The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1902-02-25
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.

I The Convention decided Friday by I
majority of one to have no session Sat
urday. and to vacate the present hal
until another can be secured. The mo
zion was put after a stormy hour OF con
; fusion aud tilibustering over the ques
, ton OF proclamation or submission o
the Constitution, which several anti
proclaiIners insisted was involved in tn,
report of the Committee on the Bill o
Rights.
The Convention refused to adopt the
Barbour resolution, which made it incum
bent upon the applicant for license TO
sell liquor in towns and counties OF the
State to first secure the consent of a ma
iority of the voters in the precint in which
it was proposed to sell the liquor.
The resolution was favOrably reported
by the Committee and it was petitiOned
for by thousands OF the people OF the
State Mr.. Barbour led a strong fight
for it, but the opposition was too much
for him. A substitute offered by MIR.
Quarles authorizing the Legislature to en-
act law OF the character of the resolution
proposed by Mr.. Barbour, was adopted.
During the debate the fact was brought
out that in ffty-iive coun ties OF the State
local-Option is now in effect, and that
a majority of the people can at any time
say whether liquor can be sold in the
cummunity.
1t has been about decided that the
present General Assembly shall enact the
necessary legislation to put the new Con-
sttution into effect. 1t is proposed that
the present members of the Senate and
House shall hold over until Jan ] 1904,
and that the Legislature shall meet
next January to enact the laws to put
the Constitution into effect. The mem
bers are to receive 81 per day. Common
wealth's Attorneys in the General Assem-
bly, will be excepted from the rule of inbi-
bition until Jan. l. 1904. The new Judi
ciary system will go into effect in Janu,
airy, 1904, the regular session of the new
General Assembly electing new. judges.
Members of the Legislature and county
officers will be chosen in November OF
next year. The Convention, it is pro-
posed, shall take a recess for 80 days
after completing the Constitution and
having it printed for circulation among
the people. The question of submission
or proclamation will then be settled
81 have hopes, said Judge Marshall,
that the convention will adopt a reso-
luton which shall offer providing that
the suffrage question be taken up on our
first anniversary--June 12-and on that
day shall tender my resignation, as
agreed to serve for one year, not for four
years" and the crowd laughed
The protracted session of the conven-
tion is playing havoc with the practice
of the leading lawyers OF the body. Sen
ator c. Harding Walker, of Northumber-
land, who enjoys lucrative practice. has
been unable to attend single term of his
court since the convention met last June
Other strong lawyers of the body have
been thus deprived of their practice on
account Of the convention.-Ric Richmond
Times
The convention Just before adjourn
ment Saturday adopted by decisive
vote, a resolution TO continue its sessions
in Mechanics Institute hail.
The convention hall was draped with a
large American flag in honor OF Wash
ington's Birthday, but the convention,
by large majority, refused TO adopt the
resolution of Col Summers to adjourn
as a mark Of respect.