Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1856-09-03
DEsOLUTION, PROPOSING AMEND
Ea, MENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION
OF rrE;E ECOINONW

I'D ESOLUTION, PROPOSING AMEND
Ia, MENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION
OF THE NWEALTH.
ResoIced. bg the Senate n1,d HoHse of Represe7f-
tatires of the Commonwealth Of Pennsylvania f1s
General assembly met, That the following amend
ments are proposed to the Constitution of the Com
monwealth, in accordance with the provisions of
the tenth article thereof.
FIRST AMENDMENT.
There shall be additional article to said con-
stitution to be designated article eleven, as fol-
lows ARTICLE VI.
OF PUBLIC DEBTS.
SECTION L. The state may contract debts, to sup
ply casual deficits or failures in revenues. or to
meet expenses not otherwise provided for; but
the aggregate amount of such debts, direct and
contingent whether contracted by virtue OF one or
more acts of the general assembly, or at different
periods of time, shall never exceed seven hundred
and fifty thousand dollars, and the money arising
from the creation of such debts, shall be applied to
the purpose for which it obtained, or TO repay
the debts so contracted, and to no other purpose
whatever.
SECTION 2 In addition to the above limited
power the state may contract debts to repel inya-
sion, suppress nsurrection, defend the state in
or to redeem the present outstanding Indebtedness
of the state; but the money arising from the con-
tracing Of such debts shall he applied to the pur
pose for which it was raised, or to repay such
debts. and TO no other purpose whatever.
SECTION 3. Except the debts above specified, in
sections one and two of this article no debt what
shall be created by, behalf of the state.
SECTION 4. To provide for the payment of the
present debt, and any additional debt contracted
aforesaid the legislature shall, at its first
sion, after the adoption of this amendment create
n sinking fund, which shall be sufficient pay
the accruing interest on such debt, and annually
to reduce the principal thereof by a sum not less
than two hundred and fifty thousand dollars
which sinking fund shall consist of the net annual
income of the public works from time to time
owned by the state, or the proceeds of the sale of
the same any part thereof and of the income
or proceeds of sale cf stocks owned by the state,
together with other funds, r-resources, that may
be designated by law. The said sinking fund ma y
be increased from time to time, by assigning TO
ii any part of the taxes or other revenues of the
state, not required for the ordinary and current
expenses of government, and unless in of war,
invasion or insurrection part of the said sink
ing fund shall be ed or applied otherwise than
in extinguis hmont of the public debt until the
mount of such debt is reduced below the sum of
five millions of dollars.
SECTION s. The credit of the commonwealth shall
not in any manner; event, be pledged, or loaned
to, any individual, company, corporation or asso-
citation; nor shall the commonweal tn hereafter be-
come joint owner, or stockholder, in any compa-
ny, association. corporation.
SEcTIoS 6. The commonwealth shall not assume
the debt or any part thereof of any county, city,
borough, or township; of any corporation, or
association unless such debt shall have been con-
tracted to enable the state to repe INVASION sup
press domestic insurrection, defend itself in time
OF war; or to assist the state in the discharge of
any portion of its present Indebtedness
SECTION Z. The legislature shall not authorize
any county, city, borough, township, or ncorpora-
tcu virtue OF vote OF Its citizens.
otherwise, to become stakeholder in any compa-
ny: association, corporation; to obtain money
for loan its credit to, any corporation, associa-
ton: institution, party.
SECOND AMENDMENT.
There shall be an additional article to said con-
sttution, to be designated as article AIi follows
ARTICLE
OF NEW COUNTIES.
No county shall be divided by line cutting of
over one-tenth of its population, either to form
new county or otherwise.) without the express as
sent OF such county by vote of the electors there
of nor shall any new county be established. CON
tanning less than four hundred square miles.
THIRD AMEADMExr
From section two of the first article of the con
stltution, strike out the words, 'of he city PHI
tGaeLphia, and Of eack county resyectrety - from
section five, same article, strike out the words .of
PhttaaetPh'a oHd Of tie sererGt counties - from
section seven, same article, strike out the words
'7tettter tile city Of Phiiaae{pJttG nor ann" and
insert in lieu thereof the words. a7id no - and
strike out section four. same article, and in lieu
thoreof insert the following:
SECTION 4. In the year one thousand eight hun
dred and Nty-four, and in every seventh year
thereafter, representatives to the number OF one
hundred, shall be apportioned and distributed
equally, throughout the state by districts in pro-
portion to the number of taxable inhabitants in
the several parts thereof except that any county
containing at least three thousand five hundred
taXables may be allowed separate representa-
tion; but no more than three counties shall be
joined, and no county shall be divided in the for
nation OF district Any city containing n suIi-
clent number of taxables to entile it to at least
two representatives shall have n separate repre-
scntation assigned it, and shall be divided into
convenient districts of contiguous territory, of
equal taxable population as near as may be. each
of which districts shall elect one Representatives
At the end of section seven, same article insert
thesc words the city Of Philadelphia shall be de-
rtaed into single se0koylai districts of co0tjpy-
oS territory rs nearly eJ1tak tarabie population
as possible b1tt grard shall be dig1dei in the
formation MereoE''
The legislature, at its first session, after the a
dopuon of this amendment, shall divide the CITY
OF Philadelphia into senatorial and representative
districts in the manner above provided such dis
trlets to remain unchanged until the apportion-
ment IN the year one thousand eight hundred and
sixty-four
FOURTH AMENDMENT.
To be section XVI, ArticieI
The legislature shall have the power to alter
revoke; or annul, any charter of incorporation
hereafter conferred by. under. any special. or
general law, whenever in their opinion 1t may be
injurious to the citizens of the common wealth: in
such manner, however. that no injustice shall be
done TO the corpOrators.
In SENATE, April q, 1856
Resolrea, That this resolution pass On the first
amendment yeas %, NAYS s. On the second A.
ment, yeas IS nays L. On the fourth amendment,
yeas %, nays4.
Extract from the Journal
THOMAS A MAGUIRE, Clerk
In HOUSE OF REPREsESrATrvEs
April 81, 1856.
Resotcea, That this resolution pass. On the
hrst amendment, yeas 72, nays 81. On the second
amendment. yeas 63. nays 25. On the third amend
ment, yeas 81, nays % and on fourth amendment
yeas &c. nays 10.
Extract from the Journal
WILLIAM JACK, Clerk
oEcRETARf OFFICE, A. G.. CURTIN
Filed April "a, 1866 Secretary Of tie Common,
acea{th.
SEcRETARY's OFFICE,
shuro Iu,o o.