Evening session.
The Convention met at 5 o'clock,
Mr. Southall in the Chair.
On motion of
Mr. Stuart, the report of the
Committee on the amended Constitution of
Virginia be made the order of the day to-morrow at 11 o'clock.
Mr. Sheffey opposed this motion and called for the ayes and noes.
The roll was called, and resulted — ayes 49, noes 25.
No quorum.
Mr. Baldwin remarked that he was tired of this ‘"child's play."’ Members who were in the city and absented themselves from our sessions were guilty of a personal discourtesy to those who attended to transact public business, and should be brought to the
Hall,
neck and heels, if they could not be brought in any other way. The list of absentees was then called, and the Sergeant-at-Arms directed to produce absentees.
After considerable parliamentary tactics, during which the Doorkeeper mistook his duty of excluding members so far as to exclude reporters, under what he considered the orders of the Chair.
Mr. Preston submitted a resolution for an adjournment on Monday next until the second Wednesday in November next.
The ayes and noes were called on the subject of adjournment
sine die on Monday next, resulting ayes 31, noes 57.
The amendment to adjourn till November next then came up,
Mr. Garnett urging the adoption of the measure because he believed the
Constitution ought to be reformed as in its present form it stands only as a standing monument of demagogism and political charlatanry.
Mr. A. H. H.
Stuart proposed an amendment, providing that when this Convention shall have made suitable arrangements for the election of members of Congress and for the choice of a President and
Vice President, and disposed of other measures of public necessity, it will adjourn to meet on the Second Wednesday of November next, to consider the amendments to the
Constitution, and such other matters as may be required by the public interests.
On this motion the vote stood ayes 58, noes 31.
The resolution, therefore, as amended, was agreed to.
It was proposed by
Mr. Staples, that the ordinance proposing the districting of the
State, be made the order of the day to-morrow at 12 o'clock. Not adopted, the ordinance in question being now in the hands of the Printer.
An ordinance was called up, entitled an ordinance to suspend the Board of Public Works during the war.
Mr. A. H. H. Stuart was of opinion that under the
Constitution we had no power to abolish the Board of Public Works.
The ordinance was then, under the previous question, voted down
The motion to adjourn, at half-past 7 o'clock, was carried — ayes 48, noes 33.
