Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-01-16
THE CONVENTION.
SIXTH DAY.

SIXTH DAY.
NASHVILLE, SATURDAY, Jan. Is, 1870
The Convention met at 10 O'Clock A. NJ.
Prayer by the Rev. DR.. Summers.
The journal of yesterday was read ant
approved.
sUNDRY PROPOSITIONS TO AMEND.
The President announced the order fo
the presentation of memorials, petitions
and the introduction of resolutions-di
recting the roll-call for that purpose.
| SALARY OF JUDGES.
Mr.. Brooks submitted the following:
Resolved, That the Constitution be SC
amended that the Judges of the Supreme
Court shall not be allowed salary to ex.
| coed 81, 500 per annum, and that the sal
airy of the Chancellors and Circuit Judges
shall not exceed 81, 900 per annum.
COMMON SCHOOLS.
Mr.. Branson submitted the following
Resolved, That the Legislature of this
State shall pass common school law, and
such an one as in their judgment will be
for the very best interests of all the chill
dren of the State, and that they assess, or
cause to be assessed, a sufficient tax 10
raise fund for such educational purposes,
and that the same be known as t0The
common school fund of Tennessee" and
that the same shall never be otherwise
applied than for that of common schools
OFFICERS OF STATE.
Mr.. Blizzard submitted the following:
Resolved, That the Constitution of
Tennessee be so amended as to provide for
the election of the Secretary of State, the
Comptroller and Treasurer of State by
the qualified voters of the State at large,
at the same time and for the same term,
that the Governor and members of the
General Assembly are elected.
AGRICULTURAL INTERESTS, ETC.
Mr. Cypert submitted the following:
Resolved, That the best interests of
the State demand that manufacturing and
agricultural pursuits should be favored
and encouraged; and to this end, the pro-
ducts of those important branches of in
dustry should forever remain exempt
from taxation.
THE LEGISLATURE.
Mr. Dibrell submitted the following:
Resolved, That the Legislature shall be
composed of 100 members, as follows:
Twenty-Five Senators and seventy-five
Representatives Provided, that each
county in the State with voting popula-
ton of 1900 shall be entitled to one Re
preventative in the lower branch of the
Legislature.
1t was referred to the Committee on the
Legislative Department.
CORRECTION.
Mr. Doherty, when his name was called,
said he was represented in the UNION
newspaper as offering resolution yester-
day. He wanted to inform the reporters
that he denied the paternity of that resOlu-
ton. He would have every man father
his own. The reporter for this paper
supposes that the gentleman referred to a
resolution for a report on the propriety
of ''divesting the Legislature of the pow
er of enacting private acts" which was
submitted by Mr.. Davenport.
ELECTIONS.
Mr.. Fulkerson submitted the following:
Resolved, That section ) of the 18th
article of the Constitution be altered and
amended as follows: The Legislature
shall provide that the election of the
county officers by the people shall take
place at the same time the general cleo
lions are held for members of Congress,
members of the Legislature and Governor.
The election shall commence and ter
inmate the same day.
T g.,
Elections.
10 EXEMPTION FROM TAXATION.
Mr. Gibson submitted the following:
Article -, section =. The Legisla-
ture shall have no power whatever to give,
grant, lease, or sell any portion of the
territory of the State, or the control or do
minion of any portion thereof to any
individual, association, corporation or
State, by special law; nor shall any pOr-
ton of the territory of this State, or any
private property within the State, or any
individual, association or inCOrpOra-
ton be exempted from State
and county taxes, provided always that
neither this norno other section shall be so
construed as to prevent the United States
from acquiring dominion and control, ex-
elusive or otherwise, over such places as
the Legislature may authorize by any
law, general or special. And provided
further, that the Legislature may pass
general laws whereunder the County
Court may exempt honorably discharged
soldiers and INDECENT persons from the
payment of poll tax.
Mr.. G. explaining the fOregoing-No
doubt the taxpayers of Tennessee have
witnessed, ever since the war, determi-
nation on the part of certain persons to
| get certain magnificent manufacturing
corporations and certain agricultural com,
panies, and have come up here to Nash
| vile for the purpose of procuring legisla.
ton to secure to themselves eternal ex-
emption from taxation in these interests.
He referred particularly to a certain noto
riOus Cincinnati company, and hoped that
the Legislature of Tennessee would moi
exempt any property from taxation; fol
the load of the public debt was almost un
bearable; and no person should ask fol
such exemptions from the government
from which he claims protection. | sub
nit that, and hope that the Committee OF
1
port such a measure as will pre-
vent the passage of any law
that might probably exempt millions O
property from taxation. l think the Su
preme Court of the United States hav,
held that no act for the exemption o
property from taxation can ever be re
pealed, it being in the nature of con
tract.
The proposition was referred to tn
Committee on the Legislative Department
| NEW COUNTIES.
| Mr. House, of Williamson, presented
memorial from sundry citizens of Maury
Williamson, Rutherford and Bedfor,
counties, asking for constitutional pro
vision to admit of new county, to b
composed of the north end of Marshal
county, portion of Maury county, par
of the south and east portions of William
son, and the west portion of Rutherfor
and the northwest part of Bedford.
1t was referred to the Committee o.
New Counties and County Lines.
RULES.
Mr.. Kennedy submitted the following
Resolved, That the Secretary be direct
ed to have one hundred copies of the Con
stitution of Tennessee printed under cove
with the rules of this body.
He stated, that the rules are not yet il
the hands of the printer, and that it woul
be little or no trouble to PRINT them unde
the same cover with the Constitution.
Mr.. McDougal proposed TO amend b.
adding the Constitution of the Unite
States.
Mr. Fentress hnnnd that the rentlemnl