Arkansas true Democrat., 1861-01-19
Convention Act.

The following is the act calling State Convention as it passed both houses of the General Assembly on the l4th day of Jan. uary. 1S6l..
 AN ACT 70 provide for q State Conpcntion.
 SEC l. Be it enacted Jy Me General As- sep,bly of Me Stote of Arkansos, 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 le held on the eighteenth day of February, 1861, which election shall be conducted as State elections are now conducted; !; Propided, That the sherifis of the several counties shall be required to give but ten days notice of said election.
 SEC. 2. Be it funher enacted, That at said election the people shall also vote for delegate or delegates to said convention, and each delegate elected shall be made 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 it 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 clec- tion of president and such other officers as n ay 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 it Jurtaer 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 audito
 is required to issue his warrant for tn,
 same. taking the mileage accounts of tn
 members of this General Assembly as
 guide to regulate the amount to whici
 the delegate. or delegates coming iron the same county may be entitled.
 SEC. 4. Be it tu,ther enacted, That th officers and members of said convention, it shall be organized shall be paid tn
 same per diem pay that the officers an members of this General Assembly are paid
 their accounts therefor to be certified b the President of the convention, and tn Secretary shall certify the account of tn { President.
 SEC. 5. Be turther enacted, That eac , county in this State shall be entitled to cleo , as many delegates to said convention as is now entitled to members in the lowe branch of the General Assembly, and tn l qualifications for delegate shall be tn l same as now required for a member of th 9 House of Representatives. SEc. 6. Be a turther enacted, That lift g members of said convention shall be necel {, sary to constitute quorum to transa' e business.
 e SEC. [. Be t further enacted, That if an Il seat in the convention hereby p lovided ft $ be contested, the convention shall ha, O power to determine such contest, as u n General Assembly has to determine col
 tests for seats in either House, in the maj .s ner now prescribed by law.
 l. SEC. s. Be at tatrther enacted That upC IS the organization of said convention 1t sh. e take into consideration the condition of D s litical affairs, and determine what cour e the State of Arkansas shall take in the pl ,t sent political crisis.
 r. SEC. 9. Be a. turther enacted, That sn " fcient amount of money be and the same
 hereby appropriated out of the State tre k. sury to pay the necessary expenses of sa
 convention, should one be held.
 SEC. 10. BeI turther enacted, That tl E act shall take effect and be in force from
 DaSSage