to vote for it, have the power to adjourn to Philadelphia at any time they see proper. Why is this pressed upon us now before the Convention is organized, and before we have any committees? If we were organized and had our committees we could very properly meet and consult about it. But why they insist upon this now I cannot imagine, unless it is to get clear of work. For one, I protest against it. I am in favor of sitting here until the Legislature meets, and then I am in favor of having a fair consultation upon the propriety of occupying the library hall for the meetings of this Convention. I challenge members to say, after consulting the members of the Convention of 1837-8, whether they will not discharge their duties and get home three, or four or five months earlier if they stay in Harrisburg than if they go to Philadelphia. I have not conversed with you, Mr. President, but I have conversed with a number of the members of that Convention, and they expressed regret that they went to Philadelphia, at least men who were actively engaged in business and wanted to be at home to attend to their duties there, and at the same time to be present in the Convention and represent their constituents faithfully there. Now, you know, Mr. President, that that Convention sat nine months and eighteen days from the time they commenced until they adjourned. I think they did adjourn about a month or a month and a half at one time, but the most of that time the members spent in Philadelphia, notwithstanding that adjournment. Now, I hope to see this Convention go to work and do all the business required in the period of three or four months. The committees can take up the business delegated to them, and if they can do it at all, they can do it in that time, unless we adourn to a place where a large proportion of the members of those committees will be at home in the midst of their business, and will not attend upon those committees much of the time they are in session. And that is another danger in adjourning to the city of Philadelphia. I know it from experience. Their business and their homes are right where their public duties are. You will often, not desirously, but from compulsion, attend to your individual duties before you attend to your public ones. Look at the mass of representatives from that city. If they attend to their individual duties-as I hope they will not if we have to adjourn there---many of the committees will be without a quorum, and it will prolong the sittings of this Convention, and retard everything in relation to it. But I see there is no remedy. I see the die is cast. But I want to raise my voice against a removal from the city of Harrisburg, either now or at any other time, if we want to perform the duties of this Convention in the most expeditious manner. On agreeing to the resolution as amended the yeas and nays were required by Mr. Patterson (Lancaster) and Mr. D. N. White, and were as follow, viz: YEAS. Messrs. Armstrong, Ainey, Andrews, Addicks, Bartholomew, Baer, Black, Bannan, Bardsley, Beebe, Biddle, Black, (York,) Bailey, (Huntingdon,) Baker, (Greene,) Bowman, Boyd, Brodhead, Broomall, Brown, Barclay, Curtin, Camp-bell, Corbett, Carey, Carter, Cassidy, Church, Clark, Collins, Corson, Cronmil ler, Curry, Cuyler, Davis, Dodd, Dallas. Allegheny,) Sharpe, Simpson, Stanton, Stewart, Turrell, Woodward, Wetherill, (Philadelphia,) Wetherill, (Schuylkill,) Worrell and Meredith President---93. NAYS. Messrs. Alricks, Achenbach, Baily, (Perry,) Cochran, Craig, De France, Fulton, Funck, Hazzard, Hopkins, Howard, Kaine, Lamberton, Lawrence, M'Allister, M'Clean, M'Culloch, MacVeagh, Mann, Metzger, Niles, Patterson, (Lancaster,) Purviance, (Allegheny,) Purviance, (Butler,) Reynolds, James L., Reed, (Mifflin,) Russell, Smith, (Berks,) Smith, (Lancas ter,) Struthers, Van Reed, Walker, White, (Indiana,) White, David N., Wherry and White, J. W. F.—36. So the question was determined in the affirmative. NUMBER AND COMPENSATION OF OFFI CERS. Mr. MACVEAGH offered the following resolution, which was twice read : Resolved, That a committee of nine be appointed to consider and report to the Convention what other officers are necessary to transact the business of the Convention, and what compensation it is proper for them to receive. Mr. GoWEN moved to amend, by striking out all after the word "resolved," and inserting the following: "That the President appoint a committee of ten, of which he shall be one, and be the chairman, to report the designation and number of such officers as in their opinion are needed in the transaction of the business of the Convention, and to report the names of persons to fill such offices, with the amounts of the respective salaries to be paid to each. Mr. GowEN. Mr. President: I desire it to be understood, if my amendment is adopted, that I desire to be excused from serving on the committee. Mr. MACVEAGH. Mr. President: Of course the Convention thoroughly understands the difference. This amendment refers to a committee the duty of nominating officers, which I think belongs to the Convention as a body. I think it is an undesirable duty to impose upon a committee, and certainly one that the Convention ought to reserve to itself. It gets us into a needless trouble. What we want, I think, is to ascertain what officers are necessary and what salaries should be Mr. LAMBERTON moved that when this Convention adjourns, it will adjourn to meet to-morrow morning at ten o'clock. The motion was agreed to. NOMINATION OF CHIEF CLERK. Mr. AINEY offered the following resolution, which was read : Resolved, That