Southern standard., 1851-04-05
Convention Of the State Of Mississippi.
An Act 10 1,roride for Conpentton q the People Of The
State of Mississippi.

Convention Of the State Of Mississippi.
A Act 10 Drorids for Conuention Of the People Of the
State of Mississippi.
WHEREAS. The Legislature of the Congress of the
United States controlled as was at It's last session,
Inv dominant majority, regardless OF the constitutional
rights of the saveholdng States and rejecting the
will of section whose population are 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 to destroy said institution and
ubvcrt the sovereign power OF this and other slave
holding States and whereas it is becoming and prop
that sovereign State should promptly resort to the
most efficient means for the maintenance OF II
ereionty and the preservation of its constitutional
rights as a member of the confederacy when assaled
by the exercise of the highest power recognised under
Republican form OF Government; the expressed
will of the sovereign people :-Threfore,
SECTION l. BE IL enacted by the Legislature Of The
State Of Mississippi, That election for Delegates to
Convention OF the People of the State of Missis-
spp shall be held in the several counties thereof on
the Ist Monday and day following in the month of
September in the year eighteen hundred and ffty-one
that said election shall be held at all the precincts es
tabshed by law and shall be managed and conducted
by the sherifs other proper officers OF the counties
respectively, in the and according 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 to
issue his proclamation to the several sherifs of the
State at 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
counties and by posting notices a at least four public
places in their counties.
SEC 2 BE ii further enacted, That each county
shall be represented in said convention by the same
number Of delegates as such county has OF ReprCsen
taves in the House of Representatives, including the
representation of any city or town in any county.
SEC 3. BE Il further enacted That no person not
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 not have at
tanned the age of twenty-five years shall be eligible to
a seat in the Convention.
SEC 4. BE it 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 cleo
tiOn 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
in said Convention, subject if contested, to decision
by slid Convention in such manner as they may
prescribe.
SEC. g. BE it further enacted, That the delegates
elected under the provisions of this act shall assemble
the Capital of the State on the I'd Monday of No
vember, A. d. eighteen hundred and fty-one and or
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 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
vndicatng 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 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 amount
due.
SEC. 6. BE At 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 cause such vacancy to be fl
led by issuing his writ of election to the sheriff of the
proper country, requiring him. on ten days notice. TO
hold an election according to law to fill the same.
SEC. L Ard 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 sub
mtted to the people at the baot-box for their ap-
proyal, at such time and such manner, as the Conven-
ton may determine.
JOHN J. McRAE,
SpeeIer Of the Horse Of representatives.
JOHN l. GUI0N,
Presideat Of the Senate.
Approved November 30th, 1850.