Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1869-02-18
TELEGRAPH NEWS.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES TO THE GAZETTE
FROM WASHINGTON.
WASHINGTON, Feb. Is.
The Bill Providing for an Election iii
virginia.

the Judiciary Committee, reported the iol-
loving bill
AN ACT providing for an election in Virginia
BE 1t enacted 6y the Senate and House OF
REPRESENTATIVES of the United States Of america
an ConQreSs assembled, That the constitution
adopted by the convention which met III Itch
mond, Virginia, on the third day OF December
A. d. eighteen hundred and sixty-seven be sub
mitted for ratification on the fourth Thursday
of Nav, eighteen hundred and slXty.nlne, to
the voters of the State of Virginia who shall
then be registered and qualified as such in com
pliance with the acts Of Congress, known as
the reconstruction acts. The vote on said con
stitution shall be ''for the constitution" or
against the constitution. - At the same time
there shall be submitted to u separate vote OF
said voters the question whether the fourth
subdivision of the first section OF the third ar
ticle and the seventh section OF the third article
of said constitution shall constitute part
thereof, and the vote on said question shall be
| ''for disqualification, or against dlsquahhca
ton" Tie said election shall be held at the
same places where the election Tor delegates 10
said convention was held and under the regula-
tiops to be prescribed by the commanding
general of the military district, and the returns
made to him as directed by law.
an election shall be held at the same time and
places for members of the general assembly,
and for all State officers to be elected by the
peopIe under said constitution the elcctOntOr
State officers shall be conducted under the
same regulations as the election Tor the ratll-
cation of the constitution, and by the same
persons. The returns OF this election Shall be
in duplicate, one copy to the commanding gen
eral and one COPY to the President OF SAID con
vention, who shall give certificates OF election
20 the persons elected. The officers elected
shall enter upon the duties OF the offices for
which they are chosen as soon as elected and
qualified in compliance with the provisions of
said constitution, and shall hold their respec-
tive offices for the term of years prescribed by
the constitution, counting from the first day OF
January next, and until their successors are
elected and qualified.
Sec. 3. And be djtUther enacted, That an
election for members the United States Con
gress shall be held in the congressional districts
as established by said convention, one mem
Der of Congress being elected IN the State. at
large, at the same time and places as the cleo
ton for State officers, said election to be con-
Quoted by the same persons ana under the same
regulations before mentioned IN this act; the
returns to be made in the same manner prOvld
ed for State officers.
SEC. 1. and be 1t further enacted, That no
person shall act either as member OF any
board of registration to revise and correct tie
registration of votes as provided IN section
seven of the act of July nineteenth, eighteen
hundred and sixty -seven, alnendatory OF the
act of March second, eighteen hundred and
sixty-seven, entitled AN act for the more eth
cient government OF the rebel States, aud SO
| FORTH or as a judge, commissioner, or other
officer, at any election TO be held under inc
provisions of this act, who is a candidate Tor
any office at the elections to be held as herein
provided for.
SEC. 5. la case majority of all the votes
cast on the ratification OF the Constitution shall
be for the Constitution, the General Assembly
elected under and by virtue of this act shall as,
semble at the Capitol. IN the city OF Richmond
on the lst Tuesday of July, 1869; but II ma
iority of the votes cast on the question OF ratl
hcation be against said Constitution, SAID Gen-
eral Assembly shall not convene, nor shall any
person elected 10 office under the provisions OF
this act enter upon the discharge II the duties
thereof iu pursuance of SAID election. he
provision of the Constitution voted upon SIP
arately shall constitute part OF the COnsutu-
ton, If majority of the votes cast upon 1t be
for disqualification, but If majority OF the
votes cast on that question be against dlSqual-
ifcatou" it shall not constitute Il part OF the
Constitution.
The Disabled.
The bill as passed by the Senate on Tues
day night, removing the political disabilities of
a number of persons il the South, has caused
considerable stir in Radical circles, and pro-
tests are already pouring in. The bill VIII
doubtless be raced by the Reconstruction
Committee of the House, and the names of
several from Virginia, among them Judges
Parker and Meredith, stricken out. Mr..
Shackellord, the Conservative candidate for
Congress from the 7th District, will not be
allowed ito pass" and many other names have
already been scratched.
The Reconstruction Committee will have a
meeting tomorrow, to consider the petitions OF
those praying for removal OF disabilities from
Virginia, and it is expected that another bill
will be reported in few days, including IN Its
provisions the names of q number who have
been endorsed by the Radical Committee at
Richmond
Congressional.
In the Senate, to day, tue Commlttee on
Claims were discharged from the further con-
sideration of the claim Of William Chinn, OF
Prince William county, for damages to his
property by Federal soldiers during the war.
The bill allowing back pay to the Senators
from the reconstructed Southern States was
called up and discussed.
In the House Of Representatives the vote
nv which the Banking and Currency bill was
tabled, was reconsidered, and the bill further
amended and discussed.
The Alabama Claims Treaty.
After rather stormy debate, in The Senate
Committee on Foreign Affairs, to Gay, on the
Alabama Claims treaty, 1t was agreed to report
adversely to its ratification.