Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1857-10-15
TENNESSEE LEGISLATURE
a0usE ca REPRESENTATIVES,.


select committee be charged with the consldera-
ton Of the Report If Messrs Meigs and Cooper, Re-
visors of the Statures and requesting the concur
renee Of the House Of Representatives
STATE CREDIT.
Mr. Davies ioiut resolutions against the further
extension of the State credit By creating additional
liabilities to issue State Bonds, next coming upfor
consideration,
Mr. Rowles Mr. Speaker, believing thst my reso.
buttons upon the same subject more full and ex-
and to get OF the consideration Of my resolutions,
move 10 lay these on the table.
Mr. Dayie. Mr. Speaker had the honor to in
troduce these resolutions
Mr. Speaker. The motion to lie on the table is not
debatesble.
Mr.. Davie. Then call for the yeas and nays,
The yeas and nays we're ordered, and being taken
resuited-yeas 40nays 3l-as follows
YEAs.-Messrs Bate, Bayless, Bentley, Black
burn, Bradford, Caldwell Carter of Hardin, Cope
land, Davidson, DObson, Dunlap, Estes, Fulton,
Canon Griffith Hamilton, Harvey, Johnston,
King, Lamb, Lowe, Maris Mickey, Newman, Polk,
Renshaw, Rose, Bowles, ST. John. SchmittOu,
Smsrtt, Stanton, Summers, Taylor, Turner OF
Roane Turner of Sumner, Williams Wilson, Wood,
Speaker Donaldson.-4O.
NAYS -Algee, Anderson, Beale, Benton, Bicknell,
BrazeltOn Carter of Csrter, Cooper, Davie DodsOn,
Ewing, Frazier, Colladay, Holmes, I'VE, kendrek,
Kenny, Laekey, Lloyd, Nancy, EcwbeTn, Randolph,
Raulston. Richardson, Saunders, Senter, Shre~s-
berry, Thompson, White OF Hamilton, White of
Knox Vaughn.-3l.
THE VOTE FOR GOVERNOR.
On motion by Mr White the House now took
recess till 10 o'clock NJ to prepare the Hall for The
adjourned session of The two houses,
IN JOINT CONVENTION.
The officers and members of the Senate were now
formally announced and received and the Speaker
of the Senate presiding announced the object
of the Convention, the count of the votes
for Governor.
Mr. Dunlap, one of the representatives from
Shelby county. Mr. Speaker, am informed by the
member from Jefferson county, that the returns from
the Sheriff of that county have not yet been received
As the action of this Convention Will be precedent
for future practice move that this Convention STAND
adjourned till Tuesday of next week.at lO M we
have newspaper returns which are probably correct
and we might take them but as this would be bad
precedent am unwilling to make it, and would
rather wait for the arrival of the special messenger
with the official returns.
The motion was agreed, to, and accordingly the
Convention adjourned, and the Senators was retired
CREDIT OF The STATE.
Mr. Rovles' Joint resolutions, introduced Satur-
day. next coming up for consideration in the order
of the day. they read by the clerk as follows
Resolved, By the General Assembly Of the STATE Of
Tennessee That the State pledges herselfto full and
prompt payment of all bonds issued by her, and that
She will faithfully abide by and redeem all obliga-
tons she has incurred by the endorsement of bonds
for corporations or internal improvement companies
of this State.
PesolUed Bv the authority aforesaid That not only
in view of the present financial condition of the
country but as of State policy, all further
issues of State bonds 10 internal improvement COM
panes or corporations or Endorsement OF the bonds
of internal improvement companies or corporations
by this State shall cease, except where the State is
under a legal obligation by the now existing law to
issue or endorse the same.
Resolved BIZ the authority aforesaid That in case
where as the law now stands corporations, on COM
plying with certain conditions laid down in the law
we're authorized call upon the State to endorse her
bonds lend her aid to the prosecution Of the work
of said corporations, that in such cases no bonds
shall be endorsed aid advanced to said corpora
tions unless it they have complied at the time of
the passage ofthese resolutions with the condition
imposed them as condition precedent to such
State aid or endorsement of their bonds.
