Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

these were found necessary, and were kept in constant employment in the folding of documents and journals, &c., and in attending to other necessary labors in and about the Convention. The two boys employed as messengers have been found necessary in the Hall during the sessions of this body, and could not well have been dispensed with.

The labors of so many officers may not, however, as the deliberations of this body progress, be found necessary, and the committee recommend that the further services of the assistant Secretaries, the Sergeant-at-arms, assistant Sergeant-at-arms, Doorkeeper, assistant Doorkeeper and Messengers, be dispensed with, from and after the 14th instant, and that this body will, on re-assembling, determine whether and, any if any, which of these officers shall be required.

As to the second branch of inquiry, the expenses of taking down the debates and the printing generally, but more particularly the expense of printing and distributing the Daily Chronicle.

The Legislature felt the necessity of having an accurate report of the debates of this body, and they ordered the employment of a competent Stenographer for the purpose. This necessarily embraced the employment of such assistants to the person so employed, as would enable him to take down and write out the debates for publication, within a reasonable time. The wisdom of the Legislature, in making provision for a report of the debates, is manifest from the avidity with which works of this kind are sought after, by all who are desirous of informing themselves in relation to constitutional law, and the loss and difficulty under which this body and their constituents labor, for want of the views and feelings of the members of the Convention of 1790: a correct register of the debates of that body, if they could be had, would tend much to enlighten and inform the members of this body. For of the great and good men who were then assembled, but three yet survive-JAMES Ross, ALBERT GALLATIN and THOMAS BULL; and of the doings of that body, no record remains, save their Journals and the fleeting reminisences of the few surviving members, and of the few citizens who may have witnessed their proceedings, and are yet on the stage of action. The great object in having the debates taken and published, is to have the views of the members reported with accuracy. There are few men capable of doing this, and consequently, when found, they require and ought to receive a fair and full compensation for their labors. The gentleman in charge of the reporting, has a known and established character for capacity in the line of his profession; and the committee are of opinion, that under the provisions of the act of Assembly, authorizing the assembling of this body, his services could not, and if they could, ought not to be dispensed with.

The next branch of inquiry, in relation to this subject, is the subscription to the Daily Chronicle, and the distribution thereof. The subscription was made under the the following resolution of this body, passed on the 11th day of May last: "Resolved, That the Secretaries be directed to pay, as part of the expenses of this Convention the cost of two thousand seven hundred copies of the Daily Chronicle and Convention Journal, in the English language, and one thousand copies in the German language, to be furnished during the sitting of this body, and to be divided among the members, for distribution among their constituents."

In pursuance of this resolution, the committee agreed with the publisher

of that work, for two thousand seven hundred copies in English, to be furnished daily, at seventy-five cents per month, and for one thousand in German, to be published daily, at one dollar per copy per month. Thus far, the editor has published a sheet daily, containing nothing but the proceedings of this body, and the observations of the members on the various subjects under discussion. There has been published, most generally, abstracts of the debates, rather than full reports, and such was intended to be the course when the subscription was made. 'The work is about as accurate as works of the kind usually are.

The publisher of the paper states, that relying on the faith of this body, he has gone to considerable expense, in order to comply with the contract on his part, and having done so, is unwilling to forego the advantage which he may derive from its continuance. Ought this body to put an end to this contract? Morally, we have no right to do so, without the assent of the other contracting party, unless such party has, by his own act, authorized its rescision; for, if contracts bind individuals, and they are compelled by law to comply with them, it would be out of all character for the body convened to establish the fundamental law of the land, to assume an arbitrary power of violating a solemn contract with an individual. It might be, that the individual could have no legal redress, and that would only point out the greater grossness of the act. The effect of such an example on the community, could scarcely be anticipated; and not wishing to entail on this body, a character for worse than Punic faith, your committee are not willing to recommend any such couse, more especially as the public money is well laid out in relation to this subject. It enables the delegates to keep their constituents, day by day, apprized of all our doings: it tends to enli hten, inform and instruct the good people of this great and growing Commonwealth, in the principles of Constitutional law: it calls their attention to the principles of Government— and will enable them, at the close of our labors, to come to a correct conclusion as to the result of our deliberations, so as to vote intelligently and understandingly on the question of adopting or rejecting the amendments we may propose. It is, in fact, day by day, rendering to those who sent us hither, an account of the manner in which we have executed the trust committed to our charge. Your committee cannot conceive that any reasonable amount of expense would be too great for such a purpose, or that money can be well mispent, which tends to disseminate accurate information among the public, in relation to the great and important principles on which the government of our country depends. Believing, as they do, that the people have a right to be kept well advised of all that is done, and that as the subscription has been made, and the expense incured, solely for the benefit of the public, and not for the benefit of the individual members of this body, and as all information received, shows that the intelligence thus communicated, is sought for with avidity, your committee would not recommend a discontinuance of the subscription, even had they the power to do so.

