Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1821-03-27
FROM THE BOSTON INTELLIGENcER
MASSACHUSETTS, CONVENTION

MASSACHUSETTS, CONVENTION.
1t is fact highly honorable to the
character of the inhabitants of Massa-
chusetts, and goes far to refute the no.
ton OF incapacity in the people to gosem
themselves, that the Constitution of the
Commonwealth has come out of their
hands much improved in many particu-
lars, and unchanged in all its sacred and
essential principles. 1t is highly graft
flying to feel the force of this advantage,
and the more so, as the danger of sub
hitting the fundamental principles of
the government to the will of the ma
Jonty had been most seriously appre-
bended by wise and good men. The re-
suit would astonish those Europeans
who cannot understand the beauty and
PROJECTIONS ofour theory of governments
al organization. They have never be-
held spectacle like that which closed
the session ct the Convention.
SYNOPSIS OF THE ARTICLES OF AMEND
MEHT.
article Provides that the provi-
sions of the Legislature for the support
OF public worship, shall no longer be
confined TO protestant teachers, but BE-
applied to all pubic christian teachers
and to all societies whether incorporated
or not; that all moneys paid for the
maintenance of public worship may be
applied to the public teacher on whose
instructions the subject attends, without
regard to the denomination of the parish
in which the money is raised; and that
all taxes assessed for this purpose upon
the real estate of non resident prople-
tors, shall be applied to support public
worship in the place where they are as
scssed, except that the said proprietors
shall be of a different sect of christians
from the Parish in which they are SO
assessed. The clause in the declaration
of Rights investing the Legislature with
authority to enforce an attendance on the
Instructions of public teachers is an
nul!ed. No person shall be tried for
crime, the punishment of which would
be ignomiDious except on presentment
of grand jury--and every person charg-
ed with any crime or offence shall have
right to be heard by himself aud his
counsel.
Art. 2-Provides that the politioa,
year shall begin on the lst Wednesday
of January, instead of The last Weenes-
day of May--and that the town meetings
FOR the election Of all State officers, shall
be held on the ID Monday of November,
instead of the LIST Monday of April
This article is to go into operation Oh
the 4th of July the present year.
| Art. 3-Declares that no bill or re-
solve shall become law, if tie General
Court, by their adjournment, shall pre-
vent the Governor from returning it with
his objections within five days after it is
laid before him.
Art. 4-Invests the General Court
with authority to grant city POWERS to
towns containing $4,000 inhabitants and
upwards, upon the application of a ma
jority of the inhabitants thereof, present
and voting on the question.
.Art. 5-Provides for the organization
of the Senate and House of Representa-
tves. The Senate to consist of So men,
bers, the State to be divided into districts
for their election, to be never less than
ten, and no one to elect moro than six
Senator'S. The basis, to be the proper
ton ofpublic taxes paid in each district.
! The House never to consist of more than
275 members, except in those years
when the valuation is settled, when every
I town may send as at present All towns
Of 1900 iDhaDltants to clGct one repre-
sentative and the mem increasing mum
, bee 10 cntitlc town to two, SHALL be 400