Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1857-09-09
BY AUTHORITY.
DISSOLUTION PROPOSING AMEND
III MENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION
OF THE COMMONWEAL

DISSOLUTION PROPOSING AMEND:
III MENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION
| OF THE COMMONWEALTH.
| Resolred 5y The Senate and Horse of Represe.,-
fEfices of tAe CommonacealLh Of Pei~syfraaa.a, ~
General assembly That the following amend
ments are proposed to the constitution Of the com
monwealth, in accordance with the provisions oi
the tenth article thereof
/ FIRST AMENDMENT.
There shall be an additional article to said con-
stitution be designated article eleven, as fol-
| lows =
| ARTICLE NJ.
| OF PUBLIC DEBTS.
SECTION ]. The State may contract debts, to sup
ply casual deficits failures in revenues, or TO
meet expenses not otherwise provided for; but
the aggregate amount of such debts direct and con-
| tingent, whether contracted by virtue of
more acts of the general assembly, at different
periods of time, shall never exceed seven hundred
and fifty thousand dollars, ard the money arising
from the creation of such debts shall be applied
to the purpose for which it obtaineds TO
pay the debts contracted, and TO other pur-
pose whatever.
er, the State may contract debts to repel invasion,
suppress insurrection, defend the State in war,
TO redeem the present outstanding Indebtedness of
the State but the money arising from the con-
tracing of such debts shall be applied to the pur
pose for which it was raised, or to repay such
debts, and to 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, on behalf of the State.
SECTION 4. TO provide for the payment of the
present debt, and any additional debt contracted
as aforesaid. the legislature shall, at its first
sion, after the adoption of this amendment, create
a sinking fund, which shall be sufficient to 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 own
ed by the State, the proceeds of the sale oil the
same, or any part thereof, and OF the income or
proceeds of sale of stocks owned by the state to-
gether with other funds. resources, that may be
designated by law. The said sinking fund may 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 insurrection part OF the said SINK
ing fund shall be used or applied otherwise than
in extinguishment of the public debt, until the
amount 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, oe pledged, or
loaned to, any individual company, corporation,
| or association: nor shall the commonwealth here
after become joint owner, or stoekholder, IN any
| company, association, or corporation.
| SECTION e. The commonwea ealth shall not assume
the debt, any part thereof, of any county, city
| borough, or township: or of any corporation, or
association unless such debt shall have been con-
tracted enable the State to repel 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 incorpora
ted district by virtue of vote of its citizens, oil
/ otherwise to become a stockholder in any compa
ny. association, corporation; or to obtain money
for or loan its credit to, any corporation associa
| tion, institution or party
SECOND AMENDMENT.
There shall be an additional article to said con.
stitution, to be designated article MI, as fol
| lows =
| ARTICLE XII.
OF NEW COUNTIES.
| 10 county shall he divided bV a line cutting OIL
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 new county be established, con-
| tanning less than four hundred square miles.
| THIRD AMENDMENT.
From section two of the first article of the con-
sttution, strike out the words, Of tie city Of Pm
fadekpaiG, and Of each county TespecttUely; from
section FIVE. same article strike out the words 'of
| FhtkadeiphtG ona of tie SeOeral counties = from
section seven same article, strike out the words,
'snetthsr tire city of Phikadelphta nor any, and
insert in lieu thereof the words, .a''a no and
strike out section four article, and IN lieu
| thoreof insert the following:
SECTION L. 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
! taxabes may be allowed separate representa-
/ ton, but no more imam IDTce couHttcs sHdii pe
joined and no county shall be divided, in the for
| nation of district. Any city containing suh-
cient number of taxabes to entitle it to at least
| two representatives, shall have separate repre-
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 PkikEaekpltta shall be DE-
yteI into single senatorial districts, Of co1t1SU
ous territory nearly egtak IN tarabe popnLatto1
possible brit no acaT& shall be dtvsdea IN tie
formation thereof"
The legislature, at its first session, after the
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.
There shall be an additional section TO the first
article of said constitution, which shall be num-
bered and read as follows:
SECTION 20. The legislature shall have the pow
er to alter revoke or annul any charter of incor
poration hereafter conferred by, or under, any
special or general law whenever in their opinion
it may be injurious to the citizens of the common
wealth; in such manner, however, that no irJus-
tce shall be done to the corporators.
IL SENATE March 81, 1857.
ResoiUed, That this resolution pass On the
amendment, yeas %, nays s the third amend
ment. yeas "a. nays A on the fourth amendment,
yeas 90, nays 4.
Extract from the Journal
GEO. W. HAMERSLY, Clerk
IS THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,,
April 29, 1857.
Resoirsa, That this resolution pass On the
first amendment. yeas 7S, nays IL on the second
amendment, yeas5 nays 81 on the third amend
| ment. yeas ~ nays %; on the fourth amendment,
yeas SO, nays z.
Extract from the Journal
JACOB ZEIGLER, Clerk.
Filed in tho Secretary's Office, May 2. 1857