Mr. Guthrie offered the following resolution, which was adopted unanimously:
Resolved, That if the President shall choose to speak on any question, he may, for the occasion, call any member to preside.
Mr. MEREDITH:—I wish to offer a proposition, and hope for the present it may lie on the table, and be considered hereafter. I do not desire to move it as an amendment to the report of the committee, but think it better to present it as a direct and independent proposition. I present it now only for the purpose of having it before the Convention. It is as follows:
Article.—That Congress shall divide all the territory of the United States into convenient portions, each containing not less than sixty thousand square miles, and shall establish in each a territorial government; the several territorial legislatures, whether heretofore constituted, or hereafter to be constituted, shall have all the legislative powers now vested in the respective States of this Union; and whenever any territory having a population sufficient, according to the ratio existing at the time, to entitle it to one member of Congress, shall form a republican constitution, and apply to Congress for admission as a State, Congress shall admit the same as a State accordingly.
The proposition of Mr. Meredith was laid on the table without objection.
Mr. WICKLIFFE:—There appears to be a misunderstanding between the Secretary and myself upon the question of printing the Journal. To avoid question, I move that the Journal be printed up to and including to-day.
Mr. GOODRICH:—I move to amend by adding "and from day to day during the session."
The amendment and the motion were adopted without objection.
Mr. Alexander, of New Jersey, took the chair.
The PRESIDENT:—The Convention will now proceed to the order of the day—the consideration of the report of the committee.