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interfered with He saw no more danger to be apprehended in going to Philadelphia than in coming to this place. He felt sure, that his worthy and excellent friend from Indiana, (Mr. CLARKE) could not be seduced from his path of duty; he was made of too stern stuff for that. And he (Mr. P.) might make the same remark as to the Convention generally.

The question was taken on the amendment, and decided in the negative -yeas, 39; nays, 66-as follows:

YEAS-Messrs. Bell, Biddle, Brown, of Philadelphia. Chandler, of Chester, Chauncev, Coates, Cope, Cox, Craig, Crum, Darlington, Dennv. Dillinger, Donigan, Doran, Fleming, Foulkrod, Grenell, Hopkinson, Houpt, Jenk, Kennedy, Long, Lyons, Mann, M'Cahen. M'Dowell, M'Sherry, Me rill, Overfield, Pollock, Porter, of Lincaster, Porter, of Northampton, Pu.viance, Reigart, Royer, Scott, White, Sergeant, President -29.

NYS-Messrs. Agnew. Avres Binks. Barndollar, Barnitz, Bayne. Bedford, Brown, of Lan aster, Brown, of Noitamp on. Butler, Cha nbers, Clapp, Clarke, of Beaver, Clark, of Duphi. Clarke, of Indiana Cleavinger, Cline, Cochran, Crain, Cummin, Cunningham Curll. Darrh. Dickey, Dickerson, Ea le, Fo wird, Fry. Fuller, Gamble, Gea hart Gilmore, Hastings Hayhurst, Helff ns ein, Henderson, of Allegheny, Henderson, of Dauphin. Hies er, Hv le, Kerr. Maclay, Magee, M'Call, Merkel, Miller, Montgomery, Myers, Read. Rit r. Rogers. Russell, Sanger, Sellers, Seltzer, Scheetz, Shellito, Sm th, Smyth, Snively, Sterigere, Swetland, Taggart, Thomas, Todd, Weaver, Woodward-66.

Mr. HIESTER, of Lancaster, thought, that if the resolution was to be adopted, it would be as well to put it in a proper shape first. As it now stood, it provided that the Convention should adjourn on the 7th of July, if all the articles of the Constitution shall have been passed through the committee of the whole, on that day. Now, he would ask any gentleman, whether it was at all likely that the Judiciary question, and the Bill of Rights, which was of as great importance as any thing which had, as yet, been under consideration, could be disposed of by that time. Although we had been in session seven weeks, we had got only about half through committe. It amounted to nothing, to say that we adjourn on such a day, if we had done so and so. In order to make the language of the resolution specific, he would move to strike out the proviso, which is as follows: Provided all the articles of the Constitution shall be passed through the committee of the whole, on that day".

Mr. MANN, of Montgomery, then modified his resolution, by striking out the proviso.

Mr. WOODWARD, of Luzerne, moved to amend the resolution by adding, after the word "adjourn", the words, "so soon as the several articles of the Constitution shall have been passed through committee of the whole".

Mr. W. observed, that there appeared to be a diversity of opinion among gentlemen, as to whether we could get through committee of the whole by the 15th of July. He was not prepared to say that we should get through by that time. But fixing the day, would have the effect of making us push on with business the faster. He thought it very important and desirable, that we should have gone through committee of the whole before adjourning, because, an opportunity would be afforded us of reflecting what further amendments were necessary to be made, when we should meet again. At which time, we could give to the amendments already agreed to, their proper form and shape, and put them in the Constitution, so as to prevent objection. Besides, it was right that before we adjourned, we should be prepared to tell the people what amendments we

PENNSYLVANIA CONVENTION, 1837.

