Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1869-02-23
IN SPECTATOR AND GENERAL ADVERTISER.
The Bill Providing for an Election in
Virginia.

The Bill Providing for an Election in
Virginia.
In the Senate, on Thursday last, Mr.. -Trum.
bull reported from the Judiciary Committee,
with amendments, the bill to provide for hold.
ing an election in Virginia The bill as amended
is as follows: - 49,
"Be 1t enacted, de-, That the constitution
adopted by the convention which met in Rich
mond, Va, on the Sd day of December, A. D.
1867, be submitted for ratification on the fourth
Thursday Of May, 1869, to the voters Of the
State of Virginia who shall then be registered
and qualified as such in compliance with the
acts Of Congress known as the reconstruction
acts The vote on said constitution shall be,
For the Constitution or Against the Consti
tuition. At the same time there shall be SUBJ
mitted to separate vote Of said voters the
question whether the fourth sub -division of the
first section of the third article 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 disqualification. The said election
shall be held at the same places where the cleo
ton for delegates to said convention was held
and under the regulations to be prescribed by
the commanding General of the military dis
trict, and the returns made to him as directed
by law. 8so 2. 81
SECTION 2. And be 1t further enacted That
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
people under said constitution The election
for State officers shall be conducted under the
same regulations as the election for the ratifca-
ton OF the constitution, and by the same per-
sons The returns of this election shall be IN
duplicate-one copy to the commanding Gem
eral and one copy to the president of said con-
vention, who shall give certificates of election
to 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 1st day of
January next, and until their successors are
elected and qualified
SECTION 3. And be 1t further enacted, That
an election for members of the United States
Congress shall be held in the congressional dis
tricts as established by said convention, one
| member of Congress being elected in the State
at large at the same time and places as the
| election to be conducted by the same persons
and under the same regulations before mem
toned In this act the returns to be made in the
same manner provided for State officers.
s'SEcTIoN A. And be 1t further enacted That
no person shall act either as member of any
board of registration to revise and correct the
registration of voters as provided in section 7
Of the act Of July 10, 1867, amendatory of the
act Of March 2, 1867, entitled An act for the
more efficient government Of the rebel States,
and so forth; or as judge, commissioner, or
other officer at any election to be held under
the provisions of this act, who is a candidate
for any Office at the election to be held as here
in provided for. FPS
SECTION 5. In case a majority of all the
votes cast on the ratification Of the constitution
shall be for the constitution, the General AS
sembly elected under and by virtue of this act
shall assemble at the capitol in the city OF
Richmond on the first Tuesday of July, 1869
but if a majority of the votes cast on the ques
ton Of ratification be against said constitution,
said General Assembly shall not convene, MOI
shall any person elected to Office under the pro.
visions Of this act enter upon the discharge Of
the duties thereof in pursuance of said cleo
ton. The provisions Of the constitution voted
upon separately shall constitute part Of the
constitution, if the majority of votes cast upon
it be For Disqualification bat if a majority
Of the votes cast on that question be Against
Disqualification, it shall not constitute part of
the constitution.
1
stitution, upon the retention or excelsior Of
which the Senate amendment allows the voters
to decide:
Art 8, sec. l, clause 4th-(That the follow
ing persons shall be excluded from voting)
Every person who has been Senator or Rep
resentative In Congress or elector of President
or Vice President, or who held any office, civil
or military, under the United States, or under
any State, who, having previously taken an
oath as member OF Congress, or as an officer
| of the United States, or as a member OF any
Legislature, or as an executive or judicial OH
Ger Of any State, shall have engaged in insur-
rection or rebellion against the same, or given
aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. This
clause shall include the following officers: Gov
ernor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of
State, Auditor of Public Accounts, Second
| Auditor, Register of the Land Office, State
Treasurer, Attorney General, Sheriffs, Ser>
geant of city or town, Commissioner OF the
| Revenue, County Surveyors, Constables Over
seers of the Poor, Commissioner Of the Board
OF Public Works, Judges of the Supreme
Court, judges of the Circuit Courts, Judge of
| the Court of Hastings, Justices of the County
Courts, Mayor, Recorder, Alderman, Councils
men of city or town, Coroners, Escheators,
Inspectors of Tobacco Flour &C., Clerks of
the Supreme District Circuit and County
| Courts, and of the Court of Hastings, and At
| torneys for the Commonwealth: Provided,
| That the Legislature may, by a vote of three
| fifths of both Houses remove the disabilities
incurred by this clause from any person inclu
| ded therein, by separate vote in each case.
| Sec. Z. In addition to the foregoing oath of
office, the Governor, Lieutenant Governor,
| members of the General Assembly, Secretary
of State, Auditor of Public Accounts, State
Treasurer, Attorney General, and all persons
elected to any convection to frame constitu-
| ton for this State, or to amend or revise this
constitution in any manner, and Mayor and
| Council of any city or town, shall, before they
enter on the duties of their respective Offices,
take and subscribe the following oath or affir-
nation: Provided, The disabilities therein cons
tanned may be individually removed by three
fifths vote of the General Assembly:
II do solemnly swear Tor affirm) that have
| never voluntarily borne arms against the Uni
ted States since [ have been citizen thereof !;
that have voluntarily given no aid, counte-
| nance, counsel or encouragement to persons en-
gagged in armed hostility thereto that [ have
never sought nor accepted, nor attempted to
exercise the functions of any Office whatever,
under any authority, or pretended authority in
hostility to the United States; that [ have not
yielded voluntary support to any pretended
government, authority, power or constitution
within the United States, hostile or inimical
! thereto. And [ do further swear Tor affirm, J
that to the best of my knowledge and ability, l
will support and defend the Constitution OF the
United States against all enemies, foreign and
domestic; that [ will bear true faith and ale
glance to the same; that take this obligation