Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1868-12-03
AMENDMENTS TO FRE CcNsTIrU.
TION

On @AE@nS1AStSAonstH hkaB fcDR3cs
In the House of Representatives yester-
day, two bills were introduced, proposing
anne dments to the Consultation, having
for their objects the enfranchisement Of
every male inhabitant ofthe age Of twenty
one years. The first was introduced BY
Mr. Lillard of Marshall, and ia as follows
A bill to amend the Consultation Of the State of
lows:
SECTION l. Be it enacted by the General
Assembly of the Stale of Tennessee, That
every freeman Of the age of twenty one,
being a citizen Of the United States. and
citizen the county wherein he may offsr
to vote, six months next preceding the day
OF election, shall be entitled to vote for
members of the General Assembly aud
other civil officers of the county and dis
lrict in which he resides.
SEC. 2. That all the male citizens Of this
State, (lunatics excepted, over the age of
tWeniy-one years and uDder forty eight
years, shall be entitled TO pay a poll tax,
and be subject to military duty.
SEC. ). Before a male citizen of this
State shall have the privilege of the cleo
tive franchise, he shall take and subscribe
the following oath:
do solemnly swear that l have never
Joined any secret organization, or any oath
or pledge Of secrecy, or aided or given
countenanee to any secret society as iGdi
yidual or body that had for his or their OBJ
ject the defiance of the law or the over
throw Of the government of the State Of
Tennessee, or of the United States, 90 help
me God.
SDc. 4. That any violation of this oath
shall be perjury, and, on conviction there.
oil, the person shall be punished accord
ingly.
The bill passed the first reading and
was referred 10 the Committee on Judi
ciary.
COLONEL PRossER's PLAN.
The following bill was introduced by
Col. Prosaer, one of the Representatives
from this county:
An Act proposing amendments to the Coustitu-
tion Of the State Of Tennessee.
Whereas, Section 3 of article ii of the
constitution of the State of Tennessee pro-
vides that any amendment or amendments
| may be proposed in the Senate or House of
Representatives; therefore, ia pursuance
Of the provisions of said section, and for
the purpose Of amending the constitution
of this State BY the means and in the man.
ner prescribed
Be it enacted BY the General Assembly
of the State of Tennessee, That the follow
ing amendments be, aud the same are
hereby proposed to the constitution of this
| State: E
PROPOSED AMRSDMENT TO THE CONSTR
| TUITION.
l. Every male inhabitant of the State,
/ Of the age of twenty-one years, being a
citizen of the UniIed States and a citizsr
OF the county wherein he may offer e
vote, six months next preceding the day
Of election, shall be entitled TO vote fol
members Of the General Assembly anC
other civil officers for the county or dis
trict in which be resides; provided thai
this amendment shall not operate TO en-
franchise ary person heretofore disquali
fed from voting by the laws of this State
for crime, of which be may be duly con-
Victed; and, provided further, that thia
amendment shall not disfranchise any per.
son who low has the right to vote under
the laws of this State as they now exist, or
who shall possess that right at the time Of
the ratification of this amendment.
| 2. Mol may be passed excluding
from the right of suffrage or from the right
to hold Office or sit on juries, any person
because of his race or color, or previous
condition, nor shall any property qualifica.
ton be established but laws may be passed
excluding from the right Of suffrage or
from the right of holding Office or sit
ting on juries, persons who may be con
vicied of infamous cTimeI. All laws on
these subjects shall be uniform and impair.
tial. f-
| 8. No person shall be exempt from mill
tary duty or from paying poll tax, by TeA.
son of race, color or previous condition.
4. Sections l and 2 of article w ofthe
Constitution, adopted in --a are here
by aunulled, and the provisions of these
amendments established in lieu thereof
and all provisions and enactments Of the
Constitution on laws of the State Of Ten,
nessee contrary TO or Inconsistent with the
provisions Of these amendments, are here
by repealed. abrogated and annulled
See. 2 Be it further enacted, That the
amendments TO the Constitution by this
act proposed, shall, if the same shall be
agreed TO BY majority of all of the two
Houses of the General Assembly, be ca
tered OH the journals of the Senate and
House of Representatives, with the yeas
and nays Of the Senators and members oil
the House of Representatives voting there
on, and it shall then be the duty of the
Governor of the State to cause the said
amendment, to be referred to the General
Assembly next to be chosen, and published
six months previous to the day of the cleo
tion of the members for the hext General
Assembly.
Sec. 8. Be it further enacted, That thii
act shall take effect and be in force from
4 and after ifs nassaOa