Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-04-01

Il Dover, March 70. In the Con9titu-
tional Convention yesterday nothing |
whatever was done at the morning ses-
sion, as the members devoted one hour
and half to the discussion OF motion
by Mr.. Richards 10 discontinue night
sessions. The point was raised by Mr..
Martin, who said that he had no per-
sonal knowledge of the natter, not
being present on either occasion, but
had been informed upon the streets that
there had not been quorum present.
This was all that was necessary to create
discussion, and, as stated above, 1t CON
tinued until the time arrived for re.
cess. the vote resulting in the defeat OF
Mr.. Richarda' motion by vote Ut 20
to 5.
AT the afternoon session the COM
mittee on the Legislature presented its
third report, which was referred to the
committee OF the whole and ordered
printed. The convention then adj
journed until this morning.
The report of the committee on the
Legislature is as follows:
The Senate shall be composed OF
seventeen members, and the Senators
shall be chosen for four years.
The House OF Representatives shall be
composed Of thiIty-five members, who
shall be chosen for two years.
The State is hereby divided In seven
teen Senatorial districts, from each Of
which shall be chosen one Senator.
The Senatorial districts shall be num-
bered from one to seventeen inclusive.
The State is also hereby divided into
thirty-five Representative districts,
from each OF which shall be chosen one
Representative. The Representative
satr snts ct,n lS l,ou 4 a.
thirty-fivs inclusive. The Senatorial
districts are as follows:
X \
The Representative districts are as
follows:
Dover, March &C. Rev. j. II. Beau.
champ. who is connected with the Will
mington Conference Academy, offered
prayer in the Constitutional Conven-
tion yesterday morning.
The section in the report of the com.
mittee on the judiciary which allows
the Governor. on the address of two
thirds Of the members elected to each
house of the General Assembly, to re-
move any judge or justice Of the peace,
was eliminated from the report. Also
that clause in another section which
provides for the filling of vacancies in
the judiciary when the Senate is not in
session. 1t was understood that the
matters referred to in the clause stricken
out would be provided for in the reports
OF the other committees.
The business of the convention was
in such shape that there was no neces-
sity for a night session, and after sub
uniting the report of the committee on
the Legislature the convention ad-
journed until this morning,
Dover, March 27.-At yesterday
mornings session Of the Constitutional
Convention, the report of the committee
on corporations. was received and read
and referred to the committee. With
this temporarily disposed of the conven-
tion took up the report of the committee
on the Governor aud other executive
officers, which was considered in com
mittee of the whole.
Section A. which relates to contested
elections in respect to the Go vernon OF
Lieutenant Governor. occasioned con.
siderable debate, Mr.. Salisbury desir.
ing to amend that portion which gives
the Chief Justice the power to decide
arbitrarily upon the admissibility oi
evidence by requiring the concurrence
OF a majority Of the committee on con
tests. The amendment was favored by
Messrs Biggs, Pratt, Johnson and Sauls
bury, while MeHsrs. Spruance, Burris
and Hearne opposed the change. Tht
yeas and nays were ordered aud tht
amendment was lost by a vote of 13 tc
II.
Mr.. Salisbury then moved to strikt
ous all that portion of section which
relates to the above matter. He claimed
thar it was dangerous to give any on,
mum such arbitrary power Mr.. Spru
ance said he hoped the motion would b.
defeated. DR.. Pratt favored tn
motion, saying that he was opposed t,
apsolutism in any shape.
The motion was lost and the section
iGopted.
When the section regarding the eligi
oility of the Governor 10 recollection wa
called up the language was considered
somewhat vague and the word elected
was substituted for "eligible," O.
motion of Mr.. Salisbury.
Section q, regarding the length o
time which the Governor and Lieuten
tant- Governor shall exercise their re
spective offices was passed over.
Theirs was no opposition to any sec
tion as printed until section ~ wa
reached, which WAS finally adopted q
it appears below.
Tho report so far as adopted in CON
mittee of the whole, is as folows:
ARTICLE III.
Section ]. The supreme executiy
powers of the State shall be vested in
Governor.
Sec. 2. The Governor shall be chose
by the qualified electors of the STATE
once in every four years, at tho generi
election.
Sec. B. The returns OF every electio
for Governor shall be sealed UP, an
Immediately transmitted to tho pres
dent of the Senate, or in case Of ii
vacancy of the office of president of TIL
Senate, or his absences from the Stat,
to the secretary Of this State, who sha
keep the same until president of tt
Senate shall be elected, to whom the
shall be Immediately transmitted aft
his election, who shall open and pul
lish the Same in the presence of Il
m9mbars of both Houses OF the Gener
Assembly. Duplicates of the said r
turns shall also be Immediately lodgt
with the parliamentary of each count
The psrson having the highest numbt
OF votes shall be Governor; but if tv
or more shall bo equal in the highe
number of votes. the members of ii
two Houses shall by joint ballot. rhoo
one of them TO be Governor; and
upon such ballot. Two or more OF the
shall still be equal and highest
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