The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1870-02-11
q Tho Statc Convention.

The discussion. was again q. resum-
ed i'm the Convention on Monday
upon the question Ofvacating all Ju-
dicial Offices upon the ratification OF
the amended Constitution. The
amendment of Mr.. Key providing
that all civil officers shall hald their
offices until the LIST day of November,
unless their term Of Office previously
expires, was laid on the table. A
section in lieu was then adopted, pro-
viding that, all officers except the
Governor, the members of the Gen.
eral Assembly, and those elected at
the general election of March, 1870,
shall vacate their places on the ratifi
cation OF this, Constitution. The
Convention refused by decided vote
to accept from this sweeping provis-
ion Magistrates and the Circuit and
Chancery Courts. :l ~ afG af7,.lb
The last Thursday in July has been
fixed upon as the day for electing Ju-
dicial officers to fill the vacancies.
The Convention voted down all the
propositions. for a temporary SUI
preme Court, to dispose of the heavy
arrears of business now onthe docket,
and adopted she plan of the Chairman
of the Judiciary Committee, which
provides fer the election of six
Judges, who are to sit in two sections
for the transaction of business. If
vacancy occurs after January, 1878, it
is to remain untitled, and thereafter
the Supreme Court will be composed
of only five Judges.-Banner. rs
The committee on Elections made
an additional report, yesterday, says
the Nashville Banner of the 9th, of
an amendment which they propose
as section 8 of article 4. 1t provides
that i'm filling all offices under the Con-
stitution, or in those created by the
Legislature, the appointment shall be
made for the unexpired term, and
that all officers appointed or elected
shall hold until their successors ap-
pointed or elected and qualified.
The Committee on Finance made a
report on interest, which was adotcdp
in lieu of former report ON the same
subject. This last report provides that
six per cent. per annum shall be the
legal rate oflnterest, but that any rate
of interest shall be lawful which may
be agreed upon by the parties and in
serted in q written contract, not ex-
ceeding ten per cent. per annum.
An amendmenl was adopted to Sec
ton thirty-one of the Legislative De-
partmcnt, providing that no bank
shull be owned either in whole or in
part by the State.
An independent section was offered
by Mr.. Kennedy to the Legislative
Department, to the effect that o ad-
ditional bonds shall be issued to any
railroad which has failed to pay up in-
terest OH the bonds already received
or that has disposed of any State
bonds at less than par. This PROPOSE
ton created a good deal of discussion
and it was finally referred to the FL
nance Committee
The Convention accepted by an
unanimous vote, an invitation from
the merchants of Nashville to attend
the complimentary banquet to be Civ
Ell next Tuesday.
1t may be we'll enough TO remark
that under the provisions already adj
opted by the Convention, the present
judicial officers, from magistrates up
will vacate their places thirty days
after the general election, which has
been fixed for the last Thursday in
July, or on the 9th OfAugust.