The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-07-29

a separate vote when the day came for the
ratidcation or rejection OF the Gonstitu-
ton By the people.
THE PROVISIONS
The provision OF the CONSTITUTIONS Oh
1s5o-'51, that mo person holding lucrn-
five office. no minister of the Gospel or
priest of any religious denomination NJ
salaried officer of any banking corporation
or company, and no attorney for the
Commonwealth shall be capable of being
elected to either house of Assembly.
was amended only by emitting the Com
monwenith's attorney from the persons
excluded.
What constitutes a lucrative o1hce'
and who shall determine?
Bills and resolutions might originate IN
either house.
Taxation should be equal and uniform.
and all property be taxed in proportion to
its value, but any property might be eX-
empted by a majority OF the whole num-
Der of members elected to ench house.
The Governor should nominate and. with
the advice and consent of the Senate, APP
point the judges of the Court of Appeals
and the circuit courts instead of their
being elected by the people. as under eN-
listing law; they should hold office during
good behavior or until seventy years OF
age. District courts were abolished The
county courts remained substantially as
before, except that after the first election
by the people vacancies were to be filled by
the justices themselves. The clerks and
attorneys for tho Commonwealth should
be appointed by the courts. and be sub
jet to removal Sheriffs should be nomi-
mated by the county courts and appointed
by the Governor, but no sheriff should be
nominated for another term unless he Ind
settled as accounts.
And constants surveyors,
commissioners OF the revenue and over
seerg OF the poor should ba appointed by
the cou1ty court.
These are all the material changes of the
organic law made by the convention of
1861. .Ns before stated, the Constitution
never b7came effective, for though {. rather
remarksbe schedule framed for its
submission to the people-providinS a sep
arate tall for writing into 1t the very feeble
restriction on the suffrage. II the voters so
acknowledgements of the exigencies of
fragrant war election was ever held,
and so I died still-born.
This was the second example Of q pro-
posed Constitution for Virginia which never
became operatve. In the appendix to the
addition OF Jefferson's Notes on Virginia.
published by j. w Randolph, Richmond,
1888, is . be found a "Draught of Fun
damenf3 Constitution for the Common
wealth Of Virginia. drawn by Mr.. Jeffer
son hiusself, with design of being pro-
posed = a convention, which it was ex
pected 3Se Assembly would call in 1888.
CURIOUS SUGGESTIONS.
There are some very curious suggestions
of gov67nment in it, Among the more no.
table az these: All free male citizens of
Gull agr,, and sane mind, resident any
county Scr one year before an election, or
through the whole of that time possessing
real prS9erty therein of the value of -
TI1l1 .r lIoJ i,,
the militia to be qualified voters, voting
pers~ns5iy and viva voce.
Tn daily wages" of members of the
Legls!aEare were to be paid in gold or
silyep." equal to the value OF two bushels
OF w4ezss: said value to be deemed one dol
lar 8 bGshel till 1890, when, and every tenth
year thereafter, the General Court was to
impact a special jury of the lnost respec-
table merchants and farmers to declare the
average value of wheat during the last
ten xea5s, which value should "be the
measure of wages for the ten subsequent
year,
Minister'S of the Gospel should be ineligi-
BILE, AmGHg others. and all persons convict
Ell o. bribery or corruption in enieavoring
to p1ocsre an election 10 the said assem-
bly,
BriDe:s or corruption on other lines did
not ronStitute an exclusion.
The Legislature should not ordain death
for anf crime but treason. murder, or
military offenses nor prescribe torture in
any CASE whatever, nor permit the intro
ductiOn of any more slaves in the State,
or the continuance of slavery beyond the
generation living December 81, 1900: all
persons born after that date being hereby
declared free.
The whole military of the State,
whether regular or militia, shall be sub
iect to che Governors directions: but he
shall leave the execution of those direc-
lions to the general officers appointed by
the Legislature" This seems a clear case
Of inpeoium in imperio-a Caesar and
nobody ct once.
WHEELING AND ALEXANDRIA,.
OF the forty-six delegates from the terri
tory raw comprising West Virginia.
twenty-2:ine voted for it, seven were alb
sent. anS one was excused.
In the convention. the total vote was s.
for it to - against it. The vote of the peo-
pie on It's ratification was 1850 for and
2O,S73 against
REPUDIATHD THEIR ACTION.
The West Virginia delegates who voted
against it FASTENED 10 leave Richmond
by the first trains, and many were in
washington early the next morning,
among them Sherrard Clemens, though
still! suffering with a wound received in a
duel with o. Jennings Wise.
AS .,s,a as they reached their homes they
bega> al agitation for a convention to re-