Johns Hopkins University Studies in Historical and Political Science Volume 14 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1896 edition. Excerpt: ... ment was now brought up and rejected. Wise and Finney offered plans, but both were defeated. The proceedings became ridiculous, proposition after proposition being proposed and rejected.1 Mr. Chilton now introduced a plan, the same as the report of the committee of eight, except, should the Legislature in 1865 fail to reapportion representation, the Governor should submit to the people four propositions: (1) the suffrage basis, (2) the mixed basis, (3) the white population and (4) taxation only. This was carried in the Committee of the Whole by a vote of 55 to 48.2 In the Convention this was amended so that, should the Legislature in 1865 fail to agree on a reapportionment, each House should propose its schemes of representation, and transmit them to the Governor who should submit them to the vote of the people. If the Legislature neither apportioned representation nor proposed the schemes, then the Governor should submit to the voters the following: (1) The suffrage basis for both Houses; (2) the mixed basis for both Houses; (3) taxation only for the Senate and the suffrage basis for the House of Delegates, and (4) the mixed basis for the Senate and the suffrage basis for the House of Delegates. In case none of these propositions received a majority of the votes cast, the two having the largest number of votes were to be again submitted to the people.3 As thus adopted, the clause on representation was embodied in the constitution with one change; namely, the House of Delegates was increased to one hundred and fifty-two, giving one delegate more to each of the two sections.4 This compromise 1 Journal, Appendix, pp. 14-17. Journal, Appendix, pp. 18-22. The mixed-basis men who voted for it were Messrs. Arthur, Bowden, Chilton, Claiborne, ...