Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1897-11-18
AMENDMENTS PROPOSED.
REPORT OF THE LEGISLATIVE CON
STITUTIoNAI. COMMITTEE.

REPORT OF THE LEGISLATIVE CON
sTITUTIoNAL COMMITTEE.
The report of the Constitutional
Amendment Committee, prepared
by the chairman, Col. r.. +. Fast,
was issued October 18th. The re-
port is quite a voluminous one, oc-
cupying eighty-eight octave pages.
The present Constitution and the
proposed amendments thereto are
printed in parallel columns. Chair
man Fast introduces the report with
historical sketch of the origin and
work OF the committee, referring to
the various plans discussed by the
caucus of the Republican members
of the two houses of the Legisla-
ture, for the Revision of the Consti-
tution-first, a constitutional con-
ventIon elected by the people; sec
ond constitutional commission to
be composed of members from the
State at large, appointed by the Gov
ernor; and third, non-partisan
committee appointed by the two
houses of the Legislature from
among their own members. The
first named plan was rejected be-
cause of the enormous expense in
volyed, the Constitutional conven-
tion of 1872, which is said to have
cost 1891 900, being noted; the sec
ond named plan was rejected be-
cause the present Constitution pro-
vided only two ways by which that
instrument could be amended, viz,
by Constitutional convention and
by the Legislature submitting
amendments. The plan of the Gov
ernors commission was therefore
found to have no Constitutional au-
thority and was abandoned, and the
third, or legislative committee plan
was adopted as the only possible
one.
After discussion of the demand,
or supposed demand, of the people
for amendments to the Constitution,
and giving a long list of citizens of
the State who either appeared be-
fore the committee or sent letters,
the amendments proposed by the
committee are the following:
Article End. Section The sec
tion is amended so as to include
Mingo in the list of counties of the
State.
Article 3. Section 1O-Changing
the word "and" to cor" making it
read without due process of law or
the judgment of his peers"
Article 3. Section 13-Adding
the words, But an appeal from the
judgment of justice upon the ver-
dict jury shall be a matter of
right under such regulations as may
be prescribed by law" Its effect is
to do away with the necessity of
taking down the evidence in a jury
trial before justice and of taking
bills of exception to the rulings and
conduct of the justice. The inten-
tion is to bring the whole matter,
both Of law and fact, up to be tried
in the circuit court.
Article 4.-Section 1.-The amend
ment proposed to this section has the
effect of disfranchising any male
citizen of this State "who shall be
found guilty Of selling his vote or
receiving anything of value for
casting his vote at any election for
any particular person."
Article 1. Section 2-This section
in the present Constitution provides
that voter shall be left free to vote
by either open, sealed or secret bal.
lot, as he may elect. The new sec.
tion makes any but the secret ballot
unlawful.
Article 4. Section 12-This sec.
tion is stricken out and the following
inserted: "The Legislature shall
provide by law Tor a registration of
all voters"
Article 6. Section %, makes il
unlawful for a member to introduce
a bill after the furtieth day of the
session, unless the Governor shall,
by special message, recommend its
consideration and unless permission,
for its introduction shall be granted
by a concurrent vote of the mem.
bers elected to each house.
Article 6. Section 33-Member
of the Legislature to receive -four
dollars per day for actual attend
ance for period not to exceed sixty
days at regular session, and forty
days at special session.
mo member to receive mil