the whole would have to be re-enacted and pub-
lished at length. He could not see any proprie-
ty in this. It was an inconsistency which he
thought ought to be avoided.
The question was then stated be on theto
amendment of Mr. SCHLEY.
The hour was now growing late, when
A motion was made that the House adjourn,
but was withdrawn, and renewed.
The motion by yeas 30, nays 39, was rejected.
A call of the House was ordered, and
The call of the roll had been commenced,
when
A motion was made that further proceedings
oil the call be dispensed with.
A motion was again made, that the House ad-
journ; and
By yeas 34. nays 34, was rejected.
So the House refused to adjourn.
After some conversation,
The Convention adjourned until to-morrow at
ten o'clock.
FRIDAY, Feb. 31st, 1851.
The Convention met at ten o'clock.
Prayer by the Rev. Mr. GRIFFITH.
A quorum being present, the Journal of yes-
terday was read and approved.
RULES OF THE CONTENTION
Mr. RICAUD, Chairman of the select commit-
tee appointed to revise the rules submitted the
following
REPORT:
Strike out the seventeenth rule and insert :
The previous question shall be always in or-
der in Convention, that shall be in this form:
"Shall the main question be now put?'' It shall
only be admitted when demanded by a majority
of the members present, and its effect shall be to
put an end to all debate and to bring the Conven-
tion to a direct vote upon pending amendments
and the section of the Constitution then under
consideration. On a motion for the previous
question, and prior to the seconding of the same,
a call of the Convention shall be in order; but
after a majority shall have seconded such motion,
no call shall be in order prior to a division of the
main question.
RULE EIGHTEENTH,
On a previous question there shall be no de-
bate. All incidental questions of order arising
after a motion is made for the previous question
and pending such motion shall be decided, whe-
ther on appeal or otherwise, without debate.
The rules from eighteenth to twenty-eighth, to
be altered numerically so as to correspond with
this report.

Rule twenty-ninth to be repealed, and the
following rule to be substituted :
A motion to postpone to a day certain, to commit,
to determine the priority of business or to
lay on the table, shall be decided without de-
bate.
RULE THIRTIETH.
Every amendment or motion may be divided
into as many parts as it is susceptible of, and se-
parate votes taken on each if required.
Which was read.
On motion of
Mr. MORGAN, it was
Ordered, That it be entered upon the Journal
that Mr. Hopewell is detained from his seat in
this Convention, in consequence of the indisposi-
tion of a member of his family.
Mr. KILGOUR offered the following order;
Ordered, That when this Convention shall ad-
journ, it stand adjourned over to Monday, the
34th inst., at twelve o'clock, in honor of the an-
niversary of the birth day of the illustrious
George Washington.
The order having been read,
Mr. KILGOUR said:
Mr. President— To-morrow is the twenty-second
of February, the birth-day of the illustrious
Washington.
It has always been customary, I believe, for
bodies of this kind, to suspend business for that
day, to pay that respect which is due to his me-
mory. But more particularly has it been deter-
mined, by all the Conventions, and Legislative
bodies, now in session throughout the country to
pursue this course, on the approaching anniver-
sary of the father of his country, and to make it
a day of thanksgiving to kind Heaven for the
peace and harmony which now pervade our be-
loved Union—under the operation of the com-
promise measures, adopted by Congress, after
the tremendous and powerful crisis through
which it has passed. I hope the resolution will
be unanimously adopted.
Mr. SMITH briefly opposed the adoption of the
order, on the ground of the difficulty of procuring
a quorum after the adjournment, and of the ne-
cessity, in view of the approach of Spring, of
proceeding as rapidly as possible with the pub-
lic business,
Mr. FIERY moved that the resolution be laid
on table.
Mr. SMITH asked the yeas and nays which
were ordered and, being taken, resulted as fol-
lows:
Affirmative—Messrs. James U. Dennis, Hodson
Phelps, Stephenson, McHenry, Nelson, Thaw-
ley, Gwinn, Schley, Fiery, Harbine, Weber,
Smith, Parke, Shower, Cockey and Brown--17.
Negative—Messrs. Chapman. President, Mor-
gan, Blakistone, Dent, Ricaud, Chambers of
Kent, Dorsey, Wells, Randall, Sellman, Weems,
Merrick, Bell, Welch, Dickinson, Sherwood of
Talbot, John Dennis, Williams. Goldsborough,
McCullough, Miller, Tuck, Sprigg, McCubbin
George, Wright, Jacobs, Thomas, Shriver, Bi-