Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-11-12

mlttee reported back the petition of CaStel
Bayles, Rev enue Collector Of Hawllin!
county, with the recommendation that tht
Senate pass bill for his relief.
The Judiciary Committee reported bacs
the resolution asking for information in re.
gard to the delinquent railroads in the
State, with the request that the resolution
be transmitted to the Executive Depart,
ment, in order to obtain information in re.
gard to the last paragraph of the resolu,
ton, which inquiries whether said railroad
companies have failed to pay the interest
due the State, and whether any additional
aid has been furnished them---when, where,
to whom and by what authority. The re.
port of the committee was concurred in
and the resolution ordered to be so trans
mitted.
ACTS AND JOURNALS.
Speaker Thomas presented q petition
from the Public Printers asking what num-
Der of the acts and journals to print Re-
fcTred to the Finance and Ways and Means
Committee.
BANK OF TENNESSEE.
MIR. Morris offered a resolution lirectin G
the Committee on Finance and Ways and
Means to take into consideration the pro-
priety of Introducing bill to recharter the
Bank of Tennessee, making it the financial
agent of the State. Laid over one day
under the rule.
ARCHIVES OF THE STATE.
House resolution authorizing the Seere-
tary of State TO employ competent person
to arrange and collate the important papers
and books belonging to the State, in the
archives of the State, was concurred in
THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION
Mr.. Etheridge moved to take up the
House message showing a Inconvenience
in the Senate amendments to the bill to
call convention Of the people. Carried.
Mr.. Etheridge then moved to adhere to
the Senate amendments.
Mr.. Nelson-Mr. Speaker, the main
question before the Senate is on adherence
to certain amendments to be made to House
bill No. 165, by the Senate. The most i'm
portant change made in said bill was that
fixing the number of delegates that
should compose a State Convention to re-
wise the Constitution of our State; this
amendment being made, the other series
OF amendments necessarily followed, to
make the bill complete and Ineligible
maintain that the Senate acted in
good faith in making those altera-
TONS believe the Senate acted
wise and proper in so doing. l argue from
this stand point, fifty well qualified men
will do more work and do it better, and in
a shorter time, thanEone hundred men all
assembled in one body. It is patent to
every intelligent mind, that such bodies
are always very unwieldy, and it is a max
i'm, that all large bodies move slowly. The
Convention held at Philadelphia, Septem-
Der IL, 1887, that proposed the Constitu-
ton of the United States of America.
was composed of SO delegates, and they
represented l. States in that convention,
and l feel warranted in saying that there
was never a period i'll the history of the
American people when the very nature of
affairs demanded more national skill than
when those 50 delegates framed that instru-
ment, which is the beacon-lght or guiding
star of the American people to-day as a
nation. The delegates and signers of the
Declaration of Independence numbered
only sc, with John Hancock at its head,
in the year 1776. l ask, Was their noble
work valued by the American people? That
fourth of July has ever been held in sacred
remembrance by the true sovereign people
of the United States. The Senate has pro-
COn6Il-
tuition, and my honest convictions are that
so are sufficient to perform that important
" OrR
But it is insisted by the opposition that
all the people will not be fully represented
in the Convention, and the will of the whole
people will not be reflected if the delega-
ton falls short of 100 delegates to propose
us a constitution. If that doctrine be cor
rect, it is conclusive to all concerned that
the interests of the whole people of the
State have never been represented in the
senatorial branch of our General Assembly.
The present constitution of Tennessee
limits our number of Senators to %, and
no bill presented by the popular branch of
this Legislature can become a law unless it
receives the sanction Of two-thirds of the
Senate. In all cases of impeachment in
this State, the higheStpowers known to the
constitution and laws of Tennessee are ex-
ercised by the Senate in the capacity of a
high court of impeachment, composed of
p men, and the interest of the entire people
is at all times involved in such causes.
Thus it is, l insist that a greater number
than 50 men to constitute a convention to
propose amendments or alterations to the
Constitution of our State, would be wholly
unnecessary; not only 80, but expensive
and cumbersome and trust in the name
Of wisdom, for the sake of a great people,
that the Senate will adhere to its amend
ments.
Mr. Hall followed in few brief remarks.
He said that this was question on which the
Senators had all made up their minds. 1t
must be universally known that all large
bodies are unwieldy and consume time.
Fifty men would do the work four times as
cheap as 100 men, three times as quick and
five times as good. The body ought to be
composed Of men who know what changes
the Constitution needs and what the will of
the people is. There were two de-
partments of the government whose
faith they could not plight Sup
pose these two departments would
implore the federal government to send
troops here, and suppress themovements of
the Convention What would be the re-
suit? He had taken some pains to aequaint
himself with the government upon this
question, and found that they would like to
interfere with the Convention, and that it
is a probability not remote. He concuITed
with the Senator from Washington that the
Seuate ought to adhere to their amend
mentS.
Speaker Thomas was in favor OF larger
number, believing that it would better
satisfy the people. In many of the sena-
torial districts there we're several counties,
and, if they only selected two delegates from
each senatorial district, they would leave
some of the counties without proper repre-
sentation. One great object he had in
calling this convention was to satisfy the
people For several years past the people
had been trampled upon by the State gov
eminent, and they were denied the right to
vote and represent their people in the gen
eral councils They had been slandered
throughout hesslength and breadth of this
extensive country; and it had been said
that if the chains were taken off, the people
would again inaugurate a rebelious spirit
in the State and against the federal govern
ment If they showed any distrust
in the people as indicated, by having
a full representation, the people
understand it as casting a refiec-
ton upon them 1t was for this
reason that ne voted against restrict
ing the Convention to a particular
line of duty, because he wished to give the
Convention full representation, so as to
give them an opportunity to give the lie to
the charges that have been reiterated
throughout the country that they were re-
bellious in spirit, and proposed to precipi-
tate us into another war.
Mr.. Cooper, of Davidson, wished to eX-
plain himself before voting on the propO-
sition, as the Senate well knew that he vo-
ted for the amendment offered by the Sen
ator from Weakley, upon the ground that
1t was a question of economy. He
thought the Legislature had no power
to amend the Constitution, except
by the mode prescribed by the Constitu-
ton. He voted fer the amendment, be
ieving that the people needed two amend
ments to the Constitution, the repeal of
the franchise law and the regulation of tax
alton. He believed that it would be more
economical to have only 80 delegates TO the
proposed convention.
Mr.. Etheridge did not suppose that when
he introduced this amendment it would
lead 70 so much OnpoSition in the House