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had made. Situated as were now, we were cut off from the people, and could not learn their opinions as to what we should do. He trusted then, under all the circumstances of the case, that the amendment would prevail. And unless it did, he would feel constrained to vote against the adjournment altogether. It was the only consideration which could reconcile his mind to an adjournment at all. And, in saying this, it should be understood, that he had interests at home which much required his presence, and the fears which he entertained, in regard to his health, were as great as those of any other gentleman on this floor. We were all here on duty of the highest importance, and he, for one, was unwilling to abandon it so long as he retained sufficient health and strength to remain here. He was unwilling to leave his labor, until we had arrived at something like a termination. He would agree to adjourn temporarily after we had gone through committee of the whole; but, he did object to do so before. If they were to do so, what a spectacle would be presented to the people! The people had sent us here, after a hard struggle of many years, and upon mature reflection, that alterations in our Constitution were necessary. And, should we adjourn, without being able to tell them that we had made any real progress in our duties, after consuming their time and their money, and without having given a single indication as to what the final result of the deliberations of the Convention would be? He would say, that the people ought to have been informed before now, what we intended doing in regard to the power of the Legislature, over corporations and the Governor's patronage, and many other subjects- Was it proper, he would ask, that we should return to our constituents, without having expressed a single united opinion on any one of those great subjects, which induced them to incur all this expense? It seemed to him to be altogether unreasonable, to be asking too much of the patience of the people. He knew that they possessed great patience, for they had endured the evils of the Constitution for nearly half a century. They had endured with great patience the long, and in many instances, useless speeches which had been delivered on this floor, and he believed that they were prepared to have their patience still further taxed. But, he declared that he was not disposed to insult them, or to give them back their Constitution as we received it from them. He was not for going home without lifting his finger against any attempt to adjourn under existing circumstances. Let gentlemen, then, if it were necessary for their health-if it were necessary in reference to the business of the Convention—if it were necessary that we should have a recess-resolve that they would express their sentiments, on some, at least, of the important questions before the Convention, and tell the public what they had done, which was nothing more than they had a right to demand of us. He would repeat, that unless this course of proceeding was adopted, he would vote against every motion for an adjournment. He hoped that the gentleman from Lancaster would withdraw his amendment, and allow the resolution of the gentleman from Montgomery to be voted upon. He trusted that it would be negatived, and that we should remain here until we had performed the duty which we were sent here to do. He asked for the veas and nays.

Mr. Cox, of Somerset, said, we could not tell when we would adjourn, if we intended to sit until we got through committee of the whole. We could not tell whether that would be the 20th of July, or the 20th of September. He apprehended, then, that there would be no sense in pas

sing a resolution to adjourn when we get through committee of the whole. Why not stop till we get through. It was best to fix no day at present, for there was not a member of the Convention who would undertake to say that we could get through by the 7th of July. He hoped that the resolution, together with the amendment of the gentleman from Luzerne, would be negatived.

Mr. JENKS, of Bucks, was satisfied that the day was not distant, when this body would see the necessity and propriety of adjourning. He anticipated that if the question was taken now, not only on the amendment of the gentleman from Luzerne, but also on the resolution as offered by the gentleman from Montgomery, they would be negatived. And, being anxious to avoid that issue, he would move to postpone the amendment, together with the resolution, until Monday week.

Mr. MARTIN, of Philadelphia, said, that it had been his intention to have offered a few remarks before the motion to postpone was made. He would now, however, merely say, that he would vote against postponing. And, if that motion should fail, he would then vote against any resolution for fixing a day of adjournment. Nearly the whole of the forenoon had been spent in discussing this question, and we might as well, at once, agree to adjourn on the 7th of July, to meet again on the 27th of the same month. If, then, the motion to postpone should not prevail, and the resolution should come up again, he would offer a resolution that the Convention shall adjourn on the 7th of July, and meet again on the 27th.This would afford gentlemen an opportunity to attend to their harvest. This was a matter which deserved the attention of the Convention. It would be impossible to keep gentlemen in their seats here during harvest, and we might as well meet the question now. He was, therefore, opposed to the postponement of the subject. No reasonable objections have been urged to a temporary adjournment. He did not know why gentlemen were so anxious to give the Convention a bad character. We have been deeply, closely, laboriously employed for a long time, and he had heard no complaints of the conduct of the Convention, except from gentlemen themselves. He would ask gentlemen to contemplate the consequences of holding ourselves up in the light of an idle and careless body, neglectful of our duties and careless of the public interests. It would only tend to create prejudice against our ultimate action, and to prevent any beneficial results a from it. He did not dread any manifestation of public displeasure fromour adjourning for a week or two; but, he was opposed to adjourning for such a length of time, as would remove the subjects of our deliberation from our view. By a short recess, we should not lose sight of what we had done, and should come back after it, with renewed vigor to complete the work. There was no ground for any of the reproaches about the tardiness of the movements of the Convention. We came here to consult and deliberate, and not to act hastily. We might, if we had wished to drive the business, have gone into committee of the whole on the Constitution, on the first day we came here, agreed upon our amendments, reported, and concured in them, and adjourned the evening of the same day. if despatch was the only object, why could we not pass a Constitution now, and adjourn sine die, immediately after.

