people to have their children taught in the German language, whenever they thought it necessary or convenient.

The adoption of such a provision would have convinced the Germans, that no hostility or unkindness, was felt toward their language, or race, and it would, in a good degree, have reconciled them to the adoption of the school law, the blessings of which would, in that case, have, we know, been different throughout the commonwealth.

He was satisfied that the rejection of this amendment tended very strongly to render the law unpopular with the Germans. The greater part of the Germans, in his district, understood and spoke the English language. But, still, they were anxiously desirous that their children should also receive a German education. They retained a strong and very natural attachment to the mother tongue, and did not like to see it neglected or disused. They wished their children both to write and speak it, and he thought it no more than right, that every proper facility, for this purpose, should be allowed to them. Though some gentlenen affected to consider this a mere popularity trap, yet it was a thing just and proper in itself; and, if the Germans wished it, it was certainly due to them that it should be put in the constitution. He did not doubt that the legislature would have ample power over this subject, and be able to provide for German as well as English education, in the school districts, without any express constitutional mandate for instruction in German; but, still, a constitutional provision to this effect would have a very good effect in two ways:-it would, in the first place, have a strong tendency to render the amendments to the constitution popular, and especially among the Germans; and, in the next place, it would also exert an infe ence upon the legislature itself.

Without some such provision, the legislature might neglect the measure; but with it, they would, of course, be under the necessity of making the required provision for the education of children in German, wherever it was desired. He should, therefore, vote against the amend ment of the gentleman from Susquehanna, (Mr. Read) and he would pro pose to amend the amendment of the gentleman from Philadelphia county, (Mr. Ingersoll) in the manner he had before indicated, and if it was acce ded to, he would then, with pleasure, vote for the whole proposition. He would urge its passage, in the form which he had suggested, having no doubt that it would be found acceptable to the people and practically beneficial. But he was satisfied that, in its present form, it would not be acceptable. He believed also, that, if the report of the committee, providing for a system of education, at the public expense, and without any provision extending the benefits of the system to the Germans, who were desirous of keeping up their own language, should be adopted by the cen vention, it would greatly endanger the adoption of any other of the amend ments which the convention might agree upon and submit.

It would not be supposed that the legislature would repeal a law which was so popular as the present school law was said to be; and the arg ment that the legislature, for many years, neglected the exercise of the power enforced upon them by the constitution, was now done away with by the fact, that at last they had used the power, and established a schoo system in conformity with the constitution. The only thing necessary o be done, in this constitution, was to require a general system of educa

tion, which should embrace a provision, that there should be instruction in the English language, and such other language as the people might desire. A school law was now in existence, and it was not likely that it would be repealed. All that we had to do was, to put into the new constitution some clause, recognizing the right and duty of the legislature to attend to the subject.

Mr. CURLL, of Armstrong county, said, that he had listened with much pleasure to the different speeches which had been made on this important and interesting subject, and he was pleased to find that no one member of the convention, had raised his voice against the importance of carrying out, to as full an extent as possible, the system of education which had been so happily established in this commonwealth. He had, also examined with much attention the different projects, which had been offered to the convention as amendments to the constitution of 1790; and, notwithstanding the very able arguments which had been submitted by the various gentlemen who presented these propositions, yet there was not one of them which entirely met his approbation.

The amendment to the amendment which was yesterday offered by the gentleman from Susquehanna county, (Mr. Read) comes nearer, to my views than any other-but the modification which he has made does not exactly please me. I have no disposition to attempt to make a speech-I desire merely to say a very few words in explanation of the reasons which govern me in the vote I am about to give.

I am in favor of striking out from the constitution of 1790, all after the word "state," so that the section will read as follows:

"The legislature shall, as soon as conveniently may be, provide, by law for the establishnient of schools throughout the state," and I am in favor of retaining the balance of the section. I think that this is the best plan which we can adopt. I think that the operation of the word "poor" in the constitution of 1790, and the necessity of its insertion in the new constitution, has been superseded by the establishment of schools for all classes of our people, without any distinction as to rich or poor. I am opposed to entering into any details in the constitution. I am willing to leave the matter entirely in the hands of the legislature. I am willing that the legislature shall continue to have the privilege of extending this system, so far as their wisdom and the experience of the future may point out-without troubling them with any details in this-the supreme law of the land. I am of opinion that any other amendment than such a one as I speak of, will have a tendency to prejudice those other salutary amendmants which I confidently trust we shall be able to submit to the people. I shall not detain the convention with any farther observations. I have expressed very briefly the views which I entertain, and the views which will govern my course in the disposition of this section.

