Leroy Griffin Edwards was the President of the Convention that adopted the Virginia Constitution of 1864, including a provision to abolish slavery immediately throughout Virginia and without compensation to the enslavers. The following is an excerpt from his biography in the Library of Virginia:
On 21 January 1864 voters in the state senate district comprising Norfolk and Princess Anne Counties and the city of Portsmouth elected Edwards to represent them in a convention that met from 13 February through 11 April 1864 in Alexandria to revise the state constitution. The seventeen delegates represented thirteen counties and four cities then under United States control in the Tidewater, Eastern Shore, and northern region of the state.
On 16 February 1864 Edwards, whose three sons served in the Confederate army, defeated two other candidates to win election as president of the convention. He joined fourteen other delegates in voting on 10 March to adopt a report by the Committee on Emancipation and Education that abolished slavery and involuntary servitude (except in criminal cases) in the state, that allowed courts to apprentice black children just as they would white children, and that declared that the General Assembly would not enact laws establishing slavery or recognizing human property.
As president of the convention Edwards did not speak often. He offered an amendment to a report on voter qualifications whereby the legislature could restore voting rights, lost because a person supported the Confederacy or gave aid to the rebellion, if the General Assembly believed it was safe to do so. On 4 April, Edwards voted with the majority to proclaim the constitution in force rather than submit it to the electorate for ratification or rejection. He voted again with the majority on 7 April to adopt the constitution and the following day signed the document. The new constitution recognized the creation of West Virginia as a separate state, provided funding for primary and free schools, reduced from five to three the number of judges on the Supreme Court of Appeals, and required voting by paper ballot for state officers and members of the General Assembly.
On the final day of the proceedings, Edwards thanked the delegates for the confidence they had shown in him as convention president. He added that he had come to the convention with "humble aspirations, but with a sincere desire to do something towards restoring to our distressed and ruined people a civil government under which they might be free from oppression and wrong." Edwards also stated that he hoped the Union would be restored and emerge stronger than ever. After the defeat of Confederacy, in May 1865 the Restored government moved to Richmond and the new constitution became effective for all of Virginia. LeRoy Griffin Edwards died at his Norfolk County home during the night of 22–23 August 1866, probably during the early morning hours. He was buried in Oak Grove Cemetery, in Portsmouth.
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On 21 January 1864 voters in the state senate district comprising Norfolk and Princess Anne Counties and the city of Portsmouth elected Edwards to represent them in a convention that met from 13 February through 11 April 1864 in Alexandria to revise the state constitution. The seventeen delegates represented thirteen counties and four cities then under United States control in the Tidewater, Eastern Shore, and northern region of the state.
On 16 February 1864 Edwards, whose three sons served in the Confederate army, defeated two other candidates to win election as president of the convention. He joined fourteen other delegates in voting on 10 March to adopt a report by the Committee on Emancipation and Education that abolished slavery and involuntary servitude (except in criminal cases) in the state, that allowed courts to apprentice black children just as they would white children, and that declared that the General Assembly would not enact laws establishing slavery or recognizing human property.
As president of the convention Edwards did not speak often. He offered an amendment to a report on voter qualifications whereby the legislature could restore voting rights, lost because a person supported the Confederacy or gave aid to the rebellion, if the General Assembly believed it was safe to do so. On 4 April, Edwards voted with the majority to proclaim the constitution in force rather than submit it to the electorate for ratification or rejection. He voted again with the majority on 7 April to adopt the constitution and the following day signed the document. The new constitution recognized the creation of West Virginia as a separate state, provided funding for primary and free schools, reduced from five to three the number of judges on the Supreme Court of Appeals, and required voting by paper ballot for state officers and members of the General Assembly.
On the final day of the proceedings, Edwards thanked the delegates for the confidence they had shown in him as convention president. He added that he had come to the convention with "humble aspirations, but with a sincere desire to do something towards restoring to our distressed and ruined people a civil government under which they might be free from oppression and wrong." Edwards also stated that he hoped the Union would be restored and emerge stronger than ever. After the defeat of Confederacy, in May 1865 the Restored government moved to Richmond and the new constitution became effective for all of Virginia. LeRoy Griffin Edwards died at his Norfolk County home during the night of 22–23 August 1866, probably during the early morning hours. He was buried in Oak Grove Cemetery, in Portsmouth.