Or,

Mr. SHELLITO was sorry, he said, when he heard that the question of adjournment was coming up again to-day, as it was certain to consume the

whole morning. He was very sorry that these motions for adjournment prevented us from getting more than four or five days in the week for attention to our business. If any here were so anxious to go to their harvests, as had been represented, let them go, with leave or without leave, and be answerable for it to their constituents. He was anxious to despatch the business, and was willing to stay here till that was done, even if he laid

his bones here.

Mr. WOODWARD modified his motion to amend so as to insert, after the word "adjourn", the following, viz: "so soon as the several articles of the Constitution shall have passed through committee of the whole".

Mr. SAEGER opposed the amendment, and also an adjournment of any sort, until the Convention finished the business they came to do. He said, that the idea of adjourning to accommodate the farmers, suggested to him the fact, that some gentlemen wished to pick chestnuts out of the hot coals, but did not wish to use their own fingers. They wished to adjourn, and wished to lay it to the farmers. The farmers were willing to stay and do the work which the people sent them to do.

Mr. BAYNE demanded the previous question, and it was called for by eighteen delegates, as follows: Messrs. BAYNE, HENDERSON, of Dauphin, DICKEY, MANN, Cox, SELLERS, SAEGER, FARRELLY, HYDE, SMYTH, MAGEE, DONAGAN, SMITH, CURLL, BIGELOW, CLARKE, of Beaver, TODD, and CRUM.

The question being, shall the main question be now put,

Mr. WOODWARD asked the yeas and nays, and they were ordered, and were as follows:

YEAS-Messrs Agnew, Ayres, Banks, Barndollar, Barnitz, Bayne, Bigelow, Brown of Lancaster, Brown, of Northampton, Butler, Chambers, Chauncey, Clapp, Clarke, of Beaver, Clark, of Dauphin. Cleavinger, Cline, Coates, Cochran, Cope, Craig, Crum, Cummin, Cunningham, Curll, Dickey, Farrelly, Fuller, Gamble, Gearhart, Gilmore, Grenell, Hastings, Hayhurst, Helffenstein, Henderson, of Allegheny, Henderson, of Dauphin, Hiester, Houpt, Hyde, K›nnedy, Kerr, Long, Lyons, Maclay, Mann, M’Call, Merkel, Miller, Montgomery, Overfield, Pollock, Porter, of Lancaster, Reigart, Ritter, Rogers, Royer, Russel, Sieger, Sellers, Seltzer, Smith, Smyth, Snively, Sterigere, Thomas, Todd, Weaver, White, Sergeant, President—70.

NATS-Messrs. Bedford, Bell, Biddle, Brown, of Philadelphia, Chandler, of Chester, Clarke, of Indiana, Cox, Crain, Darlington, Darrah, Denny, Dickerson, Dillinger, Donagan, Doran, Earle, Fleming, Forward, Foulkrod, Fry, Hopkinson, Jenks, Konigmacher, Magee, Martin, M'Cahen, M'Dowell, M'Sherry, Merrill, Myers, Porter, of Northampton, Purviance, Read, Scott, Scheetz, Shellito, Swetland, Taggart, Woodward, Young-40. So the main question was ordered to be put.

