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

The Conservative members of the Convention
number about thirty four. They are generally
men OF intelligence, but only a few of them
have any experience or skill in legislative bust
ness. The opinion is often expressed here that
there is too much speaking on their side of the
house. The lmpulsiveness and imprudence of
some OF those gentlemen, it is thought, injure
the cause-they seek to maintain. A minority
can accomplish nothing by fuss and fury, except
to irritate and unite the majority, and drive
them to greater lengths. o'5.a IT
The President of the Convention is, apparent-
y, gentleman of great amiability. When /
observed, the other day, the suavity of his de-
pertinent in the chair and thought of the shock
ing harangues he was lately wont to deliver to
his Grand Juries, | was reminded of Byron's
description of one of his heroes-''as mild man
nered man as ever scuttled ship" &C.
Of the proceedings of the Convention you can
Judge from the daily reports in the Richmond
papers. A Conservative looker-on is filed with
Indignation. disgust and amusement, all at one
moment. l have seen several gentlemen from
the North, who have visited the Convention,
and they seemed aghast at the spectacle. 1e5
Not much progress has been made in the
work OF framing Constitution. Up to this
present writing only the Bill of Rights, Pream-
bic, and first two articles have been adopted in
Committee of the Whole All these have to
III. =
Bill OF Rights was under consideration in COM
mittee, the Radicals displayed a determined
purpose to slay the monster secession. Each
OF these heroes, after the fray, no doubt, hopes
to be duly rewarded for the achievement You
remember when Falstaff encountered the dead
body of Percy on the field of Shrewsbury, he
stabbed it through and through, and looked to
be made Duke or an Earl for his exploit.
The Constitution will be as radical as could
be desired We shall have universal suffrage
without alloy; in other words, without distinc-
to Office. A full blown free school system will
be prescribed in the Constitution but it is pos
slble that the capitation tax, only, will be de-
voted to this purpose. The present County
Court system will be abolished, County Judges,
Learned in the law" being substituted [
learn that Augusta will have Judge to herself;
Rockingham and Highland another and Rock
bridge, Bath and Allegheny another-the judges
to be appointed by the Governor. The number
of Circuit Judges will be decreased -
You saw the report of proceedings on the re-
ception of the notorious General Butler. Sew
eral leading Radical members were opposed to
lnvltatlng the Beast to address the Convention.
Among these, the Rev. COL White, of Eliza
beth City, was prominent. This member was
expelled from the Federal camp during the war,
by Buffers order; and yet his Radical friends
showed him the disrespect of receiving his per-
secutor with distinguished honorsl
The contested election case from the district
of Augusta, Albemarle and Louisa drags its
slow length along. Nothing definite has yet
been done in reference to it, but am told the
committee will report in few days. - -1s
1t is impossible to predict when the Conven-
ton will adjourn. The treasury will give out,
however, about the middle of February, and
the end will probably be soon after that date.
-t VIRGINIAN. -