The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-02-04
Proposed Changes Ia tiis Constitution Of the
United states.


proposing to refer to the Committee on the ia.
dietary the following joint resolution, to wit
Joint resolution proposing amendments to the
Constitution of the United States.
Resolred by Tie Senate and House Of Pfpre
senfetiues Of The United STATES Of America IN Con-
gress assembled, (two.hrds of both Houses con
curring,) That the following amen dments TO the
! Constitution of the United States be proposed
to the legislatures Of the several States, which,
when ratified by the Legislatures of three.fomths
of the States, shall be valid to all intents and
purposes AS part of the Constitution:
That hereafter the President and Vice Presi-
dent of the United States shall be chosen by
the people Of the respective States in the man
ner following: Each State shall be divided by
the legislature thereof into districts, equal in
1 number to the v hole number Of senators and
representatives to which such State may be en-
titled III the Congress of the United States; the
said districts to be composed of contiguous ter.
ritory, and to contain, as nearly may be, an
! equal number Of persons entitled to be repre-
sented under the Constitution, and To be laid off
for the first time, Immediately after the rathca.
ton of this amendment, and afterwards at the
| session of the legislature next ensuing the ap
porlionment of representatives by the Congress
of the United States that on the first Thurs
day in August, in the year eighteen hundred and
fifty six, and on the same day every fourth year
thereafter, the citizens of each State who pos.
sess the qualifications requisite for electors Of the
most numerous branch Of the State legislatures
shall meet within their respective districts, and
vote for a President and Vice-President Of the
| United Stntes, one of whom at least shall not
be an nhabitant of the same State with them
selves; and the person receiving the greatest
| H.. r. ID i a.
ceiving the greatest number Of votes for Vice
President, in each district shall be holden to
have received one vote (; which fact shall be i'm
mediately certified by tie governor of the State
to each Of the senators in Congress from such
State, and TO the President of the Senate and
| the Speaker Of the House of Representatives
The Congress Of the United States shall be
IN session on the second Monday in October, in
the year eighteen hundred and fifty six and on
the same day oH every fourth year thereafter
and the President Of the Senate, in the presence
of the Senate and House Of Representatives
shall open all the certificates and the votes shall
then be countcd The person having the great
est number Of votes for President shall be
President, il such number be equal to a msjorily
Of the whole number of votes given; but if no
person have such MAORI Y, then a second elec.
| ton shall be held on the first Thursd " III the
month Of December then next ensuing, between
the persons having the two highest numbers for
the office Of President which second election
shall be conducted, the result certified and the
votes counted, in the same manner lis in the
| first; and the person having the greatest number
of votes for President shall be President. But
| if two or more persons shall have received the
greatest, and an equal number of votes, Mt the
second election, then the person who shall have
| rnnpiyn6 thn urna fnst npp OF -
greatest number of States shall be President
The person having the greatest number of votes
for Vice President, at the first election shall be
Vice President, if such number be equal TO
maj GRITTY of the whole number of votes given;
and if no person have such m jority then a
second election shall take ace between the
persons having the two highest numbers, on the
same day that the second election is held 70.
! President and the person having the highest
number of the votes for Vice President shall be
Vice President But if there should happen to
be an equality of votes between the persons so
voted for at the second election, then the person
having the greatest number of votes in the
greatest number of States shall be Vice Presi-
dent But when second election shall be ne
cessary in the case of Wee President and not
necessary in of President, then thesSenate
shall choose Vice President from the persons
| HaVlH8 lHe TWO hIgHest NUMBERS IN the frSt
election, as is now prescribed in the Constitution
| SEC. 2. And be IL further resolred, That article
one, section three be amended by striking out
the word Legislature and inserting in lieu
thereof the following words, viz persons quail
flied to vote fer members Of the most numerous
branch of the legislature" so as to make the
, third section Of said article, when ratified by
three fourths of the States, read as follows, to
wit:
The Senate of the United States shall be com
posed Of two senators from each State, chosen
by the persons qualified to vote for the members
of the most numerous branch of the legislature
thereof, for six years, and each senator shall
have one vote.
SEc. 8. And belt further resolred That article
tn rec, section one, be amended by striking out
the words "good behavior" and inserting the
following words, viz: the term of twelve
years" And further, that said article and sec,
ton be amended by adding the following there
to, viz and it shall be the duty Of the Pres-
dent of the United States, within twelve months
after the ratification Of this amendment by three
fourths of all the States, as provided by the Con-
stitution of the United States, to divide the
whole number of Judges as near as NAV be
practicable, into three classes The seats of the
Judges of the first class shall be vacated at the
VI ''S ''Hlti cal ilVii SUM GidSsiu
cation of the second class at the exgiraticn of
the eighth year; and of the third class, at the
expiration of the twelfth year, so that one. third
may be chosen every fourth year thereafter"
The article as amended will read as follows:
ARTICLE III.
SEC l. The Judicial power Of the United
States shall be vested in one Supreme Court,
and in such inferior courts as the Congress from
time to time may ordain and establish The
judges, both of the Supreme and Inferior courts,
shall hold their Offices during the term of twelve |
years and shall, al stated times receive for their
services, compensation, which shall not be d |
minished during their continuance in office. And
il shall be the duty OF the President of the Uui.
ted States within twelve months after the ratif- !
cation Of this amendment by three-fourths of all
the States rs provided by the Constitution of
the United States, to divide the whole number of
judges, AZ near as may be practicable, into three
classes The seats Of the judges of the first
class shall be vacated at the expiration of the
fourth year from such classification of the
second class, at the expiration of the eighth |!