The question being then taken on the original resolution, as moved by Mr, MANN,

The yeas and nays were 1equired by Mr. HIESTER, and Mr, REIGART, and were as follows, viz:

YEAS-Messrs. Bigelow, Brown, of Lancaster, Brown, of Northampton, Chandler, of Chester, Chauncey, Clepp, Cleavinger, Coates, Cope, Craig, Crum, Cunningham, Curll, Forward, Foulkrod, Grenell, Hastings, Houpt, Hyde, Jenks, Kennedy, Long, Lyons, Maclay, Mann, M'Call, Miller, Overfield, Porter, of Lancaster, Porter, of Northampton, Reigart, Royer, Russell, Scott, Sellers, Snively, Swetland-37.

NATS-Messrs. Agnew, Ayres, Banks, Barndollar, Bayne, Bedford, Bell, Biddle, Brown, of Philadelphia, Butler, Chambers, Clarke, of Beaver, Clark, of Dauphin, Clarke, of Indiana, Cline, Cochran, Cox, Crain, Cummin, Darlington, Darrah, Denny, Dickey, Dickerson, Dillinger, Donagan, Doran. Earle, Farrelly, Fleming, Fry, Fuller, Gamble, Gearhart, Gilmore, Hayhurst, Helffenstein, Henderson, of Aliegheny, Hiester, Hopkin

son, Kerr, Konigmacher,Magee, Martin, M'Cahen, M'Dowell, M'Sherry, Merrill, Merkel, Montgomery, Myers, Pollock, Purviance, Read, Ritter, Rogers, Saeger, Seltzer. Scheetz, Shellito, Smyth, Sterigere, Taggart, Thomas, Todd, Weaver, White, Woodward, Young, Sergeant, President-70.

So the question was determined in the negative.

Mr. CLAPP obtained leave of absence for a few days, from Monday

next.

Mr. BELL offered the following resolution, which was read:

Resolved, That this Convention will adjourn, as soon as the several articles of the Constitntion shall have ben passed through committee of the whole, to meet again, at this place, on the 17th of October next.

Mr. BELL called for the second reading and consideration of the resolution, which was agreed to-ayes, 46; nays, 45.

Mr. B. said, it seemed to be considered that, after the amendments were passed through the committee of the whole, the Convention should adjourn. He had submited the resolution for the purpose of testing the sense of the Convention on that subject. If it was the determination of the Convention not to adjourn at all, until they had gone through with their business, it ought to be known. He asked the yeas and nays on the resolution.

Mr. DICKEY hoped, he said, the gentleman would not press this subject now. Let us go on with our business, and make what progress we can. He hoped we should get through the committee of the whole before we took up this question. After the vote just taken, he hoped the subject would not be urged again.

Mr. BELL said, he voted against the adjournment on a particular day, but he wished the Convention to say, whether they intended to adjourn when they had got through the committee of the whole, or not. The vote just taken did not decide this question.

Mr. MERRILL said, if any one would tell us when we would get through the committee of the whole, he would be willing to vote upon the resolution. We might get through sooner than we expected, or perhaps it would take us longer. He wished to continue the session, until it was ascertained whether it would be practicable to finish the work or not.

Mr. DARLINGTON did not think it necessary to decide this question

now.

Mr. FORWARD hoped, he said, it would be decided. After wading through the summer here, or nearly through, he hoped we should not adjourn to come back again in two months. He hoped the Convention would reject the resolution, so as to settle the question.

Mr. STERIGERE moved to amend the resolution, by striking out all after the word "resolved", and providing that the Convention, when it adjourns, adjourn to meet at 4 o'clock this afternoon.

Mr. DICKEY moved to postpone the resolution and amendment indefinitely agreed to, 52 to 41.

The Convention then adjourned.

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