The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1868-12-11
Preliminary Movement.

The following bill has been introduce
ed in the House of Representatives, by
Mr.. Lillard, of Marshall county. 1t wont
amount to any thing: .......
A Bill to amend the Constitution of the State
of Tennessee, Section 1, Article A, to read as
follows:
Section l. Be it enacted by the Gen.
eral Assembly of the State of Tennes-
see, That every freeman of the age of
twenty-one, being a citizen of the coun-
ty wherein he may offer to vote, six
months next preceding the day of elec-
ton, shall be entitled to vote for men,
bers of the General Assembly and 9TH
er civil officers of the county and dis
trict in which he resides.
Sec. 2. That all the male citizens of
this State, tlunatics excepted,) over the
age of twenty-one years and under for
ty-eight years, shall be entitled to pay'a a
Il poll tax, and be subject to military duty.
Sec. 3. Before any male citizen of this
State shall have the privilege of the
elective franchise, he shall take and SUBJ
scribe the following oath:
do sOlemnly swear that have never
joined any secret organization or taken
any oath or pledge of secrecy, or aided
or given countenance to any secret So
ciety or individual or body that had for
his or their object the defiance of the
laws or the overthrow of the Govern
ment of the State of Tennessee, or OF
the United States, SO help me God.
Sec. 4. That any violation of this oath
shall be perjury, and, on conviction
thereof, the person shall be punished
accordingly.
The bill passed first reading, and was
referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
The following bill was introduced in
the House Of Representatives last week,
by Mr.. Cason, of Wilson county, in lieu
of one for similar purpose, offered by
him last sessions:
Proposed Amendments to the Constitution OF
the State of Tennessee.
Be it enacted by the General Assem-.
bly, of the State of Tennessee, That the
following proposed amendments to the
| Constitution of the State of Tennessee
be published six months preceding the
next election for members of the Cen
eral Assembly; and if the same shall be
adopted by two-thirds of each branch
of said General Assembly, and ratified
by the legal voters of the State, as pre-.
scribed by article IL, section 3, of the
Constitution of Tennessee, shall become
part and parcel of the same.
| Article |. Every citizen of the age o1
twenty. one years, who is a citizen of the
United States and citizen of the coun.
ty in which he may offer to vote for six
months preceding the day Of election
shall be entitled to vote for members O.
the General Assembly, and other civi
officers of the county or civil district il
which he resides: Provided, That nj
person shall hold any Office, civil or mil
itary, in this State, who, having pre-
viously taken an oath as q member o
the Legislature, or an executive or judi
cial officer of any State, to support th'
Constitution of the United States, shall
have engaged in insurrection or rebel
lion against the same, or given aid ant
comfort to the enemies thereof, unles
such disability shall have been removed
by Congress, as prescribed in section 8
article Ia, of the Constitution Of tn
United States.
Article 2. No person shall be disquali
fed for holding office, acting as juror
or be exempted from military duty, o
from the payment of the poll tax, OF
account of race or color.
Article 3. That every free man shal
have the right to keep and bear arms TO
the common defense.
Mr.. Cason has always been staunc
Radical and served through the war il
the Federal army.