Trees Planted by the Water: Early African American Legislators

The President announced tle following standing committees:
Political or Legislative-Caldwell, Chairman; Armstrong, of'Jasper;
Flanagan (Webster), Carter, Ruby, Grigsby, Degener, Lippard,
Butler

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June 5, 1868

Mr. Ruby offered the following substitute:
Resolved, That thifs Convention do authorize ten copies of the
three Republican papers in this State, known as follows: the Austin
Republican, the San Antonio Express, and the Galveston Republican,
be furnished each member of the Convention.
Mr. Sumner moved to lay the substitute on the table.
Carried

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June 5, 1868

Mr. Bryant, of Harris, moved that Mr. Ruby be added to the
Committee on Education.
There being no objection it was so ordered.

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June 8, 1868

Mr. Burnett moved to adjourn till 3 o'clock.
The President asked that the motion to adjourn be withdrawn for
the purpose of announcing the following Special Committee on the
division of the State:
Munroe, Chairman; Degener, Johnson, of Calhoun, Wilson, of
Brazoria, Slaughter, Pedigo, Ruby, Fleming, Armstrong of Lamar,
Kealy, Flanagan, Vaughan, Keuchler, Mullins, Rogers.
Mr. Board asked that the rules be suspended to offer a resolution.
Rules were suspended

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July 18, 1868

Mr. Ruby asked that Mr. Williams be placed on Committee on
General Provisions.
It was so ordered.

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July 22, 1868

Mr. Ruby moved the suspension of the rules to take up the following
resolution, offered by Mr. Curtis:
Rules suspended.
Resolved by the people of Texas in Convention assembled:
That a committee of three be appointed by the President of this
Convention, to proceed to the town of Millican, for the purpose of
investigating the cause of the late disturbance at that place, and report
the result thereof to this body; that said committee are invested
with full power to summon such witnesses before them, and examine
such papers as shall be necessary to elicit the desired information.
That any and every Sheriff in the State shall execute any and
every process, of whatsoever character that may be issued by said
committee.
That the sum of five hundred dollars, or so much thereof as shall
be necessary, be and the same is hereby appropriated out of the contingent
fund of this Convention, for the purpose of defraying the
expenses of said committee.
That Brevet Major General J. J. Reynolds be and he is hereby
respectfully requested to aid said committee in this investigation, by
the protection of an adequate escort of cavalry or infantry, as he
may direct.
Mr. Evans, of Titus, moved the resolution be referred to the
Judiciary Committee

.January 25, 1869

Mr. Ruby moved to amend by adding Messrs. Johnson and Kendal.

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February 1, 1869

Mr. Ruby rose to a question of personal privilege, stating that
the assistant doorkeeper violently assaulted him upon the public
street this morning while on his way to the capitol.
Mr. Degener asked that the question be referred to the special

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February 2, 1869

Mr. Burnett, from the special committee appointed to inquire into
the conduct of the Assistant Doorkeeper, reported as follows

RECONSTRUCTION CONVENTION JOURNAL.
REPRESENTATIVE HALL,
February 1, 1869.
Hon. E. J. DAVIS,
President of the Convention:
SIR: The special committee, to whom was referred the charge
made by Hon. Mr. Ruby, of Galveston, against the Assistant Doorkeeper
of this Convention, Scipio McKee, to-wit: that said McKee
did on this morning, first instant, wantonly and without provocation,
violently assault Mr. Ruby on the public street of this city, and
while he was on his way to the capitol. After a full examination
the committee find that the charge preferred is fully sustained by
the evidence, and believing that the only penalty for the offense, so
far as this Convention is concerned, is in the dismissal of the
offender from the service of this body, and that justice to the member
attacked and to the Convention demands this action, respectfully
recommend the adoption of the accompanying resolution.
Respectfully submitted,
BURNETT,
Chairman Committee.
RESOLUTION.
Resolved, That Scipio McKee, Assistant Doorkeeper, for committing
a violent and unprovoked assault on the person of Mr.
Ruby, a member of this Convention, is hereby dismissed the service
of this body.
Mr. Hamilton, of Bastrop, moved the previous question.
Previous question seconded.
The question recurred, " Shall the main question be now put ?"
Upon which the yeas and nays were demanded and resulted
thus:
Yeas -Messrs. President, Bellinger, Board, Brown, Butler, Burnett,
Carter, Degener, Downing, Fayle, Flanagan, Gray, Hamilton
of Bastrop, Hunt, Jordan Kuechler, Lippard, Long, Miills, Mullins,
Newcomb, Patten, Slaughter, Smith, Thomas, Whitmore -26.
Nays--Messrs. Armstrong of Jasper, Armstrong of Lamar, Bell,
Bryant of Grayson; Buffington, Cole, Curtis, Fleming, Gaston,
Glenn, Iamilton of Travis, Harris, Ham, Kealy, Keigwin, Kendal,
Kirk, Loib, McCormick, McWashington, Morse, Mundine, Phillips
of San Augustine, Phillips of Wharton, Rogers, Scott, Sorrell,
458