we do now proceed to nominate candidates for Chief Clerk or the Convention. On the question, shall the resolution be read the second time? It was determined in the negative. On motion of Mr. Woodward, the President adjourned the Convention until tomorrow morning at ten o'clock. SECOND DAY. WEDNESDAY, November 13, 1872. The Convention met at ten o'clock A. M., pursuant to adjournment, and was called to order by the President, William M. Meredith. PRAYER. Prayer was offered by Rev. Dr. T. H. Robinson, pastor of the First Presbyterian church of Harrisburg, as follows: Holy and ever blessed God, we come to Thy presence with holy reverence. Thou art all in all, the great and glorious God; we are Thy creatures and subjects. We bless Thee, O, God, that Thou has permitted us to draw near to Thee through Jesus Christ, Thy dear son, and praise Thee for Thy unnumbered mercies, and we invoke upon us Thy benediction; Thou art the God of all grace and strength; upon these, Thy servants, this day, great God, bestow wisdom, that in all they do and think, they may be guided by Thy spirit which cometh down from above; fill their hearts, we pray Thee, with love, and wilt Thou fill their minds with intelligence; give them broad, clear and comprehensive views of all the duties they have to do, and so wilt Thou direct them that Thy name shall be glorified and the welfare of this Commonwealth subserved, and unto Thy name, through Jesus Christ, we will give credit and everlasting glory. Amen. The Journal of yesterday's proceedings was read and approved. ADMINISTERING OATH OF OFFICE. Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President: I respectfully announce the presence of John Gibson, Esq., delegate from the Twentieth Senatorial district, who was not present at the meeting of the Convention yesterday, and ask that the oath of office be administered to him. The PRESIDENT. Mr. Gibson will please come forward. If there are any other members present who desire to have the oath of office administered to them they will please come forward also. Mr. KAINE. Mr. President: I imagine this oath will have to be administered by the Secretary of the Commonwealth, in accordance with the resolution passed yesterday. The PRESIDENT. If the House is of that opinion it will be necessary to take an appeal from the decision of the Chair. The Chair does not conceive that the Secretary of the Commonwealth has any functions here whatever. Mr. JOHN GIBSON then presented himself in front of the Clerk's desk, and the oath of office was administered to him by the President. Mr. WOODWARD. Mr. President: The Convention yesterday referred to a committee of the delegates at large, who were elected by a certain class of voters, the question that has arisen in the Third Senatorial district of the city of Philadelphia. I now present the report of those delegates, and ask that it be read. The report was read as follows: To the Constitutional Convention of Penn sylvanio: to The undersigned, the committee whom was referred the claims of Benjamin L. Temple and Rufus E. Shapley, respectively, to a seat in this Convention, from the Third Senatorial district, respectfully report: That having examined the returns and accompanying documents submitted to them, and having heard the statements of the parties interested, they offer the following: Resolved, That Benjamin L. Temple is prima facie entitled to a seat in this Convention from the Third Senatorial district, without prejudice to the right of Rufus E. Shapley to contest. (Signed) GEO. W. WOODWARD, R. A. LAMBERTON, GEO. M. DALLAS, On motion of Mr. Woodward the report regret of the Convention that the previous and the resolution were adopted. Mr. Benjamin L. Temple then came forward, and the oath of office was administered to him by the President. COMMUNICATION FROM COUNCILS OF PITTSBURG. Mr. D. N. WHITE. Mr. President: I hold in my hand a communication from the city of Pittsburg, which I desire to have read. acceptance of an invitation from the city of Philadelphia precludes its acceptance." Mr. MANN. With all due deference to my friend, I submit that his amendment is not true in point of fact. I take it that because, as a matter of compliment to the village of Philadelphia, we agreed to meet in that place, in January, it does not preclude us, after paying our respects to them, from going in February to the city. The communication was read as fol- of Pittsburg; so that in point of fact his lows: PITTSBURG, Nov. 12, 1872. At a meeting of the select and common councils, held November 11, 1872, the following resolutions were read three times and finally passed: Resolved, By the select and common councils of the city of Pittsburg, that the delegates to the Constitutional Convention, from Allegheny county, be and they are hereby requested and authorized to extend an invitation to that body to hold its sessions, or any portion of them, in the city of Pittsburg. Resolved, That in the event of the acceptance of this invitation by the Constitutional Convention, the committee on city property be directed to make arrangements for a hall in which the Convention may hold its sessions, and for the proper committee rooms for the use of the delegates. Mr. DARLINGTON. I move that the thanks of this Convention be returned to the councils of the city of Pittsburg for their generous offer. Mr. MACVEAGH. And that the offer be entered on the Journal. amendment is not true. Mr. GoWEN. The resolution as adopted is to this effect: That all the sessions of this Convention held after the first of January shall be held in Philadelphia. Now, I