The Constitution was drafted by the celebrated George Mason, with the exception of the preamble, which was written by Thomas Jefferson; but the committee which had in charge this important matter made many changes in the original papers prepared by these gentlemen, and altered the same to suit the conditions and circumstances of the Commonwealth (or the Colony, as they denominated it), as their varied experience and sagacity dictated to be for the best interests of all.

Mr. William Waller Hening, in his admirable Compilation of the Institutional Documents, Ordinances and Statutes of Virginia (Vol. 9, pp. 9-15), designates the period between March, 1775, and June, 1776, as the "Interregnum"-this being the time that the affairs of the Colony were managed and directed by the Conventions and Committee of Safety, until the adoption of the Constitution, June 29, 1776, when the government became stable and effectual, the Constitution going into operation as soon as the officers authorized by its terms could be elected, or appointed, and installed into office. Patrick Henry was the Governor elected on that date by the Convention. The Privy Council, Attorney-General, Treasurer and other State officers were elected at the same time by the Convention; and all of them qualified at once and entered upon the performance of their duties. The Convention passed "an ordinance" permitting all of the incumbents to retain their respective offices, until officers could be elected under the Constitution to fill them, and ordained that their acts should be valid and binding in all respects. Thus, the new government was ushered into existence, peaceably and without injustice and severity; and from the beginning commanded the affection and respect of the people.

PROCEEDINGS OF THE CONVENTION OF 1776.

The Convention met, Monday, May 6, 1776, in the old Capitol, at Williamsburg, Va., then the capital city of the Colony; and continued in session until Friday, July 5, 1776, having existed one month and nine days. This Convention consisted of one hundred and thirty-two members, elected in 1776, pursuant to an ordinance of the Convention of 1775, passed July, 1775. (See Hening's Statutes at Large, Vol. IX, p. 54.)

Edmund Pendleton was made president of the body. Thomas Ludwell Lee was put in nomination, but Pendleton, receiving a majority of the votes, was declared elected.

Rev. Thomas Price was unanimously appointed chaplain to the Convention, and directed to read prayers every morning at 9 o'clock.

John Tazewell was unanimously chosen clerk of the Convention. The proceedings do not show that a sergeant-at-arms was elected, or that any one served in that capacity.

It was resolved, on the first day that the body convened, that "the Convention will observe in their debates the same rules and orders as are established in the House of Burgesses."

There were three main committees constituted by the Convention: Committee of Privileges and Elections, Committee of Propositions and Grievances, and "a Committee appointed to prepare a Declaration of Rights, and such plan of government as will be most likely to maintain peace and order in this colony, and secure substantial and equal liberty to the people."

This last Committee consisted of Archibald Cary, chairman; and Meriwether Smith, James Mercer, Henry Lee, Robert Carter Nicholas, Patrick Henry, Bartholomew Dandridge, Edmund Randolph, George Gilmer, Richard Bland, Dudley Digges, Paul Carrington, Thomas Ludwell Lee, William Cabell, Joseph Jones, John Blair, Henry Tazewell, Richard Cary, Cuthbert Bullitt, William Watts, John Banister, Mann Page, Bolling Starke, David Mason, Richard Adams, Thomas Read, and Thomas Lewis.

Under this Constitution the members of the House of Delegates and the Senate were elected by the direct, viva voce vote of "the freeholders of the counties and corporations" of the Commonwealth.

The Governor, and Council of State-eight members-were elected by the joint ballot of both Houses.

Delegates to Congress (House of Representatives and Senate) were elected by joint ballot of both Houses.

Judges of Supreme Court of Appeals, Judges of the General Court, judges in Chancery, Judges of Admiralty, Attorney-General and Treasurer were elected by joint ballot of both Houses.

All other officers were appointed by the Governor, except that the courts appointed their clerks and commonwealth attorneys, and the justices of the peace and the constables.

