thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside, whereby all such persons are alike made a part of the body politic, and in contemplation of law have an equal interest in the administration of public affairs; therefore,

Resolved, That justice and sound policy dictates that all persons of mature age who are citizens should be possessed of equal powers in the administration of the government, and should enjoy both political and civil rights; that the committee on Right of Suffrage are instructed to prepare and report a provision, as an amendment to the Constitution, declaring that all persons who are citizens of the United States by the Constitution and laws thereof, who are above the age of twenty-one years, and inhabitants of this State, shall be entitled to vote at all elections.

Mr. Wright offered the following resolution; which was referred to the committee on Printing and Binding:

Resolved, That the committee on Printing and Binding be instructed to include the elective officers of this Convention in the list of persons who are to receive newspapers for distribution.

Mr. Browning offered the following resolution; which was referred to the committee on Judiciary:

The committee on the Judiciary will consider the propriety of inserting the following provision :

The courts of justice shall be authorized to grant divorces; but no divorce dissolving the matrimonial contract shall be granted except for causes which make the contract void ab initio, or for adultery; but in no case shall it be lawful for the party, on account of whose adultery such divorce may be obtained, to marry again during the lifetime of the husband or wife from whom he or she may have been divorced.

Mr. Springer offered the following resolution; which was referred to the committee on Legislative Department:

Resolved, That the committee on the Legislative Department be instructed to consider the propriety of so amending the Constitution, as that the compensation of the members of the General Assembly shall be five dollars per day, during the session first held under the new Constitution, and ten cents for each mile necessarily traveled, going to and returning from the seat of government-to be computed by the Auditor of Public Accounts and thereafter such compensation as may be fixed by law; and no other allowance or emoluments whatever.

2d. Excepting the pay of members of the first General Assembly to convene under the new Constitution, the General Assembly shall provide for the compensation of all officers required by the new Constitution to be elected or appointed. 3d. And that the compensation of any officer shall not be changed during the term for which he was elected or appointed.

On motion of Mr. Wells,

At 12 o'clock and 55 minutes, the Convention adjourned.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 8, 1870.

The Convention met, pursuant to adjournment.

Prayer by Rev. Mr. Phillips.

Journal read and approved.

Mr. Haines of Lake offered the following resolutions; which were adopted :

WHEREAS the victory of New Orleans, achieved on the 8th day of January, 1815, by the American forces under the command of General Andrew Jackson, over the veteran troops of Great Britain, marks an epoch in our national history which

1

should be commemorated through all time; and whereas the undying devotion of General Jackson to his country, and his promptness to defend its honor and its flag against all assaults, whether offered by a domestic or a foreign foe, have enshrined his name in the hearts of his countrymen; and whereas during his administration of the government, General Jackson, whenever the integrity of the Union was imperiled, declared with an emphasis that gave significance to the sentiment, that the Union should be preserved at all hazards; therefore,

Resolved, That we recur with pride to the battle of New Orleans, and feel assured that the lustre shed upon American arms on that eventful day, will not be tarnished in any future conflict with that aggressive and imperious nation.

Resolved, That the preservation of the Federal Union, is one of the highest and holiest duties of every American citizen.

Resolved, That in commemoration of the battle of New Orleans, and as a token of our high appreciation of the services rendered on that memorable occasion, the Secretary be instructed to spread these resolutions on the journal of this Convention.

Mr. Church asked leave of absence for Mr. Tincher for an indefinite time; which was granted.

Mr. Sedgwick asked leave of absence for Mr. Hildrup until next Tuesday night; which was granted.

Mr. Allen of Crawford asked leave of absence for Mr. Coolbaugh until next Monday; which was granted.

*

The President laid before the Convention the following communication from the Auditor of State; which was ordered to be spread upon the journal, and 500 copies printed for the use of the members.

HON. CHARLES HITCHCOCк,

STATE OF ILLINOIS, AUDITOR'S OFFICE,
SPRINGFIELD, January 7, 1870.

President of the Constitutional Convention of the State of Illinois :

}

SIR:-The following resolution of the Constitutional Convention, addressed to the Secretary of State, has been by him referred to this office, as the information therein called for appertains to the Auditor's office, instead of the office of the Secretary of State:

Resolved, That the Secretary of State be requested to communicate, at the earliest practicable period, to this Convention, the entire cost to the State, of printing and binding per annum, for ten years past; and, also, the cost of all statutes purchased by the State for distribution, for the period of ten years.

In compliance with said resolution, I have the honor to herewith present a statement, in tabular form, showing the amount paid for printing and binding, each year, from 1859 to 1869, inclusive. Said statement also shows on what account said printing and binding was paid, together with the total amount paid on each

account.

In the year 1869, the State purchased, for distribution, 300 copies of Gross' Statutes, at a cost of $2,400. These are the only statutes that have been purchased by the State, for distribution, during the past ten years.

Very respectfully,

C. E. LIPPINCOTT,

Auditor P. А.

For Laws, Journals and Reports: 21st General Assembly....

The President laid before the Convention a communication from a committee of the Illinois State Agricultural Society; which was referred to the committee on Manufactures and Agriculture.

The President laid before the Convention a communication from Mrs. C. V. Waite, of Hyde Park; which was referred to the committee on the Right of Suffrage.

Mr. Craig presented a communication from a number of citizens of Abingdon, Knox county; which was referred to the committee on the Right of Suffrage.

Mr. Sherrell, by leave, offered the following resolution; which was referred to the committee on Judiciary:

Resolved, That there shall be an amendment inserted in the new Constitution making it a criminal offense for any person to obtain the property of another, whether it is real estate or personal property, by misrepresentation or any fraudulent transaction; whether such statements are made orally, or are written-shall make such person or persons liable to an action of indictment, and if convicted, subject to a fine and imprisonment, or both, in the discretion of the court before whom such cases may be tried.

Mr. Turner, from the committee on Printing and Binding, submitted the following report, and moved the adoption of the resolutions:

The committee on Printing and Binding, to whom was referred a resolution requiring them to report the number of newspapers which should be furnished the members and officers of this Convention, have instructed me to report the following resolutions:

Resolved, That the blank in the report of the committee on Printing and Binding be filled by inserting "thirty," as the number of copies of the debates in newspaper form, which shall be furnished to each member of this Convention.

Resolved, That each member of this Convention, in addition to the debates in newspaper form, be furnished a number of newspapers, to be selected by the members, respectively, equal to twenty daily newspapers per day, during the session of the Convention.

Resolved, That each officer of this Convention, including the policemen, be furnished five copies per day of the debates, in newspaper form, and five copies per day of such daily newspapers as they may respectively select, during the session of the Convention.

Resolved, That no newspapers or debates, provided for in these resolutions, shall be paid for until satisfactory evidence shall be furnished that the papers have actually been furnished (and not commuted for) to the members of this Convention.

THOS. J. TURNER, Chairman.

Mr. Dement called for a division of the question, on the motion to adopt the resolutions.

Mr. Bromwell offered the following substitute for the said resolutions:

Resolved, That each member of this Convention be allowed to order one copy of the debates, in newspaper form, for each paper published in his district. Mr. Cummings moved to lay the substitute upon the table.

Upon which motion, the yeas and nays were demanded by five members, and