Evening star., 1901-09-18
VIRGINIANS RECONVENE E
ONLY SEyENTY-FOUR MEMBERS
PRESENT AT CONVENTION TO-DAY.
Temperance People Active In Interest,
of Legislation and Are San
suine of Success.
cfal DiSnafeb fo The Evening Star

RICHMOND, Va. September 1S.-Presi-
dent Goode called the constitutional con-
vention to order at noon today. The at
tendance of members was comparatively
small. only seventy-four being present
Prayer was offered by Delegate McIlwain
of Prince Edward. An evidence of the eff
fective work being done by the advocates
of the movement to regulate the whisky
business was seen in the unprecedented
number of memorials presented by nearly
every member of the convention in sup
port of the Barbour resolution, which re-
quires that license shall only lie granted
upon the written petition of a majority of
the voters of the place at which it is pro-
posed to sell liqucr. Memorials have been
presented from practically every county in
the state, and in some cases score of
petitions have been presented from one
county.
In contrast not single memorial has
been presented protesting against the pas
sage of the Barbour resolution. The tenn
perance people are excet dinghy active and
seem sanguine of success. Delegate Sum-
mers of Washington county presented a
resolution today providing that eight hours
shall constitute a days work in all callings
except that of agriculture.
Delegate Summers also presented a sec
ond resolution providing for representation
in the general assembly 4nd in Congress on
the basis OF the numher of persons who
allowed to exercise the right of suf-
frage.
Col Summers is republican. and the OBJ
ject of the last resolution is to prevent the
wholesale disfranchsefnent of the negroes.
Text of ResMIutian.
The resolution to reduce representation
is follows: BE it reEoyed, the follow
ing be substituted for Hrst paragraph of
Section 16 of article v of majority report
of the committee on thealegis.ative depart
ment viz: Representatives In Congress and
members in the Legislature shall be appor-
ticned in this state according to her re-
spective numbers, counting the whole num-
Der of persons, excluding Indians not tax
ed But when the right to vote at any
election for the choice of electors for Presi-
dent and Vice President OF the United
States. representatives. in Congress and
members of the. legislature of Virginia is
denied to any of the male inhabitants of
such state, being twenty-one years of age
and citizens of the United States. or in any
way abridged except for participation in
rebellion or other crimes the basis of rep
resentation in Congress of United States
and house of delegates OF Virginia shall
be reduced in the proportion which the
number of such male citizens shall bear to
the whole number Of male citizens twenty
one years of age i
The Abolition Rule.
The convention spent an hour discussing
the reconsideration of an amendment to
rule &, providing for the abolition of COM
mittee of the whole. On roll call the
amendment was defeated by vote of %
ayes to u noes.
The report of the committee on the legis-
iative department was presented to the
convention by R. Walton Moore, the chair
man Of the committee. and on his motion
the convention resolved itself into commit
tee of the whole and the report was taken
up for consideration. On motion of Mr.
Moore reading of the report was dispensed
with and 1t was considered section by sec
ton.
Section l was adopted as gsported, pro-
viding for the legislative department. Sec
tion =, providing for quadrennial sessions
OF the legislature Wasttaken up. Delegate
Harrison of Frederick, offered an amend
ment providing for biennial sessions. Mr.
Harrison strongly opposed the report Mr..
Moore was defending the report at late
hour
After the defeat Of Maj. Anderson's sub
stitute, which Mr.. Braxton had accepted,
a number of other amendments to this
section were offered and voted down, leav-
ing 1t as at present
Then the bill of rights, as amended was
adopted as whole, and ordered to be
printed for consideration by the conyen-
tiOn
A motion Of Mr.. Braxton to place free
dom of speech" in the clause guaranteeing
the liberty OF the press brought from Chair
man Green speech that aroused great en-
thusiasm Judge Green declared that these
words did not appear in the constitu-
ton of any state except the Underwood
constitution, in which they were put so tliat
carpetbaggers, scalawags and negroes
could abuse white people to their hearts
content. There was uproarious applause
and DR.. McIlwaine, in great glee exclaim-
ed: tive 1t to them, judge" Judge Green
said freedom of speech had been a funda-
mental right of the English-speaking race,
and that one of the strongest evidences
OF It's existence was the noble victim of it's
abuse who then lay dead In the nation
Capltol, surrounded by sorrowing thou
sands The amendment got very few votes.
Inc convention received more memorials
at It's session yesterday than at any former
one, all bearing on the subject of regulat-
ing liquor traffic.
Mr. Moore of Fairfax presented the re-
port or the committee to arrange for me-
mcrlal services on Thursday. The report
was agreed to, and the convention adopted
resolution providing for assembling at
IL o'clock Thursday and Ahat no business
OF any character be TRANSACTED.
The convention resolved itself into COM
mittee of the whole and resumed consid-
Grafton of the bill Of rights, the pending
question being an anendment by Mr..
Braxton provided for juries of less than
twelve in civil cases and for majority YER
diets after three hours deliberation. Mr.
Hunton Of Fauquier spposed the feature
providing for majority vefdacts.