Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1857-07-30
miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION

RESOLUTION
Proposing Amendments to the Constitution of
the Commonwealth.
Resolved By the Senate and House of Representatives.
of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in General as
senby met That the following amendments propos-
ed to the constitution of the commonwealth in
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 supply
casual deficits failures in revenues meet 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 time shall never exceed hun
dred and fifty thousand dollars, and the money arising
from the creation of such debts shall he applied to the
purpose for which it obtained repay the debts
| so contracted and to no other purpose whatevee.
SECTION 2 In addition to the above limited power the
state may contract debts to repe INVASION suppress
surrecton defend the state in war; TO redeem the pre-
sent outstanding Indebtedness of the state but the
arising from the contracting of such debts shall
applied to the purpose for which it raised
pay such debts and to no other purpose whatever.
SECTION 3. Except the debts above specified, in
tons 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 of
this amendment create sinking fund, which shall be
sufficient to pay the accrung interest such debt and
annually to reduce the principal thereof by not
less than two hundred and fly thousand dollars which
sinking fund shall consist of the annual income
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 proceeds of sale of stocks
owned by the state together with other funds
ces 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 current expenses of
government and unless in OF invasion or insur
recton pert of the said sinking fund shall be used
applied otherwise than in extngushment of the public
debt until the 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, be pledged loaned to- any
individual, company, corporation, association nor
shall the commonwealth hereafter become joint owner,
or stockhoder in any company association or corpora
tiOn.
SECTION G. The commonwealth shall not assume the
debt part thereof of county, city, borough
township of any corporation, association un
less such debt shall have been contracted to enable the
state to repel INVASION suppress domestic lnsurrecton
defend itself in time of to assist the state in the
discharge of any portion of its present indebtedness
SECTION l. The legislature shall not authorize any
county city, borough township, Orincorporated district,
by virtue of vote of its citizens, otherwise to be-
stakeholder in any company association, or cor
poration to obtain money for loan its credit to,
any corporation, association institution, or party.
SECOND AMENDMENT.
There shall be additional article to said constitution
to be designated as article MI, follows:
OF NEW COUNTIES.
No county shall be divided by line cutting off over
onetenth of its population (ether to form county
or otherwise without the express assent of such
ty by vote of the electors thereof shall any new
county be established containing less than four hundred
| square miles.
THIRD AMENDMENT.
From section two the first article of the constitution
strike out the words, Of the city of Phadeldh,a, and
Of each county respectively - from section five, same ar
tee, strike out the words, Of Philadelphia and Of the
several counties - from section same article,
strike out the words, neither the city of Phddephid
any, and insert in lieu thereofthe words and no "
and strike out section four, article" and In lieu
| thereof insert the following:
"SEcTIoS 4. In the year thocsand eight hundred
and sxtytour and in every seventh year thereafter rep
reSentatves to the number of hundred shall be ap
pOrtioned and distributed equally throughout the state
by districts in proportion to the number of taxable i'll
habtants the parts thereof except that any
county containing at least three thousand five hundred
aXables may be allowed scperate representation but
than three counties shall he joined and cOun
y shall be divided. in the formation of district Any
city containing sufficient number OF taXables to entle
it to at least two representatives, shall have separate
representation assigned it, and shall be divided into con-
venen districts of contiguous territory, of equal taxa
BILE population may be- each OF which districts
! shall elect one representative"
At the end of section article insert these
words. the city Of Philadelphia shall be dtrided into sii
gle senatorial districts of cont guous territory nearly
equal in tardbie population possible but icd'd
| shall be dirided in the formation thereof
The legislature at its first session after the adoption
of this amendment shall divide the city of Philadelphia
into senatorial and representative districts, i'll the man
ner above provided such districts to remain unchanged
until the apportionment in the year one thousand eight
hundred and sXty-four
FOURTH AMENDMENT.
There shall be additional section to the first article
of said constitution, which shall be numbered and reat
| as follows:
SECTION g. The legislature shall have the power to al
revoke annul any charter of incorporation here
after conferred by under any special general law
whenever in their opinion it be injurious to the clti
zens of the commonw' alth in such manner. however
that no injustice shall be done to the corporators.
Ii SENATE, March 27, 1857.
Resolred. That this resolution pass. On the frs
amendments, yeas a. nays on the second amendment
yeas D. nays the third amendment, yeas "a, nay
| 1 the fourth amendment, 23, l.
| [EXtract from the JOurnal.l
GEO. W. HAMERSLY, Clerk.
IL THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
April %, 1857.
| Resolved, That this resolution pass. On the frs
amendment yeas Is, nays IL the second amendmen
yeas 81 nays "a the third amendment, yeas ~
| -; ON the fourth amendment, yeas So, nays Z.
Extract from the Journal.]
JACOB ZIEGLER, Clerk.
| A. G. CURTIN,
| Secretary of the Commonwealth.
SEcRETARY's OFFICE,
| HARRISBURG, June -, 1857.
| Pennsylvania,
do certify that the above and foregoing is true ant
correct copy of the original Resolution proposing
amendments to the Constitution of the COmmonwe eah
with the i'll each branch of the Legislature upon tn
final passage thereof appears from the originals OF
file in this Office.
H. 81 hand and caused to be affixed the seal of tn,
Secretary's Office, the day and year above written
A. q. CURTIN,
Secretary Of the Commonwealth.
Is SENATE March %, 1857.
The resolution proposing amendments to the Consttu
ton of the Commonwealth being under consideration,
On the question,
| will the Senate agree to the first amendment?
IN. aEan ppahlV