Richmond Enquirer

GEORGIA REDUCTION CONVENTION.

On Monday last the Delegates met at Milledgeville, in the representative chamber. The proceedings of the Convention began by calling Mr. Jacob Wood, delegate from the county of McIntosh, to the Chair, and requesting Mr. Joseph Sturges, delegate from the county of Upson, to act as Secretary. The roll of the delegates was read by the Secretary, and all the delegates elected by the counties, except a very few absent, answered to their names. A debate then ensued on several propositions, namely, to proceed immediately to the organization of the Convention by the election of a President and Secretary, without previously taking the oath prescribed by the act passed at the last session of the Legislature, calling the Convention; or to the oath prescribed previous to the choice of a President and Secretary. After an animated discussion, it was resolved to take the oath previous to any other proceeding. Accordingly the delegates proceeded to take the oath, which was administered by John A. Cuthbert, Esq. Justice of the Inferior Court of Baldwin County. After which the delegates proceeded to the election of a President, previous to which a motion had been made, but rejected by the Convention, to elect the President viva voce. On counting the ballots it appeared that the Convention had made choice of Mr. James M. Wayne, delegate from Chatham county, for President. The votes stood 154 for Mr. Wayne, 58 for Mr. William H. Crawford, a delegate from the county of Oglethorpe, and a few votes given to other persons. The Convention adjourned to Tuesday, to meet at 9 o'clock. We give only a sketch of the proceedings we shall hereafter give a more detailed account of them.

On Tuesday, the Convention met according to adjournment. The delegates made choice, by election, of Messrs. Wilkins Hunt, and Hamilton Gaither, as Secretaries, and by nomination of Mr. Darnell, as Messenger, and of Mr. Clay, as door-keeper. On motion of Mr. Wood, of McIntosh, a resolution was adopted for the appointment of a committee by the Chair, of three members from each judicial circuit, to take into consideration the subject of Reduction in the General Assembly, and report to the Convention. Mr. Hull, of Clarke, from the committee appointed, reported rules for the government of the Convention, which after some debate, were adopted. A debate then arose upon a question which originated the day before, as to the taking of the oath prescribed in the act calling the Convention. It seems - that the two delegates from Murray county, had not the residence in the State required as a qualification for members of the Convention. Several resolutions had been proposed, but rejected, to dispense with the oath, or that part of it which specified a residence of seven years, which was intended to enable the delegate who possessed not this qualification to take seats in the Convention. Mr. Foster, of Greene, in accordance with the opinion he had maintained the day before, which opposed the taking of the oath, offered a resolution for the admission of the delegates from the county of Murray, who have not the residence required by the act of the Legislature, on their taking the oath, with the exception of that part specifying a residence of seven years in the State. On the adoption of the resolution, the ayes and noes were called, and the yeas were 99, and the nays 134; so the resolution was rejected.

The following delegates compose the Committee appointed by the President, in accordance with the resolution offered by Mr. Wood of McIntosh.

Eastern Circuit. - Messrs. Wood, Daniel of Chatham, and Stewart.

Northern. - Messrs. Crawford of Oglethorpe, Ryan and Andrews.

Middle. - Messrs. King, Temple, and Jones of Screven.

Southern. - Messrs. Blackshear, Fort of Twiggs, and Bracewell.

Ocmulgee. - Messrs. Fort of Baldwin, Branham, and Moughon.

Western. - Messrs. Wofford, Harris of Walton, and Holt.

Flint. - Messrs Clark of Henry, Sturges and Luckie.

Chattahoochee. - Messrs. Iverson, Powell of Talbot, and Mays.

Cherokee. - Messrs. James Hemphill, Irwin, and Chastain of Union.

On Wednesday, 8th May, the Convention met according to adjournment, at 11 o'clock, and proceeded to business, after a prayer by the Rev. Mr. Harrison.

Mr. Dawson moved to reconsider the vote of the day before, as regards the rejection of the resolution for admitting the delegates from Murray county, to seats in the Convention: the motion was negatived.

The Chairman of the Committee of 27, Mr. Wood made the following report, which was read and ordered to be printed. The Convention adjourned to 9 o'clock next day.

BASIS OF REDUCTION

Of the Members of the Senate and House of Representatives of Georgia, as reported by the Committee of 27.

1. The Senate shall consist of thirty-six members.

2. The House of Representatives shall consist of one hundred and forty-four Members, and no more, except as is hereinafter provided.

3. The day after it is announced to the General Assembly that the people have ratified this amendment of the Constitution, they shall assemble in the Representative Chamber and proceed as one body to provide for the laying out of the State into thirty-six senatorial districts, which shall be composed of contiguous counties, and in as compact a form as practicable, and each district shall be entitled to one Senator.

4. Each county shall be entitled to one Representative.

5. Of the fifty-five remaining Members - forty shall be given to the forty counties having the highest federal population - twelve to the twelve counties having the greatest federal population - and the remaining three to the three counties having the highest federal population.

6. And at the first session of the General Assembly, after the taking of each census according to the Constitution now in force, they shall by law re-organize the said districts, and said apportionment of Representatives, according to the plan herein specified.

7. In event of the formation of a new county or counties they shall be entitled to one member until the taking of the next census thereafter. - Aug. Constitutionalist.