take it, that according to parliamentary usage, no resolution can be offered affecting that without first re-considering that resolution. Mr. MACVEAGH, from the select committee upon the subject, made report, Mr. DARLINGTON. Yes, and entered which was read as follows: on the Journal. The committee appointed to consider The PRESIDENT. It will be entered on and report to this Convention what other the Journal. Mr. MANN. I would ask if it be in order to move that after the first day of February, this Convention will meet in Pittsburg? officers are necessary to transact its business, and what compensation it is proper for them to receive, beg leave to report that they have given as mature deliberation as the adjournment of the Conven The PRESIDENT. Does the gentleman tion permitted to the subject committed make that motion ? to them, and they are unanimously of Mr. MANN. If in order, I would like opinion that the following list of officers to make that motion. Mr. GoWEN. I move to amend the resolution, by inserting after the word "resolved," the following: That the thanks of the Convention be tendered to the city of Pittsburg, with the embraces all that are necessary to transact the business of this Convention, and the sums set opposite their respective names represent the compensation it would be proper for them to receive for their services during the sessions of this Convention: One Chief Clerk. One First Assistant Clerk... One Second Assistant Clerk............ Two Transcribing Clerks, who shall be designated to act as clerks to committees, by the Chief Clerk, as occasion demands, or to perform any other clerical services required, each.................... One Sergeant-at-Arms............... Oné Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms..... One Door-keeper.......... One Assistant Door-keeper................................ One Postmaster...... $1,500 1,200 1,200 1,000 850 6.00 6 00 5.00 8 00 6.00 One Assistant Postmaster, who shall also act as Messenger........... And the Chief Clerk shall be authorized to appoint one Fireman, at $3 50 per day; two Janitors, at $3 00 per day, each; and five Pages, at $1 50 per day, while actually engaged in the discharge of their duties. Your committee endeavored to restrict the number of officers to the narrowest limits compatible with the prompt and efficient discharge of the duties of the Convention, and to assign only such compensation as would be a reasonable payment for attention and industry in the offices designated. In considering these questions the committee had, as the Convention knows, the advantage of the experience of several of its members in the legislative bodies of the State and nation, and they believe they were thus enabled to secure that efficiency, with economy, which they felt sure the Convention desired to attain. Upon the subject of its proceedings, the committee beg leave to report, as its opinion, that its proceedings should be accurately reported and printed for distribution among the people; but whether this end would be more economically attained by a contract embracing the reporting and the printing, or by separate contracts for these purposes, this committee is not prepared, at present, to decide; but recom. mends either that the entire subject be re-committed to it, or, what would perhaps be better, the appointment of a new committee on the subject.. (Signed) WAYNE MACVEAGH, HAMILTON ALRICKS, Mr. MANN. Mr. President: I move the adoption of the report. The PRESIDENT. Let the motion be in the form of a resolution. Mr. HARRY WHITE offered the following resolution, which was twice read and adopted: Resolved, That the foregoing report of the Committee be adopted by this Cónvention. RESOLUTION OF THANKS. Mr. M'ALLISTER offered the following resolution, which was twice read and adopted: Resolved, That the report of Francis Jordan, Secretary of the Commonwealth, be accepted and approved, and that the thanks of the Convention are hereby tendered to him for the faithful and satisfactory manner in which he has performed the duties devolved upon him by the act of the 11thy day of April, 1872. ELECTION OF OFFICERS. Mr. GowEN offered the following resolution, which was twice read: committee of ten, of which he shall be one Resolved, That the President appoint a and the chairman, to réport the names of offices of this Convention. proper persons to fill the permanent Mr. GoWEN. I offer that resolution for the purpose, at the very outset of the deliberations of this Convention, of excluding from these halls anything like a partizan scramble for office. I read in the Harrisburg papers of this morning that the officers to preside over this body have been selected by a portion of its members without consultation with the others. I think it is beneath the dignity of a reform Convention to permit any person engaged in a scramble for office to apply for a caucus nomination for office in the Convenvention. I think the design of those who voted in favor of calling this Convention was to exclude partizanship from its de-liberations. I therefore ask that this Convention shall agree to the appointment of a committee of ten, of which the President shall be chairman, to select the several gentlemen who shall preside over the deliberations of this body without regard to any other qualification than that of fitness for the position. I trust the Convention will adopt the resolution. Mr. LILLY moved to amend, by striking out all after the word "resolved," and inserting the following: "That this Convention proceed to the nomination and election of a Chief Clerk." |