In the abstract, the above statement undoubtedly represented the view of a majority of the delegates. But the conservative men of the Convention recognized that the rejection of negro suffrage would strengthen the Radicals in their efforts to obtain Federal intervention. Considerations of political expediency led, therefore, to the adoption of the following provision in regard to suffrage: “Every male person of the age of twenty-one years, being a citizen of the United States, and a resident of this State for twelve months, and of the county wherein he may offer his vote, for six months next preceding the day of election, shall be entitled to vote for members of the General Assembly, and all civil officers of the county or district in which he resides, and there shall be no qualification attached to the right of suffrage, except that each voter shall give to the judge of the election, where he offers to vote, satisfactory evidence that he has paid the poll taxes assessed against him for such preceding period as the Legislature shall prescribe, and at such time as may be prescribed by law, without which his vote cannot be received.”[20] After fixing the suffrage qualifications, all the important changes in the constitution proposed by the Convention, were directed, with possibly two exceptions, towards the prevention of the recurrence of the political abuses, from which the State had suffered under the Radical administration. Fresh in the minds of all were the arbitrary acts of Governor Brownlow in suspending the writ of habeas corpus, and proclaiming martial law. A number of limitations were, therefore, placed upon the military power of the Governor. It was provided that “the militia shall not be called into service except in case of rebellion or invasion, and then only when the General Assembly shall declare by law that the public safety requires it.” The Bill of Rights was so amended that “the writ of habeas corpus shall not be suspended, unless when, in case of rebellion or invasion, the General Assembly shall declare the public safety requires it.” Another flagrant abuse under Radical rules had been the too frequent meeting of the Legislature. During the four years of Governor Brownlow’s administration, it had been in almost continuous session. To remedy this, regular sessions were made biennial, and it was provided that no member “shall be paid for more than seventy days of the regular session, or for more than twenty days of an extra or called session.” The two important changes in the constitution, which had no relation to the disturbed political conditions resulting from the war, were the creation of a homestead exemption, and the delegation to the Legislature of the power to pass general laws for the organization of private corporations.