Mr. Williams. Mr. Speaker, move that the con-
sideration of these resolutions be postponed and
made the special order for to morrow week.
Mr. Richardson, l move that they be referred to
the committee on internal Improvement.
Mr. Rowles demanded the previous question. But
gave way and withdrew motion for
Mr. Dunlap. Mr.. Speaker, are presenting
ourselves here by the course that has been adopted
in the attitude of having almost exclusive party
legislation. We are here it is true, with majority
of one marty the other. The democratic party
has controlling influence and will be held respon-
sible by the community for the acts that may be |
passed here But from the votes that have been /
taken on the propositions that have been submitted,
it seems that we ready to vote for propositions
when they are presented by members of our party, /
and to vote against similar propositions when they |
are presented lay the opposite party Now we all |
come here Tor the common purpose of legislating |
for the common good and let proposition come |
from one party the other, it seems to me to be |
plainly our duty TO take up and refer it to its ap
prOprgte standing committee. Ali our standing com
mitees being composed of members of both parties,
when the majority reports upon proposition the !
minority can make a counter report, and so both /
sides will be heard, as well before the committees
as before the House. Then let not place our |
selves in a condition looking even to the suppress
sion of debate because have controlling ma /
jorty l have been in the Legislature before, and |
acting with a minority here, have felt the injus
tce of this 1t is but fair, Mr. Speaker that
this proposition should go to the standing commit
tee.
Mr. Rowles Mr. Speaker, I entirely concur in |
what the honorable gentleman has said and de /
sire to say particularly, that questions in which
the people of the whole State concerned there |
should be party feeling, but they should be acted
upon with q view protect the interests of the |
people of the State of Tennessee as a whole. l /
contend that such is the object of those resolutions
They cover the whole ground. 1t is my intention, |
if the resolutions shall be passed, to to refer
them to the Committee Judiciary, with instruc-
tons TO report bill with the provisions embodied
in the resolutions; and then, upon the consideration
of the bill, gentlemen my right and my left,
would all have an opportunity of being heard
This course would be strictly according to parlia-
mentary usage that before question is referred TO
a standing committee TO report bill, the sense
of the House should be first obtained upon the
question to determine what the features of the bill
shall be- ! satisfied that IN introducing these
resolutions have thus far acted in accordance with
parliamentary usage and the dictates of common
sense
When a member introduces a bill, it embodies the
views of the individual offering it, but when we
have distinct vote of the House upon a PROPOSE
ton, then we have the views of the majority, and
upon such vote a committee report bill carry
ing them cut.
Something has been said in reference to the rights
of the minority. Sir, | respect the rights of the
minority. They should always be treated with
respect But l cannot forget the fact, that the
Democracy constitute the majority in this House,
and that they will be held responsible for the acts of
this Legislature. All | is to obtain the sense
of the House, and as before remarked if the resolu
tions shall be adopted, l will their re ference
Mr. Davidson Mr. Speaker, l am delighted to
know, that this is not much question of fact as
a question of policy If have been an accurate
observer of what has passed in the House for the
last ten days, - ccurs TO me that the efforts of gen
tlemen all tending to the grand result; and
that is, to stop the issuance of State Bonds 1t has
seemed to be the fact that somebody other shall
have the honor TO come up, with his grand PROPOSE
ton to this effect; and gentlemen are anxious, not
so much to what shall be done, they about
what particular part they shall themselves have the
honor to act. In other words, the question seems
10 be whose thunder it shall be after six months shall
have passed away.
There is scarcely member on this floor of either {
party, presume, that wishes to involve the State
my farther. But still, we ought to be cautions
This system of internal improvement has been
growing up for three or four sessions. There may
be danger Of going TO extreme the other way. J
We ought to hasten to do right, perhaps; but it
certain that, in this case according the Latin
naxium, ought TO "haSten slowly" We ought
o regard with proper indulgence, those Railroad
Companies, who have been working in good faith
md not yet completed their 80 miles, l would not
Toe for the resolutions of the gentleman from Brad
y, Mr. Rowles) upon the ground that it might hurt
uch roads =
What is the purpose? 1t seems to be this, that,
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