Page:Journal of Florida Secession Convention.djvu/72

 Mr. Finegan of Nassau offered the following ordinance: AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE SEVENTH ARTICLE OF THE CONSTITIONCONSTITUTION [sic] OF THE STATE ENTITLED MILITIA. Be it ordained by the People of the State of Florida in Convention assembled, That the 7th Article of the Constitution of the State be repealed, and in lieu thereof, the following adopted:

1. All militia officers shall be elected or appointed under such rules and regulations as the General Assembly may from time to time direct and establish. 2. All offences against the militia laws shall be tried by Court martial or before a Court and Jury, as the General Assembly may direct. 3. No commission issued under the act approved December 22d, 1859, entitled an act to amend the militia and patrol laws, or any military commission hereafter to be issued under that or any future act of the General Assembly, shall be vacated except by sentence of Court martial. Which was laid upon the table until to-morrow, and ordered to be printed. Mr. McIntosh of Calhoun moved that the Delegates from this State to the Southern Convention be instructed to oppose any attempt on the part of said Convention to legislate or transact any business whatsoever, other than the adoption of a provisional Government to be substantially on the basis of the Constitution of the late United States, and a permanent Constitution for the Southern Confederacy upon the same basis; and that in the event of the said Convention undertaking on any pretext whatsoever, to exercise any powers other than those above enumerated, that the said delegates do retire from said body. Mr. Davis of Leon moved to amend the motion by striking out all after the word "enumerated" and insert, "that our Delegates are instructed to protest against the same, and to declare, in behalf of the State of Florida, that such acts will not be deemed binding in this State." Which motion was put upon its passage and adopted as amended. Mr. Davis of Leon moved to take up the Ordinance on the table under reconsideration, and moved the following amendment: Three persons, citizens of this State and qualified voters therein, shall be appointed by the Governor, by and with the advice and consent of the Convention, who shall represent the State of Florida in said Convention of slave-holding States, proposed by this Ordinance to be holden as aforesaid.

Upon which the yeas and nays were called, and were: Yeas—Mr. President, Messrs. Beard, Bethel, Cooper, Daniel, Davis, Dawkins, Devall, Finegan, Gettis, Glazier, Golden,