Southern standard. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1851-1856, 1851-02-08
Convection of the State of Mississippi.

An Act to proUide for Convention of the People of the
State Of Mississippi.
WHEREAS, The Legislature of the Congress of the
United States controlled, it was at its last session.
rights OF the slavcholdng States and rejecting the
will of section whose population hostile in feel
ings and opposed in principle to long established and
cherished institution of the States of the South af-
fords alarming evidence of settled purpose the
part of said majority DESTROY said institution and
sbvert the sovereign power this and other slave
holding States and whereas it is becoming and prop
er that sovereign State should promptly to the
most efficient means for the maintenance of it ssov-
ereignty and the preservation of its constitutional
rights, member of the confederacy when assailed,
by the exercise of the highest power recognised under
our Republican form of Government the expressed
will OF the sovereign people Therefore,
SECTION l. Be at enacted 6y the Legislature of the
State of Mississippi That an election for Delegates to
a Convention of the People of the State of Mssis-
sppi shall be held in the several counties thereof on
the 1st Monday and day following in the month of
September in the year eighteen hundred and ftv-one
that said election shall be held at all the precincts
tablished by law, and shall be managed and conducted
by the shers or other proper officers of the counties
respectively, in the manner and according to the
same rules and regulations prescribed by law
for the election of members of the Legislature And
it is hereby declared to be the duty of the Governor
issue his proclamation to the several shers of the
State, at least ninety days before the time appointed
for holding said election requiring them to hold and
conduct the same 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 notices at least four public
places in their counties
Sec. 2. BE 1T further enacted, That each county
shall be represented in said convention by the same
number of delegates such county has of Represen-
tatives in the House of Representatives, including the
representation of any city town in any county.
Sec. 3. BE it further enacted, That no person not
pifi2 of no of hos hall
the time of said election have resided for twelve months
previous thereto in the county, and shall not have
tanned the age of twenty-five years shall be eligible to
a seat in the Convention.
SEC. f. BE 1T further enacted That it shall be the
duty of the sheriff proper returning officer of each
and every county, within twenty days after said cleo
tion to make complete returns to the Secrv of State
of the votes 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, to decision
by said Convention in such manner as they may
prescribe.
Sec 6. BE 1t further enacted, That the delegates
elected under the provisions of this shall assemble
at the Capital of the State, the I'd Monday of No
vember, A. d. eighteen hundred and ffty-one and
ganize themselves into Convention by the election
of President and such other officers they may
deem necessary, and the appointment of a suitable
number of assistants and shall proceed to consider the
then existing relations between the Government of
the United States and the Government and people of
the State of Mississippi devise and carry into effect
the of redress for the past and obtain certain
security for the future and to adopt such measures for
indicating the sovereignty of the State, and the pro-
lection of its institutions shall appear to them to
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 Conven-
ton shall receive the same compensation is now
allowed by law to the officers members and assistants
of the Legislature, and the Auditor of Public Ac-
counts shall issue his warrant the Treasury therefor
upon the certificate of the President, of the
due.
SEC. g. Be 1t further enacted, That in 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 FL
led by issuing his writ of election to the sheriff of the
proper country, requiring him. ten days notice, to
hold an election according to law to fill the
SEC. T. And be at further enacted, That the acts of
the Convention proposed to be held by this act, be-
fore they become binding this State, shall be SUBJ
mtted to the people at the ballotbox for their ap-