Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1856-09-04
RESOLUTION

RESOLUTION
Proposing Amendments to the Constitution OF
the Commonwealth.
Resolced by the Senate and House Of Representatives.
of he Communicable of Pennsylvania in General 4SSem-
BIZ met That the following amendments are proposed t"
the constitution of the commonwealth in accordance with
the provisions of the tenth article thereof.
FIRST AMENDMENT
There shall he an additional article to said constitution
10 be designated article eleven as follows:-
OF PUBLIC DEBTS.
SECTION I. The state may contract debts. IN supply
casual deficits or failures in to meet expen
ses not otherwise provided for but the aggregate amount
Of such debts direct ana ny he seraI assembly or
at different periods of time shall never exceed seven nun
dred and fifty thousand dollars and the money arising
from the creation of such debts shall be appcd 10 the
purpose for which obtained to repay the debts
SO contracted and other purpose whatever.
SECTION 2. In addition To the above limited power the
state NAV contract debts repe INVASION suppress in
surrecton defend the state in or to deem the pre-
sent outstanding indebtedness of the state but the mo-
new arising from the contracting of such debts shall be
applied to the purpose for which it raised or to re-
pay such debts. and to no other purpose whatever:
SECTION Except the debts above specified. in sec
tons one and two of this article debt whatever shall
be created by, on behalf Of the state.
SECTION g. To provide for the payment of the present
debit and any additional debt contracted aforesaid the
legislature shall at its first session. after the adoption OF
this amendment. create sinking fund.- which shall he
sufficient to pay the accruing interest such debt and
annually reduce the principal thereof by sum not less
than two hundred and fifty thousand dollars which sink
jnr fund shall consist of the annual income of the
public works from time to time owned by the state, or
the proceeds of the sale of the same or any part there
Of and of the income proceeds OF sale OF stocks owned
br the state together with other funds resources, that
NAV lie designated by law. The said sinking fund may he
increased time to time y assigning TO 1t any part
of the taxes ohsr of the state not required
for the ordinary and expenses of and
unless iu of invasion nsurrecton no part OF
the said sinking fund shall be used applied otherwise
than in extnguiShment of the public dept, until the
such
lions of dollars
SEcrIox ) The credir of the commonwealth shall not
in any manner event. be pledged loaned to- any in
divdual company corporation association nor shall
the commonwealth hereafter become joint owner. or
stnckhOde in any company association or corporation
SECTION 8. The commonwealth shall not assume the
debt any part thereof of any county city borough or
township; of corporation, association unless
such debt shall have been contracted to enable the state
IA ffPe 1b6F66g no5wnsfip OF Incorporated district
by virtue Of vote of its citizens otherwise
stockholer in any company association corporation;
to obtain money for loan its credit to- any
tion, association, institution party.
SECOND AMENDMENT.
There shall he an additional article TO said constitution
TO be designated as article XII. as follows
OF NEW COUNTIES
No county shall he divided by line cutting off over
tenth of its population, (either form new county
otherwise without the express assent of such county
by vote of the electors thereof shall any
ty be established containing less than hundred square
miles.
THIRD AMENDMENT.
strike out the words, Of the c,tyof Phadelhia and of
each county respectively - from section five same article
strike ont the words of Philadelphia and Of the sererai
counties from section seven, article, strike
the words ' neither the city of Philadephia nor anu
and insert in lieu thereof the words, and no ~ and
strike ont section four, article and in lieu thereof
insert the following:
SECTION a. In the year thousand eight hundred
and sxtyour and in every seventh year thereafter rep
resentatives to the number of hundred shall he an
portiOned and distributed equally throughout the state
by districts in proportion to the number of taxable in
county containing at least three thousand five hundred
taxables may be allowed separate representation but
than three counties shall be Joined and no coun
ty shall be divided, in the formation of district Any
city containing sufficient number Of taxabes to entite
1t to at least two representatives shall have separate
representation assigned it, and shall be divided con-
Tenient districts Of contiguous territory equal taxable
population may be- each of which districts shall
elect one representative
At the end of section article insert these
words the city Of Philadelphia shall be dirded into sin
gle senatorial districts Of contiguous territory nearly
equal in tarabe population possible bit no tard shall
be divided in the formation thereof
The legislature, at its first session after the adopton
Of this amendment, shall divide the city of PHILADELPHIA
into senatorial and representative districts in the manner
above provided such districts remain unchanged un
VI the aPPoronment in the year one thousand eight han
dred and sixty-four.
AMENDMENT.
To be section XVI. article I.
The legislature shall have the power tn alter revoke or
annul charter of incorporation hereafter conferred
by, under, any special, general law whenever in
their opinion ii be injurious to the citizens of the
commonwealth in such manner however that no in.
justice shall be done to the corporators
IS SENATE fprfi q, 1856.
Resored, That this resolution pass On the first amend
ment, yeas - nays On the second amendment yeas
H. nays g. On the third amendment yeas o. nays l.
On the fourth amendment, yeas %, nays t.
Extract from the Journal
THOMAS A. MAGUIRE, Clerk.
IL House OF REPRESENTATIVES,
Rssoped That this resolution pass On the first amend
ment yeas - nays "a. On the second amendment yeas
63, nays %. On the third amendment yeas 64 nays 25
and on fourth amendment yeas 50, nays l6.
Extract from the Journal WIN. JACK Clerk
SsCRErARY's OFFICE. AG. CURTIN
Filed ApriI a. Is5s. Secy Of the Con.mon,Oea,th ION,
SEcRErARY's OFECE ]
Harrisburg, June %, lS56.
Pennsylvania SIS:
do certify that the above and foregoing is true and
correct correct copy of the original Resolution relative
to an amendment OF the Constitution as the same re-
mains file in this Office.
- In testimony whereof have hereunto set nv
.retaryS Office, the day and year above written
A. G. CURTIN,
SecretUry of the Commonwealth
In SENATE, ApTil q, 1856.
Resolution proposing amendments the Constitution
oil the commonwealth being under consideration,
On the question,
- VIII the Senate agree to the first amendment?
me yeas and taken agreeaby the provisions
OF The Constitution and were as follows viz:
:, 1EAs-MeSsrs Browne, Buckalew, Cresswell Evans