RECONSTRUCTION CONVENTION JOURNAL.
Stockbridge, Varnell, Watrous, Williams, Wilson of Brazoria,
Wright-33.
So the Convention refused to order the main question.

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February 4, 1869

Mr. Ruby offered the following declaration:
AN ORDINANCE
To prevent the intimidation of voters.
Be it ordained by the people of Texas in Convention assembled,
and it is hereby ordained as follows:
SECTION 1. Any person who shall prevent or endeavor to prevent

any qualified elector of this State from the free exercise of the
elective franchise by violence or bribery, or by threats of violence
or injury to his person or property, or by depriving an elector of
employment, or threatening to deprive him of employment, shall be
deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof shall
be punished by imprisonment for not less than one month nor more
than six months, or by fine of not less than one hundred dollars nor
more than five hundred dollars for each offence, and one half of the
fine shall go to the prosecutor.
SEC. 2. Be it further ordained, That the hiring of any
laborer upon the condition that the same shall vote, or not vote, for
any special candidate, or any particular party, or in any specific
manner, shall be deemed bribery within the meaning of this act,
upon the part of the person demanding the said condition.
SEC. 3. Be it further ordained, That this ordinance shall be
published and circulated with the Constitution for the information
of voters, and shall be in force from and after the date of its
passage.
Mr. Ruby moved to suspend the rules to take up the declaration,
Upon which the yeas and nays were demanded and resulted
thus:
Yeas-Messrs. President, Butler, Carter, Degener, Flanagan,
Hunt, Kuechler, Lippard, Long, Mackey, Mullins, Patten, Ri&y,
Smith, Varnell, Watrous, Williams, Wilson of Milam-18.
Nays-Messrs. Armstrong of Jasper, Armstrong of Lamar,
Bellinger, Board, Bryant, Buffington, Burnett, Cole, Curtis, Downing,
Evans of Titus, Fleming, Gaston, Glenn, Gray, Hamilton of
Bastrop, Hamilton of Travis, Harris, Harn, Johnson, Jordan,
Kealy, Keigwin, Kendal, Kirk, Leib, McCormick, McWashington,
Mills, Morse, Mundine, Newcomb, Phillips of San Augustine,
Posey, Rogers, Schuetze, Scott, Slaughter, Sorrell, Stockbridge,
Talbot, Thomas, Wilson of Brazoria, Wright-44.
So the Convention refused to suspend the rules.
On motion the Convention adjourned until the regular hour this
evening.
511

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February 5, 1869

Mr. Ruby, of Galveston, tendered his resignation by the following
letter:
To the Hon. E. J. DAVIS,
President of Reconstruction Convention:
State of Texas.
SIR: Believing that the present Reconstruction Convention has
lost, through many of its members, all regard for dignity and honor
as a legislative assemblage, and that its continued session will only
terminate in disgrace to the entire country. I herewith tender my resignation
as a member hereof and as delegate from the county of
Galveston.
G. T. RUBY,
Delegate from Galveston county.
Convention Hall, night, February 5, 1869.
The Convention adjourned.

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June 5, 1868

Mr. Ruby, of Galveston, offered the following resolutions:
, Resolbed, That a special committee of -- members be appointed
on the subject of Bill of Rights.
Resolved, That a special committee of members be appointed
on the subject of the Militia.
Resolved, That a special committee of - members be appointed
on the subject of Election and Suffrage.
Resolved, That a special committee of members be appointed
on the subject of Eminent Domain and Property of the
State.
Mr. Burnett moved to lay the resolutions upon the table.
Carried,