On motion of Mr. WILSON, of Natick,

Ordered, That the Committee on the University at Cambridge, be instructed to consider the expediency of so amending the Constitution as to provide, that the Corporation of the University shall consist (exclusive of the President, who shall be, ex officio, a member of the Corporation,) of seven persons, to be chosen by the legislature in joint ballot, for the term of seven years, in such a manner that one shall retire and the vacancy be filled each year; and to provide, also, that a majority of the members of said Corporation shall not belong to any one religious sect or denomination.

On motion of Mr. HOOPER, of Fall River,

Ordered, That the Committee on the Bill of Rights inquire into the expediency of so amending that part of the Constitution, as to declare therein, that in criminal prosecutions the jury shall be judges of the law as well as the fact; also so to amend the twentieth article, as to insert in the fourth line, after "it," the words, "or by the people ;" also so to amend the twenty-ninth article as to strike out after the word "should" in the tenth line, the words "hold their offices as long as they behave themselves well, and that they should;" and report thereon.

On motion of Mr. CHURCHILL, of Milton,

Ordered, That the Committee on the Judiciary consider the expediency of making the clerks of all courts, except in case of the death or absence of the standing clerk, periodically elected by the members of the Bar, having their places of business within the county where such courts are situated; subject, however, to the approval of the justices of the several courts respectively.

On motion of Mr. KELLOGG, of Hadley,

Ordered, That the Committee on the Qualifications of Voters consider the expediency of making a constitutional provision, that voters, in the election of state, county, city, town, district and parish officers, and in the transaction of all city, town, district and parish affairs, shall have the same qualifications.

Also, that the Committee on the House of Representatives consider the expediency of so amending the Constitution, that the forty districts into which it is proposed to divide the Commonwealth for the choice of senators, be called Legislative Districts; that each of said districts shall annually elect eight representatives to the general court, and that it shall be the duty of the legislature to

form said districts anew at the expiration of every period of ten years from and after the first formation thereof.

On motion of Mr. GARDNER, of Seekonk,

Ordered, That the Committee on the Frame of Government inquire into the expediency of so amending the Constitution, as that no petitions shall be received and acted upon by the legislature, unless they shall be presented within two weeks from the commencement of each session thereof.

On motion of Mr. WHITNEY, of Conway,

Ordered, That a committee of thirteen be appointed, to consider the expediency of making a constitutional provision, requiring that corporations shall not be created by special act, except for municipal purposes, and in cases where the objects of the corporation cannot be obtained under general laws.

On motion of Mr. FROTHINGHAM, of Charlestown,

Ordered, That a special committee be appointed, to consider the expediency of incorporating into the Constitution, articles providing that the legislature shall have no power to pass any act granting any special charter for banking purposes, but requiring corporations for such purposes, to form under general laws; that the legislature shall provide, by law, for the registry of all bills or notes now issued or put in circulation as money; and shall require ample security from such corporations as form under general laws, for the redemption of their notes in specie; that in case of the insolvency of any banking corporation, the bill-holders thereof shall be entitled to preference over all other creditors of such bank.

On motion of Mr. GRAY, of Boston,

Ordered, That the Secretary of the Convention cause to be printed, for the use of this Convention, the census last taken by the authority of the Commonwealth, together with the representation in the Senate and House, to which the several districts and towns are entitled according to such census.

On motion of Mr. BIRD, of Walpole, the Orders of the Day were taken up, the first matter being the motion to reconsider the vote by which the Convention agreed to the Order of Mr. Butler, of Lowell, prescribing the form of notice to the town of Berlin.

Without disposing of the question,

On motion of Mr. EAMES, of Washington, the Convention adjourned.

TUESDAY, May 17, 1853.

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

The following Petitions were presented:

By Mr. WILSON, of Natick,

The Petition of Thomas Wentworth Higginson, of Worcester, and two hundred and forty-nine others, asking that the word "male" may be stricken from the Constitution wherever it occurs.

Referred to the Committee on the Qualifications of Voters.

By Mr. FRENCH, of New Bedford,

The Petition of Harriet K. Hunt, to be allowed to vote, or be excused from paying taxes.

Referred to the same committee.

Also, the Petition of Harriet K. Hunt, that females may have the same advantages of education with males.

Referred to the Committee on the Encouragement of Literature.

By Mr. COLE, of Cheshire,

The Petitions of M. McIntosh, and fifty others, citizens of Roxbury; Luther Shove and forty-six others, citizens of Uxbridge; and Mark Kline and fifty-six others, citizens of Egremont, severally in aid of the Petition of John W. Le Barnes and others.

