Southern standard., 1851-05-31
Convention of the State Of MIssissippl,
An Act to provide for Convention Of the People Of u
State of Mississippi.

An Act to prouide for Conuc1ton of the Peops NJ D.
State of Mississippi
WHEREAS, The Legislature of the Congress Of II.
United States controlled, it was its last sesao
by dominant majority, regardless of the constitutions
rights of the slaveholdng States and rejecting ,bs
will of section whose population are hostile in feel
ngs and opposed in principle to long established and
cherished institution of the States of the South s
fords alarming evidence of settled purpose on the
part of said majority to destroy said institution and
subvert the sovereign power of this and other slave
holding States and whereas it is becoming and pro,
that sovereign State should promptly to the
most efficient means for the mantainance Of it ss5y
ereignty and the preservation of its constitutional
rights, member of the confederacy when assaied
by the exercise of the highest power recognised und
our Republican form of Government; the expressed
will of the sovereign people :-Threlore,
SECTION /. Be 1t enacted by the Legislature Of Bs
State of Mississippi That an election for Deegates =
Convention of the People of the State Of Missis.
sipp shall be held in the several counties thereof o.,
the lst Monday and day following in the month Of
September. in the year eighteen hundred and fy-one
that said election shall be held all the precincts es
tablished by law, and shall be managed and conducted
by the shers other proper officers Of the counties
respectively, in the manner and according the
same rules and regulations as are prescribed by law
fer the election of members Of the Legislature And
it hereby declared to be the duty of the Governor
issue lis proclamation to the several sherfs of the
State least ninety days before the time appointed
for holding said election requiring them to hold and
conduct the according to law and the said sher-
ifs shall advertise the time and place Of holding said
election for at least twenty days, by publishing the
same in the several newspapers of their respective
countless and by posting notes at, at least four public
places in their counties.
SEC 9 Be 1t further enacted, That each county
shall be represented in said convention by the same
number of delegates such county has OF Represen
tatves in the House of Representatives including the
representation of any city or town in the county.
SEC. 3. Be it further enacted, That no person no,
citizen of the State of Mississippi, who shall not at
the time of said election have resided for twelve months
previous thereto in the county, and shall have at
ained the age of twenty-five years shall be entitled to
a seat in the Convention
SEC. 4. BE 1t further enacted, That it shall be the
duty of the sheriff or proper returning officer of each
and every county, within twenty days after said elec
ton, to make complete returns to the Secry Of State
of the cast for delegates in his county, and the
certificate of election of the returning officer of the
proper county of the Secretary of State in favor Of
any delegate shall be evidence of his right to seat
in said convention, subject, if contested, decision
by said convention in such manner they may pre-
scribe.
SEC 5. Be it further enacted, That the delegates
elected under the provisions of this act shall assemble
the capital of the State, the I'd Monday of No
vember A. ID. eighteen hundred and ffty-one and or
ganize themselves into convention by the election
of President and such other officers as they NAV
deem necessary, and the appointment of a suitable
number of assistants and shall proceed consider the
then existing relatisns between the Government Of
the United States and the Government and people OF
the State of Mississippi to devise and carry into effect
the of redress for the past and obtain certain
security for the future and TO adopt such for
vindcating the sovregnty of the State, and the pro-
lection of its institutions shall appear to them
be demanded. Said convention shall adopt such rules
and regulations for its government and for the proper
transaction of business they shall think proper
The officers members and assistants of said
tion shall receive the compensation is
allowed by law to the officers, members and assisents
of the Legislature, and the Auditor of Public Ac-
counts shall issue his the Treasury therefor
upon the certificate of the President Of the amount
due
SEC. 6. BE 1t further enacted, That in case of any
vacancy occurring in said convention by the death
resignation removal of any member it shall be the
duty of the Governor to such vacancy to be fill
ed by issuing his writ of election the sheriff OF the
proper county, requiring him, ten days notice, to
hold an election according to law, to fill the
SEC. Z. BE 10 tu1ther enacted, That the acts Of
the convention proposed to be held by this act, be
fore they become binding this State shall be sub
mitted to the people the ballot-box for their an
prevail at such time, and such manner the Conveu-
ton may determine.
JOHN J. McRAE,
Syaeaher Of tic HouSs Of Representatives..
JOHN l. GUION,
Presideat Of The Snat7.
Approved November 3Oth, 1850.