Evening journal., 1897-01-15
T0STOP BUYING VOTES.
What the Constitutional Con-
vention Now Aims to Do.
WILL CLIEOH THIS PROVISION
80 THAT UNWILLING OR TRICKY
LEGISLATORS CANNOT CHANGE
lT-EIGHTEEN HUNDRED NAMES
ON A PETITION FOR PROHIBI-
TION.

TION.
DOVER, Jan. 15.-Yesterday the Con-
stitutional Convention. sitting as a COM
mltteee of the whole Mr. Martin in the
chalr, devoted the whole morning to
the first section of an article aiming
al the purity of the ballot" without
coming TO vote.
The delegates are a unit in purpose
TO do something to weed out vote-buv-
ing, but Mr.. SpTuance was gtrsnucus,v
opposed to constitutional legislation
and wanted something left for the Leg
islature to do by way of enforcing the
more general provisions Of which a
Constitution should be composed.
The section, after being amended so
as TO include primary elections. con-
Ventlons and primary meetings, as well
as the registration of voters by the
mere addition Of phrases in lines G. 7
ana y, was presented TO the committee
as follows:
Section L. Every person who shall
receive or accept, or offer to receive or
accept, or shall pay. transfer or deliver
or oner or promise to pay. transfer or
deliver, or shall contribute. or offer or
promise to contribute. to another tn he
paid or used, any money or other valu-
able thing as a compensation. induce
ment or reward for the giving or WITH
noldlng U in any manner influencing
Ihe giving or Withholding a vote at any
general, special, or municipal election |
IN TINS state, or shall make or become |
ulrectly or indirectly party to any bet
OF wager depending upon the result of |
any such election, or who shall by the /
use, or promise of money CT other valu- !
able thing or otherwise cause anv Off |
Ger OF election or registration officer |
TO violate his official duty. or who he l
ing an officer Of election or registra- |
ton officer, shall knowingly and will |
1ully violate his official duty shall he /
deemed guilty of a misdeameanor and |
snail be fined not less than one hun-
dred dollars nor more than five thous-
ana dollars, or shall be imprisoned for
term not less than six months nor
mere than five years, or shall suffer
Doth nne and Imprisonment within
SAID limits, at the discretion of tbe
court, and If a male, shall further for
d term or ten years next following his
sentence be incapable of voting at any
such eiecuon. No person, other than
ehe accused, shall in the prosecution
Ior any offense mentioned in this Sec
ton be permitted to withhold his testi-
mony on the ground that it may crin1i-
nate himself or subject him to public
lniamy; but such testimony shall moi
az telwards be used against him in anv
Judielal proceeding EXCEPT for periurv
In giving such testimony.
OUT OF THE REACH OF LEGIs1jA-
TORS.
Messrs. Bradford and Cooper wanted
the whole case covered by the Consti-
tutlon so that unwilling legislators
could not nullify the obvious desire of
every honest man in the state. Mr.
opruance warned them against the
Derlls Of an absolute Constitution fxed
IS 10 crimes and penalties, for they Of
ten defeated their own end. since af-
defects could he reme-
lleu with that ease which enabled one
20 amend a mere statute.
COMMITTEE ON INAUGURATION
The convention named Messrs Da-
5ey, richards, Cooper, Clarke. John
son and Spruance a committee to aid
N the inaugural exercises next Tues
twenty-five petitions from as MANY
christian churches of Wilmington
signed by 1900 members. were present
ed by Mr.. johnson this morning The
pray to be relieved from the
evils Of the licensed liquor traffic of
the state
Larer-1.45 p. m.-The Constitutional
convention adopted the section provid-
ng penalties for bribery at elections.
With amendments. The Committee on
Judiciary heard the members of the
bar this afternoon on the composition
Of bench. The convention adjourned