Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-01-13
HOUSE OF REPREsENTATIVEs.
The House was called to order at y
o'clock, Mr.. Speaker Perkins in the chair.

The House was called to order at %
o'clock, Mr.. Speaker Perkins in the chair.
NEW BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS.
By Mr. James, of Hamilton-A bill to
extend the jurisdiction of the Law Court
of Chattanooga The bill was accompanied
by petition. Passed.
By Mr. Neil-Resolution providing that
the hall of the House shall not be used for
any other purpose than that for which it
was designed. Laid over.
By Mr. Nixon-A bill providing that so
much of section 63S of the Code, as relates
to so per cent. interest upon money paid
for the redemption of land sold for taxes,
be repealed, and, in lieu, that thelegal rate
of interest be allowed. Passed.
By Mr.. Thomas-A bill amendatory of an
act passed Dec. Ii, 1869, entitled an act
to regulate common schools.
Section 1 revives the several sections Of
articles 4, 8, 6, Z, 8, 8, 10 and II of title z,
chapter 8, of the Code, so far as the same
are not in conflict with the act this amends
Section 3 provides that all laws providing
for funds for public education, except as
provided in the bill this amends, or except
as hereinafter provided, are repealed.
Section provides that, in addition to the
direct tax already provided for, the County
Court of each county shall lay on each
| taxable poll a direct tax, not exceeding five
dollars. for the support and maintenance OF
common schools. The other sections pro-
vide for minor details in carrying out the
main provisions. Passed
BY Mr.. Owen--A bill to incorporate
Sweetwater Lodge No. 292, Free and Ac-
| cepted Masons, of Monroe county. Passed.
By Mr.. Rhea-A bill to amend the char
| ter of Nashville:
Section 1. That the charter of the city
| Of Nashville be so amended that the City
| Council may establish a rule of registration
| of voters in city elections
| Sec. 2. That said City Council shall have
no power to issue bonds for any purpose
hereafter, except by submitting the propo-
sition to the voters of the city for approval
or disapproval, and unless approved by a
majority of the votes given at a regularly
held election, after thirty days notice, the
proposition shall fail. Passed
THE SPECIAL ORDER.
Honse bill No. 438, to relieve the State
| Stae Treasury, being the regular order,
was taken up on third reading. The two
first sections provide that the State tax
shall hereafter be eighty cents on every one
hundred dollars worth of taxable property.
| That taxes so assessed, if paid IN United
States legaltender notes or national bank
notes, may be discharged by paying one
half, or forty cents on every one hundred
dollars worth of taxable property. The
other sections provide mainly for funding
the State debt.
The Committee of Finance and Ways and
Means. TO whom it had been referred
recommended its rejection.
Speaker Perkins moved a non-concur-
renee in the report of the Committee, in
order that the bill might come upon its
merits. Carried.
He then proposed ''sixty' for eighty
cents in national currency and thirty" for
''forty" cents, in Tennessee notes, as the
tax to be impOsed
Mr.. Rhea was opposed to the bill, as he
considered it direct effort looking TO de-
preciating Bank of Tennessee notes, and
eyading the decision of the Supreme Court.
He moved to amend by making the tax
thirty cents on the hundred dollars.
Mr.. Speaker Perkins defended the bill.
He was as much opposed to reputation in
any shape as any member on this floor, but
he commended that the Legislature had a
perfect right to regulate the matter as TO
what currency taxes should be paid in, and
have Tennessee Bank notes taken at their
marketable value.
Mr.. Cheathsm earnestly opposed that
section referring to Bank of Tennessee
notes. No matter what members might
say about it, it was q bold and palpable
attempt at partial reputation. The decis-
ion of the Supreme Court says plainly and
without eqrIivocation that these notes shall
be taken for taxes, at par, and yet the
present bill, in the face Of all this, proposes
TO depreciate them fifty per cent. The
| people of the State were sick and tired of
the diIatory legislation on this question.
Until the Legislature did something, reve-
| nue. collectors would not receive Bank Of
Tennessee notes, and thus matters went on.
Mr. Spears was opposed to pushing this
bill through at present. He thought the
amount of taxation it contemplated too