The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1830-03-24
covuorw,.LrH OF MASSACHUSETTS.

Resolved, by both Houses, the same being
agreed to, by majority of the Senators, and by
two thirds of the members of the House of Rep
resontatiVes present, and voting thereon, that
il Is proper and expedient to alter and amend
the Constitution of this Commonwealth, by
adopting the subicined article of amendment,
and that the same, as thus agreed TO, be enter
ed on the Journals of the two Houses, with the
Yeas and Navs taken thereon, and referred to
the General Court next to be chosen, and that
the same be published, to the end that If agreed
TO by the General Court next to be chosen in
the manner provided by the Constitution, It
may be submitted to the people for their ratifi-
cation, in order that it may become part of
the Constitution of this Commonwealth.
ARTICLE OF AMENDMENT.
The political year shall begin on the first
Wednesday of January, instead of the last We'd
nesday in May and the General Court shall
assemble every year on the said first Wednes
day of January, and shall proceed at that session
to make all the elections, and do all the other
Acts, which are by the Constitution, required
to be made, and done, at the session which has
heretofore commenced on the last Wednesday
of MAY. And the General Court shall be dis
solved on the day next preceding the first We'd
nesday of January, without any proclamation or
other Act of the Governor. But nothing here
in contained, shall prevent the General Court
from assembling at such other times, as they
shall judge necessary, or when called together
Governor, and CounselIors shall also hold their
respective offices for one year next following
the first Wednesday of January and until others
are chosen and qualified in their stead.
The meeting for the choice OF Governor,
Lieutenant Governor, Senators and Representa-
tives, shall be held on the second Monday of
November in every year, but meetings may
be adjourned, if necessary, for the choice OF
Representatives, to the next day; and again to
the next succeeding day, but no farther But
in case a second meeting shall be necessary for
the choice of Representatives, such meetings
shall be held on the fourth Monday of the same
month of November. All the other provisions
of the Constitution, respecting the elections
and proceedings of the Members of the General
Court, or of any other officers or persons what
ever. that have reference TO the last Wednesday
OF May, as the commencement of the political
year, shall be far altered, as to have like ref
erence to the first Wednesday of January. This
article shall go into operation on the first day of
October next following the day when the same
shall be duly ratified and adopted as an amend.
ment of the Constitution and the Governor,
Lieutenant Governor, Connselors, Senators
Representatives, and all other State officers,
who are annually chosen, and who shall be
chosen for the current year, when the same
shall 90 into operation, shall hold their respect.
i've offices, until the first Wednesday of Janua-
ry, then next following, and until Others are
chosen and qualified in their stead and no long
er. And the first election os the Governor.
Lieutenant Governor, Senators and Represent
atives, to be had in virtue of this article, shall
be had conformably thereunto, in the month of
November following the day on which the same
shall be In force, and go into operation pursuant
to the foregoing provision.
All the provisions of the existing Consttu-
ton, inconsistent with the provisions here in
contained, are hereby wholly annulleG.
M the House of RepreSentatiues, FEB. 9, 1880.
The foregoing Resolution and Amendment
having been passed in this House, by consiitu-
fional majority, two-thirds of the members pres
ent and voting thereon, having voted in the afir-
Senate. w. B. CALHoUN. Speaker.
The Resd5giuSSIs lats~ Eel. IL, 1880.
hap,-s S0vn agreed to, by a majority of the
senators present aud voting thereon, the same
are accordingly referred to the General Court
next to be chosen, and ordered 10 be published.
sAEUEL LArHRoP, President
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS,.
I" General Court, at the January Session
thereof, A. d. 1880.
Resolved by both Houses, the same being
agreed to by majority of the Senators. and
two-thlrds of the members of the House of Rem.
TesentatiHes present and voting thereon, that II
is proper and expedient to alter and amend the
constitution of this Commonwealth, by adept
ing the snbjoined article of Amendment. and
that the same thus agreed to, be entered on
the Journals of the two Houses, with the Yea,
and Nays taken thereon, and referred to the
GENERAL Court next to be chosen, and that the
same be published, to the end, that if agreed To
by the General Court next to be chosen. in the
manner provided by the Constitution, it NAV
be submitted to the people for their ratification.
"a order that It may become part of the Con-
stltuten OF this Commonwealth.
ARTICLE OF AMENDMENT.
Inc members of the House of Representa-
tives shall be elected in the following manner
Each City, Town, or District, containng
twelve hundred inhabitants, NAV elect one
Representative, and two thousand four hundred
inhabitants shall be the mean increasing num
Der which shall entitle any City, Town or Dis.
trlct to an additional Representative and tbe
number OF inhabitants in each City, Town or
District shall always be ascertained and deter.
mined by the next preceding Census, taken nm.
ger The authority of the United States, if no
provision for that purpose be made by the Leo.
islature of this Commonwealth.
In every case where any Town is now united
TO any other Town or to District for the pur
pose OF eiecting Representative, such Towns
or Districts SO united, are and shall be consid.
cred, respectively, one Town, in all things re-. !
spectng the election of Representatives. as pro. |
vided for in this article.
Every Town or District containing less than
twelve hundred inhabitants shall be entitled 10
elect one Representative each, every other
year, and for this purpose the Legislature shall
divide all such Towns and Districts, within each
County in this Commonwealth, into two classes.
as nearly equal as may be and determine the
time and manner that each class may elect their |
Representative, as herein provided And anv I
contiguous Town and District, or any two con- !
tguous towns, neither of which would bv the
provisions Of this article be entitled to send one
Representative every year, may unite and SEND
a Representative every year, If they prefer so
to do, in such manner as the Legislature shall
provide.
And to prevent tho House of Representatives
from becoming too numerous, the number ofl