The daily republic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1853-1853, 1853-08-08
Massa chusetts Constitutional COnven-
ton.


The Boston .Hdpertiser of the Sd instant gives
the following synopsis of the dongs of the Massa-
chusetts Constitutional Convention:
The convention was in session with the excep-
ton ofa recess at one o'clock p. m, and another
at seven, of an hour each, from nine o'clock ON
Monday morning to two on Tuesday.
During that period the final act Of the conven-
ton, embracing summary Of its labors from the
commencement was reported for the first time,
forming a compact printed pamphlet of forty
pages. 1t was read over, chapter by chapter, dis
cussed in many Of its parts, and large number
ofquestions were taken on various propositions,
some by yeas and nays, and others by count. No
material alterations, however, were made from
the form Of the original report, except in mere
matters of detail. All the of the majority
were carried by a large superiority ofnumbers.
In this document, all the amendments previ-
susly agreed on, in resolutions discussed in COM
mittee Of the whole, and twice read and adopted
by the convention, incorporated methodically
with the existing constitution, embracing all the
provisions Of that instrument, and it's successive
amendments not superseded, and excluding all
parts which are so superseded, either by previous
amendments, or by the resolutions of the present
convention.
The parts Of the present constitution thus re-
tanned, together with the most important amend
ments now adopted consisting of fourteen distinct
chapters, and occupying thirty eight printed
pages, submitted to the people for their rati-
cation or rejection, in single act. A variety of
less important amendments now proposed to the
number of seven are submitted in distinct propo-
sitions for acceptance rejection by the people,
by distinct votes. If accepted, they will be here
after incorporated in the constitution under the
heads specified and if rejected, they will, for the
most part, hardly be missed and some of them if
missed, we conceive, not to be regretted.
Among the present amendments thus incOr-
porated in the proposition No. l, are:
/. One which entirely changes the organization
and manner of election of the Senate, making the
members eligible in forty single districts by plu
rality of votes, instead of being elected in districts
composed of entire counties, by majority of
votes, wherever that can be attained; but in case
offailure by joint ballot of the two branches from
the two candidates for each seat on the popular
ballot. This amendment was concurred in by al
most general consent.
2. It is provided that the council shall be elected
by the peOple--one member in each of eight dis
tricts, each council district to be composed Of ve
contiguous senatorial districts" The members of
the council to BIO styled, if the photography of
the committee who reported the draft Of the act
adopted is to be followed, mot counsellors here
toforc, but COUNCILLORS.
3. A new organization of the House of Repre-
sentatives, which is to consist of 407 members
elected annually, and AL elected on the years Of
the valuation of estates. These representatives
are assigned by an apportionment entirely new,
which we shall explain hereafter.
4. IHCIc uIc SOIlc Important HIIcTaLOLe Ill re-
gard to the majority and plurality of votes to be
required in elections of somewhat complex
character.
S. The principal State oficers-viz: Secretary of
State, Treasurer, Auditor, and Attorney General
are to be chosen by the people.
6. An important change is proposed in the ten
ure of judicial appointments-the term of Office of
Judges of the supreme judicial, and other courts,
being limited to ten years, instead of being during
good behavior
n n n n e,
of Deeds, Sherffs, District Attorneys, and Trial
Justices, to be chosen triennially by the people,
g. The right of suffrage is opened to every male
citizen twenty-one years of age and upwards, ex-
cept paupers and persons under guardianship, who
has been resident in the Commonwealth one
year, and in the town in which he may claim a
right to vote, six months; the condition of
of State or county tax being dispensed with.
g.. Provision is made for taking the sense of the
people on the question of the expediency of con-
vention for new revision of tho constitution in
1873, and in every twentieth year thereafter. 1t
il also made the duty of the Legislature to submit
to the people the question of convention for re-
vising the constitution whenever they shall be re-
quested SO to do by vote of the people in towns
and cities containing not less than third part of
the qualified voters
These are the principal new provisions embrace
ed in proposition No. /. The seven other propo-
sitons, adopted in separate resolves by the con-
vention, relating to the writ of habeas corpus;
making jurors judges of the law in criminal cases;
giving to State creditors the right to their
claims by suit; abolshing imprisonment for debt,
except in cases of fraud; prohibiting the appro-
priation of school moneys to any religious sect
"for the maintenance exclusively of its own
schools prohibiting the creation of corporations
by special acts when unnecessary; and requiring
tho adoption in all banks to be hereafter estab-
lished Of the New York system
A vote is to be taken these propositions on
the day of the general election, on the second
Monday of November next
A SHARK, of the monstrous length of % feet,
and measuring 18 feet round the body, was caught
in weir by John Horan, at Rice's Island, be-
tween this place and Lubec, on Monday evening
His liver, it is said, filled ten barrels and will
make large quantity of valuable oil!
1856 Easiport Sentinel.