Page:Debates in the Several State Conventions, v1.djvu/293

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1787.]
FUGITIVE SLAVES.—NEW STATES.
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general laws, determine the proof and effect of such acts, records, and proceedings;"
which passed in the affirmative. And the foregoing propositions, together with the 16th article, were referred to the Hon. Mr. Rutledge, Mr. Randolph, Mr. Gorham, Mr. Wilson and Mr. Johnson.

It was moved and seconded to postpone the report of the committee entered on the Journal on the 24th instant, to take up the following proposition:—

"That no act of the legislature for the purpose of regulating the commerce of the United States with foreign powers, or among the several states, shall be passed without the assent of two thirds of the members of each house,"
which passed in the negative.

Yeas: Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, 4. Nays: New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, South Carolina, 7.

On the question to agree to the report of the committee of eleven, entered on the Journal of the 24th inst., passed in the affirmative.

It was moved and seconded to agree to the following proposition, to be inserted after the 15th article:—

"If any person, bound to service or labor in any of the United States, shall escape into another state, he or she shall not be discharged from such service or labor in consequence of any regulations subsisting in the state to which they escape, but shall be delivered up to the person justly claiming their service or labor;"
which passed unanimously in the affirmative.

It was moved and seconded to strike out the two last clauses in the 17th article; which passed in the affirmative.

It was moved and seconded to strike the following words out of the 17th article:—
"but to such admission the consent of two thirds of the members present in each house shall be necessary."

And on the question being taken, it passed in the affirmative.

Yeas: New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, 9. Nays: Maryland, Virginia, 2.

It was moved and seconded to agree to the following proposition as a substitute for the 17th article:—

"New states may be admitted by the legislature into the Union; but no new state shall be erected within the limits of any of the present
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