Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-01-20
An Act providing for n Convention of the
People of Tennessee.

SECTION l. Be Il enacted by the GHsrGl Assembly
of the State of Tennessee That election for dele
gates to Convention Of the people of the State OF
Tennessee, shall be held in the several counties
thereof, on Saturday, the 9th day Of February,
1861 and that said election shall be held at all the
precincts and voting places established by Law; and
shall be managed and conducted by The Sherifs and
other officers Of the counties respectively, in the
manner and subject to the rules prescribed by law
for the election Of members of the Legislature. And
it hereby declared to be the duty Of the Governor
TO issue his proclamation to the several Sherifs Of
the State least ten days before the time appointed
for holding said election, requiring them to hold
and conduct the same as herein provided, and said
Sherifs shall advertise the time and place of said
election as in case OF the election Of members Of
the Legislature.
SEC. 2. Be IL further enacted, That the whole
number of delegates elected to said Convention
shsI be one hundred and that each county shall be
represented in said Convention by the same number
of delegates that it has Representatives in the Le
rislature that each Floating District shall be rep
resented by one delegate, and each Senatorial Dis
trict by one delegate in said Convention.
SEC 8. Be Il further enacted, That no person
shall be eligible TO seat in said Convention, who
is not tventy-ons years of age, and who has not
been citizen Of the State for twelve months, and Of
the county or disric. from which he is elected six
months immediately preceding the election
SEC 4. Be further enacted That shall be the du
ty Of the Sheriff Of said county Immediately after
said election to make complete return TO the Sec
rotary of State Of the votes cast for delegates aud
for "Convention" or =" No Convention" in his
county, and the certificate Of election Of the re-
turning officer Of the proper county; and the GER
tiicate of election shall be evidence in favor Of any
delegate of his right to seat in said Convention;
subject if contested, to be decided in such manner
as the Convention may prescribe.
SEC. g. Be Il further enacted. That the delegates
eectee under the provisions of this act shall assem-
BILE at Nashville the 26th dsy of February, 1861,
and organize themselves into Convention. by tie
election of q President, and such other officers as
they may deem necessary; and thus organized shall
proceed TO consider the then existing relations be-
tween the Government of the United Ststes, and the
Government and people the State of Tennessee and
to adopt such measures for vindicatiug the sover-
eighty Of the State and the protection of its insti
tutions shall appear to them to be demanded Said
Convention shall adopt such rules and regulations
for its and thu transaction of business
as it shall think proper. The officers, members
and assistants of said Convention shall receive the
same compensation as is now allowed by law to the
members oficsrs and assistants Of the General As
sembly of the State, and to be paid in the same
manner by the Treasurer Of the State.
SIC, 6. Be IL further enacted, That in case OF
vacancy occurring in said Convention By death, re-
signatiOn otherwise, of any member, it shall be
the duty OF the Governor to cause such vacancy to
be filed, if practicable, by issuing his writ Of cleo
ton to the Sheriff Sherifs of the proper county
or counties requiring him or them on five days no
tce to hold an election according to law, to fill the
same.
SEC. Z. Be Il also enacted That in submitting the
question Of Convention 10 the people, they shall
have written or printed their ballots the words
Convention" or ''No Convention and if the num-
Der Of votes east fer Convection be greater than
the votes cast against Convention, then there Ohal
| be a Colveuto9.
SEC. s. Be further enacted That no ordinance
or resolution, which may be adopted by said Con-
VentiOn, having for its object change Of the posi-
tion relation Of this State to the NatonSl Union
or her sister Southern Statos shall be of any bind
ing force effect until il is submitted to and rst
fed and adopted by majority of the qualified vo-
tiers in the State, taking basis the vote cast in
| the last election for Governor and members of the
| General Assembly.
SEC. 9 Bet further enacted. That this act shall
take effect from and after ito passage.
Passed Jany. 10, 1861.