On the question whether the addition should be made, it was determined in the affirmative. 15 A letter from the Hon. Elbridge Gerry, Esq., informing that he would attend the Convention agreeably to their request of yesterday. Read. The Convention proceeded in the consideration of the Con stitution or Frame of Government reported by the Convention held at Philadelphia, and having debated thereon, postponed the further consideration of the same to the afternoon. Adjourned to 3 o'clock, P. M. AFTERNOON. Met according to adjournment. Ordered, That the Messenger exclude from the floor of the House all persons not belonging to the Convention, except such as are admitted by special order. The Convention proceeded in the consideration of the Constitution or Frame of Government reported by the Convention held at Philadelphia, and having debated thereon, postponed the further consideration thereof to the morning. Ordered, That a Committee be appointed to provide a more convenient place for the Convention to sit in. Mr. Dalton, Mr. Field, Mr. Nasson, Mr. Spooner, Dr. Jarvis, Mr. Dawes and Dr. Taylor, were appointed on the said committee. Adjourned to Wednesday morning, 10 o'clock. 15 [Mr. Gerry accepted the request of the Convention, in the following note. "CAMBRIDGE, 15th January, 1788. SIR-I was honored, last evening, with a vote of the honorable Convention, by the hands of their Committee, requesting me to take a seat in the house, to answer any question of facts, from time to time, that the Convention may want to ask respecting the passing of the Constitution,' and I shall, in compliance with their request, wait on that honorable body, this afternoon, if possible, and continue with them during their session. I have the honor to be, Sir, With the highest respect for the Convention and yourself, E. GERRY. His Excellency, the President of the Convention of Massachusetts."] WEDNESDAY, January 16, 1788. Met according to adjournment. The Convention proceeded in the consideration of the Constitution or Frame of Government reported by the Convention held at Philadelphia, and having debated thereon, postponed the further consideration thereof to the afternoon. Adjourned to 3 o'clock, P. M. AFTERNOON. Met according to adjournment. The Convention proceeded in the consideration of the Constitution or Frame of Government reported by the Convention held at Philadelphia, and having debated thereon, postponed the further consideration of the same to the morning. Adjourned to Thursday morning, 10 o'clock. THURSDAY, January 17, 1788.6 Met according to adjournment. Ordered, That Mr. Carnes, Mr. Shurtliff, Mr. Neal, Mr. Hosmer and Mr. Webber, be a Committee to prepare a pay roll 10 [We find the following letter to the Convention sent in, this morning, from Gen. Heath. "ROXBURY, January 17th, 1788. HONORED SIR:-Having been absent from my duty since yesterday morning, I conceive it to be incumbent on me, to acquaint the honorable Convention, that great indisposition of body has been the only cause of my absence, and that my indisposition is increased by my anxiety to be present on the allimportant business now before the Convention. I shall attend the moment my health will permit; but should Providence forbid what I so ardently wish, may the great Counsellor direct the honorable Convention in all their deliberations, and to such a decision on the ultimate question, as shall tend to secure the invaluable rights and privileges of these States, redound to their honor abroad, their safety, prosperity and happiness at home, to the latest generations. I have the honor to be, with great respect, Your Honor's, and the honorable Convention's, Hon. WILLIAM CUSHING, Esquire, Vice-President, &c."] W. HEATH. for the travel and attendance of the members of the Convention, and report. A letter from his Excellency Samuel Huntington, Esq., Governor of Connecticut, enclosing a copy of the doings of the Convention of that State, dated January 9, 1788. Read. The Convention proceeded in the consideration of the Con stitution or Frame of Government reported by the Convention held at Philadelphia, and having debated thereon, postponed the further consideration of the same to the afternoon. The Committee appointed to provide a more suitable place for the Convention to sit in, made report," that the meetinghouse in Long Lane, in Boston, was prepared for that purpose, whereupon, Voted, That when the Convention adjourn they will adjourn to that place. Voted, That the said committee return the thanks of the Convention to the said proprietors, for their offer of the use of the said meeting-house. 