Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1856-07-16
D ESOLUTION, PROPOSING AMEND
~ MENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION
OF THE COMMONWEAI,TIJ


D ESOLUTION, PROPOSING AMEND
OF THE COMMONWEALTH.
ResoIUed, bv the Senate and House Of Reprcses-
t9tsres Of the Commonwealth Of Pennsylvania im
General assembly met, That the following amend
ments proposed to the Constitution of the Com
monwealth, in accordance with the provisions of
the tenth article thereof.
FIRST AMENDMENT
There shall be an additional article to said
stitution to be designated article eleven, fol-
| lows - ARTICLE NJ
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
more acts of the general assembly or at different
periods of time, shall 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
whatever
SECTION 3 In addition TO the above limited
power the state may contract debts to repei inya
sion suppress insurrection defend the state in war
or TO redeem the present outstanding Indebtedness
! OF the state; but the money arising from the
tracing of such debts shall be applied to the pur
! pose for which it raised, to repay such
| debts and to no other purpose whatever.
SECTION g. Except the debts above specified, in
sections and two of this article, debt what
ever shall be created by, behalf of the state
! SECTION f. To provide for the payment of the
as aforesaid, the legislature shall, at its first
sion, after the adoption of this amendment create
| sinking fund, which shall be sufficient pay
] the accruing interest such debt, and annually
| to reduce the principal thereof by 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, the proceeds of the sale of
| the same, any part thereof, and of the income
or proceeds of sale of stocks owned by the state,
together with other funds, or resources, that may
I he Inl nr finn IN av
! be increased. from time to time, by assigning to
| 1t any part of the taxes other revenues of the
state, not required for the ordinary and current
expenses OF government, and unless in case of war,
invasion or insurrection part of the said sink
! ing fund shall be ed or applied otherwise than
in extingushment of the public debt, until the a.
mount of such debt is reduced below the sum of
! five millions of dollars.
SECTION 5. The credit of the commonwealth sha Ill
not in any manner, or event, be pledged, loaned
| 10, any lnalvldual company corporation, or asso-
| cIaton nor shall the commonwealth hereafter be-
come a joint owner, stockholder, in any compa-
| ny, association. corporation.
| SECTION G. The commonwealth shall not assume
the debt or any part thereof of any county, city,
! borough, or townships of any corporation, or
association; unless such debt shall have been
tracted to enable the state to repel inyGsion sup
press domestic insurrection, defend itself in time
of war or to assist the state in tho discharge of
any portion of its present indebtedness.
| SECTION Z. The legislature shall not authorize
any county, city, borough, township, or incorpora-
ted district, by virtue of vote of its citizens,
otherwise, to become stakeholder in any compa-
for, loan its credit to. any corporation associa-
| tion: institution, or party.
SECOND AMENDMENT.
There shall be an additional article to said con-
,ttution to be designated article XII as follows
| ARTICLE
OF NEW COUNTIES.
No county shall be divided by a line cutting off
over one-tenth of its population either to form a
new county or otherwise) without the express as
sent of such county by vote of the electors there
| of; nor shall any county be established, con-
! tanning less than four hundred square miles
THIRD AMENDMENT
From section two of the first article of the con-
sitution, strike out the words, 'of tie city of PHI
Iadelphia, and Of each county reSpectiOeiy;' from
section five, article strike out the words so
| Philadelphia and Oftks seuerzf counties >; from
section seven, same article, strike out the words
''Heitier the city Of I'hikGdetpttG any," and
insert in lieu thereof the words, 'GRR 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 sixty-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-
ton; but more than three counties shall be
joined, and county shall be divided. in the for
nation of district. Any city containing a sufi-
cient number of taxables to entite il TO at least
sentation 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 representative
AT the end of section seven, same article, insert
these words 'the city Of Philadelphia shall be DE-
riaei into single senatorial districts, Of c0ht5s
territory nearly cqttai i1s tara5te population
as possible bit no ac1r9 shall be aEUfaea ar the
formation Mereocn
The Legislature, at it's first session, after the a
doption of this amendment, shall divide the city
of Philadelphia into senatorial and representative
districts, in the manner above provided such dis
triets to remain unchanged until the apportion-
ment in the year one thousand eight hundred and
sixty-four.
FOURTH AMENDMENT.
To be section XVI, Article I.
| 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 il may be
injurious to the citizens of the commonwealth in
such manner however. that no injustice shall be
done to the corporators.
In SENATE, April 81, 1856,
ResolUea, That this resolution pass On the first
amendment yeas "a, nays 3. On the second a.
; mendment, yeas 10, nays6. On the third amend
ment, yeas 2S. nays l. On the fourth amendment,
yeas %, nays4.
Extract from the Journal
, THOMAS A. MAGUIRE, Clerk.
IS House OF REPRESENTATIVES,,
April 81, 1856. !
ResoiUed, That this resolution pass. On the
first amendment, yeas 72, nays "a. On the second
amendment. yeas SO, nays 25 On the third amend
ment, yeas g. nays 25; and on fourth amendment
yeas 50, nays 16
Extract from the Journal
WILLIAM JACK, Clerk.
sEonErARY's OFFICE. A. 9. CURTIN,
areaith.