Virginia Argus

BOSTON. June 11.

On Tuesday June 5. Mr. Bidwell moved, in the senate of this commonwealth "that a committee be appointed to bring in a resolve for districting the commonwealth for the choice of electors of president and vice president of the United States" Thursday June 7th at eleven o'clock was assigned for the taking the motion into consideration.—After the assignment, an order came up from the house appointing a committee of five, to wit. Messrs Ely, Spooner, (of B.) Mitchell, (of N. Y ) Tuft, and Cleveland, on the part of the house to be joined, to consider the most proper mode of appointing electors of president and vice president of the United States, on the part of this commonwealth.

On the question of concurring with the house in the appointment of such committee, the yeas were Messrs. Thompson, Bigelow, Hayward, Brigham, Hale, Starkweather, M'Clellan, Titcomb, Storer, Cushing, Heard, Derby, Hooker, Sears, Russell, Hill, (of Lincoln) Prescott, Brown, Phillips, (of Suffolk) Quincey, and Phillips,(of Essex)

The nays were Messrs. Bacon, Coffin, Maynard, Ellis, Deane, Hill, (of Middlesex) Bidwell, Woodman. Howe. Chandler, Morton, and Bartlett.

The Messrs. Bigelow Brigham, Hooker, and Prescott were joined. Mr. Bidwell was chosen on the committee but declined serving.

On Thursday June 7th. before the hour of assignment, the committee made the following report :— The joint committee appointed to consider the most proper mode of appointing electors of President and Vice President, on the part of this commonwealth, report the following viz. that the whole number of electors on the part of this commonweal'h, be chosen by the people thereof, at large in a general ticket, and that one at least of said electors be an inhabitant of each district of the commonwealth, as established for the purpose of choosing representatives in Congress."

Which is submitted.

Daniel Bigelow.

It was assigned for consideration on Friday June 8, at ten o'clock

The order of the day on Mr Bidwell's motion being then moved, it was postponed till 11 o'clock on Friday, June 8, agreeable to assignment, the report of the committee was taken into consideration. After some general observations, Mr. Bidwell moved, as an amendment to the report, to strike out all the words after "thereof," and insert—by Districts, so as to have it stand thus; that the whole number of electors on the part of the commonwealth be chosen by the people thereof by districts. The motion was supported by the mover, and the hon Messrs Bacon, Hill. Bartlett, How and Chandler; and opposed by hon. Messrs. Bigelow, Titcomb. Prescott, Brigham, Phillips, (of Suffolk) Quincey, Russell, Brown and Hooker. After a lengthy and animated debate, the amendment was negatived.

Nays—Messrs. Thompson, Bigelow, Maynard. Brigham, Hale. Starkweather, M.Lellan. Titcomb, Storer, Cushing. Heard, Derby, Russell, Hill. (of Lincoln) Prescott. Brown, Phillips, (of Suffolk) Quincey, and Phillips, (of Essex)—21.

Yeas—Messrs Bacon. Coffin Maynard, Ellis, Deane, Hill, (of Middlesex) Hildreth, Bidwell Woodman, Howe, Chandler, Morton, and Bartlett—13

Mr Bidwell then moved another amendment, to strike out all the words after "that," and insert—"seventeen of said electors be chosen by the people in the seventeen districts established by law' for the choice of representatives in Congress, and that two of said electors be chosen by the people at large" After a few observations in support of this amendment by the honorable mover, the question was taken on it by yeas and nays, which were the same as on the other amendment.

The amendments being lost. the question was then taken on the report, which was accepted. 21 to 13. On this question, the yeas and nays were the reverse of those on the two last votes.

General Hill was absent, attending the court of common pleas at Concord.