Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1857-09-17
Miseeuaneous.
Proposing Amendments to the Constitution Of
the Commonwealth.


esolrsd BY the Senate and House Of Representatirs'
of the Commonwealth Of Pennsylvania IN Generri As
emily That the following amendments propos-
ed to the constitution of the commonwealth, In accor
dance with the provisions Of the tenth article thereof
There shall be en- additional article said constitution
to be designated IS article eleven. as follows -
ARTICLE
OF PUBLIC DEBTS.
SECTION !. The state may contract debts, to supply
casual deficits failures in revenues meet expen
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 exceed seven hun
dred and y 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 e. In addition to the above limited power the
state may contract debts repe INVASION suppress in
surrecton defend the state In war redeem the pre-
outstanding Indebtedness of the state but the
ney arising from the contracting Of such debts shall be
applied the purpose for which it raised, to
pay such debts, and 10 no other purpose whatever.
SEcrIoS s. Except the debts above specified in sec
tons and two of this article debt whatever shall
be created by, or on behalf OF the state.
SECTION L. To provide for the payment of the present
debt and additional debt contracted aforesaid the
legislature SHALL at its frat session. after tue adoption Of
this amendment. create sinking fund.- which shall be
sufficient to pay the accruing 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 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
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
part of the taxes other Of the state
not required for the ordinary and current expenses Of
government and unless in of invasion nsur
rection part of the said sinking fund shall he used
applied otherwise than in extnguishment 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, loaned to, any
individual company corporation, or association nor
shall the hereafter become Joint owner
stockholder in any company association or corpora
tion.
SECTION 6. The commonwealth shall not assume the
debt any part thereof of county city, borough,
township OF any corporation or association un-
less such debt shall have been contracted to enable the
state repe INVASION suppress domestic nsurrection,
defend itself in time OF to Assist the state IN the
discharge of any portion of its present indebtedness
SECTION 7. The legislature shall not authorize any
county, city borough township orncorPorated district
by virtue of vote of its citizens otherwise, to be-
come stockhoder in any company association, or cor
pOraton 20 obtain money for or loan its credit to,
any corporation association, institution. party
SECOND AMESDAEST.
There shall be additional article to said constitution
to be designated as article XII as follows;
ARTICLE XII.
OF NEW COUNTIES.
No county shall be divided by u line cutting of
onetenh of its population (eithcr to form neT county
otherwse without the express assent of such coun-
ty by of the electors thereof; shall any
county be established containing less than four hundred
square miles.
THIRD AMENDMENT.
From section two of the first article OF the constitution
strike out the words, Of The city Of rhGdeld'a and
tcle strike out the words Of Phrdetphia and OF the
sereral counties :; from section seven same article,
strike out the words neither the city of PhddPtphid
any, and insert in lieu thereofthe words and y
and strike out section four article" and in lieu
thereof insert the following:
SECTION L. In the year one thocsand eight hundred
and sxyour and in every seventh year thereafter rep
rcSentaves to the number of hundred, shall be APP
portoned and distributed equally throughout the state,
bt-l tnf hn pnla
habnts in the several parts thereof except that any
county containing least three thousand five hundred
taxables, be allowed seperate representation but
than three counties shall be joined and
y shall be divided in the formation of district Any
city containing sufficient number of taxabes to entite
it to at least two representatives shall have separate
representation assigned it, and shall be diyded into
yenient districts of contiguous territory of equal taxa
bic population near as may be- each VI which districts
shall elect representative"
At the end of section seven article insert these
words he city Of Philadelphia shall be diried into
shall be dirided in the formation thsrsof"
The legislature at ITS hst session after the adoption
into senatorial and representative districts, in the
above provided such districts to remain unchanged
until the apportionment in the year Thousand eight
hundred and sixty four.
FOURTH AMENDMENT.
There shall be additional section to the first article
Of said constitution which shall be numbered and read
follows
SEcrIox 26 The legislature shall have the power to al
after conferred by under any special general law
whenever in their opinion it may be injurious the cti
zens of the commonw alth in such manner however,
that no injustice shall be done to the corporators.
IS SENATE, March 27 1857.
Resoired, That this resolution pass. On the first
amendment. yeas 34 nays the second amendment,
yeas 23 nays the third amendment, yeas q, nays
on the fourth amendment, yeas 23 nays 4.
[Extract from the Journal
. ..g GEO. W. HAMERSLfj Clerk.
II THE HOUSE, OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
|sl.f April 49, 1857.
Resolr.d, That this resolution pass. On the first
amendment yeas lS nays IL on the second amendment
yeas ST. nays 81 the third amendment yeas r. nays
u on the fourth amendment, yeas SO. nays7
Extract from the Journal
.. JACOB ZlEGLER Clerk.
Filed in secretArys Office. May ?, 1857.
A.G. CURTIN,
Secretary Of the Commonwealth.
SEcEErARYs OFFICE.
HARRISBURG, Juue %, 1857.
Pennsylvania, .: ..
do certify that the above and foregoing true and
correct copy Of the original - Resolution proposing
amendments to the ConStI ton Of the Commonwealth,
with the vote in each branch of the Legislature upon the
final passage thereof appears from the originals
file in this Office.
In testimony whereof have hercunto set my
IL. 81 hand and caused TO he affixed the seal of the
Secretarys Office, the day and year above written
A. g. CURTIN,
Secretary of the Commonwealth.
IN SEF ATE. March u. 1857.
for naiuUo IN thn ('HnStif