Richmond planet., 1901-06-29
TO RESTRICT.
SUFFRAGE.
Many Resolutions Offered To
Change the Judiciary.
THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION GETS
DOWN TO WORK

! the members to take oath prescribed
by the Constitution, stated that in the
event of the matter being taken from
the table ne would offer q substitute g
that the question be referred to q COM
mittee to report back the result of
their deliberation,
Mr.. Brs xton was recognized and
spoke at some length against the Wis
dom and justice of requiring the mem
bers OF the convention to take an oath.
Mr.. BsAxson endeavored at the out
set TO show that the danger indicated
on the first day of the convention that
II the osths ware not taken the acts OF
che body would be void, would not be
encountered. He cited q number Of
rulings OF the United States Supreme
Court TO show thar members of such a
body as this were not officers of the
Stafe IN which they were meeting.
III , said it WAS his hope to convince
his friends on the other side that it
was not necessary Co take the oath,
and this the matter be disposed OF for
ever.
POINTS OF ORDER.
Members made points of order that
Mr.. Braxton was discussing the merits
or the matter and not the advissbiIity
Of taking it from the table. Mr.. An.
dersoB, who was in the chair, ruled
that while parliamentary practice ad-
mitted OF q discussion OF the sort
which Mr. Brsxson had undertaken, he
! thought it would be better that the
body vote upoE the motion to take the
matter from the table. Then. il she
motion prevailed, the discussion could
be continued. With the permission of
the body, the vote was put, and the
motion iguominiously lost.
The COMMITTEES on printing recon-
mended the employment of steuo-
grapher st $3.50. per month, aud that
the Richmond, We. DIsPATcH be fur
nished the steHogrsphic reports exclu-
sively. The aforesaid reports to be
published in that j1urnal and 200 cop
les furnished the convention free Of
charge The report was adopted.
TEE TERM OF oFFcIE.
Mr.. Keezen offered . resolution that
the mmittee on organic alton and
governments be instructed to- take up
and consider the arranging of the term
OF office, and the time OF elections OF
all county and district officers, 80 40
provide the fewest numbes of efec-
items Judge Quarles offered q reso-
luton to consider the propriety OF en-
eOsAh6 PAONtoAOn EC4ulEluk tu0 loRl6-
iAture to enact primary election law
By which candidates. for all state, coun.
~, city aud district Offices, be filled by
a vote OF the people. Also o PROPOSE
tion to elect all judges by popular vote
and the organization Of the Supreme
COURT OF Appeals so that the members
tn sreof will be elected from districts
! and by the direct vote OF the people.
Mr.. Eggleston cff,rsd o resolution
abolishing the county courts and also
the circuit courts Of the cities and the
transfer OF one Of the eourts OF Rich
mond OF the Jurisdiction of circuit
court OF said city in matters in which
the States interests are involved and
In the trial OF convicts in the peniten-
tiary. To re establish circuit courts
with combined civil and criminal inr
! isdiction to hold ct least four terms OF
the court annually in each county. the
counties to be divided in not lie ss than
twenty nor more than twenty-five cir
cult courts. To consGlidA ate the offices
OF county and circuit clerks nd in
Vesting said clerks with Jurisdiction in
mstters Of probate of wills, appoint
ment OF judicisries. settlement of ex-
parte RccounGs, etc.
Mr.. StebbIns offer ed q resolution to
punish for bribery in elections.
eNLY WHITES HOLD OFFICE.
Mr.. Lincoln offered q resolution to
establish State Board of Charities to
have charge of the various institutions
also the following:
Be it ordained that all white persons
entitled to vote and no others shall bo
eligible to any Office under the Consti-
tuition and laws of Virginia, except as
restricted in the Constitution.
Mr. Waddill offered resolutions pro-
viding for the division OF the state in
to judicial districts with q Judge for
for each and specifying when and how
often the court shall meet.
Mr., Stebbins offered q resolution
that no member of the General assem-
bly, during the time for which he shall
have been eleotsd shall be appointed
or elected by the Governor, or by the
General Assembly or by either branch
thereof to any civil office of profit un.
der the commonwealth except offices
filed by election by the people.
Captain Parks offered resolution to
bring about lessening OF the expense
OF the present Jury system.
Mr.. Lindsey wanted the auditors of
the southern states 70 advise the
body OF the costs OF conducting their
various departments and the amount
OF annual salary paid the heads Of
those departments.