Delaware State reporter., 1853-04-26

STATE CONVENTION.
TO REVISE, ALTER, OR AMEND
THE CONSTITUTION,
SPEECH OF
HON. JAS. "A. BAYARD.
r { P r E S E MT Alto NJ
ACCORDING TO
POPULATION,
BY THE
DISTRICT SYSTE vi /.
The. Complete Discussion of the
cs1,1ainO+ ,Y5,+i1 Sac naraa+
DISTRICT SYSTEM /.
The. Complete Discussion of the
Subject until it's Defeat,
Ac.. Ac..

Prayer by the Chaplain, Rev. THOMAS G..
NIrRPIIEY.
The journal of yesterday was read and APP
proved.
All the members were present this morning
except MesSls. Gray, 1,atimer, and Wilson.
LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT..
On motion of Mr.. Burton, the Convention re-
solved itself in a Committee of the Whole, Mr..
MAXWELL in the Chair, on the report of the Com
mittce on the Legislative Department.
Mr.. BAYARD. Mr. Chairman, presume it is
in order now to move amendments TO this report,
and as the subject is one of great interest, and
iii my Judgment, the most important which has
come before this Convention as regards the ne
ceSsity of amendments to the Constitution, |
shall beg leave to submit plan which | drew
mp last night but the basis of which, and the
principles upon which it rests, have Lcen sub
ject Of consideration with me, not only since tho
commencement of the session OF this body, but
for many years antcriony. The amendments
which shall propose, are i'll some measure dis
connected from each other, though they all re.
late to the Legislative Department. If the COM
mittce will permit me, will read my amend
ments. as have come remarks to make with the
view Of showing that they are proper i'll them
selves, and called lor by the very principle upon
which all your institutions rest. If such lie the
will of the body. will, though it is not per-
hapS, strictly regular, read my amendments be-
fore sending them to the Sccretary's table.
Mr.. BATES. move that the gentleman be
permitted to read his own amendments.
The motion was agreed to.
Mr.. BAYARD The organization which is pro.
yidctl in the report under consideration, for the
representation of The people of this State, in the
Legislature, is a very slight change, if indeed it
can be called change at all, from the present
snodc, and it proceeds upon no ayowed principle,
and is indeed altogether arbitrary. The object
of my amendments is to proceed on a principle,
to carry it out practically now and also TO pro-
vide for the revision upon the same principle of
The representation at stated intervals of time.
The principle is one which presume, no man
will deny, that in a republic, the basis of repre-
scntaion must be population. My first amend
ment is TO strike out after the words q Section
2" the following:
The Representatives shall be chosen for
two years by the citizensv residing in the
several counties. No person shall be Repre-
sentative who shall not have atttncd the age Of
twenty-thrce years, and have been citizen and
inhabitant of the State three years next preced-
ing the first meeting of the Legislature after his
election, and the last year of that term an in
habitant of the county in which he Shall be cho-
sen, unless he shall have been absent on the
public business Of the United States or this
State.
uc llOuSc Vi pIGScHidllNcS SHlll ColSiSl Ol
twcnty-foUr members, ten of whom shall be
chosen from New Castle county seven of whom
shall be chosen from Kent county, and seven
from Sussex county; and when Il greater NUM-
her of Representatives shall by the General AS
sembly he Judged necessary, then two-thirds of
each branch of the Legislature concurring, they
may by law make provision for increasing their
rumber and for a rc-apportiommcnt among the
counties.
SEC. 3. The Senators Shall be chosen for four
years by the citizens residing in the several
counties. No person shall be Senator who
shall not have attained to the age of twenty five
years, and have been citizen and inhabitant
of the State three years next preceding the first
meeting of the Legislature, after his election,
and the last year of that term an inhabitant OF
the county in which he shall be chosen, unless
he shall have been absent on the public business
of the United States or of this State.
And to insert in lieu of them:
The Senate shall consist of eighteen mem
bcrs and the Senators be chosen for four years.
The House of Representatives shall consist OF
thirty-SiX members, who Shall be elected bicn-
nally. The State shall be divided into sixteen
districts, to be called Senate districts and each
district except the first and fifth, shall choose
one SENATOR and the first and fifth districts shall
each choose two Senators.
The first district shall consist Of the hundreds
of Nanticoke, Little Creek, Broad Creek, and
North West Fork, Gin Sussex connty.)
The second district shall consist of the hun
dreds Of Baltimore and Indian River.
The third district shall consist ofthe hundreds
of Broadkiln, and Lewcs, and Rehoboth.
The fourth district shall consist of the hun
drcds of Dagsborough and Cedar Creek.
The fifth district shall consist of the hundreds
of Milford, Mispillon, and Little Creek, lin
Kent cOunty.)
The sixth district shall consist of the hundred
of Murderkil.
The seventh district shall consist Of the hun.
drcd of Dover.
The eighth district shall consist ofthc hundred
of Duck Creek.
The ninth district shall consist Of the hundreds
of Appoqunmnk and Red Lion.
The tenth district shall consist of the hundred
of st. Georges.
The eleventh district shall consist of the hun.
dreds of Peueadcr and New Castle.
The twelfth district shall consist of the hun
dreds Mill Creek and White Clay Creek.
The thirteenth district shall consist of the first
and third wards of the City of Wilmington.
The fourteenth district shall consist of the
second and fourth wards of the City of Will
mngton.
The fifteenth district shall consist of the hun
drcd of Christiana.
The sixteenth district shall consist of the fifth
ward of the City of Wilmington, and the hun
'~e1red of Brandywine.
disposeeaembers ofthe House Representatives
ientat IN in~san by each of the foregoing dis
TwUting in PROP
shall be choscd with rn~;mmedatelv after the
tricts. IN my oNqnort as to the
then propose to rctain S--,A to V,,.stot;,os
clause. the provisions Of the ro, co. / htnr9 har
Qualifications of Senator's and ReprescnS $50.
M nerson shall be a Senator who shal no
have attained to the age OF twenty.hve !e",s .,S
and have been citizen and inhaoltuit ol tn tn
State three years next preceding the mrs. '"eo'
ing Of the Legislature, after his eiectloh' "l