Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1874-09-04
THE PROPOSED ONiSTITUT7ON-
AL AMENDMENTS.

The subcommittee appointed by the
Virginia Legislature to report some
amendments to the Constitution, which if
the Legislature shall think fit it will SUBJ
NIT to the people, has concluded it's ses-
sion at Orkney Springs, audit recomme u
dations are published. They are ninteen
in number, and as there is no committee
alive that could make that many recon-
mendations without a respectable minor
ity of them being bad, there are some in
different ones among them. Here is the
list as we find it summarized in the Rich
mond "Dispatch:''
First Present preamble of Constitu-
tion to be omitted.
Second. The bill Of rights to be restor
ed as drawn by George Mason and adopt
ed in 1776.
Third. Transfers clause recognizing alb
clifton of slavery from bill OF rights to
the Constitution.
Fourth Makes the prepayment of the
capitation tax necessary to the right OF
voting.
Fifth. Requires voting to be open, and
giva vece, and not by ballot.
Sixth. Abolishes the registration Of vo,
tiers.
Seventh. Extends the Governors pow
er to pardon, so as to embrace the penalties
against duelling.
Eighth. Reduces the General Assembly
50 that the House of Delegates shall not
exceed one hundred, and so that the Sen
ate shall not be less than thirty-fve nor
more than forty members.
Ninth. Prohibits any person holding a
lucrative office and ministers of the Cos
mol frnT,, aninor oIaofo5 IN tho r. onpra1 AC-
sembly.
Tenth. Makes the sessions of the Gen
eral Assembly biennial.
Eleventh. Gives the General Assembly
power to provide for the government of
cities and towns, and strikes out all of ar.
ticle 9Th relative to that subject.
Twelfth. Limits the jurisdiction Of the
Supreme Court of Appeals to cases involv-
ing $1,000 and upwards.
of appeals.
Fourteenth. Requires circuit judges to
be elected by joint vote Of the Senate and
House Of Delegates from persons nomina-
ted by the Governor.
Fifteenth. Provides that the number
of circuit judges may be so increa sed that
the circuit courts may do all the business
now done by county and circuit courts.
Sixteenth. Requires that circuit courts
shall be always open for appointment OF
executors, administrators, &c., and the
transaction of such other business az may
be prescribed by law.
Seventeenth; Increases the capitatioIn
lax to two dollars, and dedicates the whole
to the support of free schools in place Of
all taxes on property for that purpose.
Eighteenth. Requires that on the pas
sage of every act of the General Assem-
bly, the ayes and noes shall be taken and
recorded.
Nineteenth. Provides that future a
mendments to the Constitution may be
made by vote of majority of both hous
es of the General Assembly and their rat
ifcation by the people.
Among the best are the clauses making
the payment of capitation tax necessary
to the exercise of the right Of voting,
the reduction of the number of reEresen
tatives in the Legislature and making the
sessions biennnial and among the wors
are those abolishing the ballot and regis
tration, giving the nomination of judge
to the Governor, abolishing the county
courts and giving the Legislature the
power to amend the CO constitution. Unless
the waters of Orkney are of a peculiarl,,
Bourbonic character, it is hard to see how
the committee could so fly in the face OF
popular opinion and progress. Of piece
with these recommendations is one TO
calling the ayes and noes on every act pass
ed by the Legislature, which would spenc
Just one-half of session calling the roll
Refer them back, and let the Constitution
aIenet