The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1901-06-25
CONSTITUTIONAL
''''''''I CONVENTION.
Doings Of and Sayings In and About the
Great Virginia Body.

Mr. Bristow, of Middlesex, asked leave
of absence to attend court Wednesday,
which was granted.
The Negro Business League, OF Rich
mond will endeavor to obtain the con
sent Of the convention to have Professor
Booker 4. Washington address the body
in the interest OF their race.
4 resolution proposing that William
Jennings Bryan, who will shortly visit
Virginia, be invited to attend and adj
dress the convention, was defeated al
most before its introduction.
The Committee on Printing awarded
the stenographic reporting of the body
to r. f. Shuey, Of Washington, for ST.
S75 per month The Dispatch is to print
these reports daily without charge.
Ii only took the convention about an
hour to get through its session Saturday
though later on the deliberations Oi the
body will consume much more time. The
body adjourned until Tuesday at noon.
Ii tx causing much comment that in the
list of chairmen are not found the names
of Hons. Carter Glass, Hal ID. Flood, and
Eugene Withers. The latter, il il stated,
asked not to he made chairman of n
committee owing to feeble health.
The controversy over taking the oath
was renewed with vigor AZ Col. Summers,
of Washington county, moved TO take
the matter from the table, and Maj An
derson ruled that debate was in order.
Delegate Thorn, OF Norfolk, said he had
strong convictions that members ought
to take the oath, but he would state
nothing further than that he would
strive at the proper time to have the en-
tire question referred to committee OF
five for intelligent investigation.
thorough discussion followed.
There seems not the slightest hope that
the amended constitution will be ready
for submission to the people this fall at
the general elections Ii was once hoped
that it could be voted on then, but one
of the best-knOwn men in the convention
said yesterday he thought there was no
hope of this now. In the act of the
General Assembly providing for the con
ventiOn il is stipulated that the cOnstitu-
ton must be voted on at least thirty
DAYS after the adjournment OF the cOnyen-
ton.
Whatever differences there may he as
to the suffrage clause in the new Constl-
tuition, there is very general concurrence
of opinion in favor of reviving the poll
tax as prerequisite to voting In many
sections of the State there IN no deep
rooted desire TO resort to wholesale dis
reimbursement of the negro. On the other
hand, almost all the members OF the con-
vention are believed to be favorable To
the poll.tax limitation plan. This is but
another manifestation OF the tendency
not to exclude from the franchise those
Industrious, frugal, law-abiding negroes
who recognize the Importance OF good
government.
The most important work OF the Con
stitutional Convention Friday was the
announcement of the standing commit
tees by President GOOde. AZ expected,
Senator Daniel was made chairman OF
the suffrage committee. The suffrage
committee is composed of John W. Daniel,
Vim. A. Anderson, III. ID. Flood, John III.
Ingram, Alex Hamilton, George ID. Wise,
]. c. Visor. Alfred p. Thorn, X. Lindsay
Gordon. James II. Lindsay, Claggett Il.
Jones, Henry {. Stewart, Bergman
Green, Wood Bouldin, ID. W. BOlen, Wal
ter \. Watson, Francis l.. Smith, Gilmer
5. Kendall. Thomas II. Barnes, ThOs. W.
Harrison, Albert p .Gillespie and Thomas
l.. Moore. Among the cOmmitte APP
pointments ara the fOllswing OF mem
beers of our section The exeeu-
tive departments. ministerial offices OF
State Government, and bureaus: Henry
Fairfax. G. Harding Walker, +. II. Lowell.
Legislative department, except such mat
tiers az come within the jurisdiction OF
other standing committees: X. Walton
Moore, Hill Carter, ~ b. WescOtt. Judi
ciary: Eppa Hunton, Jr., c. Harding
Walker. Organization and government
of counties q. Taylor Garnett, j. Il. I.
Thornton, Albert Fletcher,A. c. Walter,
and Joseph 4. BristOw. Organization
and government of cities and towns h.
f. Crismond, John S. Barbour. Educa-
ton and public instruction: j. b. T.
Thornton, w. F. Dunaway, John NJ.
Willis. f. II. Lowell Taxes and finance:
Henry Fairfax Albert Fletcher, G. Tay-
lor Garrett. Public institutions and
prisons Thomas j. M0ncure, William l..
Cobb. Corporations: Gilmer S. Kendall,
Eppa Hunton, Jr. Final revision and
adjustment of the various provisions OF
Constitution that may be agreed upon
and upon the schedule r. Walton Moore,
Roger Gregory, Cladgett b. Jones. Rules:
Claggett b. Jones, Thomas j. MOncure.
Privileges and elections: W. +. Runaway,
]. NJ. Willis. A. e. Walter. Accounts and
expenditures of the convention: John S.
Barbour. The journal and on the enroll
ment of the ordinances and resolutions
of the convention: J. b. 7. Thornton,
Vim. l.. Cobb, JOS A. Bristow Chair
manships OF the other II committees
were bestowed as follows: Division OF
governmental powers, etc, Bergman
Green executive department. etc, VIM.
f. Cameron; legislative department, r.
Walton Moore judiciary, Eppa Hunton;
government of counties, etc, Thomas
Fl. Barnes; organization ofcities, etc, D.
Tucker Brooke; education, Rev. DR.. Rich
ard McIlwaine; taxation and finance,
Virginius Newton; public institutions,
Rufus A. Ayers corporations, A. Caper-
ton BraxtOn reyisiOns OF provisions OF
Constitution, William A. Anderson rules,
Caggett Jones; elections, Thomas W.
Harrison; expenditures. Ii. b. Chap
man; journal and advances, James II.
Lindsay.
MEASURES INTRODUCED.
Friday there was a perfect deluge OF
resolutions offered in the convention.
The most notable was that OF Mr.. Flood,
providing that only white people may
hold Office in Virginia. Mr. Quarles sub
mitted a proposition for the general pri-
mary. Mr.. s. p Waddill for district
Judges, Mr.. Keezel for fewer elections,
Mr.. Quarles for the election of judges by
the people and MIR. EgglestOn for re-
stricting corporations by legislative en-.
actment. Ex-COngressman Quarles, OF
Augusta, introduced resolution provid-
ing for a railway commission, consisting
of three members to be elected by popu-
lar vote and each from the three grand