CONVENTION DEBATES, 5 MARCH 1790

GEORGE CHAMPLIN Begs liberty to have an Opportunity here in his
Seat to express his Sentiments on the Bill-How will Mr Comstock
appear when he goes home and the People ask him how he likes the
Bill of Rights and he shall say that it was not Considered
J. HAZARD says that there is a Difference in sending out the Bill with
a Vote of Approbation and without a [consideration]
CHAMPLIN agrees with Genl. Stanton that the Vote on the Bill be
postponed till after the Consideration of the Amendments
1st. Amendment read & agreed to.
Second Article Read.-
Mr. BENJAMIN BOURNE moves that the First Article of the Amend-
ment proposed by the Congress be read6-
Gov. BOWEN calls on the Committee for Information on their Sen-
timents.
MARCHANT says If we reckon %ths of all the Blacks in the southern
states in proportioning the Taxes and will not allow a Representation
according[ly] it will have an unfavorable appearance-wishes the Gen-
tleman to explain
J. HAZARD. We are not so fond of the Mode of Representation as
pointed out by the Constitution. We think that the Taxes ought [to]
be proportioned to the States according to the estimated Votes as will
appear by a [-- -]
3d. Article read and agreed to.
4th. Article read
BOURNE calls for reading again the 3d Article which is done
5th. Article read7-
Gen. MILLER calls for a second Reading of it-
J. HAZARD says the Reason why this Amendment is proposed is be-
cause there is a vast Extent of Territory-more than all the Eastern
States which when they come to be settled will create a Number of
states-
Gen. MILLER Would not ask for a Thing which would probably ob-
tain-It will take half the New England States
MARCHANT has no Objection but this. When we propose Amend-
ments merely local it excites Jealousy-the Amendment respecting the
Blacks of this Kind-The southern states think it of great Consequence
to them that No Innovations be made on this Policy Respecting their
states-having been driving hard to obtain a Representation of them-
Wishes not to hold up any thing which gives ground of uneasiness-
and recommends that this do not pass as an Amendment.
J. HAZARD. It rests on this whether we value the Representation of
the Blacks in the southern states of more Consequence than the Liberty
of our selves

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