Evening journal., 1893-01-10
LEGISLATIVE WORK.
The Amendment to a Consti-
tutional Convention Act.
MR. O9OoH INTRODUCES A BILL
which. n Passed, WIN Give The People
of Delaware an Opportunity to Vote
On the Convention Question at Gem
eral Election--LIve Legislative Notes.


eral Election-LIve Legislative Notes.
stafr Correspondence Evening Journal.
DOVER, Jan 9-The second week Of
the biennial session Of the General As
sembly began TO day. The business was
dull in every particular. A few cut. and
dried resolutions were passed and two
committees were appointed and that
about sums up the days effective work,
apart from the introduction of the con-
stitutional convention bill and the action
of the Senate In ignoring the weekly
papers of the state irrespective of party.
When the Senate met at 1 o'clock the
only member absent was Mr.. Ross, OF
Sussex, and he did not put in an appear
ance during the day There were few,
If any, absentees in the House
Tugitives From Justice.
Representative Spruance introduced
bill which, If passed. will carry out the
recommendations Of Governor Reynolds
with regard to interstate extradition.
II will so amend the law of 1888 that IL
will do away with the redtape which
now requires the governor TO
refer the matter Of requistion to
the chief Justice or one Of the associate
judges of the state before the requisition
can be complied with. The Governor
says, in his message, that these legisla
tive provisions have not only led to much
needless inconvenience and delay. but
also TO earnest objections and remon
strances from the executives of other
states, which have been very embarrass
ing, and at times, have threatened to
disturb the inter state comfy heretofore
existing"
The Pilling Amendment.
Representative Cooch has the honor of
completing the work begun by Senator
Pilling and Representative Hutson two
years ago. In the House to-day he intro
duced the following bill, which, II passed,
as it doubtless will be, will give the peo-
pie of Delaware an opportunity TO vote
on the Constitutional Convention question
at a general eleotion
An act 70 retify a proposed amendment
to the Constitution of this state.
Whereas, At the last session Of the
General Assembly of this state, TO wit,
on the sixteenth day Of May A. d. 1891,
an act was passed proposing an amend
ment to Article 9 Of the Constitution OF
this state which proposed amendment
is in the words following, to wit,
"Strlke out all Of said article whicl
reads thus: No convention shall bl
called out by the authority of the people
and an unexceptonable mode Of making
their sense known, will be for them at
special election on the third Tuesday o.
May in any year to vote by ballot for o.
against a convention as they shall sever
ally choose TO do and If thereupon 4
shall appear that a majority of all thl
citizens in the state, having the right Z,
vote for representatives., have voted fol
a convention, the General Assembly shal
accordingly at their next session, call
convention, to consist of at least a.
many members as there are in
both houses Of the legislature
TO be chosen in the sane manner
at the same place and at tn,
same time that representatives are by
the citizens entitled TO vote for repre-.
sentatives, on due notice given for on,
month, and TO meet within three months
after they shall be elected. The ma
| iority Of all the, citizens in the state
having right TO vote for representatives
shall be ascertained by reference to the
highest number Of votes cast In th,
state at any one Of the three genera
elections next preceding the day o.
voting for q convention, except wheI
they may be less than the whole numbe
Of votes voted both for and against
convention, in which case the said ma
iority shall be ascertained by reference
TO the number of votes given on th,
day of voting for or against con
vention; and whenever the Genera
Assembly shall deem convention neces
sary. they shall provide by law for th
holding of special election for the pur
pose Of ascertaining the sense Of ms
jority of the citizens of the state e1
titled to vote for representatives.
And in lieu thereof insert the follow
ing, that is TO say:
''No convention shall be called but b
the authority of the people; and tn
mode of making their sense known sha
be, that at any general election held 70
representatives in the General Assembly
and which shall have been prescribed b
the General Assembly at its regula
session next preceding the said electio
as the proper occasion for ascertainin
such sense, the citizens of this state er
titled TO vote for representatives at sue
election may vote by ballot for or agains
convention as they shall SEVERAL
choose TO do, and in so voting the ballC
shall be separate from those cast for an
person voted for at such election an
shall be kept distinct and apart from an
other ballot so cast and If at any sue
election the number of votes for a col
vention shall be equal TO a majority q
all the citizens in the state having righ
} to vote for representatives, as ascei
! tanned by reference to the highest nun
J Der of votes cast in the state at any one
, the three general elections nextprecedin
the day Of voting for convention, e.
cept when they may be less than th
! whole number of votes voted both fC
and against a convention, in which cas-
the said majority shall be ascertained /
J reference to the number Of votes give
on the day of voting for or against col
J vention, the General Assembly shall I
l its next session, call convention,
consist of at least as many members
there are in both houses of the Legisl
ture, to be chosen in the same manner,
the same places, and at the same tin
Q that representatives are by the citizei
entitled to vote for representatives, {
I due notice given for one month, and
4 meet within three months after the
! shall be elected. Tue Legislature sha
provide by law for receiving. tallyiI
4La ,~ntoc f,v. a