Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-03-25
WILL. The ACr STAND,

The Act of Assembly pIoNiuins 'V
taking the sense of the people as TO OF
derlng constitutional convention win re-
ouire O vast deal Of legal propplng peioFe
II can be made TO stand on the 2hh OIL
May.
The defects m the law are SERIOUS anu
Il wiz require great skill IN inteipreta-
ton TO cure them The law reads as II +"
were intended to provide fec viva Noce
election. Thus we have provision re-
ou,ring the judges OF election to open
nou-hooks which shall be ruled into two
columns--one colvr1n for the recording ol
votes for the convention and the otheI
column for the recording Of votes aga ls'
the convention That Is exactly the way
we used 10 vote under our old State Con-
stitution. How this can be done now con-
sistently with the provision Of the present
Constitution. that "all elections snail be
by ballot" is not clear TO Us.
In support Of the theory that the Legs
lature actually contemplated viva Voce
election. we have the fact that not only
is no form of the question TO be submit-
ted TO the people adopted bor use upon
the BALLOT. but no provision Is made
for printing that ballot, nor any intorma-
ton vouchsafed whether a separate bal
lot and separate ballot-box must be used
or not
We suppose a viva voce vote is not per-
Missile under our Constitution, and that
the elections Of May 9th must be by
ballot or not at all.
We reprint the act, which was ap-
proved March 4, 1896, as follows:
whereas. il is represented TO the Gene
raj Assembly of Virginia that a portion
of the people of this Commonwealth, are
DESTROYS of amending the Constitu-
ton OF this State:
!. BE Il, therefore, enacted, That II
shall be the duty of the officers autho-
iized 10 conduct the elections within TINS
commonwealth. on the fourth Thursday
in May, 1897. at the poliing-places VI the
counties, cities. and towns OF the state
70 open polls for the purpose OF taxing
the sense of the people upon this ques"
ton "Shal! there be a convention 10 le-
Vjse the Constitution and amend the
sarne?" and all persons qualified to
vote for the members Of the General AS
sembly shall be permitted to vote there
on
The polls TO be open shall contain two
columns, and shall be headed on the
one side of the POLLOCK thus: shan
there be a convention 10 revise the Con-
stitutfun and amend the same?-- conFen-
ton: no convention"
, 1t shall be the duty OF the Judges
of the election at each polling-piace 10
receive, canvass, count, certify and re
turn the votes and poll-books at such
election separately, as provided by law
for elections Of members Of the General
Assembly. and they shall put said poll
books under cover, seal the same, and
deliver them TO the clerks of the coun-
tv and corporation courts in which said
elections are held On the day following
such election.
2. The Board Of Commissioners Of
Elections in each and all of said coun-
ties cities and towns shall, on the Sc
cond day after such elections Sunday
exceptedO meet at the clerks office OF
the county or corporation for which
they are appointed. and proceed to can
vass and certify the same as provided
bv law for general elections in this
State: and. thereupon, the clerk OF said
hoard shall transmit the result thereof
dulv certified as provided by law. TO the
Secretary of the Commonwealth at Rich
mond. and the Secretary of the Com
monwealth shall deliver the same to the
Sneaker of the House of Delegates on
the first day of the next general or spe-
cial session Of the General Assembly
10 be by him laid before the General AS
sembly at that session thereof.
This act shall be in force from It's
passage.