The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1876-09-07


The following is going the rounds Of the
Virginia Conservative papers as a correct de-
scriptionof ftle amendments to the Constrli-
ton, wiiicKsthe people at the balot-boN in No
vcmbcr next are either to ratify CT reject:
list. That no man who does not pay his
poltax to support the public schools shall vote.
End That no convicted thief shall vote.
ss3rd. That registration shall not be had nn-
less required by the Legislature.
"a h and 18th. That the Legislature shall
meet once in two years and only for ninety
days, with no per diem, but q fixed salary
and the number of members of the House be
reduced to ninety or one hundred, and the Sem
ate to thirty three. :"
/ There are other amendments, which aoe will
number as follows M
9th. One giving to tic Legislature power to
| cnfranchise all persons who shall dlsfranchise
themselves by engaging in luels after the rati-
fication OF observation-disclosures, or have hereto
fore DISTINGUISHED themselves in that manner.
But it is not altogether certain that the latter
class would not be enfranchised by the fact OF
ratification.
9TH. One empowering the Legislature to
provide for the government Of cities and towns,
and to establish new courts therein.
stl. Taking from the qualified voters the
right to vote ''upon all questions" that may be
submitted to the people at ''any election, and
allowing them to vote only for ''members OF
the General Assembly and all officers elected
by the people,"
9th. Providing for q reapportionmcnt of the
members of the General Assembly in 1879 or
sooner; then again in 1891 and every tenth
year thereafter; Instead Of rs now.
10th. Providing that no person holding q
salaried Office under the State Government
shall be eligible to either house of the General
Assembly.
11th AS the constitution now stands, no ses-
sion OF the Legislature can exceed 100 days
80 days being allowed without formal extern
sion OF the session, aud 80 more, and only 80
more, in case thrce-fifths of the members elect
ed to each house shall vote thus to extend it.
But one of the new amendments will il ratified
allow the first session of the General Assembly
s'under this amendment" to be as long as the
members choose to make it, and this too, with
out requiring them to vote upon the question OF
extension. What reason there could have
been for providing for allowing six months
session of the General Assembly next year we
cannot imagine. But so it is. 1t was done,
not carelessly nor thoughtlessly, but intention
ally; for the words s.under this Constructor
were stricken out and the words s'undcr this
anaendment'' were substituted. There is not
much economy promised in this matter.
The amendments as stated in the extract we
quote above, provide that members of the Gen
eral Assembly shall receive "a salary" As a
salary is an annual allowance, it would seem
that the pay OF the members is to be annual,
| though the sessions of the Legislature are to
be only biennial.
The payment of the capitation tax is to be
made condition precedent OF voting, but nc
provision is made for allowing man to vote
| if commissioner of the revenue should fail to
enlist his name.
The act of Assembly makes provision for
striking out of the present Constitution the fol
lowing words:
'sThe House OF Delegates shall be elected
blcnnialy by the voters of he several cities and
counties on the Tuesdays succeeding the first
Monday in November, and shall be distributed
and apportioned Us follows
But 1t makes no provision for striking out
the words apportioning the delegates, which
words are
"Disdrict No. L. Accomac shall have two
delegates.
ssDisfrict No 9 Albcmare shall have three
delegates.
''Distrct No. 3. Amelia shall have one del
| egate.''
And-so OIL rs to ninety-siX districts.
The acts Of Assembly concerning the amend
mcnts are badly drawn. A Schedule is IN.
terposed between a section proposed to be
stricken out and a section proposed for ratifica'
ton.-Richmond Dispatch.