Evening star., 1901-09-03
Delegates to Richmond Convention
Canvass Coming Election.
LITTLE BUT SPEECHMAKING G
Question Of Method of Adopting
Constitution Still Discussed.
MARSHALL FOR SUBMISSION

Stitutional convention was called together
at noon by President Goode. Prayer was
| offered by the Rev. P. B. Price. Seventy
| two members were present when the roll
was called. The attendance of visitors
| was not SO large as on yesterday. No new
| resolutions were presented, though there
| was food of memorials relative to sec
| tartan appropriations and to regulating the
| liquor traffic, all of which were referred.
| Chairman WitherS Of the committee on
reduction of expenses submitted the follow
| ing report: The committee on reduction of
| expenses respectfully recommend that,
| should the convention adopt the proposed
| plan of selecting different subjects OF tax
| alton for state and county and city pur-
| poses, the criminal expenses should be
| borne by the respective counties and cities
| of the state; should the convention fail to
| adopt such system of taxation we re-
| spectfully recommend that the expenses of
| all misdemeanor trials be borne by the re-
| SpectiVe counties and cities, and that the
| expenses of all felony trials be borne by
| the state.
| Commissioners of Revenue.
| We desire respectfully to submit as
| supplementary report to our report as to
| commissioners of revenue which was en-
| braced in our general report on county or
! ganization, that examiners Of records as
| now construed were intended to be abol-
| ished when we recommended that the Of
| flee of commissioners of revenue be made
| appointiVe.
| We respectfully recommend to the COM
| mittee on taxation and finance that 1t pre-
| pare ordinance requiring the board OF
| sinking fund commissioners to retire or re-
fund all bonds of the state bearing inter-
| est at the rates of 8 and per cent before
| said board retires any additional bonds of
| the state bearing a less rate of interest,
Sy, harn fro NJ
| or agreement may prevent the retiring or
| refunding of said or per cent bonds.
| The reports were ordered printed.
Preamble and Bill Of Rights.
On motion of Mr.. Petit the convention
| went into committee of the whole for the
| consideration of the preamble and bill Of
| rights. Mr.. Campbell Of Amherst was the
| first speaker. He favored the Wysor
| amendment, though he believed that to dis
| pose of the question of making operative
| the new constitution was premature The
pledge made by the Norfolk convention
| should be rigidly respected 1t was made
| to the present electorate, and if the party
I pledges were not regarded he believed II
was exceedingly doubtful whether Mon
| tague, Willard and Anderson carried the
| county of Amherst. Reckoning along that
line, he believed that the same condition
prevailed throughout the state.
| Delegate Marshall of Craig followed. He
| recognized the right Of men to differ on
| public questions, but he could not foresee
| the disaster than many of the wise men
| in the convention had prophesied, even
! though the new constitution were pre-
claimed. He was not born democrat, mis-
| father having been follower Of Henry
| Clay through thick and thin-mostly thin
| Favored Submission to People.
| He believed that 1t was wisest to submit
| the new constitution to the fun electorate,
| in accord with the party pledge. He had
| had little difficulty in understanding all OF
| the speeches made on the question, except
| that made by the renowned political aero
| bat from the county of Washington (Col.
| Summers). In the course Of his remarks he
| had Justify called out that he wanted no
laughter or applause, for funeral was
going on" Yes, funeral was going on.
| and with the ideS of November we Will
| give you royal, regal burial. Your face
| will be downward, and when you wake up
| you will have to scratch through the bot
! tom and come out on the other side. You'll
| be buried all right"
Mr. Wysor arose and obtained the floor
| to conclude the debate on his resolution
tomorrow, and at 1245 the committee rose,
| reported progress and at 1850 pm. the
| convention adjourned.
| Committee on Executive Department.
| The committee on executive department
met this morning and took vote on the
proposition to elect the auditor and state
| treasurer by the people. Only seven mem
| bers were in attendance. They voted to
to have the officers elected by the legisla-
| ture, as at present
| The question concerning the secretary of
| the commonwealth was disposed of SINH
larly, the vote being four for present meth
| cd of electing by the legislative, one either
| for appointment by governor or legislature
| election, one for election by people and one
| undecided. The vote will be left open until
| Saturday for members to record them
! selves.
| In the constitutional convention yester-
| day Delegate Pedigo of Henry county
| moved that the convention adjourn in hon
| or of Labor day The motion was lost only
| Mr.. Pedigo and one other member voting
| aye.
| On motion of Mr.. Petit, the convention
| resolved itself into committee of the whole
| and Mr.. Ayers of Wise county was recog-
| nfzed.
To Submit to Abridged Electorate.
| Mr.. Ayers said he should vote to submit
| the new constitution to an abridged cleo
| torate. He was opposed to any act which
| would in any way abridge the rights OF the
negro, or which would in any way conflict
| with any constitutional federal provision.
| The negro had made his own political story.
| The speaker had no quarrel with the unfor-
| tunate race which was here without it's
| own volition. Virginia had been the first
| state to take action against importation of
negroes. He quoted from the Ulster County
| Gazette. which contained an account of the
| death of George Washington, and in which
was an advertisement of public sale of
negro slave.
| General Ayers sent to the clerks desk
| and had read the various acts Of Congress
concerning the reconstruction period and
| the holding Of the Underwood convention
He showed that by these acts the Flower
| of Virginia manhood was disfranchised,
| with the result that the convention was
! composed Of aliens, negroes and camp fol-
lowers"
Under the lead OF the men who were then
| in control OF affairs the negroes of the
| south had had instilled in them a hatred
for the only friends they had then or now
j He reviewed at length the incidents follow
| ing the war, when the white men cornered
arms to protect their homes from the horde
of irresponsible and worthless negroes and
their equally irresponsible white leaders
The Underwood Convention.
The Underwood constitution had been
| submitted to an abridged electorate. and no
man would assert that there was any moral
right which required that the work Of this