COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS.

February, 1816.

Resolved, That the proposition of an amendment to the con stitution of the United States, in the words following, viz.

That for the purpose of choosing Representatives in the Congress of the United States, each state shall, by its legislature, be divided into a number of districts equal to the number of Representatives to which such state may be entitled.

Those districts shall be formed of contiguous territory, and contain as nearly as may be, an equal number of inhabitants. entitled by the constitution to be represented. In each dis trict the qualified voters shall elect one Representative and ne

more.

That for the purpose of appointing electors of President and Vice-President of the United States, cach state shall, by its legislature, be divided into a number of districts, equal to the number of electors to which such state may be entitled. Those districts shall be composed of contiguous territory, and contain as nearly as may be, an equal number of inhabitants entitled by the constitution to representation. In each district the persons qualified to vote for representatives shall appoint one elector and no more. The electors when convened, shall have pow er, in case any of those appointed as above prescribed, shall fail, to attend for the purposes of their said appointment, on the day prescribed for giving their votes for President and Vice-President of the United States, to appoint another or others to act in the place of him or them so failing to attend.

Neither the districts for choosing representatives, nor those for appointing electors, shall be altered in any state, until a census and apportionment of representatives, under it, made subsequent to the division of the state into districts, shall change the num

ber of representatives and of electors to which such state may be

entitled.

The

and ratified as "ediately after this amendment shall be adopted takeVision of the states into districts hereby provided for, shall

part of the constitution of the United States;

and successively afterwards, whenever by a census and apportionment of representatives under it, the number of representatives and of electors to which any state my be entitled shall be changed.

The division of such state into districts for the purposes both of choosing representatives and of appointing electors shall be altered agreeably to the provisions of this amendment and on no other occasion."

Be and the same is hereby rejected; and that his excellency the Governor be requested to transmit copies of this resolution to the Executives of the several states, and to each of our Senators and Representatives in the Congress of the United States.

COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS.

In Senate, 9th February, 1816.

Resolved, That our Senators in the Congress of the United States be instructed, and our Representatives be requested, to endeavor to obtain the following amendment to the constitution of the United States:

That for the purpose of choosing Representatives in the Congress of the United States, each state shall, by its legislature, be divided into a number of districts, equal to the number of Representatives to which such state may be entitled.

Those districts shall be formed of contiguous territory, and contain as nearly as may be, an equal number of inhabitants entitled by the constitution to be represented. In each trict the qualified voters shall elect one Representative and no

more.

dis

That for the purpose of appointing electors of President and Vice-President of the United States, each state shall, by its legislature, be divided into a number of districts, equal to the number of electors to which such state may be entitled to. Those districts shall be composed of contiguous territory, and contain as nearly as may be, an equal number of inhabitants entitled by the constitution to representation. In each district the persons qualified to vote for Representatives shall appoint one elector, and no more. The electors when convened, shall have full pow er, in case any of those appointed as above prescribed, shall fail to attend for the purposes of their said appointment on the day prescribed for giving their votes for President and Vice-President of the United States, to appoint another or others to act in the place of him or them so failing to attend.

Neither the districts for choosing representatives, nor those for appointing electors, shall be altered in any state, until a censes and apportionment of representatives under it, subsequent to the division of the state into districts, shall be made. The division of the states into districts hereby provided for, shall take place immediately after this amendment shall be adopted States, and successively immediately afterwards, whenever a census and apportionment of representatives under it shall be

and ratified as a part of the constitution of the census and

The

division of such state into districts for the purposes both choosing representatives, and of appointing electors, shall be altered agreeably to the provisions of this amendment, and on no other occasion.

Resolved, That his excellency the Governor of this commonwealth be requested to forward a copy of the preceding resolutions to each of our Senators and Representatives in the Congress of the United States, and also to the Executives of the several states, accompanied with a request that the same be laid before their respective legislatures for their consideration and adoption.

In Senate, February 9, 1816.

Read and accepted by unanimous vote. Sent down for con

currence.

