Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1848-01-14
Constitutional Convention.

question beng on the amendments made in com
mittee Of the whole. The first amendment, which
was 10 strike out eighty" and insert one hun.
dred," as the maximum number Of members in the
| House of Representatives, was adopted, ayes Sc,
noes 81. Filty-iour as proposed by the committee
was fixed upon the minimum number-so that
the lower branch of our State Assembly is never to
consist of less than 81 more than 100 members,
and the higher branch, or Senate 10 consist of not
less than one-fourth nor more than one-thrd of the
number in the House Another amendment was,
TO add to the clause providing for single district
system, follows said district to be bounded bv
county town, ward lines, TO consist Of contigu-
Gus territory, and be in as compact form as can
be to include the requisite population This was
concurred in, as also an amendment 10 strike out
Section 5, relating TO Senators, and insert
"The Senators shall be chosen annually
by single districts of convenient contiguous
territory, at the same time and in the same
manner as members of the Assembly are re-
| quired to be chosen, and no assembly dis
! trict shall be divided in the formation of
Senate district"
| MIR. Jackson moved to strike out three dollars,
and insert two, as the per diem Of members but
a motion of Mr.. Cole to fix the compensation at
/ s. 50 per day was finally adopted. a new section
was added, on motion of Mr.. Judd, requiring the
Legislature to provide by law that all stationery and
printing required for the State shall be let by con-
tract TO the lowest responsible bidder and prohibit
ing any member of the Legislature or State officer
from being 10 any way interested in such contract
| An unsuccessful effort made by Mr. Kilboum
to destroy the provision denying the Legislature the
! power to grant divorces.
! The Article, amended as stated above was order
cd to be engrosscd for third reading We like the
character of this Article, so far at least as its main
provisions are concerned and we have no doubt it
will meet with cordial public acceptance The
amendments increasing the number OF members, de-
creasing their pay, and requiring the election OF
Senators annually with the single district feature
! for members of both branches, remove any obiec-
tons we may have entertained to the Article in its
| original shape. We trust that in constituting other
departments of the State Government the Cony en-
ton will not swerve from the principle which
| seems TO have controlled its action here. The Ar
tice on the Judiciary, yet to be considered, will
doubtless be brought under the test OF this prnci
! pie, and be made to conform to the same high de
/ mocratic standard.
| As we design TO keep our county readers fully
advised regards the of their
in Convention on all subjects of Importance
duty we also TO the representative as we'll as
| TO the constituent-We give the vote of the Racine
| delegates propositions in the decision of which
| the ayes and noes were called for and recorded.
On the first amendment, to increase the maximum
number Of representatives, Messrs Cole, Davenport,
Jackson, NJ Lellan, Reymert, Sanders and Sccor
voted aye-Alr Lowell no. On the ID, TO increase
/ the minimum number the vote of the Racine dele
! CATION stood the same On the question of making
/ Senators elective annually, instead of bicnnally
! Messrs. Davenport, Jackson, and Secor voted aye,
and Messrs. Cole, Lowell, NJ Lellan, Reymen and
: Sanders, no. On the motion to decrease the COM
pensation of members from 50 to So 50, MessTs.
Cole, Davenport, MLellan, Sanders and Reymert,
ave and Messrs Jackson, Lowell and Secor, no. fit
is proper to state of Mr.. J. that he voted in the
negative here because he was in favor of So the
per diem of members On Judd proposition re-
atse to stationery and printing, Messrs Davenport,
Reynert. Sanders and Secor, aye and Messrs Cole,
Jackson, Lowell and NJ Lellan, no. On motion
to strike out the single district clluse all the dele
gates from this county voted no.
! Friday, January :. A resolution was adoped
/ Al =,
quirc into the expediency of fixing day when the
constitution shall be submitted to the electors for
their adoption or rejection-said day not to be on
the day Of or within ten days Of any other town
or county election,
The Article on Finance was read the third time
ana passed Also, the Article on Eminent Domain
and Property of the State.
! The Article on the acceptance of Act of Congress
was ordered to be eugrossed.
! Mr. Sanders moved a recommitment of the Le-
gslative article for the purpose of having the term
J of Senators changed from one year to two years.
The proposition was laid on the table, on motion
| of Mr.. Jackson
The compensation of the Secretary and his as
sisants was fixed by resolution at S. per day each.
| Article on Acceptance of Act of Congress was
ordered to be rccommitted and this, with article
on boundaries, was taken up for consideration in
| committee of the whole. The first was reported
back without amendments. and the last with.
The amendment made in committee to the art-
Gle OH Boundaries were concurred in. This amend
ment was to incorporate part of the article the
provisions of the article on acceptance of act of
Congress. Mr.. Rountree now offered substitute
tor sections one and two, asserting the claim o.
Wisconsin, under the ordinance OF 81 TO tbe dispu-
ted territory in Illinois, and also her claim 10 the
country given TO Michigan in 1886 on Lake Supe
rior but providing that these claims shall be submit
ted 10 the Supreme Court of the United States for
adjudication and settlement, &c. &c. The substi-
tute rejected, ayes 81, noes 30 Delegates from
Racine, Reymert in the affirmative, Cole, Dayen-
port, jackson, Lowell and NJ elan in the negative.
Sanders and Secor absent,
The further consideration of the article was then
postponed and the convention adjourned.
The Printing We must confess we are some
what astonished al the final action of the Conven-
ton on this subject Ii has authorised the proprie-
tors of the Argus TO print 500 copies OF the journal
and fhr eb1 RS and has poSitiyely refused To restrict