Arkansas true Democrat., 1861-01-31
Convention Act.

The following is the act calling State Convention as 1t passed both houses of the General Assembly on the 14th day of Jan. uary, 1861.
 AN ACT to provide tfor State Contention
 SEC. l. Be a enacted Jy Me General As- s@a6ty of Me Slate of Arkonsos, That the Governor shall issue his proclamation or. dering an election in all the counties in this State, submitting to the people the question of Convention" or "no Convention" to be held on the eighteenth day of February. 1861, which election shall be conducted as State elections are now conducted; Provided, That the sherif1b of the several counties shall be required to give but ten days notice of said election.
 SEC. 2. Be a .tu,ther. enacted, That at said election the people shall also vote for delegate or delegates to said convention, and each delegate elected shall be made a special returning officer, and shall bring up the certified vote of his county on the ques- tion of convention or no convention, which vote from all the counties shall be opened by the Governor, Auditor, Treasurer and Secretary of State, or any three of them on the second day of March, 1861, and if on counting the votes of all the counties of this State 1t shall appear that majority of all the votes cast are for convention, then the Governor shall immediately issue his proclamation requiring the delegates elect ed as aforesaid to convene in the capitol on the following Monday, and organize them- selves into State convention by the elec- tion of president and such other officers as may be required, and in case of sickness or any other unavoidable cause to prevent any delegate to the convention from getting to the capital, he shall have power to send up the returns of his county by special messenger selected by himself.
 SEC. 3. Be a .further enacted, That the delegates, or special returning officers shall be paid mileage at the same rate that mem- bers of the General Assembly are paid, to be certified by the President of the convention, If one be organized, and if not, the auditor is required to issue his warrant for the same, taking the mileage accounts of the members of this General Assembly as guide to regulate the amount to which the delegate, or delegates coming from the same county may be entitled.
 SEC. 4. Be H fa,ther enacted, That the officers and members of said convention, if it shall be organized, shall be paid the same per diem pay that the officers and members of this General Assembly are paid; their accounts therefor to be certified by the President of the convention, and the Secretary shall certify the account of the President.
 SEC. 3. Be u further enacted, That each county ill this State shall be entitled to elect as many delegates to said convention as it IS now entitled to members in the lower branch of the General Assembly, and the qualifications for delegate shall be the same as now required for member of the House of Representatives.
 SEC. 6. Be a further enacted, That fifty members of said convention shall be neces- sary to constitute a quorum to transact business.
 SEC. '. Be t .farther enacted, That if any seat in the convention hereby provided for be contested, the convention shall have power to determine such contest, as the General Assembly has to determine con lesVs lot seatS Ill eltnef House, Tn the man her now prescribed by law.
 SEC $. Be aJurher enacted, That upon the organization of said convention it shall take into consideration the condition of po- litical affairs, and determine what course the State of Arkansas shall take in the pre- sent political crisis.
 SEC, 9. Be aturther enacted, That a suf- liclent amount of money be and the same is hereby appropriated out of the State trea- sury to pay the necessary expenses of said convention, should one be held.
 SEC. 10. BeHturther enacted, That this act shall take effect and be in force from it's passage.