That humble application be made for an Act of the Parliament of Great
Brittain, by virtue of which, one General Government may be formed
in America, including all the said Colonies, within and under which
Government each Colony may retain its present Constitution, except in
the particulars wherein a [_change_] may be directed by the said Act,
as hereafter follows.
That the said General Government be administered by a president
General, to be appointed and supported by the Crown, and a grand
Council _to be chosen by the representatives of the people of the
severall Colonies_, [_met_] in their respective Assemblies.[115]
[Provision for election of first grand council, of forty-eight
members,--Massachusetts and Virginia to have _seven_ each, Pennsylvania
_six_, Connecticut _five_, New York, Maryland, North Carolina, and
South Carolina each _four_, New Jersey _three_, New Hampshire and Rhode
Island each _two_.]
Who shall meet for the present time at the City of Philadelphia
in Pennsylvania, being called by the President General as soon as
conveniently may be after his appointment.
That there shall be a New Election of the Members of the Grand Council
every three years, and on the death or resignation of any Member, his
place should be supplyed by a new choice at the next sitting of the
Assembly of the Colony he represented.
That after the first three years, when the proportion of money arising
out of each Colony to the General Treasury can be known, the number of
Members to be chosen, for each Colony shall from time to time in all
ensuing Elections be regulated by that proportion (yet so as that the
Number to be chosen by any one province be not more than seven nor less
than two).
That the Grand Council shall meet once in every year, and oftener if
occasion require, at such time and place as they shall adjourn to at
the last preceding meeting, or as they shall be called to meet at by
the President General, on any emergency, he having first obtained in
writing the consent of seven of the Members to such call, and sent due
and timely notice to the whole.
That the Grand Council have power to chuse their speaker, and =_shall
neither be dissolved prorogued, nor continue sitting longer than six
weeks at one time without their own consent,_[116] _or the special
command of the Crown_=.
That the Members of the Grand Council shal be allowed for their service
ten shillings sterling per diem, during their Sessions or [_and_]
Journey to and from the place of Meeting; twenty miles to be reckoned a
days Journey.
=_That the Assent of the President General be requisite to all Acts of
the Grand Council_=, and that it be his Office and duty to cause them
to be carried into execution.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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