Referred to the Committee on the Bill of Rights.

On motion of Mr. MARVIN, of Winchendon,

Ordered, That the Committee on the University at Cambridge inquire into the expediency of so amending the Constitution, as to require that the Board of Overseers of Harvard College shall be hereafter constituted in accordance with the third article of the first section of chapter fifth of the Constitution of 1820.

On motion of Mr. DAVIS, of Worcester,

Ordered, That the Committee on Settling Elections by the Legislature inquire into the expediency of providing for the viva voce selection of all officers which may devolve on either branch of the legislature.

On motion of Mr. MASON, of Fitchburg,

Ordered, That the Committee on the Frame of Government, consider the expediency of providing that it shall be incompetent for the legislature to refer to the people for their approval or ratification, any

legislative act other than such as have reference to amending or altering the Constitution.

On motion of Mr. WHEELER, of Lincoln,

Ordered, That the Committee on the Frame of Government consider the expediency of so altering or amending the Constitution as to provide that all bills and resolves authorizing the expenditure of money, or the payment of money from the treasury of the Commonwealth, shall originate in the House of Representatives; and also of providing that all bills and resolves shall originate and be first acted upon in the House of Representatives.

On motion of Mr. LELAND, of Holliston,

Ordered, That the Committee on the Frame of Government consider the expediency of limiting the power of the legislature for loaning the credit of the State, or contracting debts, except for paying its own expenses, or for the public safety, unless the question is submitted to the qualified voters, and is approved by a majority of those voting thereon.

On motion of Mr. HARMON, of New Ashford,

Ordered, That the Committee on the House of Representatives consider the expediency of providing for continuing, in some form, the representation by towns, according to their present boundaries. On motion of Mr. WILSON, of Natick,

Ordered, That the Committee on the Judiciary Power be instructed to inquire into the expediency of so amending the Constitution as to provide that the justices of the Supreme Judicial Court, and the Court of Common Pleas, shall be appointed by the governor, for the term of ten years, subject to the confirmation of the Senate in executive session; that they shall be eligible to reappointment, at the expiration of their term, and that they shall not, in any case, remain in office after they have attained the age of seventy years.

On motion of Mr. MORTON, of Andover,

Ordered, That the Committee on the Judiciary Power be directed to inquire into the expediency of expunging or amending that part of the Constitution which provides that "each branch of the legislature, as well as the Governor and Council, shall have authority to require the opinions of the justices of the Supreme Judicial Court upon important questions of law, and upon solemn occasions."

On motion of Mr. FROTHINGHAM, of Charlestown,

Ordered, That the Committee on the Pay Roll be instructed to consider what compensation should be allowed to the members of this Convention, and report thereon.

Mr. COLE, of Cheshire, submitted the following Resolution, which was referred to the Committee on Amendments of the Constitution :

Resolved, That the Constitution be so amended that at the general election to be held in the year one thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, and in each twentieth year thereafter, and also at such other times as the legislature may by law provide, the question"Shall there be a Convention to revise the Constitution and amend the same?" shall be decided by the electors qualified to vote for members of the legislature; and in case a majority of the electors so qualified, voting at such elections, shall decide in favor of a Convention for such purpose, the legislature, at its next session, shall provide by law for the election of delegates to such Convention.

Mr. HOOPER, of Fall River, from the Special Committee on Elections by Plurality of Votes, submitted a Report, accompanied by the following Resolution :

Resolved, That it is expedient so to amend the Constitution, that in all elections the person having the highest number of votes shall be deemed and declared to be elected.

Referred to the Committee of the Whole, and ordered to be printed. Mr. DAVIS, of Worcester, from the Committee on the Governor, submitted a Report and Resolutions on that subject.

Referred to the Committee of the Whole, and ordered to be printed. Mr. FROTHINGHAM, of Charlestown, called for the special assignment for a quarter past three o'clock, which was the Report and Orders on the subject of reporting and printing the Proceedings and Debates of the Convention.

On motion of Mr. SCHOULER, of Boston, the third of the Orders was amended by striking out all after the words "such prices as," and inserting instead, the words "have been proposed therefor by Mr. Henry M. Parkhurst;" and the Orders were then adopted, as follow:

Ordered, That a committee of be appointed, with authority to contract with Harvey Fowler, to report the Proceedings and Debates of this Convention, on certain terms which he has proposed, and which have been this day communicated to the Convention in the Report of a committee to whom the subject had been referred; and that said committee be further authorized to exercise such general