Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1857-09-03
Misrellaueous.
RESOLUTION

RESOLUTION
Proposing Amendments to the Constitution Of
the Commonwealth.
Resoioed by the Senate and House of Representattves
| of the Commonwealth Of Pennsylvania in General as
emby met That the following amendments are propos
ed to the constitution of the commonwealth in accor
dance with the provisions of the tenth article thereof
FIRST AMENDMENT.
There shall be additional article to said constitution
to be designated as article eleven, as follows -
OF PUBLIC DEBTS.
SECTION l. The state may contract Debts to supnly
casual deficits or failures in revenues to expen
not otherwise provided for but the aggregate
of such debts direct and contingent whether contracted
by virtue of acts of the general assembly
at different periods of tme shall exceed seven hun
dred and fifty thousand dollars and the money arising
from the creation of such debts shall be applied to the
purpose for which it obtained to repay the debts
| SO contracted and to NO other purpose whatevee.
SECTION O. In addition to the above limited power the
state may contract debts to repel invasion suppress in
surrecon defend the war or to redeem the pre-
sent outstanding Indebtedness of the state but the
ney arising rom the contracting OF such debts shall be
applied to the purpose for which it was raised to
pay such debts and to no other purpose whatever.
SECTION g. Except the debts above specified, in
tions and two of this article debt whatever shall
be created by, on behalf of the state.
SECTION L. To provide for the payment of the present
debt and any additional debt contracted aforesaid the
legislature shall at its first session. after the adoption
this amendment, create sinking fund, which shall be
sufficient to pay the accrung interest such debt and
less than two hundred and fly Thousand dollars which
sinking fund shall consist of the net annual income
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 proceeds of sale OF
owned by the state together with other funds
that may be designated by law. The said sinking
fund may be increased from time to time by assigning
to it any part of the taxes other of the state
not required for the ordinary and expenses of
government and unless in of invasion insur
rectiOn part of the said sinking shall be used
applied otherwise than in eXtingushment of the public
debt until the amount of such debt is reduced below the
sum of five millions of dollars.
SECTION 5. The credit of the commonwealth shall not
in any manner, event, be pledged or loaned to, any
individual company, corporation, association nor
shall the commonwealth hereafter become joint owner
or stockholder in any company association corpora
ton.
SECTION 6. The commonwealth shall not assume the
debt any part thereof of any county city, borough
or township of any corporation, association
less such debt shall have been contracted to enable the
state TO repe INVASION suppress domestic lnsurrection
defend itself in time of to assist the state in the
discharge of any portion of its present Indebtedness
county city borough township incorporated district
by virtue of vote of its citizens, otherwise, to be-
come stockholder in any company, association or
poraton to obtain money for, loan its credit to-
any corporation, association, institution party.
SECOND AMENDMENT.
There shall be additional article to said constitution
to be designated as article Xll as follows:
OF NEW COUNTIES.
No county shall be divided by line cutting off
onetenth of its population either form county
otherwise without the express of such
ty by of the electors thereof shall any
square miles
THIRD AMENDMENT.
From section two of the article of the constitution
strike out the words, Of the city Of PhaadeLda, and
of each county respectively y from section ye
tcle strike out the words of Philadelphia and Of the
SererGi counties :; from section seven same article
strike out the words, neither the city of Philadelphia
any, and insert in lieu thereofhe words and no :"
and strike out section four, same article" and in lieu
thereof insert the following:
SECTION L. In the year one thocsand eight hundred
and sXour and in every seventh year thereafter rep
reSentaveS to the number of one hundred, shall be APP
portioned and distributed equally throughout the state
by Districts in proportion to the number of taxable in
habnts in the several parts thereof except that any
county containing at least three thousand five hundred
aXables may be allowed seperate representation but
than three counties shall DC joined, and
ty shall be divided. in the formation of district Any
city containing sufficient number of taXables to entle
it to al least two representatives, shall have separate
representation assigned it, and shall be divided into con-
venent districts of contiguous territory of equal taxa
BILE population as may be- each OF which districts
shall elect one representative"
the end of section article, insert these
words the city of Philadelphia shall be diuded into sin
gle senatorial districts, Of cont Suos territory nearly
equal in tarGbe population as possible out no 'cGrd
The Legislature at its first session. after the adoption
of this amendment shall divide the city of Philadelphia
into senatorial and representative districts, in the
above provided such districts to remain unchanged
until the apportonment in the year one thousand eight
hundred and sXty-four
There shall be additional section to the first article
of said constitution, which shall be numbered and read
follows:
SECTION 26 The legislature shall have the power to al
ter revoke annu any charter of incorporation here
after conferred by under any special general law,
whenever in their opinion it may he injurious to the cit
zens of the alth in such manner. however,
that nj injustice shall be done to the corporators.
IN SENATE, March 81, 1857.
Resolred, That this resolution pass On the first
amendment, yeas 34 nays the second amendment,
yeas %. nays the third amendment yeas "A, nays
the fourth amendment, yeas %, nays 4.
GEO. W. HAMERSLY, Clerk.
u THE House OF REPRESENTATIVES,,
April 30 1857.
Resolred That this resolution pass. On the first
amendment yeas Is, nays II the second amendment
yeas ST. nays "a the third amendment yeas n nays
% on the fourth amendment, yeas So, nays 4.
Extract from the Jourhal.]
JACOB ZIEGLER, Clerk
Filed in secretary's office, May 2, 1857.
A.G. CURTIN,
Secretary of the Communicable
SECRETARY's OFFICE,
HARRIsBURG, June D. 1857.
do certify that the above and foregoing is true and
correct copy of the original Resolution proposing
amendments to the Constitution of the Commonwealth
with the vote each branch of the Legislature upon the
final passage thereof appears from the originals on
! In testimony whereof have hereunto set my
H. 81 hand and caused to be affixed the seal of the
Secretary's Office, the day and year above written
! A. G. CURTIN,
Secretary Of The Commonwealth
IN SENATE March 81. 1857
The resolution proposing amendments to the Constu
tion of the Common wealth being under consideration
On the question,
! viii the Senate agree to the first amendment?
The yeas and nays taken agreeaby to the provi
sons Of the Constitution, and were as follow, VIZ
YBAs-Messrs. Brewer, Browne, Conef, Ely, Evans
Fetter, Fennken, Frazer Ingram Jordan Hlliinser'
I Il