Contributor: (50695825)
Leroy Griffin Edwards was the President of the Convention that adopted the Virginia Constitution of 1864, including a provision to abolish slavery immediately throughout Virginia and without compensation to the enslavers. The following is an excerpt from his biography in the Library of Virginia:
On 21 January 1864 voters in the state senate district comprising Norfolk and Princess Anne Counties and the city of Portsmouth elected Edwards to represent them in a convention that met from 13 February through 11 April 1864 in Alexandria to revise the state constitution. The seventeen delegates represented thirteen counties and four cities then under United States control in the Tidewater, Eastern Shore, and northern region of the state.
On 16 February 1864 Edwards, whose three sons served in the Confederate army, defeated two other candidates to win election as president of the convention. He joined fourteen other delegates in voting on 10 March to adopt a report by the Committee on Emancipation and Education that abolished slavery and involuntary servitude (except in criminal cases) in the state, that allowed courts to apprentice black children just as they would white children, and that declared that the General Assembly would not enact laws establishing slavery or recognizing human property.
As president of the convention Edwards did not speak often. He offered an amendment to a report on voter qualifications whereby the legislature could restore voting rights, lost because a person supported the Confederacy or gave aid to the rebellion, if the General Assembly believed it was safe to do so. On 4 April, Edwards voted with the majority to proclaim the constitution in force rather than submit it to the electorate for ratification or rejection. He voted again with the majority on 7 April to adopt the constitution and the following day signed the document. The new constitution recognized the creation of West Virginia as a separate state, provided funding for primary and free schools, reduced from five to three the number of judges on the Supreme Court of Appeals, and required voting by paper ballot for state officers and members of the General Assembly.
On the final day of the proceedings, Edwards thanked the delegates for the confidence they had shown in him as convention president. He added that he had come to the convention with "humble aspirations, but with a sincere desire to do something towards restoring to our distressed and ruined people a civil government under which they might be free from oppression and wrong." Edwards also stated that he hoped the Union would be restored and emerge stronger than ever. After the defeat of Confederacy, in May 1865 the Restored government moved to Richmond and the new constitution became effective for all of Virginia. LeRoy Griffin Edwards died at his Norfolk County home during the night of 22–23 August 1866, probably during the early morning hours. He was buried in Oak Grove Cemetery, in Portsmouth.
Contributor: (50695825)
On 21 January 1864 voters in the state senate district comprising Norfolk and Princess Anne Counties and the city of Portsmouth elected Edwards to represent them in a convention that met from 13 February through 11 April 1864 in Alexandria to revise the state constitution. The seventeen delegates represented thirteen counties and four cities then under United States control in the Tidewater, Eastern Shore, and northern region of the state.
On 16 February 1864 Edwards, whose three sons served in the Confederate army, defeated two other candidates to win election as president of the convention. He joined fourteen other delegates in voting on 10 March to adopt a report by the Committee on Emancipation and Education that abolished slavery and involuntary servitude (except in criminal cases) in the state, that allowed courts to apprentice black children just as they would white children, and that declared that the General Assembly would not enact laws establishing slavery or recognizing human property.
As president of the convention Edwards did not speak often. He offered an amendment to a report on voter qualifications whereby the legislature could restore voting rights, lost because a person supported the Confederacy or gave aid to the rebellion, if the General Assembly believed it was safe to do so. On 4 April, Edwards voted with the majority to proclaim the constitution in force rather than submit it to the electorate for ratification or rejection. He voted again with the majority on 7 April to adopt the constitution and the following day signed the document. The new constitution recognized the creation of West Virginia as a separate state, provided funding for primary and free schools, reduced from five to three the number of judges on the Supreme Court of Appeals, and required voting by paper ballot for state officers and members of the General Assembly.
On the final day of the proceedings, Edwards thanked the delegates for the confidence they had shown in him as convention president. He added that he had come to the convention with "humble aspirations, but with a sincere desire to do something towards restoring to our distressed and ruined people a civil government under which they might be free from oppression and wrong." Edwards also stated that he hoped the Union would be restored and emerge stronger than ever. After the defeat of Confederacy, in May 1865 the Restored government moved to Richmond and the new constitution became effective for all of Virginia. LeRoy Griffin Edwards died at his Norfolk County home during the night of 22–23 August 1866, probably during the early morning hours. He was buried in Oak Grove Cemetery, in Portsmouth.
Contributor: (50695825)
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