Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-04-19
rENrEssrr IEGrsIATuRE.

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"WEDNESDAY. April 1s.-The Senate met at 8
M. Jobnson presented memorial No. Il. which
was read and referred to the committee on FL
nance and Ways and Means c..
TO the Honorable General Assembly Of the sHtGie
Of Tennessee: We, the undersigned your petition
ers would most respectfully represent 10 your
honorable body, that the State tax imposed upon
our business as artists, by an act 70 amend the
revenue laws Of the State" passed by you on the
9th day of May 1885, of 500 for each picture gar
lery opened in the city for the purpose Of taking
photographs, ambrOtypes or daguerrean likeness
es Is most onorous. and. as we believe, much more
bullensome than the taxes imposed by lay up? On
any other business or profession IN the State' Id
proportion to the net profits.
And we would most respectfully submit toyour
consideration whether it would be good pohey 70
tax science and art in their progress Of amehord
ton and development at all OF not
We beg leave further TO show to you that
very considerable rise has taken place IN the
price of articles and materials used by US IN max
ing pictures which Is due to the heavy taxes on
those articles and materials in the hands OF max
ers and the sellers, which rise we as consumers
are obliged to pay; and, because our ousLhesJ y,
the life of the community, we cannot, IN the ma
ture of things, make an adequate advance IN the
price of our productions:
upon our business we beg leave estate that each
gallery in the city of Nashville. has TO pay 10 the
United States for yearly license, 80: to the State
,
complain, 800 per annum; yearly corporation
tax s. 50; and to the county ofDavldson, SlS oi12
Besides, we are required, by act OF Congress. to
place n two cent STAN on every twenty-five cent
picture three cent stamp on every fifty cent pic
ture five cent stamp on every dollar picture, and
a five cent stamp for every additional fractional
part of dollar, tc say nothing Of an income TAX
Of three per cent. upon our entire income over
$500 And when II Is recOllooted that many OF our
profession young men, with small capital, VINO
have devoted considerable time TO learning the
hot- fpsa mn
very limited means, are wholly unable 10 pur-
chase room in the city suited to the business have
to submit to heavy expenses IN httlng up rooms
rented at OneTOus rents, II VIII clearly appear
that the burdens our profession has to submit TO
amount almost to prohibition, and are greatly
dispropOrtionate to the burdens imposed on mer-
chants grOcers, lawyers, doctors, druggists, auc-
tiOneers or any other business or profession car
ried on in our midst.
We would further show to your honorable body
that, owing in great measure to the various tao
tics of different individuals, We are requested to
suit many pictures made and stamped by us are
returned. This happens with, say, about one
fourth of our work, and the stamp having been
once used and cancelled, cannot be used aEIin,
though returned to without accomplishing
their proper legal mission. Thus we, as class,
lose not only One-fOurth Of our materials, as
natural result Of the character of our business,
also all the stamps affixed to the returned pictures
rs aforesaid.
Our profession, we think, appeals to the refine
ment cultivation and taste of the age, as II Is the
as enlightened legislators, to say whether 1t shall
be allowed to live, flourish and accomplish Its be-
neficent mission and aid IN advancing clvlllza-
ton in Tennessee or whether, by the imposition
of onerous taxes, its shops are t0. be closed in
many places in the State where thh business has
been heretofore carried on or whether 1t shall be
confined to few capitalists IN favorable local
tiles.
In view Of the foregoing facts and circum-
stances, we, a class of your constituents, most
earnestly request and pray your Honorable Body
20 ANa. fafR q
amount charged for license by the General Gov
eminent, if indeed you shall be o. the opinion
that any State tax should be imposed on us at all,
or we pray youetO make such other reasonable re-
duction rs to you may appear fair, proportionate
and proper in the premises. And, as in duty
bound; we will ever pray, etc; Co...
Hughes A SALESMAN, j ii. Y an Stayoren,
Vim ID Nnrphy Wesley Cooke
Chas E. Giers, II. NJ. Hall,
T.: NJ. Schiller, A A; 5. Morse
w. A. McGiH, Thomas ). Bailey,
w Prior. Merritt IL Hill.
Mr.. Hall, Chairman of Committee on Claims,
made the following written statement:
Mr.. SPEAKER: The Committee on Claims have
had under consideration the claim of Strcklands
heirs, but not being able to arrive Mt any cOnclu-
sve proof of its business, beg leave to return the
papers without report, and be discharged from
further consideration of the same.
Senate bill. No 34S, by Mr. Trimble: To incOr-
pOrate the Franklin Turnpike Railway company.
Passed first reading, and leave granted to Mr..
Trimble to withdraw the bill for consideration and
No. 40, by Mr.. Smith: Resolved Jy The Senate of
the State of Tennessee, That we return to William
j. Cochran, our retiring Principal Clerk, our sin
cere and heartfelt thanks for his uniform courte-
sy, ability and energy displayed in the discharge
of the oncrous duties principal clerk of this
body.
Adopted unanimously. under suspension of
the rule.
A motion of Mr.. Senter, made before the adop-
ton of the above resolution, TO accept the resigs
nation rendered yesterday by William j. Cochran
of his office as principal clerk Of the Senate hay-
ing carried,
On motion of Mr.. Trmble the Senate went into
election to fill the vacancy, whereupOn h. q.
flagg was unanimously chosen, wit hOutopposi-
ton.
On motion of Mr.. Senter, the Senate went into
an election 20 fill the vacancy occasoned by the
promotion of Mr.. Flagg, whereupOn Clay New
land was unanimously chosen engroSsing clerk of
the Senate, without opposition
House bill No. 800: To limit the elective fran
chlSe was taken up, passed on first reading, re-
teTred to the Committee on Franchise and one
hundred and forty copies ordered to be printed for
the use Of the Senate.
The newly elected clerks came forward, and
were sworn in by the Speaker
No. 2lS: Relating to travellers and accidental
insurance companies Referred to the Committee
on Judiciary. ... .
No gI7: To amend an act passed Feb. q, 1860,
entitled an act to regulate paying out the rail-
road tax OF Montgomery county, Passed; ayes
No. pa: To re-establish the Tennessee State Ag-
rlcultural Bureau, and for other purposes.
Amended, and recOmmitted to the Committee on
Agriculture.
House bill No. $40: To incorporate the town of
MadisOnville. in Monroe county, was taken up on
House Inconvenience in Senate amendment,
and the Senate receding from its amendment the
bill becomes law.
No. 2i3: To amend the charter of the Memphis
and Charleston Railroad Company. Passed.
No. 30: For the benefit of hOuse-keepers
and head of families Rejected, ayes Is, noes 1,
whereupOn Mr. Senter entered motion to re-
consider the vote rejecting the bill.
No. 2SS: Relative to certain issues of the
Branch of The Bank of Tennessee at GAINESVILLE.
Referred to the Committee on Banks.
On motion of Mr.. Hall, the names of Senators
Senter, Nelson, Smith and Mcfarland were added
to the Committee on Agriculture.