Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1857-08-20
miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION
Proposing Amendments to the Constitution of
Che Commonwealth

RESOLUTION
Proposing Amendments to the Constitution OF
the Commonwealth.
Resoged by the Senate and House of Representative.
Of the Commonwealth Of Pennsylvania in GeneTrl As
emily met That the following amendments are propos
ed to the constitution Of the commonwealth in
dance with the provisions OF the tenth article thereof
FIRST AMENDMENT
There shall be an 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
ses not otherwise provided for but fhe
such debts direct and contingent whether
by virtue of one or more acts of the general assembly
at different periods of time shall never 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 was obtained to repay the debts
so eentraetst and to no other purpose whatevee.
SECTION 2 In addition to the above limited power the
state may contract debts to repe INVASION in
sent outstanding Indebtedness of the state but the mo
ney arising from Che contracting of such debts shall be
applied to She purpose for which was raised or to re
pay such debts and 10 no other purpose whatever.
SECTION g. Except the debts above specified, IN sec
tions 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 Che present
debt and any additional debt contracted as 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
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 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
government and unless in of war invasion
recton pert of the said sinking fund shall be used
applied otherwise than in extingushment of the public
debt he
sum of five millions of dollars.
SECTION 5. The credit of the commonwealth shall not
in any manner or 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
tion.
SECTION 6. The COMMONWEALTH shall not assume the
debt any part thereof of any county, city, borough
township of any corporation, association
less such debt shall have been contracted to enable the
state to repel INVASION suppress domestic nsurrecton
defend itself in time of to assist the state in the
discharge of any portion of its present Indebtedness
SECTION T. The legislature shall not authorize any
county city borough, township orncorpOrated disttict
come stockhOlder in any company association cor
poration 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 XII, as follows:
ARTICLE XII.
No county shall be divided by line cutting off over
oneenth of its population, (ether to form county
otherwlSe) without the assent OF such coun
ty, by vote of the electors thereof shall any
csuRfg 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, fe city Of PhHadeldhrd, and
Each county respectively from section five, same ar
lce, strike out the words, Of Phlrdephia and Of the
sererdi counties = from section seven, article,
strike out tie words, neither the city of PhLadeiphia
any," and insert in lieu thereofthe words and "
aa strike out section four same article, and in lieu
thereof insert the following:
''SECTIoN 4. In the year thocsand eight hundred
and sixty and every seventh year thereafter rep
rSentatires to tie pumber of hundred, shall be APP
poroned ami distributed equally throughout the state,
by districts in proportion to the number OF taxable in
habtants in the several parts thereof except that any
county containing at least three thousand five hundred
taxabes may be allowed seperate representation but
than three counties shall be joined and
IL sfan Ire divided in the formation of district Any
city containing sufficient number of taxabes to ente
it to at least two representatives. shall have separate
representation assigned it, and shall be divided into
districts Of contiguous territory, of equal taxa
bic population near may be- each OF which districts
shall eject one representative.
At the end of section same article, insert these
words, the city Of PdQdethie snail ts drided aLo sin
te senatorial dist Of conf isaots tsrrf6ry as nrdFy
equal ia tdrd6e population possible but no tcaTd
shall be dirided in the formation thereof" =.
The legislature, at its first sess ion, after the adoption
of this amendment, shall divide the city of Philadelphia
into senatorial and representative districts in the
ner above provided such districts to remain unchanged
until the apportionment in the year one thousand eight
hundred and siXtyour.
FOURTH AMENDHPNT
There shall be an additional Section to the first article
cf said constitution, Which shall be numbered and read
as follows
SECTION &c. 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 be injurious to the ct
zens of the cOmmonw alth in such hammer. however,
That No injustice shall be done I'd the cotporators
IxsENArE, March 81, 1857.
Resolred That this resolution pass. On the first
amendment, yeas "a, on the second amendment
yeas %, nays the third amendment yeas a. nays
on the fourth amendment, yeas %, nays 4.
Extract from the JOurnall
GEO. w. HAMERSLY, Clerk.
II THE House. OF REPRESENTATIVES,,
April 30, 1857.
Resoired That this resolution pass. On the first
amendment Seas Is, nays II the second amendment
yeas 81 nays 81 on the Third Amendment yeas ~, nays
% on the fourth amendment, yeas Sj nays I.
Extract from the Jouinall
JACOB EIEGLER, Clerk.
Filed in Secretary's Office, May 2, 1857.
A. G. CURTIN,
Secretary of the Commonwealth.
SECRETARY's OFFICE,
HARRISBURG, June %, 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 in each branch of the Legislature upon the
final passage thereof appears from the originals on
file in this Office.
H. s. hand and caused to be affixed the seal of the
Secretarys Office, the day and year above written
A. G. CURTIN,
Secretary of The Commonwealth.
IL SES ,fE March 81, 1857.
The resolution proposing amendments to the Constu
tion of the Commonwealth being under consideration
On the question,
Will the Senate agree to the first amendment?
The yeas and nays taken agreeablF to the provi