Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-02-24
ORDINANCE

l. Be ii ordained by the Convention,
That it shall be the duty Of the several Of
ficers of the State authorized by law to
hold elections for members of the General
Assembly and other officers, to open and
hold an election at the place of holding
said elections, in their respective coun-
ties, on the fourth Saturday in March,
1870, for the purpose of receiving the
votes of such qualified voters as may de-
sire to vote for the ratification or rejection
of the Constitution recommended by this
Convention. And the qualification of voters
in said election shall be the same as that
required in the election of delegates to
| this Convention.
.. 1t shall be the duty of said returning
officers, in each county in this State, to en-
roll the name of each voter on the poll
books prepared for said election, and shall
| deposit each ballot in the ballot-boXes re-
spectively. Each voter who wishes to ratify
| the new Constitution shall have written or
printed on his ticket the words: ''New Con-
stitution," or words of like import; and
each voter who wishes to vote against the
ratification of the new Constitution, shall
| have written or printed on his ticket the
words ''Old Constitution" or words Of
| like import.
3. The election shall be held and the
judges and clerks shall be appointed as In
the case of the election of the men,
bers of the General Assembly; and the
returning officers, in presence of the judges
or inspectors, shall count the votes given
for the New Constitution, and of those
| given for the 'Old Constitution, of which
they shall keep a correct estimate in said poll
books. They shall deposit the original poll
books of said election with the Clerks of the
| County Courts in the respective counties,
and shall, within five days after the cleo
ton, make out accurate statements of the
number of votes in their respective counties
for or against the New Constitution, and
Immediately forward by mail one copy OF
said certificates tc the Governor and one to
the Speaker of the Senate. So soon as the
poll books are deposited with the County
Court Clerks they shall certify to the
President Of the Convention en- accurate
statement of the number of votes cast foI
or against the ''New Constitution, as APP
pears on said poll-books. And if any OF
said returning officers shall fail to make
the returns herein provided for within the
time required, the Governor shall be au.
thorized to send special messengers for the
result # the vote in those counties whose
officers have so failed to make returns
4. Upon the receipt of said returns, il
shall be the duty Of the Governor, Speaker
Of the Senate and the President of this
Convention, or any two of them, to com,
paro the votes cast in said election, and il
it shall appear that a majority of all the
votes cast for and against the New Consti,
tuition were for New Constitution" il
shall be the duty Of the Governor, Speaker
of the Senate and President of this Con.
vention, or any two of them, to append tc
this Constitution a certificate of the result
of the votes, from which time the Constitu,
ton shall be established as the Constitu,
ton of Tennessee, and the Governor shall
make proclamation of the result.
>. The Governor of the State is request
ed to issue his proclamation as to tho
election on the fourth Saturday in March
1870, herein provided for.
JOHN C. BROWN, President
Attest:
I. E. S. RUSSWURAI, Secretary.