17 Adjourned to 3 o'clock, P. M. [The Committee made the following report. The Committee appointed to provide a more convenient place for the sitting of the Convention,' have attended to that service, and ask leave to report: That they have examined the meeting-house in Long Lane, wherein the Rev. Mr. Belknap officiates, and are unanimously of opinion that the members of the Convention can all be commodiously disposed so as to hear and be heard, by having the pews on the ground floor assigned for that purpose. That the galleries will well accommodate the spectators. That gentlemen have offered to put up, at their own expense, a stove, temporary stairs, a temporary porch, and to make other dispositions for the accommodating of the Convention. And that the Committee of the proprietors of said meeting-house have offered the use of the same during the sitting of the Convention. That the Committee of the Convention have given directions for the necessary preparations to be made for their reception. Per order: TRISTRAM DALTON. January 16, 1788." "The meeting-house in Long Lane," to which the Convention adjourned on the recommendation of the Committee, is the building still standing, where, since Dr. Jeremy Belknap's time, the pulpit has been filled by Dr. John S. AFTERNOON. Met according to adjournment. Voted, That the pulpit be assigned for the gentlemen of the clergy who may be in town, and that the Monitors provide seats for such as cannot be accommodated there. Voted, That the stairs under the galleries be assigned for the printers. The Convention proceeded in the consideration of the Con stitution or Frame of Government reported by the Convention. held at Philadelphia, and after debate thereon, postponed the further consideration of the same to the morning. Adjourned to Friday morning, 10 o'clock. Met according to adjournment. FRIDAY, January 18, 1788. The Convention proceeded, in the consideration of the Constitution or Frame of Government reported by the Convention Popkin, the celebrated Dr. William E. Channing, and his colleague, Dr. Ezra S. Gannett, who is the present minister. "Long Lane" took its present name of Federal Street, from the circumstance of the meeting of the Convention here. In the Massachusetts Centinel, of February 13, 1788, the place, time and authority of this change are given. It appears to have taken place during the progress of the "grand procession" which was called forth in honor of the ratification of the Federal Constitution by the Convention : "The following is the form of the ordinance by which the People, on Friday last, altered the name of the avenue called Long Lane, to Federal Street; and which we have obtained from the records, to gratify the curious. It is verbatim as read by the Chairman of the Committee that day, in the procession: To all persons unto whom these Presents shall come, GREETING. E IT KNOWN--That upon this eighth day of the month of February, Bin the year of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred eighty-eight. and in the twelfth year of the Independence of the United States of America, WE, THE PEOPLE, in GRAND PROCESSION moving, have ordained, resolved and declared, and by these presents, DO ordain, resolve and declare, THAT for, and in consideration, that the FEDERAL CONSTITUTION held at Philadelphia, and after debate thereon, postponed the further consideration of the same to the afternoon. Adjourned to 3 o'clock, P. M. AFTERNOON. Met according to adjournment. Upon an invitation from the Hon. Samuel Adams, Esq., to the delegates in convention, to attend the funeral of his son, to-morrow afternoon, precisely at four o'clock, Voted, That the Convention will adjourn to-morrow to attend the funeral accordingly. The Convention proceeded in the consideration of the Constitution or Frame of Government reported by the Convention held at Philadelphia, and after debate, was by the CONVENTION of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, ASSENTED to, RATIFIED, fully CONFIRMED and ADOPTED in the Meeting-House, situated and being in the avenue leading from Milk Street to Purchase Street, and commonly called LONG LANE, the said avenue, BE, and it hereby IS, denominated, appellated and christened FEDERAL STREET. And we, the PEOPLE aforesaid, do enjoin that all our loving fathers, friends and fellow citizens, observe, duly adhere, and attend to, this our ordinance, resolution or declaration, as they wish to promote justice, preserve our friendship, insure domestic tranquillity, and provide for the diffusion of federal sentiments. GIVEN under our auspices, this eighth day of February, Anno Domini one thousand seven hundred and eighty-eight, of American sovereignty the twelfth, and the FIRST YEAR of OUR real, political, federal existence. God speed the Constitution!" THE PEOPLE. The following ditty, originating at the time of the change of the name of the street, is still remembered : "Convention did in State House meet And, when it would not hold them, It must be remembered that the State House in 1788, which was insufficient for the accommodation of an assembly of three hundred delegates, was not the present State House on Beacon Hill, with its spacious Representatives' Chamber, which has accommodated a House of seven hundred-but the “ Old State House," the ancient building still standing in the centre of State Street.] |