The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1901-09-07
THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.
Doings Of and Sayings in and About the
Great Virginia Body

HAeab va BAHA@ wv
Mrs. Gait. president Of the Female Sui
frage Association OF the nited States,
has written Senator Daniel, chairman Of
the Suffrage Committee of theconyention,
asking permission to appear before that
body to present her views.
The oyster industry, It's preservation,
development, and taxation, engaged the
attention of the Committee on Taxation
and Finance. The members of the Board
of Fisheries addressed thecommitiee, and
advocated striking out section I'll Artl-
Gle y OF the Constitution and the inser-
ton OF an article providing that the nat
ural oyster bed. rocksand shoals, should
he held in trust for hepeople of theState.
Mr.. Wysor spoke for two hours and
twenty minutes Wednesday ON the ques-
ton of submitting the new instrument
to the people. lie took the position that
the convention has no right 10 submit
it's work to any but the electorate "A at
present composed He denied the right
of the body to proclaim the Constitu-
ton. In reply to a question, Mr. Nysor
admitted that in his canvass hc had IL
sued n circular in which hc conceded the
right of the convention to proclaim ITS
work. but had changed his mind since
then. Mr.. Wysor declared that two OF
the greatest herrtics ON this important
subject were Rev. Dr. Mcllwain, from
Prince Edward and Rev DR.. runaway,
from Lancaster.
The Committee ON l}ill of Rights settled
the homestead question 10y agreeing to
allow the present sections of the tonstl-
tuition to remain unchanged 80 lar ms
they related To the Homestead eXemp-
tions with the addition OF two important
amendments. These were offered 10y Mr.
Barbour and are designed To prevent
fraud on creditors. They were agreed
to with practical unanimity. One OF
these amendments provides that when
property on which the purchase money
has not been paid is exchanged Tor other
property, the new requirement s..d'i he
excepted from the homestead a. Wa tine
original. The other amendment prevents
the owner Of shifting merchandise from
claiming Il homestead on such class OF
property when bills due for same are I'M
paid.
There is gimmer of hope that the
Suffrage Committee is nearing some sort
of conclusion on the subject of franchise.
At meeting of that body an adjourn
ment was made until Saturday. with the
understanding that every new PROPOSE
ton should be then submitted in writing
The one receiving a majority OF the
votes should be- presented 10 the conven-
ton at once. The planupOn which more
members have agreed than Others Is this:
There are to be two plans-one perma-
nent and the other tempOrary-the tenn
porary one to provide for an educational
test. which the voter Is To stand before
a board provided for each city and
county. but from which all Confederate
and Federal soldiers and the SONS of such
OF legal age shall he exempt. The pei
manent plan provides for a property
qualification of SlJO. but from which all
soldiers and their SONS shall be- exempted
and all persons who can prepare their
ballots without aid. Both OF these plans
provide for the payment OF Sl.'o per
capita taxation, from which there are no
exemptions.
By vote of J3 to % the convention
adopted resolution not to determine
the question OF submission until after the
Constitution il framed. The advocates
of proclaiming the Constitution are
preatlv encouraged by the vote.
CONGRESSMAN II. ID. Flood for submls-
sion to the whole electorate. and Senator
Carter Glass in opposition To that posi-
ton spoke. Both are pronounced splen-
did speeches That of Mr. Glass. by
many il declared to be the finest effort
heard in Virginia for years Zach gen
tleman occupied the floor nearly an.hour.
Mr.. Flood ably defended deposition that
the Norfolk convention had committed
the Democratic party to refer the Consti-
tuition to the people, which meant the
whole electorate. lie defended with
ability his claim that the Legislature
had the right 10 require that the work
of the convention should be referred back
to the people.
Mr.. Glass combatted both oi the posi-.
tions taken by Mr. Flood. He denied
that the sentiment Of the Democrats OF
Virginia had ever been in favor oi per
hitting the 4G, 900 negroes of the state
to participate i'm the work of producing
an organic law for the people. Demo
Gratis of the Black belt would no longer
continue to carry out methods that had
been forced upon them. They, therefore.
demanded the Acknowledgement Of the
blacks by the fundamental law OF the
State. lie scorned to have COnstitu-
ton adopted which would have the faint
and suspicion upon it of having been rat
flied by improper methods. This though,
he pointed out, would be the practical
outcome of the policy of submission to
the negroes, if it were done.
At the conclusion OF Senator Glass
speech he was given perfect ovation.
The hall was crowded with visitors.
The Democratic State ticket was present
in the person of Messrs. Montague, VII
lard and Anderson. State Chairman FL
Tyson was also present.
MEASURES INTRODUCED.
Mr.. O'Flaherty presented a resolution,
which was sent to the Committee on
Executive Departments, providing that
the appropriations for the Governor
civil contingent fund shall not exceed So
600 annually.
Hon. W. 4. Anderson, the Democratic
nominee for Attorney-General, offered a
resolution, which went to the Committee
on schedule, requiring that the Constitu-
ton. when adopted, should besubmitted
to the present electorate. The PROPOSE
ton went to the committee without de-
bate. Mr.. Anderson's Republican Oppo-
nent for the Attorney Generalship occu-
pies the same position on this question.
Friday and Saturday Seashcre Ezcur-
sions.