The Legislative Department was ordained to be formed of two distinct branches, who, together, made the complete Legislature. They were ordained to meet once, or oftener, every year; and to be called the General Assembly of Virginia. The House of Delegates, one branch, consisted of two Representatives to be chosen for each county, and for the District of West Augusta; and one Delegate, respectively, from Norfolk and Williamsburg. The Senate consisted of twenty-four members, chosen from twentyfour districts, into which the counties, cities and boroughs were divided. Provision was made for new counties and districts; and proper representation on the same basis. (1 Revised Code 1819, pp. 34-35.)

The Constitution was not submitted to the vote of "the free-holders of the counties and corporations," for ratification or rejection, but was unanimously adopted by the Convention itself, on June 29, 1776; and thus became the organic and supreme law of the commonwealth; and the Convention, forthwith, proceeded to act under and by virtue of its provisions.

For the Constitution of 1776, see Revised Code of Virginia, 1819, pp. 33-38.

THE DELEGATES TO THE CONVENTION OF 1776-ELECTED IN 1776.

(One Hundred and Thirty-two Members.)

Accomac-Southey Simpson and Isaac Smith.

Albemarle-Charles Lewis and George Gilmer, for Thomas Jefferson.
Amelia-John Tabb and John Winn.

Augusta-Thomas Lewis and Samuel McDowell.

West Augusta-John Harvie and Charles Simms.
Amherst-William Cabell and Gabriel Penn.
Bedford-John Talbot and Charles Lynch.

Botetourt-John Bowyer and Patrick Lockhart.
Brunswick-Frederick Maclin and Henry Tazewell.
Buckingham-Charles Patteson and John Cabell.
Berkeley-Robert Rutherford and William Drew.

Caroline-Edmund Pendleton and James Taylor.

Charles City-William Acrill and Samuel Harwood, for B. Harrison
Chesterfield-Paul Carrington and Thomas Read.

Charlotte-Archibald Cary and Benjamin Watkins.

Culpeper-Henry Field and French Strother.
Cumberland-John Mayo and William Fleming.
Dinwiddie-John Banister and Bolling Starke.
Dunmore--Abraham Bird and John Tipton.

Elizabeth City-Wilson Miles Cary and Henry King.
Essex-Meriwether Smith and James Edmundson.

Fairfax-John West, Jr., and George Mason.
Fauquier-Martin Pickett and James Scott.

Frederick-James Wood and Isaac Zane.

Fincastle-Arthur Campbell and William Russell.
Gloucester-Thomas Whiting and Lewis Burwell.

Goochland-John Woodson and Thomas M. Randolph.
Halifax-Nathaniel Terry and Micajah Watkins.
Hampshire-James Mercer and Abraham Hite.
Hanover-Patrick Henry and John Syme.
Henrico-Nathaniel Wilkinson and Richard Adams.
James City-Robert C. Nicholas and William Norvell.
Isle of Wight-John S. Wills and Charles Fulgham.
King George-Joseph Jones and William Fitzhugh.
King and Queen-George Brooke and William Lyne.
King William--William Aylett and Richard Squire Taylor
Lancaster-James Selden and James Gordon.
Loudoun-Francis Peyton and Josias Clapham.
Louisa-George Meriwether and Thomas Johnson.
Lunenburg-David Garland and Lodowick Farmer.

Middlesex-Edmund Berkeley and James Montague.

Mecklenburg-Joseph Speed and Bennett Goode.
Nansemond-Willis Riddick and William Cowper.

New Kent-William Clayton and Bartholomew Dandridge.
Norfolk-James Holt and Thomas Newton.

Northumberland-Rodham Kenner and John Cralle.
Northampton-Nathaniel L. Savage and George Savage.
Orange-James Madison and William Moore.
Pittsylvania-Benjamin Lankford and Robert Williams.
Prince Edward-William Watts and William Booker.
Prince George-Richard Bland and Peter Poythress.
Princess Anne-William Robinson and John Thoroughgood.
Prince William-Cuthbert Bullitt and Henry Lee.
Richmond-Hudson Muse and Charles McCarty.
Southampton-Edwin Gray and Henry Taylor.
Spotsylvania-Mann Page and George Thornton.
Stafford-Thomas Ludwell Lee and William Brent.
Surry-Allen Cocke and Nicholas Faulcon.
Sussex-David Mason and Henry Gee.