JOHN PHILIPS, President.

House of Representatives, February 13, 1816.

Read and concurred by a unanimous vote.

TIMOTHY BIGELOW, Speaker.

DOCUMENT

ACCOMPANYING THE GOVERNOR'S MESSAGE OF THE THIRTEENTH MARCH, 1816.

Wardens' Office,

His Excellency SIMON SNYDER.

Philadelphia, 9th March, 1816.

SIR-A committee of seven of the merchants called at the wardens, office on the 6th instant, and requested the master warden to inform your excellency, that the pilots of the bay and river Delaware had combined together in violation of the law, and refused to act as pilots, except the merchants would first comply with their demands

The wardens, six of whom, (who had been summoned) were present, when a committee from the pilots appeared, as had been suggested to tion with them by the wardens. And after some conversa

tion with the pilots, the wardens recommended and prevailed upon them to meet the committee of merchants, and endeavor to settle the matter amicably if possible; but the pilots would not comply with the proposals from the merchants: the next day the committee from the pilots, i. e. four of them came to the wardens' office and surrendered and deposited, of their own accord, one hundred twenty-seven of their licences, and have still sisted in refusing to pilot vessels either up or down. As the master warden was in hopes the matter could have been settled without troubling you on the subject, he did not write to you before he gave up all hope of the matter being settled amicably, old mas

per

and immediately gave licences to thirteen or fourteen amicably,

ters of vessels to act as pilots for six months. Ten of whom went down the river yesterday, to proceed to the capes, to bring up such ships as may be off the light house, or waiting in the road, where it is said one ship now lies, and has offered two hundred dollars extra to any pilot who would bring her up, but no one would take charge of her. It is necessary something should be done immediately in the case, as many very valuable ships are expected daily to be at or near the capes. The wardens conceive the licenses now deposited by the pilots as a full proof of combination, yet to get any satisfaction from them by the law in force against combinations, would be a very tedious process; therefore they submit to your excellency's consideration whether any more prompt measures could be adopted.

Perhaps by having a short supplement made to the present law, authorizing the wardens of the port to regulate the price of pilotage, until the present law of March 29th, 1803, shall be properly revised by the legislature at the next session, or otherwise, as they in their wisdom may think proper on the present emergency,

Your Excellency's,

Most obedient servants,

JOHN ASHMEAD,

Master Warden.

STEPHEN GERARD,

WILLIAM WEST,

PAUL COX,

P. S. Two of the assistant wardens being absent, is the

of their names being wanted.

JOSEPHI REYNOLDS.

cause.

J. A

DOCUMENT

ACCOMPANYING THE GOVERNOR'S MESSAGE OF THE EIGHTEEN MARCH, 1816.

STATE OF RHODE ISLAND, &c.

Providence, March 8th, 1816

SIR-Agreeably to request of the legislature of this state, 1 transmit you annexed copy of a resolution passed during their late session, and have the honor to be sir,

In General Assembly, March 1, 1816.

Resolved, That the proposition of an amendment to the constitution of the United States, in the following words, viz.

That for the purpose of choosing Representatives in the Congress of the United States, each state shall, by its legislature, be divided into a number of districts equal to the number of Repre'sentatives to which such state may be entitled.

Those districts shall be formed of contiguous territory, and contain as nearly as may be, an equal number of inhabitants entitled by the constitution to be represented. In each district the qualified voters shall elect one Representative and no

more.

That for the purpose of appointing electors of President and Vice-President of the United States, each state shall, by its legislature, be divided into a number of districts, equal to the number of electors to which such state may be entitled. Those districts shall be composed of contiguous territory, and contain as nearly as may be, an equal number of inhabitants entitled by the constitution to representation. In each district the persons qualified to vote for representatives shall appoint one elector and no more. The electors when convened, shall have power, in case any of those appointed as above prescribed, shall fail to attend for the purposes of their said appointment, on the day prescribed for giving their votes for President and Vice-President

M