per time to offer
an amendment which should make it plain, and not leave it open to
construction. Personally, I should be glad to apply it to future
territory, but I shall yield. I think if we can settle the question
now, there will be no further trouble. I do not believe any territory
will be acquired hereafter without great unanimity. It is not quite
true, although it may be probable, that the future territory will be
south of the line proposed.

Mr. TURNER:--I am still more confirmed that it was the intention of
the committee to have the amendment only apply to existing territory.
If this is settled now, it will shorten the debate. If the gentleman
will move to amend now, I will withdraw my motion.

Mr. JOHNSON:--I move to amend by inserting the word _present_ before
the word _territory_ in the first line of Section I., with such other
verbal amendments as may make the sense conform, and to adopt that
amendment now. This covers the whole ground. I wish to discuss these
amendments, but am physically unable to speak to-day, and would
prefer to have the discussion deferred.

Mr. JOHNSON then moved an adjournment, which was carried on a
division, and the Convention adjourned at two o'clock and fifty
minutes.

ELEVENTH DAY.

WASHINGTON, MONDAY, _February 18th, 1861._

The Convention was opened with prayer by Rev. P.D. GURLEY.

The Journal of yesterday was read and approved.

Mr. CHITTENDEN offered the following resolution:

_Resolved_, That the rules of this Convention be so far
modified as to require the Secretary to employ a competent
stenographer, who shall write down and preserve accurate
notes of the debates and other proceedings of this body,
which notes shall not be communicated to any person, nor
shall copies thereof be taken, nor shall the same be made
public until after the final adjournment of this Convention,
except in pursuance of a vote authorizing their publication.

Mr. CHITTENDEN:--I have no desire to occupy time in debating this
resolution, much less to waste it in a fruitless attempt to oppose
what seems to be the settled purpose of a majority of this Convention.
But if this body will consider the purpose which the resolution seeks
to attain, it may, perhaps, be found less objectionable than other
similar ones which have been defeated. The objection heretofore made
is, that a publication of what transpires here would lead to an
excited critic