Jenks' Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1803-1805, 1804-01-28
Mr.. TRAcY's Speech,

Delivered 10 the Senate Of the uuited stases Deeember
a. the fnai psfage of the bill for alseriss che
CoaAitusion.
(eoxcLupsD)
There IS apothes v;ev Of the coaaitn.iou which
has reference to the fakjea before Us, Add that
is. the caution exhibited, with Tepea to tho intro.
dnetion of amaadoenrs. In "A inflrument p in
portapt, and containieg many features new # not
to tn ~oild, It leaf to ousfeses, althoegh We
might ap2sove Of 10 psibeiples-yet eA&esienrs
might dhcoser errors a. 10 the mode dsyiy5d fer
esss thoJs psiaei, Ies into eF. a. HSnte Was
the part OF vsifdom aud caution provide for fuch
alterations in pradiee, as would give the faireit
operation to piccnles, without ineurriog the con.
futon aud agitation ineidenral to general sonven.
lion. But lea tbs daring ard reai,e ipit;s Of in
povstion ihould injuse OF deRroy. usder the
lpecious name Of iaendment, that fasae wi!dom
and caution have provided f.lutary checks.
Two ,hisds Of both houes Of congsefs hA!I
deem it nceedary" to prapcfe anendnsnts -and
three fourlhs Of the Rate ieeilAsures Gall rasify
fnch northumberland they acquire validity.
lpsak now, GrJ OF the mode which has always heso.
! aadprcbasiy will be put Id rraaics to obtain q
! amendments. The other souititutional mode II
| qualiy anarced as TO numbers. but as It has nd
relation IL the flbjse Now ID debate; MAY be laid
aide. 1.-TWO thirds Of both hou!es." siiuR think
on every fsi principle Of conitrnaion, mean Two
thirds OF all the members. The number Of fenat
ors is thirty sour-two thisds being twenty ,hrse.
And as there Is no representation from Ne1jerfey,
the nuuber Of Representatives Is one hundred thr.
lsy OK, TWO thirds being ninety one.
| My impreiEons, are, fir, that this aniendnetis
caano, co61i;utioaally be propced to the Rate leg
ilatures, sneis II is agreed to, in the two houies,
BY iheie numbers, twenty three and ninety one re.
L r. - A.. - - oh
! am told, has never been agitated. But It is Ger
tsinly worthy OF atsentios. II tie contribution
lhould prevail, that two thirds Of the members pre-
TENT. al any time, might propofe amendments, the
eonf quence is, twelve fenators, being two shirda
of quorum, and forty eghr representatives being
a fimsias two thirds, might propoie any, d the
mott important arfiendusnts. l am aware fir,
that il may be faid, iuch proportions are not ina
they may yet be ratified or rsjeaed by the Gate L.
g,Aature.. But the fpris Of the conaayien, icem.
10 qu;re two thirds of the nation acting BY its pro
per organs, to propofe ameAdn,cnts--and in 70 in.
tereAirg fntjsa as con0i,u,onal alteration, 1
leis number ihould have NO authority.
The letter Of the contribution will certainly juhi
~ this idea Of its fprit. when TWO thirds of the
fenate are 'equte to content and advfe to treaty
the words are two thirdsof the fsnators pssfsst.
To convia on ifnpeac hment, g two thirds Of til.
members prefent" Yeas and nays are to be en-
tered en- thej onrnz :. at the deGre Of one eth 81
thole prefent. In the tive 6ra cafes It is requifte
70 "a immediately, whether swo thirds Of the whole
are p,eieut or not ,hea We Zee the espredions are
clear, two thira refers 70 the Members psefent
Why e. Beeaufe without thefe expire lions, ,hctsef
erenee would have been ,inderaood to the whole
number Of members In the lalt cafe why add the
presa: 70 the one FIFTH Beeaufe without hat weird
one eth Of the while would have hsen its mean
ling In all ether cafes. when two thirds ore re-
quired. the fprit Of the contribution certainly is,
| and the words ieem to carry the meaning, two
thirds Of whole nnmbets. lis faid, thst a ma.
jority of each HOME thall conaiuie quorum 10
do buGnefs" Houfs, matt n this cafe mean al