The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-05-24
STRONG SPEECHES
FOR SUBMISSION.
Senator Daniel and II Judge Har.
risen Heard.
ER's 20 sITI0N DEFIN Nj D
Admits ] hat His People Are for Proc
lamation, and Defends Right of the
Convention to Proclaim. but Win
Respect Party Pledges.

~ -
Respect Party Pledges.
The Constitutional Convention yester-
day heard two strong speeches in favor
Of submitting the new organic law to the
present electorate, and then, at 1s:a
r. NJ. adjourned until 80 o'clock to-day.
Senator Daniel led OF In a nno effort OF
about thirty minutes. and was followed
in an hours speech by Judge Harrison.
of Winchester, on the same line. The
former defended the legal right Of this
convention to proclaim. while this was
strongly combatted by the latter Both
spoke earnestly for submission to the
Moore, Of Fairfax, Will speak on the same
side to-day. and he viii probably be fol-
lowed by Mr.. Thorn. Of n orfolk. who also
favors submission. If there Is any proc
lamation oratory. 1t will not be heard
before next week. NIessrs. Meredith and
Turnbull will likely present the case Of
the proclaimers.
It is not likely that there will te any
afternoon session to-day.
THE DAY IN DETAIL
The convention was called to order at
~ o ClOCAE ny 14CS1OS1IaSIOO eliza pAEySi
was offered by Rev. p b. Price, OF the
Presbyterian Church. Messrs. Withers.
keezell, Walker, Parks, Harrison, Bra1-
ton, Lowell, Quarles. Wescott and a num-
Der OF other delegates not In their seats
on Thursday were present and were
warmly greeted By their colleagues. Hon.
Upton D. Jennings, Of LynchburS. and
other distinguished Democrats occupied
seats on the floor, and quite a number Of
ladies were present. Seventy-two mem
bers answered to their names. and tbs
journal Of the previous days proceedings
was read and approved.
DANIEL OPENS UP.
at the expiration of the morning hour,
Mr.. Daniel took the floor to open the
debate in favor OF submitting the Censti-
tuition to the present electorate. He stat
ed in the outset that the Constitution
was an admirable one, and while 1t en-
braced some features for which he had
not voted, yet as q whole he endorsed it
most heartily, and believed that this
was in short the view Of the great mass
Of the people Of the State. Mr.. Daniel
,ecited the facts concerning the meeting
Of the voters of Campbell county. held
recently, in the subject, and said very
frankly to the convention that the pre-
dominating sentiment there was for
proclamation.
He said that while this left him in the
position Of voting against the present SEN
timent of his people. yet they had done
him the honor to leave the matter entire
~ with him and had expressed a renewal
Of their confidence in him. He felt bound
for reasons which he would presently set
FORTH to vote as he had indicated. and
then he proceeded to explain the action
of the Norfolk Convention and his con-
nection Herewith.
NORFOLK PLATFORM.
He read from the Norfolk platform and
declared that while he had no question
Of honor to bring UP between himself and
his colleagues, yet for his own part he
felt in honor bound to vote to submit, and
then he proceeded tc construe the pledge
to mean the whole people-the electorate
as constituted at present.
There was no other fair and reasonable
construction to place upon the language.
whatever may have been meant by those
who penned the platform. The speaker
admitted that he believed there had been
widespread change Of sentiment among
the people. yet, however delicate might
be his position in view Of this belief.
he should follow the dictates of his con-
science and vote to submit.
He declared that in his opinion there
was no question Of the right Of the con-
vention to proclaim: it was simply a ques-
ton Of what Individual members felt
it to be their respective duties to do. The
speaker here referred to the fact that
the Constitution of the United States had
not been submitted, and he followed this
up by citing other decided cases, in sup
port Of his contention.
WE'LL ESTABLISHED.
The doctrine had been well defined both
6 IN State and nation, and must be now
accepted as American constitutional law.
After citing cases outside Of Virginia, he
brought the matter more closely home
to his colleagues and commended that the
present Constitution of the State had in
effect been proclaimed.
Mr.. Daniel here proceeded to discuss
eloquently and in detail the legal side Of
the proposition, and In clear and force
full manner he undertook to establish his
contention. and was closely heard by his
colleagues.
He closed with an eloquent tribute to
the Constitution and to the men who had
framed it and was loudly cheered and
warmly congratulated as he resumed his
seat.
MR. HARRISON SPEAKS
Mr.. Harrison, of Frederick. followed
Mr.. Daniel. He agreed with his coll
league from Campbell as to the manner
Of his vote. but ne undertook to com bar
the latter's contention as to the right Of
the convention to proclaim. Mr.. Har-
rison read from the Bill of Rights to
bear out his view, and after paying some
further attention to the legal side of the
question he proceeded to discuss the al
legged party pledges of the Norfolk Con-
vention and other bodies and referred in
cidentally to the act Of the Legislature
which called the convention into being.
Mr.. Harrison's speech was quite a force
full one from his point Of view, and was
listened to closely by bis colleagues. His
contention IN short was to the effect that
should the Constitution be proclaimed 1t
was likely to be declared null and void
by the courts. He declared that as
whole the Constitution was a pretty good
one, but should be adopted in the regular
and proper manner.
Mr.. Harrison cited Cooley, jameson