Should the reporters for this paper and the editor, however, prostitute it to party purposes, or make it the vehicle for partial representations of the doings of this body, it would be our right and our duty at once to discontinue it; for it was only taken upon the express condition, that equal and exact justice should be done to the views of all the members.

[blocks in formation]

The committee recommend the adoption of the following resolutions: Resolved, That the services of the assistant Secretaries, Sergeant-at-arms, Deo keeper, assistant Sergeant-at-a ms, assistant Doorkeeper and Messengers, be dispensed with after the fourteenth instant.

Resolved, That the committee be discharged from the further consideration of the other subjects refered to them.

Mr. FRY, from the minority of the committee to whom was refered the subject of the curtailment of the expenses of the Convention, made the following report, which was laid on the table:

The minority of the committee to which was refered the resolution of the sixth instant, requiring them to inquire into the expediency of discontinuing the Daily Chronicle, and also what other expenses ought to be curtailed, report:

That they have had the subject under consideration, and recommend the following resolutions for the adoption of the Convention :

Resolved, That the Daily Chronicle be discontinued after the present session. Resolved, That the Secretaries be directed to request the different printers to whom six months subscription has been paid for their papers, that they be di continued until the 17th of October.

Resolved, That the two assistant Secretaries be discharged.

Resolved, That the Sergeant-at-arms and Doorkeepers and their assistants be discharged.

Resolved, That the two boys employed as carriers or runners be discharged.

On motion of Mr. BELL,

JOSEPH FRY, Jr.

The Convention proceeded to the second reading and consideration of the resolution reported by the committee appointed to ascertain and report the most eligible place for the meeting of the Convention, and this morning laid on the table.

Mr. BROWN, of Philadelphia, would merely state, that he did not attend the meeting of the committee, and consequently, he had not agreed to this report.

Mr. BELL called for the second reading, and consideration of the report: which was agreed to.

Mr. CLARK, of Dauphin, then moved to strike out all after the word resolved, and insert the following:

"That this Convention will re-assemble in the State Capitol, on the sixteenth day of October next."

Mr. STEVENS then moved to amend the amendment, so as to res ind that part of the resolution of the 7th instant, which directs that the Convention shall re-assamble on the 16th of October, and to provide that the Convention shall meet on the 12th day of April next.

Mr. STERIGERE rose, to make an inquiry of the Chairman of the committee. He wished to know whether the communications of the Commissioners of Dauphin county, and the authorities of Philadelphia, had been considered by the committee, before they made their report.

Mr. BELL said, that it having been deemed advisable by the committee to make as early a report as possible, they had met, and entered into a correspondence with persons in Philadelphia, and other places, as to the accommodations which were to be obtained, and yesterday the committee directed him to make report to the Convention. They had given the inat ter due examination, and had taken into consideration all the information,

which they could obtain; but, they had not had the communication refered to, before them, because, they were not, until this morning, laid before the Convention. They, however, had all the information contained in these communications, before them, unofficially.

Mr. STERIGERE said, it was due to the Convention, that its order should be taken into consideration. The communications of the authorities of Harrisburg, and Dauphin county, and the city of Philadelphia, had been refered to a committee, and it was due to the Convention, that these communications should be taken into consideration by this committee. He therefore moved, that the consideration of this subject be postponed until to-morrow, so that the committee might have the opportunity of examining and reporting upon these communications

