Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-01-19
SENATE BILLS ON THIRD READING.
House of Representatives.

NEW BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS
The following bills were introduced,
passed first reading, and were appropriately
referred
By Mr.. Shepherd A bill to repeal an
act to establish Criminal Court in the
first judicial district Of the State.
To release to the Female College az Rog>
ersville a debt of about $4,000 due the
Branch Bank at RogersVille.
Mr.. Dyer: To compel overseers of pub
lie roads leading to fords of rivers to clear
such fords of distractions, and erect a
stone on the banks thereof indicating when
such fordsiare impossible or dangerous by
reason Of high water.
Mr.. McNair: To ncorparats-iha-IFer
station Inatitdte.
Mr. Thompson: To authorize the county
of Bedford to issue county bonds, for the
purpose of rebuilding a court house for
said county.
HOUSE BILLS ON SECOND READING.
To amend an act to incorporate the Ten.
neasee and Pacific Railroad Company.
Passed.
Mr.. Mynatt offered bill in lieu, which
was adopted and passed
To repeal parts of an act to incorporate
the Edgefeld Street Railroad Company,
and to abolish the Office of Clerical Com
missioner. Passed.
To incorporate the Winans High School
at Knoxville, amended by committee.
Amendment adopted and bill passed.
For the protection of game. Rejected.
For the benefit Of Alexander Forester,
of Roane county. Passed.
To incorporate the First Colored lnsti
tute in Anderson:county. Passed.
To amend section 1854 of the Code of
Tennessee in regard to landmarks. Passed.
To incorporate the Clarksville Hotel
Company, amended by committee. Amend
ment adopted and bill passed.
For the more efficient PRONUNCIATION Of
acts of the Legislature and decisions of the
Supreme Court. Rejected.
For the relief of VIM. A. Lowell, Sheriff
of Sumner county. Passed.
To incorporate the Jones' Creek Oil and
Mining Company. Passed.
To amend the laws Of this State in regard
to divorces. Bill makes habitnal drunk
enness cause for divorce. Passed.
To incorporate the German Lutheran
Congregation Of the city of Knoxville,
amended by committee. Amendment
adopted and bill passed.
To protect institutions of learning. Re-
jected.
To prevent dsfranchised Rebels from
practicing law in the courts of this State.
The Judiciary Committee recommended
rejection OF the bill.
Mr.. Bowles moved to nonconcnr in the
report of the committee.
The ayes and noes being called for, the
vote was so taken, with the following re~
suit: Ayes %, noes Al. So the House re.
fused to nonconcur.
The question recurring upon concur
renee in the report Of the committee,
Mr.. Doughty questioned the propriety
of passing the bill. He felt that its pro.
visions might be Just, but the Supreme
Court of the United States, he understood,
had decided a similar measure in Missouri
TO be unconstitutional. Ii was unnecessary
in the face of such decision to pass this bill.
He would, therefore, vote 20 concur in the
report of the committee.
Mr.. Williams said: Mr.. Speaker, with
out discussing the constitutionality of the
bill, for the late decisions of the Supreme
Court of the United States settle that ques-
ton / trust forever, and as that is admitted
| by gentlemen who favor the principles OF
this bill, will therefore briefly state my
objections to that principle, based upon the
broad grounds of public policy, and the in
terests of the people of Tennessee. And
while l admit that the clergy and the bar
| welded an influence in the late rebellion
more powerful and dangerous in opposi-
| ton to the government than any other
class of Rebel citizens, yet / am opposed
10 prostituting the law making power into
an instrument for Breaking revenge upon
a class Of citizens that are now lew-abiding,
because they differed with us 10 the late
| rebellion. 1t is true that We have pre-
scribed an oath for candidates for Office,
| and that we have a law DISTINGUISHING a
| portion of the citizens Of the State,
but that law was demanded for the
protection Of Union people and for the
safety of the government. But this bill
does not pretead that the welfare and the
interests Of the State demand its passage /;
bat il bears the impress of spite, hatred
and bitterness toward the members of a
profession who are now law abiding, and
whatever may have been their political
course in the past, their professional SER
vices are necessary to the asnmuuity at
the present, and the passage Il the bill would
| be blow at the interest Of every man Or
woman in the State who has important
suits in court. But aside from the practi-
cal injury it wonld work TO the community,
it is unwise legislation, because it adds fuel
to the fires Of hate and bitterness already
raging at the hearts Of the people Of every