The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-07-16
Both Houses Swear to Sup
port Constitution.
Mr.. M'LEAN DECLINES
VI. sipe is to Qualify His
Oath.
CATION MAKES LONG SPEECH
CATION MAKES LONG SPEECH.
Opposed to Proclamation. but Bows
Finally to Will ofMajority-case of
Messrs. Sipe and Mclean May
Go to Courts-Governor
Montague Submits
Brief Message.

=
Brief Message.
The General Assembly met yesterday
and organized under the new Constitution
and took the oath to support the same.
Beyond the taking OF the oath and the
hearing of Governor Montague's message.
which was IN the nature OF a greeuns 70
the body, nothing was done.
IL. however. took over three hours TO
DO this. On the Senate side there was
b,i. little friction. Mr.. Revercomb tRepub-
lican), of Allegheny. rebelling for While
and then yielding. In the House IL was
different It was q mean, weary session.
aad stumbling blocks were set all along
the way by Colonel Cation (Democrat). OF
Alexandria, and Messrs Heermans, S..pe
end Mclean Republicans) The lar er
neclined to take the oath and left the hall.
saving he would never take It His parry
through its leader. Mr.. sipe, presented
protest which was read. but all save MT.
Moi.ean of Meck1enburg, finally sub
scribed.
A QUALIFIED OATH
Mr.. Sine Is preparing a qualified oath,
s,,,ich he will present to-day and which
will be declined by the Speaker His case
and that of MIR. Mclean will go to the
FCommittee on Privileges and Elections:
/ and their seats are likely to be declared
!. vacant At least it is believed that there
4 will be a contest over them and that
the matter will finally get into the courts.
II is believed here that the action of the
Republicans was the outcome Of party
caucus held the other night, at which 1t
Is said Judge L. L. Lewis was present,
and that It was then arranged Tor Mr.
n 49, in arT or f1
get the case up. Colonel Caton's speech
was spirited. but not bitter. It was a
carefully prepared legal argument against
fhe right of the convention to proclaim
p.,d the fat denial of the existence of
any new instrument until submitted to the
people, which he urged should be done by
4he Legislature. Etsssh3s.
IN closing, however, he said he would
accept the will Of q majority Of his
colleagues, and having expressed his
opinion. cheerfu1ly abide the result The
speeches of the Republicans were on a
different line, that of Mr.. Heerman's be-
ing bitter attack IN the convention and
its swo-k. Both branches will meet at
noon to-day, and will proceed to the
transaction Of business.
CAME IN EARLY.
AS early as II o'clock members and
prominent public men from all over the
State begun to pour into both Houses,
and when at the hour Of noon Speaker
RYAN and Lieutenant Governor Willard
let their respective. hammers fall the
s scenes on both sides were inspiring. Hon.
Henry St George Tucker. Hon. John w
Price Of Bristol Hon. p. w. Campbell.
of Washington and a great many cam
didates for Circuit judgships were on
hand In the absence Of fans the heat
was oppressive in both halls, but a great
deaf more so in the House.
Messrs Glass and Claytor were inter-
esting personages on the Senate side, ow-
ing to their hot fight for Congress. ane
they sat quietly In their. accustomed
seats when the body was called to order
Hon Upton D. Jennings. of Lynch
burg. one Of the popular House leaders,
occupied his seat on the front row. clad
IN suit Of faultless crash and appeared
to be the only comfortable member pres
ent. Colonel r. E. Lee. Jr.. and Hon.
i N. B. Early, Jr.. sat side by side. weigh
ing over two hundred each. and tanning
vigorously with their Panamas. Judge
James Keith was on the floor, and near
him sat Hon. L. P. Stearnes. of Newport
News, working over time with a large
palm-leaf fan
THE FIRST DAY.
II was the first day Of a Virginia Leg
lslature assembling under new constitu-
tional conditions, and Eli was expectancy.
The mode of procedure would be different
and entirely new. Colonel James r. Ca
: ton was the central object Of thought
aad gaze He was announced to speak
against taking the oath. and al desired
to hear him. Colonel AN, Bowman. enc
of the congressional candidates in the
Sixtl, District, was In his sent on the
House side He was all smiles and u as
warmly greeted by his colleagues.
House Proceedings.
Sneaker Ryan raped the House to or
der promptly at the hour Of noon, anl
PRAYER was offered by Rev. Or. Russell
Cecil. Clerk Williams read the call of
Governor Montague for the extraordinary
) session and Speaker Ryan was sworn by
f.r. C. Lee Moore OF the State Auditors
cffice Mr.. Moore then swoce Clerk VIII
1isr1s and both the clerk and the Speak
er affixed their Signatures to the oaths
taken By them
SAe roll call disclosed the presence of
tkA following members:
Allen, ANGEL. Armstrong, w. w. Ba-
ker. Biscoe. C. T. Bland. George G..
Bland, Boaz. Bowman. Branch. Gamma
day. cabell. cardwell Carter Cation.
Christian. Clarke. Coleman. Cumming,
Dasis. Dudley, Duke. Early. Edmondson.
& Edwards. Elan. Mkns Folkes, Fulton.
win, Grayely. Graves. Green. Harman,
Heermans. Hoffman. Hun. Hunley, Jen-
nings. Jones. Kelley. Lacy. Lassiter.
Lawson. Leake. Lee, Lewis. Lowry Lyell.
Mort. Mathews. Mays. Mclean. Moore,
Murrell. Newhouse, Organ. OVERLY.
owen. Owens. Powers. Purdy, Quisen-j
berry Reynolds. Rice. Robson. sebrell.
Settle. Simmerman. Sipe. Blackburn
Smith. Snead. Southall. Stafford,
6tearnes. Taylor. Toney. Turpin. Wad-
s1y. Wallace, Ware, Weaver. West,
s whitehead. Woodward, Mr.. Speaker.
COLONEL CATION SPEAKS
The Speaker said The clerk will now
administer the oath or Office to the mem
hers Of the House OF Delegates But
Z AaSore this order OF the chair was car
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