
Congress. asking aid for the same be instruct
ed to consider plan by which government
aid may assist iii tine permanent location 0ithe
freedmen in the Counties or Districts where
there are tracts of government lands subject
To entry under tin, homestead laws of Con-
greSs for SettlemeDt-and make said lands and
improvements made thereon. security for the
amount of six months provisions advanced to
the actual settlers thereon. payable to the gov
ernment two years after date of receipt.
Referred to Committee on Memorials
Mr.. Hollis offered the following;
WHEREAS, 1t has been represented that
contract for the lease of the Penitentiary
house ofthc State OF Arkansas for a long term
OF years. to-wit, for the term of fifteen years,
was recently pretended To be made by and
from an illegal assemblage of men styling
themselves the General Assembly of the State
of Ark ansas, to aid with divers persons said
to. be then opposed to the Reconstruction
measures of Congress and hostile in feelings
and sentiments to the Federal Government
which said pretended lease is said to have been
accompanied with loan of forty or fifty thou
sand dollars .1taken under some preteXt fron,
the Public Treasury. and with a grant of other
and further extraordinary and unheard of
privileges, immunitics and franchises. And
whereas it is asserted bg released prisoners
aHd Others that these pretended lesses. or some
OF them being in possession of said Peniteli-
ti3ry building rs aforesaid, are accustomed to
use in the inHiction of corporT'l punishment
especially upon colored convicts, an instru-
ment of torture said to be found only on a few
plantations in the darkest day of slavery,
therefore. '' 'A4a "Fif.''i@ @H'
BE Il Resolred, That a,GoU,n tFot Of Nine
W
pointed, whose duty it Shall be to collect facts
and proof, and to procure papers and persons
to be brought before the committee on the
Penitentiary. which committee shall at once
proceed to hear. investigate and reduce to
writing the whole testimony in the case and
make their report for the further action ofthis
Convention, which said report shall show how
said Penitentiary was leased-by whom aud
to whom, in whose possession the samesis and
Uowl they came bys tt and all other matters
touching its management, the treatment of
prisoners, etc. which said report shall be nc
companied. by the testimony so reduced to
writing. ,5 .',.,..i.. ....i.. ..,.....
Mr. Hodges, of Pulaski, said this reso-
lntion may be aimed at him, but it reach
ed only the inspector and physician, both
honorable gentlemen, capable Of judging
of the conduct of the Penitentiary much
better than the little dogs who bark
around on the outside. As to the con-
stitutionality Of the lease he would say
nothing; that could be tested elsewhere.
Il gentleman ON this floor, a member of
the last legislature, had said the lease
best measure ever adopted by the State
he believed he would say 50. yet. The
speaker then spoke Of the efforts to make
the Penitentiary elf-sustaiping, and he
compared itat some length with the con.
dition Of other similar institutions. Re
fcrred to Committee on the Penitentiary
and White (negro, Of Phillips, and Ma.
son (negro) Of Chicot, on motion Of Mr.
Brooks, were added to that committee.
BY Mr.. Scotia resolution instructing
the Committee on Franchise to inquire
into the cXpedicucy Of DISTINGUISHING
those who have taken the iron-clad oath
to enable them to hold office, and after
wards opposed, ormay hereafter oppose
reconstruction Referred to Committee
on Franchise. a' .ll.g
BY Mr.. Bella resolution, instructing
the Committee on Franchise to inquire