on the subject of amendments of the Constitution; and the President requested Mr. Griswold, member for Erving, to take the chair.

Afterwards, Mr. GRISWOLD reported the Resolves to the Convention, with amendments, as follow:

First, striking out all of the second Resolution.

Second, striking out all after the word "Resolved" in the first Resolve, and substituting the following for the whole series:

Resolved, That it is expedient to provide in the Constitution, that a Convention to revise or amend this Constitution, may be called and held in the following manner: At the general election which shall be in the year eighteen hundred and seventy-three, and in each twentieth year thereafter, the qualified voters in State elections shall give in their votes to be received, counted, returned and declared, in the same manner as by law is provided in the choice of general officers at such election, upon the question, "Shall there be a Convention to revise the Constitution, in conformity to the provisions of the Act of 1852, chapter 188, relating to the calling a Convention of Delegates of the people for the purpose of revising the Constitution?" and if it shall appear, by the returns made, that a majority of the qualified voters throughout the State, who shall assemble and vote thereon, are in favor of such revision, the same shall be deemed and taken to be the will of the people of the Commonwealth, that a Convention should meet accordingly; and thereupon delegates shall be chosen on the first Monday of March next succeeding, in conformity with the law then in force for the election of representatives, and such delegates shall meet in Convention in the State House, on the first Wednesday of May succeeding, in the same manner and with the same authority as is provided in the second, third, and fourth sections of said Act.

The general court shall have power and authority in any year other than the year above specified, to submit to the people the same proposition, to be voted on in the same manner, at the next ensuing general election; and if it shall appear by the returns made, that a majority of the qualified voters throughout the State, who shall assemble and vote thereon, are in favor of such revision, the same shall be deemed and taken to be the will of the people of the Commonwealth, that a Convention should meet accordingly; and thereupon the same proceedings, with the same powers and authority, shall be had, as is provided in the foregoing clause of this Constitution.

The foregoing provisions shall in no wise restrain or impair the reserved right of the people, in their sovereign capacity, at all times,

to reform, alter, or totally change their Constitution and frame of government.

The first of the amendments was concurred in.

Mr. BRIGGS, of Pittsfield, moved to amend the second amendment, by striking out all after the word "Constitution," in the tenth line, (printed copy,) as far as the word "and" in the thirteenth line; and also the word "same," in the last line but two of the first paragraph; and also all of the same paragraph after the word "manner" in the same line, and to insert after the word "manner," the words "to be provided by the legislature to be chosen at the said election."

On motion of Mr. BRIGGS, the yeas and nays were ordered upon the question of adopting this amendment.

Without taking the question,

At a quarter past six o'clock, on motion of Mr. BRIGGS, of Pittsfield, The Convention adjourned.

SATURDAY, July 23, 1853.

Met according to adjournment. Prayer was offered by the Chaplain. The Journal of yesterday was read.

On motion of Mr. CUSHMAN, of Bernardston,

Ordered, That the Committee on Reducing Amendments to the Constitution to a suitable form to be submitted to the people, be requested to prepare an Address to the people to accompany the Revised Constitution.

Mr. FAY, of Southborough, from the Committee on Leave of Absence, submitted a Report, granting leave of absence to Messrs. Bliss, of Hatfield, Taylor, of Great Barrington, and Kellogg, of West Stockbridge, for the remainder of the session.

The Report was considered and accepted, and leave of absence granted.

On motion of Mr. EARLE, of Worcester,

Ordered, That when the Convention adjourn, it adjourn to meet at ten o'clock on Monday.

Mr. BATES, of Plymouth, from the Committee on Reporting and Printing the Debates, submitted a Report and Resolve, granting authority to the committee.

The Resolve was considered and ordered to a second reading.

Mr. DUNCAN, of Williamstown, offered a Resolve on the subject of uniformity in the mode of receiving votes, &c.

Referred to the Committee of the Whole and ordered to be printed. Mr. PARKER, of Cambridge, offered a Resolve on the subject of the mode in which moneys shall be appropriated for schools.

Laid upon the table, and ordered to be printed.

Mr. HALLETT, member for Wilbraham, moved a reconsideration of the vote of yesterday, by which the Resolves on the subject of the Council were finally passed.

Placed in the Orders of the Day.

Mr. BIRD, of Walpole, moved a reconsideration of the vote by which the Resolves on the subject of elections by plurality and majority were finally passed; and,

On motion of Mr. BIRD,

The motion to reconsider was laid upon the table.

Mr. BUTLER, of Lowell, offered the following Resolve:

Resolved, That all judicial commissions which shall issue to any person from and after the first day of August, in the year one thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, shall confer no greater tenure of office than the term of ten years.

