Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-01-11

on division OF the House-atiirmativ
80; negative, not counted.
THE PERMANENT ORGANIZATION.
Mr.. TurnerE now renew my motion
to proceed to the election of President of
the Convention.
The motion was adopted, and the Presi-
dent pro tenn. announced the order of
nominations for President of the Conven-
ton.
Mr.. Branson nominated the Hon. Geo.
W. Jones, of Lincoln
Mr.. Jones, of lincoln request the
gentleman from Granger (Mr. Branson)
to withdraw my name. cannot, under
the circumstances with which we are sur
rounded, permit my name to be used as a
candidate for that position, as with my con-
sent.
Mr.. Netherland-AIr President: 1 nom
mate Gen. John G. Brown, of the county
of Giles.
Mr.. Jones, of Lincoln-I second that
nomination.
Mr.. Kennedy move that John G.
Brown, of Giles, be declared President of
this Convention by reclamation.
| The motion was agreed to, and so the
| Convention unanimously elected Mr..
Brown, of Giles, to be President of the
body.
The President pro tenn. appointed Mr..
| Jones, of Lincoln, and Mr.. Netherland, of
Hawkins, to conduct the President elect to
| the chair
The President then said: >
Gentlemen of the Conve ntion: Whiled
am not insensible to the Distinguish l
honor you have conferred on me, l trust
you will give me credit for candor when l
say that l would have preferred that the
responsibilities which your generous con-
fidence has imposed upon me, should have
been confded to one more experienced in
parliamentary usage.
| am a stranger to deliberative bodies.
d shall, therefore, be under the necessity
of invoking your charity for my short
comings and your sympathy and assistance
in the discharge of my official duties.
We have assembled at a most critical
period in the history of our affairs. The
peace, the happiness and prosperity of
our beloved State may depend, in great
measure, for years to come, upon
the wisdom, prudence and mod
Grafton, which shall mark our delibera-
tons. Questions of delicacy and diff
Guilty may arise in the course of our pro-
ceedings. Let them be met and disposed
of in a spirit worthy of those to whose
hands the destinies of great Common
wealth have been committed by gallant
and confdirg people. Let US raise our
selves above the passions and prejudices of
the hour, and dare to be just and generous,
regardless of the temptations prOmpting.a
contrary course. We cannot, lUe must
not, be unmindful of the great changes
that have impressed themselves upon our
history. Let us accept the situation, and
not seek to alter circumstances which
have passed beyond our control
With this spirit animating every delegate,
our session will speedily arrive at
results which will satisfy all our people,
and make Tennessee what she deserves to
be, a great, happy and prosperous State.
With a sincere hope that all our delibera-
tons may be characterized by justice and
moderation, and again thanking you for
the unmerited honor conferred upon me,
l enter upon the discharge of the duties
you have assigned me.
Mr.. Brown, of Davidson-Mr Presi
uEul Ii HAS DttH uSdEt III oil NCllDGtIllfE
bodies of the State-and this, | think,
should not constitute an exception-that
the proceedings be opened by prayer, and
| think there is no member here but what
sympathizes with the suggestion, not only
in the form, but in the substance. /
therefore propose this, as all our prede-
cessors have done, and hope that the Rev.
John Rains, who is present, viii be in
Yited to officiate.
- The President accordingly invited the |
Rev. Mr.. Rains to a seat on the dais.
Mr.. Gordon-As we are about to enter |
upon the discharge of important duties, in |
which all Christian denominations must |
sympathize with us, | move that if there |
are other ministers of the Gospel in the |
Hall, that they be invited TO The stand at |
this time
The motion was agreed to, and the inyi-
tation was made accordingly.
Prayer was then offered by the Rev.
Mr. Rains-members and officers rising to
their feet
Mr.. Burton submitted the following:
Resolved, That we proceed to complete
the organization of the Convention by the
election of one secretary, one assistant
secretary, one doorkeeper, one assistant |
doorkeeper, and one messenger.
Mr. Jones, of LinColn-BefOTe that
question is put think it is necessary that
the body should have some rules to gov
ern it. l would, Therefore, move that this
Convention, until otherwise ordered, adopt
the general parliamentary law for its gov
eminent.
Mr.. Kennedy move that this house
adopt the rules of the House of Repre-
sentatives of Tennessee so far as they will
apply.
Mr.. Garner-I move that this body
adopt the rules observed in the Constitu-
ton of the Convention which met here in
1884. We have them in several copies of
the journal of that body.
Mr. Jones, of lincoln accept that
in lieu of the motion l made.
Mr.. Brown of Davidson, have not ex-
amined them particularly of late, but there
may be some notifications of the rules of
the House of Representatives. But l am
satisfied that the rules of the House of
are founded on those Of
the Convention.
And theIe Is another fact while we
have number of copies of the rules of
the House of Representatives, we have
but few copies of the rules of the Con-
vention of 1884 l mention this as a
reason, that perhaps itwould be safer for the
present to adopt the rules of the House of
Mr. Garner-We can have by tO-mOr-
row morning 100 copies of the rules
which governed the Constitutional Con-
vention of 1884. Gentlemen will bear in
mind that there are wide differences be-
bly,. There, they have two bodies; and
there is intercourse between them, regu-
lated by their rules. These Convention
rules are brief. / have examined them
in the journal; and by tomorrow morn
ing we can have them.
Mr.. Kennedy renew the motion to
adopt the rules of the House of Repre-
sentatives for the reason suggested by the
gentleman from Davidson, (AIr. Brown |
If we adopt the rules of the Convention
of 1884, we shall have to amend them
and print them twice But if
we adopt the rules of the House of Rep
resentatives with slight revisions we viii
have to print our rules but once Sowe
will save time and expense. And as the
gentleman from Davidson just now sug-
gests, these rules contain the constitutions
of the United States and of the State Of
Tennessee.
Mr.. Jones, of Lincoln-I originally
moved to adopt the parliamentary rules.
Al Ill a 60 ,1- he, 4