Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1857-10-01
miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION
Proposing Amendments to the Constitution Of
the Common%ealth.

RESOLUTION
Proposing Amendments to the Constitution of
the Commonwealth
Rssored 5y the Senate and House of Representatives
of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in General as
enlby met That the following amendments are propos-
ed 10 the constitution of the commonwealth in accor-
dance with the provisions of the tenth article thereof
FIRST AMENDMENT.
There shall be additional article said constitution
to be designated as article efeyen as follows
OF PUBLIC DEBTS.
SECTION /. The state may contract debts to supply
casual deficits or failures in revenues or to meet expe-
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 be applied the
purpose for which it obtained to 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 repe Invasion suppress
surrection defend the state in redeem the
outstanding Indebtedness of the state but the
ney arising from the contracting OF such debts shall be
applied to the purpose for which it raised
pay such debts, and to no other purpose whatever.
Section g. Except the debts above specified, in sec,
tons one and of this article debt whatever shall
| be created by, 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
!hs amendment create sinking fund, which shall he
sufficient pay the accrung interest such debt and
annually reduce the principal thereof by d sum 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
or 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
that may be designated by law. The said sinking
fund may increased from tue to time, by assigning
to part the taxes other of the
not required for the ora and current expenses OF
government and unless in of invasion or insur
recOn pert of the said sinking fund shall be used
applied otherwise than in extnguishment of the public
debt until the of such debt reduced below the
sum of five millions of dollars
SECTIoS 5. The credit OF the commonwealth shall not
in manner event, be pledged, loaned to- any
individual, company, corporation or association nor
shall the commonwealth hereafter become joint
stockhol6er in any company, association or 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 nsurrectlon
defend itself in time of war to assist the state in the
discharge of any portion Of its present Indebtedness
SECTION I. The legislature shall not authorize any
county CITY borough township, incorporated district
stOckholder in any company association, cor
poraon to obtain money for, or 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 XII, as follows:
| ARTICLEX MI.
| OF NEW COUNTIES.
No county shall be divided by line cutting off over
Onetenth of its population (either to form county
or otherwise without the express of such
tv by vote 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 Phradetdha' and
of ench county respectively" " from section i've same ar
tice strike the words of Philadelphia and Of the
several counties :" from section seven, same article
strike the words neither the city of Philadelphia
any" and insert in lieu thereOtEe words, and
and strike out, section four article and in lieu
thereof insert the folowing
l. In the thOcsand eight hundred
and sixtyour and in every seventh year thereafter rep
resentatves to the number of hundred shall be ap
pOtioned and distributed equally throughout the state
by districts in proportion to the number of taxable in
habitans the several parts thereof except that any
county containing at least three thousand five hundred
taxables may be allowed seperate representation bu
than three counties shall be joined and
t. shall be divided in the formation of district. Any
city containing sufficient number of taXabes to entt
it to at least representatives shall have separate
representation assigned it, and shall be divided into
venient districts of contiguous territory Of equal taxa
Die population near may be- each oi which districts
shall elect ore representative"
At the end section article, insert thes,
words the city of Philadelphia shall BE- dirided into
gle senatorial districts Of cont iguous territory near
equal in tarabe population possible but ,cG'r
shaH be diridsd in the formation thereof"
The legislature at its first session. after the adoption
oF ~; aTnomd,1ant bo divide tba citv of phodeinbi
into senatorial and representative districts in the man
ner above provided such districts to remain unchanged
until the apportOnment i'll the year one thousand egh
hundred and siXty-our.
Fo4RrH AMENDMENT
There shall be additional section to the first artcl
of said constitution which shall be numbered and
| as follows
SECTION g. 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 commonw ah in such manner. however
that no injustice shall he done to the corporators.
IN SENATE, March 81. 1857.
Resoiped, That this resolution pass. On the frs
amendment, yeas "a, nays on the second amendment
yeas %, nays the third amendment, yeas "a nay
| 1 ; on the fourth amendment yeas %, nays 1.
| Extract from the Journall
GEO. W. HAMEHSLY; Clerk.
: IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
! April -, 1851.
Rcsored, That this resolution pass. On the frs
amendment, yeas Is nays II on the second amendmer
yeas 81 nays 81 the third amendment yeas Y nay
% on the fourth amendment. yeas 80. nays q
| Extract from the Journa1
JACOB ZIEGLER, Clerk.
Filed in Secretarys Office May ., 1851
4. G. CURTIN,
Secretary Of the Commonwealth.
SECRErARYs OFFICE.
| HARRISBURG, June %, 1857.
Pennsylvania,
DO certify that the above and foregoing is true