Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1901-07-20
Constitutional Convention.

tiOnal Convention lnCenulnR 10 sup
press lynching in this State. Mr..
Pedigo's resolution authorizes the
Governor to offer reward OF $500
for the capture and conviction OF
every person engaged in lynching.
The resolution further provides:
"And it shall also be the duty OF the
Governor to pay to the lawful heirs
OF any person murdered by MOB
81. 900 out of the treasury OF the
State, and to charge the same to the
city or county in which such murder
by lynching shall have been perpe>
trated." ;.
Senator Daniels suffrage commits
tee has not yet agreed upon even
the basic points Of franchise clause.
Mr.. Walton Moore's suggestion OF
property tax of $33. which may per-
NIT the father and all OF his sons OF
Iegal ace to vote, will attract atten'
tion There is determination to NIX
mon a plan which will not place the
voters and the people at the mercy
Of election officers or local qualifying
boards.
Mr. Barbour this morning offered
g. resolution directing the committee
on finance to inquire into the ques-
ton OF requiring each city and coun-
ty to pay It's own criminal expenses.
This question has been discussed IN
the Legislature for years.
Mr.. Chapman, Of Shenandoah,
presented a resolution lnqulrlns INTO
the advisability OF requiring all State
and local officers to give bonds OF
| guarantee companies.
The proposition of Mr.. Pollard, OF
Richmond, the youngest member OF
the Virginia Constitutional Conven-
| tion. TO strike the word "Christian"
out of the Bill Of Rights has called
forth general comment. The Bill OF
Rights committee. to whom this ques-
tion was referred by the convention,
have agreed to report in favor OF
elimipating the word. 1t will, how
| aver when it comes before the body
Friday. provoke the liveliest discus
sion vet witnessed. Senator Daniel.
ex- Governor Cameron and some OF
the most brilliant leaders in the con-
vention are opposed to this PROPOSE
tion. These gentlemen insist that
the Mason Bill of Rights shall remain
as II has stood for centuries.
Richmond, Va, July 16.-The most
radical and novel franchise scheme
vet offered was that presented to
the committee this morning by Mr..
A. p. Thorn, Of Norfolk. He proposes
to REQUIRE the ownership OF $500 as a
right to vote, but exempts from this
requirement all soldiers and sons OF
soldiers. all professional men, skilled
mechanics, merchants and indeed,
! ali classes except unskilled laborers,
I which embraces the most OF the
negroes. Mr.. Thorn made an explana-
ton of his plan, claiming that 1t
would eliminate the negro ana was
free from constitutional objections.
The committee directed the plan to
be printed. There is a great diver
gency of opinion on any plan. The
only point on which there is any sort
OF unanimity is that if any suffrage
that affects the negro is adopted IL
must be proclaimed and not submits
ted to the people. ..
Senator Daniels suffrage commit
tee has settled the question that
there is to be 50 capltation tax as
PREREQUISITE to vote and that the
money so collected shall go to the
public schools. The suffrage Com
mittee, by vote OF 10 to 5, defeated
the proposition to require the pre-"
payment of a property tax.
Mr.. WA. Anderson presented a
resolution calling on the Auditor OF
Public Accounts to furnish the con
vention statement showing the
assessed value Of property held oy
white and colored people in the sew
eral counties or cities Of the state in
the wears 1860, 1870, 1880, 109O and
1900. This was agreed to.
Mr.. Henderson, from the Commit
tee on Judiciary, reported a resolu-
ton providing for the printing of a
statement showing the cost OF the
| judiciary OF the State; also one oil
recting the secretary of the conven-
ton to secure from clerks OF courts
certain information wanted. Both OF
these resolutions were adopted.
Richmond, July 1.-THE Constitu-
tional Convention did little or moth
ing to-day, and there was still fur
ther falling of in the number OF res
olutions introduced. Some live topics
were discussed, however, In the com
mittee on education, which was out
a forerunner of the oratorlcal storm
that will break when the PROPOSE
tiops under consideration come be-
fore the convention itself. The ques
ton OF electing school superinten
dents by vote OF the people and the
division OF the school fund between
the races according to the taxes palc
by each were the subjects before the
committee.
A striking feature in the meeting
of the committee on education wal
the speech of Judge Quarles in favol
of the election of school supertnten-
dents and all State officers by TIT
people. a..
Until schools" he said, "ar'
taken from under the control OF pc
litical bosses Or corporations good re
suits will be impossible"
OF probably more interest was the
question of dividing the school fund
which was brought up by Mr.. Turn
bull, of Brunswick, its author.
Mr.. Turnbull declared that hi
proposition is not based upon any
prejudice against the negro or any
desire to retard the progress OF thu
race.
II do think, however" he said
that the experien Of thirty year
should be OF some value. The white
people, for that length Of time, have
been depriving their own children O
education to help the negro, who ha'
not profited to any appreciable e1
tent thereby.
In the convention to-day.two reso
lutions were introduced. The mos
striking, by Mr.. Hamilton, was al
follows;
Resolved, That no county, city, o.
other local subdivision OF this STATE
shall grant it's credit to, or aid OF ANY
persons, association or corporation
and shall not directly or otherwise