Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1870-02-20
Convention Proceedings.

The Convention on Thursday met at the
usual hour. The first resolution offered
was one by Mr.. Sample, that the Old Tes-
lament Scriptures shall never be excluded
from the common schools, which lies over
under the rules. The following was adopt
ed as an amendment to Art. I, Sec. 81, of
the Constitution: mo law of a general
nature shall go into effect until the fortieth
day after its passage, unless such law or
its preamble shall declare that the public
welfare requires thai 1t should take effect
sooner The following was adopted as
an amendment TO Art. N, Sec. 5: " The
Legislature shall have the right, at n
time, by law, TO submit to the people the
question Of calling a Convention to alter,
reform or abolish this Constitution, and
when, upon such submission, a majority
Of all the votes cast shall be in favor of
said proposition, then delegates shall be
chosen and the Convention shall assemble
in such mode and manner as shall be pre-
scribed." The follOWiugamendment to this
lies over under the rules: provided that
nothing contained in this section shall be
construed so as to deprive the people in
their sovereign capacity from exercising
the inherent right to alter, reform, change
or abolish this Constitution, as declared
IN the Bill Of Rights, independent Of any
legislative authority"
The following was adopted as section 6
Of article VI: The Legislature shall have
10 power TO change the names of persons
or TO pass acts adopting or legitimating
persons, but shall, by general laws, con
fer this power on the courts" The fol-
lowing was adopted, to follow section Il:
\ homestead in the possession of each
mead Of a family and the improvements
thereon TO the value, in all, of one thou
sand dollars, shall be exempt from sale IN
der legal process during the life of such
head off family, to inure 20 rheb benefit Of
the widow, and shall be exempt during
the minority OF their children occupying
the same, nor shall said property be alien
ated, without the Joint consent of hus-
band and wife when that relation exists.
This exemption shall not affect debts con
iracted before the adoption OF this Con-
stitution, nor debts contracted for the
purchase or Improvement of said lot. nor
public axes.
The following WAS also adopted:
1.-The intermarriage OK white persons
with negroes, mulattoes, or persons Of
mixed blood, descended from a negro TO
the third generation, inclusive, is pro
bibited, and no white person and negro
shall be allowed to live together as man
and wife. The Legislature shall enforce
this section by appropriate legislation"
The following was adopted as an indie
pendent section:
"The General Assembly shall have
power 10 enact laws for the protection and
preservation OF game and fish with
in the state, and such laws may be
enacted for and applied and enforced in
particular counties or geographical dis
tricts. designated by the General Assem-
bly,"
The Convention now took up amend
ments proposed by the judiciary Com
mittee TO article VII, in the third section,
which reads as follows: "There shall be
a Treasurer, and the Comptroller of the
Treasury, appointed for the State, by the
Joint vote Of both Houses Of the General
Assembly, who shall hold his or their
Office for two years.
Section 8 was stricken out, and the fol-
lowing inserted:
Elections for Judicial and other civil
officers shall be held on the first Thursday
in August, $50, and forever thereafter on
the first Thursday in August next preced-
ing the expiration of their respective
terms Of service"
The term Of each officer so elected
shall be computed from the FIRST day of
September next succeeding his election.
The term Of office Of the Governor and
Of other executive officers shall be COM
puted from the 18th Of January next after
the election Of the Governor.
Nc appointment or election to fiji a va
caney shall be made for a period extend
ing beyond the unexpired term.
Every officer shall hold his Office until
his successor is elected or appointed and
qualified.
No special election shall be held to fill
a vacancy in the Office Of Judge or Dis
tIict Attorney but at the "tine Of the
biennial election for eivl officers"
The article as tothe election Of Sheriff
is to remain as i'm existing Constitution.
An amendment proposing to make cou-
pons Of debt issued before 1861 a tender
for taxes after Is7I lies over. An amend
ment prohibiting Legislature or Conven
ton from ratifying amendments to United
States Constitution, unless such bodies
were elected after the time when Congress
shall have proposed such amendments,
was LAID over.
TeleUrams.