Mr. DICKEY said, that if the convention should determine to strike out from the constitution of 1790, the words "in such manner that the poor may be taught gratis," as had been indicated by the gentleman from the county of Armstrong, (Mr. Curll) it would be in effect, to let go that constitutional requisition which, as the constitution now stood, was imperative on the legislature, and which, at all periods of its history, had been complied with that was to say, complied with measurably.

It had been alleged, from time to time, that the insertion of the word "poor" in this part of the constitution, was the principle reason why the parents of poor children had not generally availed themselves of the advantage held out to them, by the establishment of schools, in pursuance of various acts passed by the legislature, and intended for the benefit of poor children. And here he would beg leave to correct the gentleman from the county of Philadelphia, (Mr. Ingersoll) in what had fallen from him in respect to the common school system. He could not agree with the delegate that there was not an injunction on the legislature to establish common schools. The language of the constitution was,-"the legisla ture shall, as soon as conveniently may be, provide by law, for the establishment of schools throughout the state, in such manner that the poor may be taught gratis." By the act of 1809, the poor are to be taught gratis; and great sums were contributed for that purpose during that year. If the convention should let go this constitutional provision, the legislature might not think it imperative on them to carry into effect. the 19th section of the common school law. The consequences of get ting rid of the section now under consideration, would, in effect. be to repeal the act so far as respects the non-accepting districts. He did not feel at all disposed to consider what the act would be, apart from the constitution, or indeed, in any way to interfere with the school system of 1809. He greatly feared that if we attempted to make any alteration in the section now under consideration, we should be in great danger of disturbing, if not overthrowing the school system altogether. It was to be recollected that in 1840, the question would come up again, as it had in 1837, as to whether the school system should be accepted, or continued. If, however, the convention should now abolish the constitutional injunc tion on the legislature, that body would have to decide the fate of the school system.

Mr. CLARKE, of Indiana, had been informed by a delegate, that he had yesterday fallen into an error in mentioning the German place of worship in Westmoreland. It appeared there were others besides those he had enumerated. There was another piece of history that he would relate, not that he wished to tear a leaf of the chaplet from the brow of the gentleman from Adams, (Mr. Stevens) who honorably threw himself into the gap, when the bill of 1835 was in the house, and saved it. Governor Wolf had declared that he would veto the bill, for he had risked his popularity on it, and was determined to sink or swim by pursu ing that course, however unpopular it might be. Under these circumstances, the friends of the administration joined cordially with the advocates of education, to prevent the governor from being brought in collision with the representatives of the people. The gentleman from Adams, and other friends of the school system, lent their aid, and thus preserved the school system. He said this in defence of the late governor.

Mr. SMYTH, of Centre, would be sorry to do any thing that would bear injuriously on the interests of the poor. He thought the opposition of the gentleman from Beaver, (Mr. Dickey) against any alteration of the section, rested on ill-grounded fears. He entertained no doubt but that the legislature would do what was right on the subject of education, and see that the interests of the poor were attended to. He certainly had a right to trust to the good intentions of the legislature.

Mr. DICKEY would be as willing to trust the legislature as the gentleman imself, for he had no doubt that they would provide for the education of he poor. But, if we took away the constitutional injunction, we left he matter entirely at its discretion, which might sometime or other be lost sight of. We ought not, therefore, to let go the present section.

The question was taken on Mr. READ's amendment, and it was decided in the negative; yeas, 24, nays, 83.

