The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1901-07-02
CONSTITUTIONAL
'''''''''''I CONVENTION.
Doings Of and Sayings in and About the
Great Virginia Body

The statement is made that Senator
Carter glass will offer a resolution pro-
yiding for the submission Of the Constitu-
ton to be adopted to such persons as,
under the new instrument will enjoy the
right of suffrage. If this il adopted a
suffrage clause will he at once submitted
to the convention for immediate adop-
tiOn aud PRONUNCIATION. The new suffrage
clause, it is understood, will include a
taxable property qualification of not
less than $40, modified by something like
the famous grandfather clause. the
general effect being To allow all white
men To vote aud such negroes rs pay
taxes ON specified amounts of property.
motion To adjourn forniue days was
defeated. Dat of the debate ON the ap-
parently simple proposition "A vast deal
of ioinder end surrejoinder developed.
Par isanship. or more correctly, faction
alsm. crcpt into the prr.~cdings, aud
numerous diplomatic thrmps were adj
minist ara1 under cover f parliamentary
politicians. There was n further pO-
litical tmn nj the debate when Dele
gate Fool took atwist at some
OF advocates of adjournment IN
ezra session of the legislature had
been called at u cost Of SO, 900 to insure
n speed completion of the new COnstitu-
tiOn AID its submission. convention
has beel in session seventeen days and
accomplished practically nothing. He
protested against adjou"ning more than
one or two days. the debate was n very
heated one
The Convention decided 10y vote of
90 to II that its members will not take
any oath. This il final aud the matter
cannot again be brought up. The vote
was reached after n brilliant debate.
The speech of the whole convention, was
that OF ex-Gov. William ~. Cameron,
of Petersburg in opposition to the prop
Osition. lie held that this convention
was the supreme power in the Common
wealth and that no preceding body Of
the kind or of any other ind could have
bound it's hands 10y reqp' ing an oath To
be taken by it's members. AZ the close
of Col Cameron's speech he was given a
great ovation. The ablcst men in the
convention, declare that Cameron was
the finest effort delivered during this
convention. or, in fact, in Virginia for
many years. 4 motion 10 take "A recess
until OctOber was OvcrW hclmingly
defeated. Nr. +. W HUBBARD the
member rom Buckingham. viii press
his resolution for a Committee on Agri-
culture, Mlnuiactur' ~ and Mining.
(NEAsrPts tNT iODtCtp.)
Resolutions were iniroduc in favor
of female Suffrage, and dep,ya ing the
coDie ring Of the right oi suffrage ON ey,
slaves. To abolish the olice Of Lieu
tenant Governor; u provide commits.
sioner of public Institutions; To provide
for viva voce ,,Oing: to inquire into as
sessneut OF property own"d by negroes
in excess of $500 providing for the zee
dom of religious thought and worship:
by Mr.. Barbour, for the election OF all
judges of record by the people; 10y Mr..
Kendall. direc. ing the commit go on edu.
cation to consider the Instability of
pro, ding SCate school fund to boz d.
yided between the races and permitting
each race TO TAX itseli for school purposes.
n perfect qualification for voting and adj
ding grandfather clause.
That the public school system should
include depat Of manual training.
That homestead exemptions should be
reduced to $1,000. That lie tenure
should be abolished in boards OF educa-
ton, aud that general control be exer-
cised over them. That employees Of
courts shorld not be of afiinite or con-
sanGuinity TO the Judge, nea-er than first
cousins. Allowing n verdict by two
thirds of a lury to stand a. valid. The
committee will recommend tina, the Gen
eral Assembly meet only every four
years; that Senator's be chosen for eight
and delegates for four years.
BY Mr. Misunderstanding for the
punishment of persons convicted OF bIi-
berry in primary or general elections. On
~ the giyer or receiver Of bride is to be
punished at one time.