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1780. be loaded with a debt for which it had not an equivalent. On the 20th of March, they refolved upon recommending it to the ftates, to revise their laws, making the continental bills a tender for the discharge of debts and contracts, and to amend the fame fo as fhall be judged most conducive to justice in the present state of the paper currency.

A few particulars that chiefly refpect the Maffachusetts and New Hampshire ftates remain to be related.

When the Hampshire house of affembly (about fixty representatives being prefent) debated at Exeter in what way to raise their quota of men, a certain mode was propofed. About a dozen voted for it; however, no perfons voting against it when called upon, the act of the former was declared to be a vote, and the measure established. But in cafe of its proving disgustful to their conftituents, almost every member of the houfe could say, that he did not vote for it, which would pass with the inattentive for a fufficient apology.

The towns and diftricts of the Maffachusetts, by the direction of the general court, made choice of delegates for the fole purpose of fettling a conftitution for the commonwealth, who met in convention at Cambridge on the ift of September 1779, and continued by adjournments Mar, to the 2d of laft March: when having agreed upon a Z. form of government, they fubmitted it to the revision

of their conftituents, in order to the completing of the fame at a feflion to be held at Bofton for that purpose, on the first Wednesday of the following June. Copies were ordered to be sent to the felectmen of each town, and the committees of each plantation, to be laid before

their respective inhabitants. If the major part of them, 1780. when legally affembled on the business, disapproved of any particular clause, they were to state their objections distinctly, with the reasons. The fame were to be transmitted to the secretary of the convention, together with the number of voters in the faid town and plantation meetings, on each side of every question; that fo the convention, at the adjournment, might collect the general sense of their conftituents on the several parts of the proposed constitution. If there did not appear to be two thirds of their conftituents in favor of it, the convention were to alter it so as that it might be agreeable to the sentiments of two thirds of the voters through the ftate. It was alfo recommended to the inhabitants to empower their delegates at the next feffion, to agree upon a time when the form of government should take place, without returning the fame again to the people; provided, that two thirds of the male inhabitants of the age of twenty-one years and upward, voting in the feveral meetings, agreed to the fame, or the convention conformed it to the fentiments of two thirds of their constituents. When the convention met on the 7th of June as proposed, they agreed upon the last Wednesday of October, the 25th, for the commencement of the new form of government; as it appeared upon examination, that more than two thirds of the voters approved of it. Directions have been given for the election of governor, lieut. governor, &c. according to the mode prescribed by it against that memorable day. The constitution confifts of two parts-a declaration of rightsand the frame of government. Upon reading it, you

1780. be loaded with a debt for which it had not an equivalent. On the 20th of March, they refolved upon recommending it to the ftates, to revise their laws, making the continental bills a tender for the discharge of debts and contracts, and to amend the fame so as shall be judged most conducive to justice in the present state of the paper currency.

A few particulars that chiefly refpect the Maffachusetts and New Hampshire ftates remain to be related.

When the Hampshire house of affembly (about fixty reprefentatives being prefent) debated at Exeter in what way to raise their quota of men, a certain mode was propofed. About a dozen voted for it; however, no perfons voting against it when called upon, the act of the former was declared to be a vote, and the measure established. But in cafe of its proving difguftful to their constituents, almost every member of the houfe could fay, that he did not vote for it, which would pass with the inattentive for a fufficient apology.

The towns and diftricts of the Maffachusetts, by the direction of the general court, made choice of delegates for the fole purpose of fettling a conftitution for the commonwealth, who met in convention at Cambridge on the ift of September 1779, and continued by adjournments Mar. to the 2d of last March: when having agreed upon a 2. form of government, they fubmitted it to the revision

of their constituents, in order to the completing of the fame at a feffion to be held at Bofton for that purpose, on the first Wednesday of the following June. Copies were ordered to be fent to the felectmen of each town, and the committees of each plantation, to be laid before

their respective inhabitants. If the major part of them, 1780. when legally affembled on the business, disapproved of any particular clause, they were to state their objections diftinctly, with the reasons. The fame were to be tranfmitted to the secretary of the convention, together with the number of voters in the faid town and plantation meetings, on each fide of every question; that fo the convention, at the adjournment, might collect the general sense of their constituents on the feveral parts of the proposed constitution. If there did not appear to be two thirds of their constituents in favor of it, the convention were to alter it so as that it might be agreeable to the fentiments of two thirds of the voters through the ftate. It was alfo recommended to the inhabitants to empower their delegates at the next feffion, to agree upon a time when the form of government should take place, without returning the fame again to the people; provided, that two thirds of the male inhabitants of the age of twenty-one years and upward, voting in the feveral meetings, agreed to the fame, or the convention conformed it to the fentiments of two thirds of their constituents. When the convention met on the 7th of June as proposed, they agreed upon the last Wednesday of October, the 25th, for the commencement of the new form of government; as it appeared upon examination, that more than two thirds of the voters approved of it. Directions have been given for the election of governor, lieut. governor, &c. according to the mode prescribed by it against that memorable day. The constitution consists of two parts-a declaration of rightsand the frame of government. Upon reading it, you

1780.

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will probably pronounce it equal, if not fuperior to any upon the continent.

Notwithstanding all the anxieties and avocations attending the war wherein they were engaged, the MassaMay chusetts general court passed an act to incorporate and establish a fociety for the cultivation and promotion of the arts and sciences, by the name of THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF ARTS AND SCIENCES. The number of the faid academy, who are inhabitants of the ftate, are not to be at any time more than two hundred, nor lefs than forty. A bill to the like purpose was brought into the house in a former feffion; but the names of the gentlemen inserted being unintentionally arranged by the perfons draughting it, fo as feemingly to give pre-eminence to another before Mr. Hancock, the last declared in the house against having any concern in it, and it fell to the ground: but an alphabetical arrangement in the new one removing the umbrage, the fame paffed into an act.

June

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The court agreed upon raifing 3934 men for the continental army for fix months; and on the 22d, 4726 more for three months, and the men were to be paid in gold or filver, or bills equivalent thereto. The felectmen of the several towns were ordered to collect shirts, fhoes, stockings, &c. and fubjected to penalties in case of non-compliance. They were alfo directed to draught and procure men. But notwithstanding thefe promifing exertions, the general court will not have furnished gen. Washington by the beginning of Auguft with men fufficient to make good the ftate deficiency; for by his returns of the 23d, 5117 were wanting to complete the Maffachusetts battalions. That they might furnish the 19. provifions required by congrefs, they determined to bor

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