Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1856-01-30
AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION.

Mr.. Crabb recently submitted to the Senate
several amendments to the Constitution oi
Pennsylvania. The first provides that ''no
person born in foreign land. or who may owe
allegiance to- or is a subject or citizen of
foreign power or government, and VINO snail
be naturaized on or after the fourth day OF Jul
Iy. Ammo Domini one thousand eight hundred
and fifty eight shall be eligible to vote at
any political or public election in this Com
monwealth, until he shall have resided under
the government of the United States period
of at least twcnty-one years"
The second that there shall be an addition
al article, to the effect that s'the aggregate
amount OF debt which may hereafter be con-
tracted by the Commonwealth, shall not ex-
ceed the sum Of five hundred thousand dol
lars, except in the event of war or invasion by
a foreign power, or domestic insurrection, or
the intended liquidation of the whole or por-
ton of the present Indebtedness of the Com
monwealth, and the money obtained on the
credit of the Commonwealth, by virtue of any
act of Assembly, shall be applied to defraying
the expenses incurred by such war, invasion or
insurrection, or the liquidation of such indebt-
edness, and to no other purpose whatever"
The third, that e'to pay the present debt Of
the Commonwealth, and any debts which may
hereafter be contracted in the event of war,
hostile invasion, domestic insurrection, or 9TH
erwisc, the legislature shall, at its next session
after the adoption of this section by the peo-
pie, provide by law for the creation of sink
ing fund which shall continue until said debt
or debts shall be paid said fund shall be made
from the annual income from the canals and
railroads belonging to the Commonwealth, or
the proceeds of the sale thereof, and from div
idends on or sales of stock or other property
owned by the Commonwealth; the money COM
posing said sinking fund shall be invested by
the Governor, in behalf of the State, in the
loans contracted by the Commonwealth, which
loans shall be cancelled from time to time, in
such manner as shall be provided for by law,
and no portion of said sinking fund shall ever
be applied TO any other than one or more of
the purposes hcreinbefore mentioned
1t is further provided by this last article,
SEthat the credit of the Commonwealth shall
not, in any manner event, be pledged or
loaned to any individual, company, corpora
tiOn or association, nor shall the Common
wealth hereafter become q stockholder in any
company, association or corporation" Also,
that, 'sthe Commonwealth shall not assume
the debt, or any part thereof, of any county,
city, borough, or township, of any corpora
tion or association, unless such dcbt shall have
been contracted to enable the State to repel
invasion, suppress domestic insurrection, de-
fend itself in time of war, or to assist the
State in the discharge of any portion of its
present Indebtedness" Also, that the Legfs-
lature shall not authorize any county, city,
borough or township, by virtue of a vote of its
citizens or otherwise, to become n stockholder
in any company, association or corporation, or
to obtain money for, or loan its credit to any
corporation, institution or party.n