YEAS-Messrs. Banks, Barclay, Brown, of Philadelphia, Clarke, of Indiana, Cleavinger, Craig, Crain, Crum, Cummin, Donagan, Foulkrod, Fuller, Gilmore, Hyde, Lyons, Magee, M'Call, Miller, Nevin, Overfield, Purviance, Smith, Taggart, Woodward-24. NAYS-Messrs. Agnew, Ayres, Baldwin, Barndollar, Barnitz, Biddle, Bigelow, Bonham, Brown, of Northampton. Carey, Chandler, of Philadelphia, Clapp, Clarke, of Beaver, Cline, Coates, Cope, Cox, Crawford, Cunningham, Curll, Darragh, Denny, Dickey, Dillinger, Donnell, Doran, Dunlop, Earle, Farrelly. Feming, Forward, Fry, Gamble, Gearhart, Grenell, Harris, Hastings, Hayhurst, Hays, Helffenstein, Henderson, of Allegheny, Hiester, High, Hopkinson, Houpt, Ingersoll, Jenks, Keim, Kennedy, Kerr, Konigmacher, Krebs, Long, Maclay, Mann, Martin, M'Cahen. M'Sherry, Merrill, Merkel, Montgomery, Pennypacker, Pollock, Porter, of Lancaster, Reigart, Riter, Ritter, Rogers, Royer, Russell, Saegar, Scheetz, Sellers, Seltzer, Serrill, Shellito, Sill, Smyth, Snively, Thomas, Todd, White, Young, Chambers, President pro tem.--83.

Mr. WOODWARD said as his colleague, (Mr. Sturdevant) was indisposed and absent, he rose for the purpose of offering his amendment, which was to be found on the printed files of the house. He then moved to strike out the amendment of Mr. INGERSOLL, and insert the following in its place: "It shall be the duty of the legislature to provide for the establishment of such schools throughout the commonwealth as may be deemed necessary, in which all persons may be taught at the public expense."

Mr. W. then said that in order that his colleague might have the opportunity of submitting his views to the committee on Monday, he now moved that the committee rise.

The motion was agreed to; and,

The Convention adjourned.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 1837.

Mr CLINE presented a petition from the citizens of Bedford county, on the subject of allowing negroes the right of voting, and against that privilege.

Mr. COATES presented a petition from the citizens of Lancaster county, praying for an extension of the right of trial by jury.

Mr. MEREDITH presented a petition from citizens of Philadelphia, praying that all lotteries may be abolished by a provision in the constitu

tion.

All of which petitions were ordered to be laid on the table.

Mr. KEIM, of Berks, moved that the Convention proceed to the consideration of the resolution postponed till to-day, calling for information from the auditor general.

The motion being agreed to, the resolution was so modified by the mover, as to read as follows:

Resolved, That the auditor general be respectfully requested to furnish this Convention with the last statements of the affairs of the several banks of this commonwealth, as deposited in his office; and also to furnish a statement of the number of banks which have not made returns as required by law, or by the auditor general pursuant to law, and what steps have been taken to require the delinquent banks to make returns; and what dividends or revenue, if any, have been received by the commonwealth, from incorpora tions not possessing banking privileges.

The resolution, as thus modified, was then agreed to.

SEVENTH ARTICLE.

The Convention again resolved itself into a committee of the whole, Mr. REIGART in the chair, on the report of the committee to whom was referred the seventh article of the constitution.

The question being on the motion of Mr. STURDEVANT, to amend the amendment by striking therefrom all after the words "Sect. 1," and inserting in lieu thereof as follows, viz: "It shall be the duty of the leg islature, to provide for the establishment of such schools throughout the commonwealth as may be deemed necessary, in which all persons may be taught at the public expense."

Mr. BARNITZ, of York, wished to say a single word in explanation of what had fallen from his colleague, (Mr. Bonham) who had stated, that ia his district, the schools had been anglicised, and English schools now are established there. There was no doubt that such is the fact. The gen tleman was almost a stranger in York county; having recently setled there, he was not conversant with the manners of all the districts. That gentleman's district, said Mr. B. joining mine, coming into the suburbs, the constant intercourse which has existed, has assimulated the habits and manners of its citizens and those of the town. This was no doubt correct. The English language prevails there, and the intercourse of society is carried on without any inconvenience. But the places to which