On motion of Mr. BUTLER, sustained by a vote of one hundred and forty-one in the affirmative, to fifty-two in the negative,

The rule requiring propositions for an amendment of the Constitution to be considered in Committee of the Whole, was suspended, so as to allow the Resolve to be considered in Convention, and

The Resolve was placed in the Orders of the Day for Monday. Mr. DANA, member for Manchester, declined further service upon the Committee on the Preservation of the Records; and

Mr. HAZEWELL, of Concord, was appointed in his place.

On motion of Mr. GRISWOLD, member for Erving, the Convention proceeded to the consideration of the Orders of the Day.

The first subject, viz.: the Resolves on the subject of amendments of the Constitution, was specially assigned for consideration on Monday, at ten o'clock.

The Resolve on the subject of a quorum in the House of Representatives, was finally passed, as follows:

Resolved, That the Constitution be so amended, that one hundred. of the members of the House of Representatives shall be necessary to constitute a quorum.

On motion of Mr. GRISWOLD, member for Erving, the Convention resolved itself into Committee of the Whole, for the purpose of considering the Resolves on the subject of banking; and the President pro tempore requested Mr. Butler, of Lowell, to take the chair.

Afterwards, Mr. BUTLER reported the Resolves to the Convention, without amendment;

And they were ordered to a second reading.

On motion of Mr. GRISWOLD, member for Erving, the Convention resolved itself into Committee of the Whole, for the purpose of considering the Resolves on the subject of justices of the peace; and the President pro tempore requested Mr. Morton, of Andover, to take the chair.

Afterwards, Mr. MORTON reported, that the committee had made progress in the consideration of the subject, but had come to no conclusion, and had instructed him to ask leave to sit again.

Upon the question of granting leave, thirty members voted in the affirmative, and sixty-eight in the negative.

There appearing to be no quorum present,

Mr. BRIGGS, of Pittsfield, moved an adjournment, which was sustained by a vote of fifty-two in the affirmative, to forty-seven in the negative, and

At two o'clock, the Convention adjourned.

MONDAY, July 25, 1853.

Met according to adjournment. Prayer was offered by the Chaplain. The Journal of Friday last was read.

The special assignment, viz.: the Resolves on the subject of the amendments of the Constitution, was taken up.

On motion of Mr. HALLETT, member for Wilbraham, the vote by which the yeas and nays were ordered upon the question of adopting the amendment of Mr. Briggs to the amendment of the Committee of the Whole, was reconsidered,

And the question recurring upon the demand for the yeas and nays, it was not sustained.

The question then being upon the amendment of Mr. Briggs, a division was called for, and the first part of the amendment, viz.: the proposition to strike out all after the word "Constitution,” in the tenth line, as far as the word "and," in the thirteenth line, was agreed

to.

The second part of the amendment, viz.: the proposition to strike out the word "same," in the last line but two of the first paragraph, and also all of the same paragraph after the word "manner," in the same line, and to insert after the word "manner," the words "to be provided by the legislature to be chosen at the said election,”

Was rejected, by a vote of seventy-seven in the affirmative, to one hundred and five in the negative.

Mr. HALLETT, member for Wilbraham, moved to amend the amendment of the Committee of the Whole, by inserting the word "then" after the word "is," in the eighth line; and also, after the word "Constitution," in the tenth line, the words "in conformity to the provisions in the Constitution for holding such Convention"; and also, after the word "succeeding," in the nineteenth line, the words "in conformity with the law then in force for the election of representatives, and upon the then basis for the year when the valuation of estates was settled"; and also after the word "of," in the twenty-third line, the words, “"an act relating to the calling a Convention of the people for the purpose of revising the Constitution," approved May 7th, 1852. "And it shall be the duty of the proper officers and persons in authority to perform all acts necessary to carry into effect these provisions;" also by striking out the words, "in the same manner and," in the nineteenth line, the word, "second," in the twentieth line, and the words "said Act," in the twenty-first line.

On motion of Mr. ALLEN, of Worcester, the whole subject was committed to a special committee, consisting of seven members, with instructions to report to-morrow morning.

The President pro tempore appointed the committee, consisting, after the filling of the vacancies, of the following members, viz. :— Messrs. Hallett, member for Wilbraham, Lord, of Salem, Upton, of Boston, Sumner, member for Marshfield, Williams, of Taunton, Alvord, member for Montague, and Simmons, of Hanover.

Afterwards, Mr. DENTON, of Chelsea, moved a reconsideration of the vote by which the subject was committed to a special committee; but the motion was rejected.

On motion of Mr. WESTON, of Duxbury, the Convention proceeded to the consideration of the Orders of the Day.

Leave was granted to the Committee of the Whole to sit for the further consideration of the subject of the election of justices of the peace.

The motion of Mr. HALLETT, member for Wilbraham, to reconsider the vote by which the Resolves on the subject of the Council were finally passed, was rejected.