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Afterwards, Mr. BRIGGS, of Pittsfield, in the chair.

The Committee proceeded to consider the Resolves reported from the Committee on the Qualifications of Voters, to whom was recommitted the third Resolve of that Committee, reported on the 19th of May, together with an amendment prepared thereto, (printed Document No. 55.)

After debate by Messrs. Churchill, of Milton, Aldrich, of Barre, and Houghton, of Sterling,

Mr. Hopkinson, of Boston, moved to amend the second Resolve, by striking out the words "and State," in the fourth line, (printed copy,) and inserting after the word "officers," in the last line, the words, "or for any officer to be chosen, or upon any question to be decided by the vote of the people of the whole State."

After remarks by Messrs. French, of Berkley, and Morton, of Quincy, the amendment was adopted, by a vote of seventy-four in the affirmative, and forty-seven in the negative.

Mr. Stevens, of Clinton, moved to amend the first Resolve, by striking out all after the word "seas," in the fifth line.

Mr. Stevens addressed the Committee upon his motion.

Mr. Duncan, of Williamstown, moved that the Committee rise, report progress, and ask leave to sit again.

The motion was adopted, by a vote of fifty-nine in the affirmative, and fifty-one in the negative.

And the Committee accordingly rose.

THURSDAY, June 23, 1853.

Mr. SUMNER, member for Otis, in the chair. By direction of the Convention, the Committee proceeded to consider the following Resolve, reported from a Special Committee:

Resolved, That it is expedient to incorporate into the Constitution a provision, that corporations may be formed under general laws, but shall not be created by special act, except for banking or municipal purposes, or where the object of the incorporation shall not be attainable under general laws.

After remarks by Mr. Whitney, of Conway,

Mr. French, of Berkley, moved to amend the Resolve, by striking out all after the word "act," in the third line, (printed copy.)

Remarks were made by Mr. Bradford, of Essex, when the motion was rejected.

Mr. Stetson, of Braintree, moved to amend, by striking out the words "banking or," in the fourth line.

Mr. Nayson, of Amesbury, moved that the Committee rise, report progress, and ask leave to sit again.

But after remarks by Mr. Whitney, of Conway, the motion was rejected.

After debate by Messrs. Earle, of Worcester, and Whitney, of Con

way,

Mr. Cole, of Cheshire, moved to amend the amendment of Mr. Stetson, by striking out all after the word "purposes," in the fourth line.

Mr. Chapin, of Springfield, then moved that the Committee rise, report progress, and ask leave to sit again.

The motion was adopted, by a vote of eighty-four in the affirmative, and sixty-five in the negative.

And the Committee accordingly rose.

Afterwards, Mr. WILSON, of Natick, in the chair.

By direction of the Convention, the Committee resumed the consideration of the Majority Report, from the Committee on the House of Representatives.

After debate by Messrs. Hillard, of Boston, Dana, member for Manchester, Schouler, of Boston, Hooper, of Fall River, and Bradford, of Essex,

On motion of Mr. Alley, of Lynn, it was

Voted, That the Committee rise, report progress, and ask leave to sit again.

And the Committee accordingly rose.

Afterwards, Mr. WILSON, of Natick, in the chair.

The Committee resumed the consideration of the unfinished business of its last session-the Report on the House of Representatives. After remarks by Messrs. Alley, of Lynn, and Butler, of Lowell, Mr. Butler, of Lowell, moved to amend the Report of the Committee, by striking out all after the word "Resolved," and inserting what is printed as Document No. 65.

Mr. Brinley, of Boston, moved to amend the amendment, by striking out all after the word "Resolved," and inserting what is printed as Document No. 42.

Debate followed between Messrs. Brinley, of Boston, Edwards, of Southampton, Stevens, of Clinton, and Bradbury, of Newton, When, on motion of Mr. Foster, of Charlemont, it was

Voted, That the Committee rise, report progress, and ask leave to sit again.

And the Committee accordingly rose.

FRIDAY, June 24, 1853.

Mr. WALKER, of North Brookfield, in the chair.

By direction of the Convention, the Committee resumed the consideration of the Report on the House of Representatives, the pending question being upon the amendment of Mr. Brinley, of Boston, to the amendment offered by Mr. Butler, of Lowell.

After debate by Messrs. Foster, of Charlemont, Morss, of Newburyport, Kinsman, of Newburyport, Upham, of Salem, and Holder, of Lynn,

The amendment of Mr. Brinley was rejected.

The question then recurred on the amendment of Mr. Butler. Mr. Gray, of Boston, moved that the Committee rise, report progress, and ask leave to sit again, but the motion was rejected.