Warwick-William Harwood and Richard Cary.

Westmoreland-Richard Lee, Richard Henry Lee, and *John A. Wash

ington.

York-Dudley Digges, Thomas Nelson, Jr., and William Digges.
Jamestown-Champion Travis.

Williamsburg-Edmund Randolph, for George Wythe.

Norfolk Borough-William Roscow Wilson Curle.

College of William and Mary-John Blair.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF DELEGATES.

The members of this great assembly are famous, and most of their names have been hallowed in the love and reverence of the people. But the details of their lives are meagre. We have endeavored to collect brief notices of their careers, and to give them to the public, so that the memories of these most worthy and distinguished characters may be perpetuated in a popular form. We here append the information that we have been able to obtain on the subject; and while space will not permit extended sketches, we have culled the most salient incidents in the careers of these historic characters, as far as obtainable, and grouped them so as to make the information thus afforded accessible, and, we trust, interesting and instructive. The same plan is pursued with reference to the members of the other conventions, mentioned in this volume.

William Acrill-Delegate from Charles City; member Committee Safety, Charles City county, Virginia, 1774.

*John A. Washington was probably the alternate of R. H. Lee.

Richard Adams- Delegate from Henrico; born, 17 May, 1726, New Kent county, Virginia; died, August 2, 1800, Richmond, Va.; Merchant ; Colonel; Committee Safety, Henrico county, 1774; Burgess, 1752-5; member Virginia Convention, 1775; House Delegates, 1776-8; Virginia Senate, 1779-1782.

William Aylett-Delegate from King William; commissary-general and one of General Washington's aides-de-camp during the revolution.

John Banister-Delegate from Dinwiddie; born in Virginia; died 1787, Dinwiddie county; lawyer, soldier, statesman; classical education in England; studied law at the Temple, London; Colonel in Virginia line during Revolutionary war; member Virginia Assembly; member Continental Congress, 1778-79; member all early Virginia Conventions.

Edmund Berkeley-Delegate from Middlesex ; born, December 5, 1729, Middlesex county, Virginia; died July 8, 1802; Virginia Colonel.

Abraham Bird-Delegate from Dunmore; Virginia Burgesses.

John Blair-Delegate from College of William and Mary; born 1732, Williamsburg, Va.; died, August 31, 1800, Williamsburg, Va.; lawyer, statesman; Burgess; member Virginia Council; chief justice Virginia General Court; judge Virginia High Court Chancery; judge first Virginia Court of Appeals; member Conventions, 1776 and 1788; visitor William and Mary College; graduated William and Mary College; studied law at the Temple, London; signer of non-importation agreement; Delegate to Convention that framed United States Constitution; justice United States Supreme Court,

1789-96.

Richard Bland-Delegate from Prince George; born, May 6, 1710, Berkeley county; died, October 26, 1776, Williamsburg; statesman; author; educated William and Mary College and in Edinburg, Scotland; member Committee Correspondence, 1773; member Committee Safety, 1775; Burgess for years; member Committee to memorialize the King; signer non-importation agreement; Delegate Continental Congress, 1774.

William Booker-Delegate from Prince Edward; member Committee Safety, Prince Edward county, 1775.

William Brent-Delegate from Stafford; born at "Richland," Stafford county; magistrate; Virginia Burgess; member House Delegates.

George Brooke-Delegate from King and Queen county; Burgess from King and Queen county, 1772-75; member Committee Safety, 1774-76; member Conventions, 1775; State Treasurer, 1781; member House Delegates 1792 and later; Colonel in Revolutionary war.

Cuthbert Bullitt-Delegate from Prince William; born, 1740, in Virginia; died, August 27, 1791, Prince William county; lawyer, statesman Delegate to Virginia Assembly, 1777-1788; speaker Virginia House Dele