Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1841-11-18
THE CONVENTION.

Saturday last, to meet again on the Sc
copd Monday of February next, tha
being the earliest time, previous TO the
Spring election, that the Convention
can meet without interfering with the
Courts or Legislature.
/ We deem it unnecessary to continue
an account Of the daily proceedings OF
the Convention, ms we copy below from
the Journal, "a careful abstract Of the
/ Constitution" summing up, Of all
that has been done.
Il The article upon Suffrage was not
fully completed; and that upon General
Provisions was not discussed. All the
others were completed. The whole
will Of course be subject to the revision
Of the Convention at its next session.
The Constitution.
| There are but few provisions in the
constitution framed by the convention
which need to be pariiculariZed, as its
main features are precisely those of our
present form Of government. The al-
terations arc in the prescribed tenure of
Office for the Justices of the Supreme
Court, the new apportionment of rep
resentation among tho towns, and in
the giving up Of the freehold qualifca-
ton for voters. There are no other
material variations from the present un-
written constitution. Pror. Jour.
The annual election for general Off
GERS Is 10 take place on the third We'd
nesdny of April, as formerly, and in
case no candidate has majority of the
votes. cast by the people, the Senate and
House in grand committee, may fill the
vacancy in any Office, from the two can
didutcs having the highest number Of
votes. Vacancies in the Senate, from
the same cause, may be filled by the
House.
The sessions Of the General Assem-
bly, are to be holden exactly as they are
lbystIlepresent law, and that body re-
tnins all the judicial and vistatorial
powers il has hitherto exercised.
The members Of the House Of Rep
rescuta,ives arc to be elected semi-an-
nually, as Il! present, on the same days
for town meetings. by the new appor-
tonmcnt, all towns having under 1000
inhabitants arc entitled to elect two rep
rcscntatives all having between 1000
and G, 800, three representatives (; all
having between 6 800 and 10000, four
representatives all having betwcon
10000 and $1,000, five representatives;
all having between 1900 ind 81 900,
six representatives and all above 81 -
900, seven representatives but no
town or city is to have more than seven
This gives Providence
seven representatives; Newport, Smith
field and Warwick, four each Cum
berlnnd, North Providence, and Sct-
uato, three each and all other towns,
two each.
The Senate is to cor sist of ten mem
bers, and to be elected as ut present,
by gcnoral ticket. The Governor is its
presiding officer, and the Secretary off
State, its Secretary. 1t is the tribunal
for the trial of impcachments, which
nrc to be preferred by the House.
One additional power is conferred on
the Governor, that ofgranting reprieves
till the end Of the next session of the !,
General Assembly, and no longer.
The Justices of the Supreme Court
are to be elected by the grand commit
tee, and to retain their seats until they
may be declared vacant by joint re-
solution Of both Houses, to be voted for
by majority Of all the members elect
ed to each. A separate court Of chan
cery is forbidden to be establishcd.-II
The Judiciary otherwise remains rs at
present, under the regulation Of the
General Assembly.
The article on education directs the
establishment Of public schools, and
secures the money appropriated for that
purpose, from being diverted to any
other use.
Amendments are 10 be proposed by
the General Assembly, and distributed
among tho towns, before n next general
election. If the General Assembly
then elected, shall concur in them, they
are to he sent out to tho people, and if
then adopted, they become part Of the
The qualification for voters was the
only pottion of thc article on tho clcc III