The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-08-05
CONVENTIONS HELD TO AMEND
THE CONSTITUTION OF VIRGINIA
Some Notes on the Convention of l867-'68.
Many Radical Changes Were Made in the
Organic Law of the State by That Re-
markable Gathering Of Men.

benetlcentr equal ana 1uSt So!Stisusioii Pos7
ss.bic' This was one Of the prayers that
was not answered, and was harGiy ihaoe
| in good faith
/, Before the convention was permanently
| organized. Hunnicut. moved that q com
| Inittee OF three be now appointed TO fisit
| General Schotieid and ascertain II ne mas
! any orders or Instructions 10 communicate
| TO tha convention.
! The BIZ Of Rights, Of course. was mutt
| lated and mangled; notably in section IL,
! which was section is IL: all former editions,
! and read: That no free government or the
| blessings of liberty can be preserved to any
people bu. by a firm adherence 10 Justice,
moderation, temperance. frugality and to
fundamental principles" The word .fru-
gaiity'' was left out.
! No frugaIity for them until Schofeld
stopped their pay. and then they soon ad-
journed.
The Constitution as adopted bristied
with tron-clad oaths and with prescriptions
OF our best citizens. These Were submitted
TO a separate vote by the special grace OF
President Grant-by what authority IS not
known nor ever can be-and were eli1El-
mated by a majority of about 10000 votes.
whe way 10 the polls thrown wide
open. The wonder IS that women were rot
made voters. The clause that excluded
persons convicted Of an Infamous offelse'
was discreetlv omitted-as smacking too
much OF persona discrimination.
REGISTRATION and the ballot were PFC
sc1ijed, and the manly method of voting
with the living voice abolished.
The order of the old Constitutions were
not folinwed-the Executive being put
ahead OF the legislative for the first time,
and, for the first time also in Virginia, the
Executive was clothed with a qualified
veto and the Lieutenant Governor given
a vote in the Senate in case of a tie.
The Governor, Auditor and Treasurer
! are constituted the Board of Public
works. The Board was formerly elected
! By the people for Il term Of six years. Any
! qualified voter, without restriction as to
! age or otherwise. is eligible to either
| branch of the Legislature. The judiciary
] system was greatly changed, particularly
| in prescribing a judge for each county
| having population of eight thousand and
+. eli Judges were made elective by the Leg
| islature.
i Under the Constitution of 1s5o-'51 there
! We're no county judges. and all others
J were elected by the people. 1t seems q
/ curious blending of the coordinate
! branches OF the government that the
| legislative should elect the judicial.
IN the county, city and township organ
| ization an army of new office-holders
were provided for, some of whom have
| been abolished by amendment, but the
county judges, treaSurers, supervisors.
| announcements Oh SCHOOLS, SCiibcl u us9-
tees. etc. are yet part and parcel of the
government
charged not to exceed j. per cent. This
clause has been eliminated by amend
1nent.
The Homestead law a feature in
troduced for the first time in Virginia
under this Constitution. a feature which
is likely to remain.
Lastly, provision was made for amend
nents to the Constitution without con-
vention for that purpose. Several of the
most Objectionable clauses have been got
rid of in this prescribed method. but the
process is so slow and cumbersome that
+, the Legislature at its last session autho-
| riZed q vote of the people on q conven-
/ ton, and the people determined that a
| convention shall be called. and the whole
! instrument be overhauled and adapted to
| the needs of the time.
| II the rev Constitution he wisely and
| prudently framed it viii be a great boon
10 the State. 1t is impossible TO conceive
| that q body of Virginians-native here
{ and to our manners born-can fail to
| make better Constitution than the eX-
/! listing one.
The reforms needed We're so fully and
! SO intelligently discussed by Mr. John
! Garland Pollard in The Times of last
Sunday that it would be a work both of
| supereroSation and presumption for an
other TO go over the same ground
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