Mr. Butler, of Lowell, modified his amendment by striking out, in the seventh paragraph of the first Resolve, the words, "and of less than fifteen thousand;" also, by striking out, in the eighth paragraph of the same Resolve, the word "fifteen," and inserting the words "over twelve;" and striking out, in the first and second lines, the words, "and upwards," and in the second line, the words, "one representative and," and inserting, after the word "additional,” in the third line, the word "representative," and substituting the word "additional" for the word "whole," in the fourth line.

After remarks by Mr. Gray, of Boston,

Mr. Stetson, of Braintree, moved an amendment to the amendment, which is printed as Document No. 70.

After remarks by Mr. Huntington, of Northampton,

On motion of Mr. Butler, of Lowell, it was

Voted, That the Committee rise, report progress, and ask leave to sit again.

And the Committee accordingly rose.

Afterwards, Mr. WILSON, of Natick, in the chair.

The Committee resumed the consideration of the Report on the House of Representatives; the pending question being on the amendment of Mr. Stetson to the amendment of Mr. Butler.

The question being taken upon the amendment of Mr. Stetson, it was rejected.

The question recurred on the amendment of Mr. Butler.

Mr. Earle, of Worcester, moved to amend the amendment, by striking out all after the word "follows," in the first paragraph of the first Resolve, and inserting what is printed as Document No. 71.

After debate by Messrs. Brown, of Dracut, Earle, of Worcester, and Adams, of Lowell,

The amendment was rejected.

The question then recurred on the amendment of Mr. Butler.

Mr. Gardner, of Seekonk, moved to amend the amendment by striking out, in the fourth Resolve, the words "fifteen hundred," and inserting the words "one thousand;" but after debate by Messrs. Gardner, of Seekonk, and Butler, of Lowell,

The motion was rejected.

Mr. Adams, of Lowell, moved to amend the amendment, by striking out all after the word "published," in the seventh line of the third Resolve.

Debate followed between Messrs. Bird, of Walpole, Griswold, member for Erving, Earle, of Worcester, Bradbury, of Newton, Walker, of North Brookfield, Butler, of Lowell, Whitney, of Conway, Adams, of Lowell, Banks, of Waltham, Frothingham, of Charlestown, Hood, of Lynn, and Bates, of Plymouth,

When the amendment was rejected by a vote of thirty-four in the affirmative, and one hundred and seven in the negative.

The question recurring upon the amendment of Mr. Butler, Mr. Griswold, member for Erving, moved to amend the amendment, by inserting after the word "inhabitants," in the twelfth line of the third Resolve, (printed copy,) the words following: "and of the towns which shall hereafter be created, with power to send one representative."

After remarks by Messrs. Walker, of North Brookfield, and Griswold, member for Erving,

On motion of Mr. Greene, of Brookfield, it wast

Voted, That the Committee rise, report progress, and ask leave to sit again.

And the Committee accordingly rose.

Mr. WILSON, of Natick, in the chair.

SATURDAY, June 25, 1853.

By direction of the Convention, the Committee resumed the consideration of the Report from the Committee on the House of Representatives, the immediate question being upon the amendment moved by Mr. Griswold, member for Erving, to the amendment of Mr. Butler. The question being taken, the amendment was adopted, by a vote of one hundred and eight in the affirmative, and seventeen in the negative.

The question then recurred upon the amendment as amended.

After debate by Messrs. Sargent, of Cambridge, Whitney, of Boylston, Rockwell, of Pittsfield, Spooner, of Warwick, Chapin, of Worcester, Eames, of Washington, Alley, of Lynn, Bradbury, of Newton, Waters, of Millbury, and Churchill, of Milton,

Mr. Gardner, of Seekonk, moved to amend the amendment by substituting what is printed as Document No. 68.

Mr. Gardner addressed the Committee, when

The motion was rejected.

After further debate by Messrs. Hubbard, of Boston, Gardner, of Boston, and Chapin, of Springfield,

Mr. Crowell, of Dennis, moved that the Committee rise, report progress, and ask leave to sit again.

The motion was adopted,

And the Committee accordingly rose.

MONDAY, June 27, 1853.

Mr. HUNTINGTON, of Northampton, in the chair.

By direction of the Convention, the Committee proceeded to consider the Report from the Committee on the Militia (printed Document No. 60):

"Inexpedient to act upon an Order of June 15th, instructing them to consider the expediency of so amending the Constitution, as to strike out whatever relates to the militia, and instead thereof provide for the registration of all citizens between twenty-one and fifty years of age, as a standing police of the Commonwealth, to render such assistance as may be necessary for the preservation of the peace and the faithful and efficient execution of the laws of the Commonwealth."

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