The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-10-23
AKE A RECESS
FOR TWO WEEKS.
Convention Decides to Adjourn
Friday.
BILL Of RIGHTS COMPLETED,
colon.! Smith Offers the Old Instrument
Substitute and Makes Fine
Specialize Rules Are
Amended.
BILL OF RIGHTS COMPLETED.

The Constitutional Convention neld =
a4ost Interesting session yesterday, though
the body was in session only 4 ht,ie over
AN hour.
There were sistty-oae members present
and. The business of the session was
transacted with great speed. The nrst
,natte,. dfsposeG OF was the adoption OF
a resolution offered by Mr.. Iurnoui,
providing for a recess without pay TO
members or employees, from october .9'l
until November 9TH. The Blu OF Rights
report was taken up and disposed OF,
no further amendments oelhs aaopteo
thereto.
The body adopted two amendments to
the rules. both designed to speed bust
ness in Committee Of the Whole one
limiting debate and the other providing
for the keeping OF quorum present.
Another feature of the days session was
The classic and brilliant speech OF Col
ouel Francis l.. Smith, Of Alexandria,
in support of the Bill OF Rights OF lno'
which has offered as substitute for the
1,cport of the committee. He was Warmly
congratulated by his colleagues upon the
conclusion of his remarks. His subsu-
tute was rejected and the convention
at ll:40 a N. adjourned until 10 O'Clock
to-day.
was offered by Rev. George cooper, OF
tae Baptist Church.
The roli-call showed the presence of
sixts-two members. The journal OF Mon
days proceedings was read and APP
proved.
Memorials realting to liquor-license or
dinance were presented.
Mr. T,unbull offered a resolution that
when the convention adjourn Friday. &C
;ober 18th il adjourn TO meet Thursday,
November It'll. The resolution provides
that no members or officers of the con-
yention shaI! receive pay during the re-
cess The resolution was adopted-yeas,
IL; nays, -.
Leaves of absence were granted few
members.
Consideration Of the Bill OF flshts "aS
resumed.
Section twelve relating to freedom OF
speech and of the press, was adopted as
amended by the BraNton resolution
Section thirteen. relating to the militia
and against standing armies III times Oh
peace. was adopted.
Section fourteen, against separate
form of government independent OF the
government of Virginia. was agreed TO.
Section fifteen. commencing frugality,
virtue and frequent recurrence TO luhoa-
mental principles, was adopted.
Section sixteen. relating to Christon
forbearance and the exercise OF fellSlouS
freedom. was agreed to.
Section seventeen and eighteen. forbid
ding slavery and providing that rights
net enumerated tn the Bill of Rights
should be limited was agreed to-
This completed the consideration of the
last section of article one of the Bill OF
RIGHTS.
Article two relating TO the supremacy
of the United States Constitution, and
article three, relating TO the division of
prowt.ss between tie legislative. executive
and judicial departments of the govern
n.ent. We're adopted.
WAS VOTED DOWN
The convention took up the mo-
ton made by MI. O'Flaherty to recon
siGer the vote by which section eight, re-
feruing to appeals in revenue cases, was
adoDted.
Mr.. o,Flaherty moved to amend SO that
the Commonwealth would be allowed an
appeal in local option cases as well as in
cases relating to the revenue
The amendment was opposed by Mr..
Walker, who said the language already
adopted was broGI enough. Mr.. b. t.
Gordon also argued that the WORDS AL
to the State revenue" would cover the
points made by Mr.. O'Flaherty.
Mr.. Flaherty then made strong
Temperance speech. He claimed that
the local option law could be nullified
it justices OF the peace were given ex-
cuisive jurisdiction to try violations of
the local op-on law. They could DISMISS
every case ana there was no appeal from
their decision. He declared that almost
all poliucians were opposed to the exc
cution OF local option liquor laws, and
their opinion in many localities generally
dominated official opinion in local at
fairs. He said he had but little con-
1dence In the passage of the Barbour
Quarles liquor license resolution.
Mr.. Barbour said the passage Of that
resolution or its defeat would have no
bearing on section s. He thought it
was sufficiently broad to cover all cases.
and Mr. OFlaherty's fears IN regard to
revenue cases We're unfoundea and his
structures on local officials unvarrant-
ed.
i afr. Waller contended that the posi-
ton taken by MIR. o'FIaherty, as to the
construction of the words of the sec
ton as ADOPTED was unsound. He thought
it just as important to convict men OF
homicide as Of violating a liquor prohi-
hilton law.
Mr.. O'Flaherty: Are you in favor Of
the Quarles- Barbour resolution
Mr.. Walker: LAS at present advised,
j shall vote for it,
The motion to reconsider the vote by
which section eight was adopted was re-
Jected-yeas, IA: nays, 4e.
COL. SMITHS FINE SPEECH.
Colonel Francis L. Smith, delegate
from Alexandria, offered as "a sub
stitute Cor the Bill of Rights, as report
cd ~ the committee and amended by the
convention. the Bill of Rights as it was
adopted by the convention Of l7IS.
in speaking to his substitute Col Smith
said:
Mr. President, the substitute 1 have
proposed for the report OF the Committee
of the Whole on the Preamble and Bill
OF Rights is the Declaration OF Rights
Adopted in 17T6.
/ have been prompted to take this
step by the changes suggested in this
instrument and embodied in that report
by amendments starting to those who
have ever regarded it rs the most strik-
ing declaration of the rights of man and
endeared to Nirginians oy reason of its
associations and intrinsic worth-hy mod
:acaticlls more pronounced than any
e,ts, proposed or Incorporated in 1t ny
any convention since its adoption and by
alterations that Will change its charac-
tor from that OF chart of liberty into
q code Of penal laws.
The Declaration of Rights was not In
tended 10 he pnr,,a fled ,,rop fba orp,a ,,;,