Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-05-20

Stan Correspondence o. Gazette and in, roal.
Dover, May Is. AT the morning SEES.
sion Of the Constitutional Convention
yesterday il was decided to postpone
action on the local option clause in the
Constitution until more members were
present. 1t was called up by the friends
OF local option late 10 the afternoon.
after the express train north had de.
parted, but to this the opponents Of
the clause enteral vigorous objections.
and after some discussion Mr.. Gill
christ who offered the motion, asked
leave TO withdraw the same. which
was granted.
Another matter of considerable sig.
niiicance in that it shows almost con-
clusively that the convention intends
TO promulgate the new instrument waa
that tho portion of the article on future
conventions requiring that amendments
TO the Constitution be submitted to a
direct vote of the people was stricken
out aud the duty now deynlves upon
the General Assembly. a two thirds
vote of all the members elected TO each
branch thereof being necessary to
sanction all amendments.
MIR. Spruance succeeded 10 having
the convention adopt motion which
increases tho representation in future
conventions from 81 members as pro.
posed to Al, the additional elk members
TO lie elected by counties at large.
This article was subjected to more
alterations of thsm very iu-
portant-than any other portion of the
committee yet considered. the article
ua Epallu an,anfln1 raalinr, ne 10
ARTICLE XVI.
Section /. ANY amendment or amend
ments to this Constitution may be
proposed in the Senate or House of
Representatives ami il the same shall
be agreed to by two-thirds of all the
members elected to each House. such
proposed amendment or amendments
shall he entered on their journals, with
the yeas and nays taken thereon. and
the Secretary of State shall cause such
proposed amendment or amendments
to be published three months before
the next general election 10 at least
three newspapers in each county in
which such newspapers shall be pub
lished and IL in the General A sseT hly
next after the said election such pro-
posed amendment or amendments shall
by yea and nay vote be agreed TO by
two thirds of all the members elected
to each house, tho same shall there
upon become part of the Constitution.
Sec. 2. Tho General Assembly by a
two thitds vote of all the members
elected to each house may from time to
time provide for the aubm issiOn to the
qualified electors OF the State at the
general election next thereafter the
question, "Shall there be convention
to reviRe tine Constitution and amend
the same?"; and upon such submits
sion, il majority OF those voting on
said question shall decide in favor OF a
convention for such purpose, tho
General Assembly at its next session
shall provide for the elsction of dele
gates to such convention at the next
general election. such convention shall
be composed of A delegates, one Of
whom shall he chosen from each Repre-
sentative district ny the qualified
electors thereof, and two of whom shall
| be chosen from New Castle county, two
| from Kent county and two from Sussex
county, by the qualified electors thereof.
The delegates so chosen shall convene
| at tho capital of the State on the first
| Tuesday 10 September next after their
election. Every delegate shall receive
for his services such compensation as
shall ho provided by law. A majority
of the convention shall constitute q
| quorum for the transaction of business.
| The convention shall have power to ap.
| point such officers, employees and assist
| ants as it may deem necessary, and fix
their compensation. and provide Cor the
| printing of it's documents, journals
debates and proceedings. The conven-
tion shall determine tho rules of it's
proceedings, and be tho Judge of the
elections, returns and qualifications of
it's momhprs. Whenever there shall be
vacancy in the uliice of delegate from
any district or county by reason OF
failure 10 elect, ineiigibiiiy. death,
resignation or otherwise, writ OF
election TO ill such vacancy shall DO
issued by the Governor, and such
vacancy shall he filled by the qualified
electors of such district or county.
Sec, 3. Tho General Assembly shall
provide FOR receiving, taliying and
counting the votes for ur against con
vention, and for returning to the General
Assembly at it's next session the state
OF such vote; and shall also enact all
provisions necessary for giving effect
to this article.
| '''o' H Afu YIN pdbsbI Nv
the General a sssmhly under or pursuant
to the provisions Of this article shall re.
quire for its validity the approval oil
the Governor, and the same shall he
exempt from the provisions Of section
IL OF article 3, Of this Constitution.
Sec. 8. In voting at any genera
election, upon the question, "Shal
there ne a convention 10 revise the Con.
stitutiou and amend the sams?" the
ballots shall BIO separate from thost
cast for any person voted for at such
election, and shall be kept distinct anC
apart from all other ballots.
Section IL Of article 2, on tho LEG,
isiature, the discussion upon which
occupied SO much time last week, wa,
called up, and both Messrs. Snruanut
and Clark, who had amendAd the sec
tion out of shape, asked permission t.
withdraw all objection to the section al
printed. though Mr.. Spruancs intro
duced "A later motion TO Increase til,
limit Of special sessions of the Genera
Assembly from GO days as proposed &c
10 days.
Mr.. Bradford opposed the motion be
cause be believed il was an unnecessary
expense. He commended that the greai
hulk of the work which necessitatet
the lengthy sessions OF the General AS
ssmbly had been given to other juris
dlctionH. Dr. Pratt also took u,
cudeel in defence of the 60-day limit.
Mr.. Salisbury favored the amend
| mont, and Mr. Richaruu opunseu ~