Litchfield enquirer., 1859-09-08
pRoposED ACT FRO vIDING FOR CONvEN-
 TIoN TO FRAME A NEW CONSTITUTION.

 PROPOSED ACT PRO vID1NG FOR A CoNvEN- TON TO FRAME A NEW CONSTITUTION.
 lOrdered to be printed with and annexed to the public acts passed May Session, ls59.]
 An Act providing for a Convention to Frame a
 New Constitution.
 R. euneed>bv the Senate and House o Representations tn Geueral Assembly, coauened:
 SEC l. Electors meetings shall De held Tn the several towns of this State, on the first Monday of October, 1859 when the question of calling a Con- vention to frame new constitution shall be sub
 tted to the people of this State, for the action of tie electors upon the approval or rejection ot the same. - T, provide box for the reception of ballots relating to tbis subiect which box shall remain open, for inc reception of such ballots, from nine o'clock in tbe forenoon until five o'clock ill the afternoon of said day Officers of said meetings shall be a.. pointed in the same manner as pfeSld,tg oIncers or electors meetings, holden on the hrst Monday of April in each year, now appointed And the presiding officers of said meetings, in the several towns. shall submit said question ot calling such onyention to the electors of the respective towns at the opening of said meetings. And such cleo tors as are iii favor of calling such convention, may each deposit in said box, ballot, on which IS writ ten or printed the word. Yes; and such electors as are opposed to the calling of such convention, may each dcposit in said box ballot on which Is writ ten or printed the word No. The ballots or votes thus deposited shall be counted declared and certl fled to the Secretary of this State by the same per sons and within the same length of time as is pro- videi by law for the election of State officers. And the certificates of votes aforesaid returned tu the Secretary of State, shall be canvas~ed, within the month of October next by the State canvaSsers of votes and report thereof by then: shall forth with be transmitted to the Governor of this State and the Governor shall announce the result by pro clamation to the people of this State, before the 10th day of November, 1859. SEC. 8. If, from the said canvass of votes and proclamation of the Governor aforesaid, it shall appear that a major ty of the votes cast said question shall have been in favor of calling con vention to frame constitution, electors meet ings shall be held in the several towns in this State for the election of delegates to the said convention on the first Monday of December 1859; which meeting shall be opened in the same hour in the morning as by law now provided for the election of representatives to the General Assembly, and con tinue open until five o'clock in the afternoon of said day. Presiding officers shall be appointed, as in other electors meetings above named; and box for the reception of ballots for delegates shall be provided in the same manner as by law now prov- ded for the election of representatives aforesaid The several towns shall be entitled to elect the number of delegates they now respectively allowed representatives in the General Assembly; and the person persons who shall receive tie highest number of votes for such delegates shall be declared elected.
 SEC. 4. All the proceedings at each of the cleo tors meetings hereinbefore authorized to be held, shall be the same in each town as now provided by law in regard to the annual electors meetings. The said meetings shall be warned, the names of vot, IS registered, and the votes counted, declared and re turned, in the same manner as is now required at other electors meetings. Persons may be admitted to the privilege of electors either of said days of election, by the board of selectmen and town clerk of any town in tho usual manner of admitting electors, propded, that every person thus admitted an elector shall possess the qualifications required by the constitution aud prouided also that per. shall be allowed to vote any of said electors meetings, unless such person be an eector of this State, and have his residence in the town in which he offers to vote, and have resided in this State fol the period of four months next preceding said cleo tors meeting.
 SEC 5 The delegates elected as aforesaid, shal assemble in convention in the city of Hartford ol the first Wednesday of Jan. 1860, and the Secretar of State shall call said convention to order, at thu hour of 10 o'clock in the forenoon of said day. and la before said convention roll or list of the delegate returned to the Secretary office elected thereto The convention shall select of their number t. be President thereof and such other officers as the may decide to be necessary and shall keep jour nal of its proceedings, which after the arising" 0 the convention shall be deposited in the office 20 the Secretary of State and shall be published Sucl new constitution as may be framed and adopted b, the convention shall be published in the same man ner as the public acts of this general assembly, an @ copy thereof be transmitted to the town clerk o
 
 vention and the officers thereof shall be entitled t. receive the sum for his attendance and travel as is by law allowed to the members and officers 0 the House of Representatives of this State and tn, comptroller shall dra an order on the treasurer fol such debenture, and the contingent expenses au thorized by the convention.
 SEC. 6. At the annual electors meeting on the first Monday of April, 1860, such new constitution as may be framed and adopted by said convention, shall be laid before the electors of the several towns for their action thereon in such manner as the con- venton shall direct. The votes given for the adop- tion or rejection of the same shall be counted re- turned, and canvassed within the same time and in the same manner, as votes for State officers are re- quired to be counted, returned and canvassed and report thereof signed by the State canvassers of votes, shall be by them transmitted to the Govern or of this Staee and to the next general assembly on the first day of the session thereof And if from such returns and canvass of votes it shall ap pear that such new constitution shall have been a proved or adopted by majority of the votes cast on 'de question of adopting or rejecting che same the Governor shall make proclamation of the vote adopting said constitution; an.l said new constitu tion shall if adopted by the majority of the votes so cast become valid and go into operation on the fourth day of July, 1860.
 SEC. '. In towns in which several election dis trlcts or wards within their limits are now authori- Fed by law, the votes that may be given under the provisions or this act, may be received and counted ana disposed Of in said districts or wards in the same manner as at other electors meetings
 oEc 5. The Secretary of State shall prepare and transmit to the town clerks of the several towns of ths State blank forms for the return of votes au- thorzed by this act.
 Notice.
 NHAT portion of the inhabitants of I;tchsa,d u County which finds the city of w ATEppIrnx,