Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-12-27
THE CONVENTION BILL.
By request we republish the follow
ing bill authorising convention to
amend the State Constitution:


ing bill authorising convention to
amend the State Constitution:
An Act to Atlftorize the People 10 eall Contention,
and )or other purposes.
WHEREAS, According to Section l, Arti-
Gle of the Declaration Of Rights, allpower
| is inherent in the people, and all free gov
ernments are founded on their authority
and instituted for their peace, safety and
happiness; and
WHEREAs, 1t is declared for the ad-
/ vancement of these ends, the people have
at all times an inalienable and indefeasible
right to alter, reform or abolish the Gov
/ ernmelt in such manner as they may
think proper; and
WHEREAS, In the opinion of this Gen
eraI Assembly, the public eXigencies do
/ now demand the exercise of these inherent
and reserved powers on the part of tire
people of the State; therefore,
SECTION l. Be Il enacted by the General
| Assembly Of the State Of IeRResSees That
every male citizen not convicted and reIl-
dered infamous for crime, of the age of
/ twenty-One years, being citizen OF the
! United States, and citizen Of the county
| where he may offer his vote six months
! next preceding the day Of election, is
hereby authorized to assemble on the third
/ Saturday in December, 1869, at the several
I places of holding elections in the several
| counties and vote for or against calling
/ convention TO amend, revise or reform and
make new Constitution Tor the State;
and no certificates or other qualification
/ than the foregoing, shall be required by
the Judges holding said election.
See. z. In submitting the question of
convention TO the people, they shall have
| written or printed on their ballots
| Convention" or mo Convention; :"
and if the number of votes cast for con-
ventiOn be greater than the votes east
against a convention, then there shall be
| a convention.
See. 3. An election for delegates to a
convention of the people of the State
| shall be held in the several counties
thereof at the same time and places, and
that said election shall be held at all the
precincts and voting places established
! by law, and shall be managed and con-
Quoted by the Commissioners of Registra-
ton and other proper officers of the cOun-
ties respectively, in the same manner and
! under the same rules and regulations that
members of the General Assembly are
now elected; and il is hereby declared to
be the duty of the Governor to issue his
/ proclamation to the several Commission
/ ers of Registration of the State. immedi-
ately after the passage of this act, reQUir
/ ing them to hold and conduct the same as
herein provided. The said Commission
| ers of Registration shall advertise the
time and places of said election, as in
! cases of members of the General Assem-
bly,.
Sec. 4. The whole number of delegates
elected to said Convention shall be seven
1 ty-tive.
Sec. 5. Each of the Representative Dis
/ tricts as established by the apportiOnment
/ act of 18th February, 1852, shall constitute
/ a district, and elect and send to said con-
vention exactly the same number of dele
! gates that they have Representatives in
/ the General Assembly by said act Of ap-
/ pOrtionment.
Sec. 6. Each one of the Floterial Dis
I tricts as established by said act of appOr-
/ tionment shall constitute a district, and
elect and send to said convention one del
/ cgate.
! Sec. :. The votes in the several Repre-
| sentative and Floaterial Districts, shall be
compared at the several places where the
votes for members of the General Assem-
bly, were compared in the last August
election.
See. g. No person shall be eligible TO
seat il said Convention who is not twen-
ty-One years oi age, and whS has not been
a citizen of the State for twelve months,
and ofthe county and district from which
he is elected six months immediately pre-
ceeding the election.
Sec. 9. All laws requiring test oaths 10
enable Dersnns tn hA.,..;:iie Candidates for
Office, or requiring Judges and Clerks OF
election 10 tGKo such oaiiis, shall not ap-
ply to the election under this act.
Sec. 10. III case of the death, refusal to
serge, resignation OF removal from this
State of any delegate, the vacancy occa-
stoned thereby shan be iiiled in the same
manner prescribed by law for the filling
of vacancies ia the representation to the
General Assembly.
See. H. II shall be the duty of the Com
missioners of Registration of each county
in the State, Immediately after said cleo
ton, to make q complete return TO the
Secretary of state of the votes cast 81 For
Convention" or mo Convention" and
for delegates in his county. The GER
ti6cate of election of the return
ing officer, or officers, of the county
or districts, shall be pTiWd fGcie evidence
Of the right of any delegate 70 a seat in
said Convention; subject, If contested, to
be decided in the manner the Convention
may prescribe.
Sec. II. Tt shall be the duty OF the Gov
ernor and Secretary of State to 5mpare
the returns made by the Commissioners
of Registration, and if a majority of those
voting be in favor of Convention, it
shall be the duty of the Governor imme-
diately to issue his proclamation annOunc-
ing the result. and said Convention shall
convene in the city of Nashville on the
second Monday in January, 1870; and
when so assembled, said delegates shall
organize themselves into constitutional
Convention, by the election of Presi-
dent and such other officers as they may
deem necessary.
sec. I3. Said Convention shall adopt
such rules and regulations for its govern
ment and the transaction OF business as
it shall think proper, and that the mem
/ bers and officers of said Convention shall
receive the same compensation as Is now
allowed by law TO the members and Off
cers, of the General Assembly ofthe State,
and to be paid in the same manner by the
Treasurer.
Sec. II. The constitution or form of
government which said Convention may
adopt, shall not be of any bindingtOTce or
efficacy until the same has been submsLte
TO ard ratified by the people OF the State,
in such manner and in such time as the
Convention shall provide.
Sec 10. Should any county have no
Commissioner of Registration at the time
of said election, or should the Commits
sioners of Registration fail or refuse to
hold said election, then, in that event, it
shall be the duty Of the Sheriff OF each
county to open and hold such election,
subject to the same rules and regulations
ss imposed upon Commissioners of Reg
istration by thfis Act.
Sec .I6. In all cases where aEv Commits
sioner on ShedG fails or refuses, or from
any other cause fails to hold said election,
it shall be lawful for any freeholder to
hold said election. by summOning so
many bystanders as may be necessary to
hold such electiOn-all of whom shall be
freeholders.
Sec. II. This Act shall take effect from
and afler its passage.
w. ON. PERKINS,
Speaker of the House of Representatives.
d. b. THOMAS,
Speaker of the Senate.
Passed November 10, 1869.
4 copy of the original now on file IN
nv office. A. ]. FLETCHER,