Mr. READ hoped, that this motion to postpone, might be agreed to, for two reasons. In the first place, the committee which had just reported, has had two or three communications refered to them, which they have not yet considered, as the co nmittee could not sit during the session of the Convention. It ought, therefore, to be postponed, for the purpose of giving them the opportunity of considering this question in full. In the second place, he hope this subject would be postponed, so that we might reach, and dispose of the section of the sixth article, which relates to the subject of Justices of the Peace. We ought not to separate, an I leave that section in the unfinished state, in which it is now. If we should proceed to consider that subject immediately on its being reached, he would modify the section, so as to embrace three, and only three principles, about which he thought there was no difference of opinion here. Two of these principles have been fully debated, and in regard to the third, he did not believe there would be any difference of opinion in the Convention. He would modify it, so as in the first place, to provide for the election of Justices of the Peace; in the second place, that they should hold their oflices for the term of five years; and in the third place, that they should be elected at the spring election for Constables; leaving out all the other perplexed questions, so that if it be reached, we may dispose of it in half an hour, an give the people an opportunity of knowing what we intend to do in relation to this subject. If this was once efected, he should ask for no further consideration of the report of the com nittee, upon the sixth article of the Constitution, so as to allow time for the consideration of the reports and resolutions, which we have yet to dispose of, before we adjourn. He hoped, therefore, that the subject might now be postponed, because. if we proceeded in its consideration, he was of opinion that the amendment submited by the gentle:nan, from Adans, would lead to a protracted debate.

Mr. R. then called for the yeas and nays on the question of postponement, which were ordered.

Mr. DUNLOP did not consider the reasons urged by the gentleman from Susquehann, as very strong or cogent reasons for postponing this question. So far as regar ls the amen line at of the gentleman from Adumns, the gentleman says, it will intro lice a protractel debate. Then, if this was the case, we ought to go at it immediately; because, there will not be time to settle it, if we do not proceed with it now. This question, whether we will meet in the fall, or the spring, was a very important question, and if we put it off, and take up this other matter, in relation to Justices of

the Peace, it will get up a long debate, which will throw all these other questions aside. Then, when we are on the very eve of adjournment, this question ought to be set led; but the gentleman's matter about Justices of the Peace, can be as well postponed as not, until we meet again. There was no necessity for urging this matter on the Convention now. We have all the light before us, which we desired, to settle this question, which has been brought to the consideration of the committee, by the gentleman from Adams. If we are to meet in the spring, then a report from this committee will be of no sort of consequence, because we will meet in this place, if we meet in April next. If we refuse to meet in the spring, and determine to meet again in October, then it would be proper enough to postpone the subject, for the purpose of having a report from the committee on this subject. If we refuse to meet in the spring, we ought to take into consideration this proposal of th Com nissioners of Dauphin county, and that of the authorities of Philadelphia city, and determine whether we were to meet again in this Hall, or in Philadelphia, or the Court-house, or Church. H⚫ hope, therefore, that the subject would not be postponed, until the proposition of the gentleman from Adams, was considered and disposed

of.

Mr. SCOTT said, the committee which had made this report, were appointed some four or five days ago, and within twenty-four hours after their appointment, a motion was made to discharge them from the further consideration of the subject submited to them. A majority refused to discharge the committee. A motion was then made to postpone the further consideration of the subject, and the committee found it necessary to make their report this morning, or consider their duties as at an end. Then, under this state of the case, it was impossible that they should be able to consider the proposals from the authority of Philadelphia and Harrisburg, which had been only laid on the table to-day. He considered that they had all the lights before them, necessary to a correct understanding of the matter, and he hoped no postponemeut would take place. We can as well determine now what course we will take, in relation to this matter, as at any other time. The alternative, in his opinion, lay between re-assembling in Harrisburg, in the spring of the year, or assembling in the fall of the year, at some other place. He was indifferent as to which course the majority might take. If the majority evince a disposition to meet here in the spring of the coming year, he would not oppose it; for he did not know, upon the whole, but that it might be the most advisable He would first vote for re-assembling here in the spring of the year, and if that fail, he would vote for neeting in the fall, at Philadelphia.

course.

Mr. KERR hoped the motion to postpone would not prevail. The gentleman from Susquehann has offered, as a reason why we ought to postpone this question, that we ought to proceed to the consideration of the sixth article of the Constitution, in relation to Justices of the Peace.Now, it will be recollected that that question was once decided by the Convention, and by a move made by the gentleman from Susquehanna himself, we have been thrown into confusion again, and all that was done on this subject, after a protracted debate, has been undone; therefore it seemed to him, that the question ought to be left lie as it is, until we meet again. We will then come back better prepared to decide this point, than

« AnteriorContinuar »