Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-01-22

question being on the amendment of Nj
= Williamson striking out and insertin
, these words:
she shall rece We as compensation fC
ais services at least So, 900 per annum
/ but his salary shall not be increased dun
ing the term for which he was elected.
On motion of Mr.. Garner the amend
ment of Mr.. Williamson was laid on tn
table, and then section 7 was adopted a
heretofore recited
Section of the present Constitution
was then read and adopted, and section
was read as follows:
Sec. 8. He may require information il
writing, from the officers in the executive
department, upon any subject relating t,
the duties of RETROSPECTIVE offices.
Sec. 9. He may, on extraordinary occa
siOns, convene the General Assembly, BY
proclamation; and shall state to them
when assembled, the purposes for which
they shall have been convened, but they
shall enter on no legislative business ex
cept that for which they were specially
called together.
MIR. Warner moved to strike out section
9 and insert in lieu the section reported
from the Committee on Executive Depart
ment.
Mr.. Stephens said the Governor having
the right to call the Legislature together
there was propriety in prohibiting the
Legislature from considering anything else
besides the matters upon which they are
convened. But he could not see SO
much propriety in requiring him to
to state specifically in his proclamations
the objects of the call. Why should he
| communicate it to them in the proclama-
| tiOnI There was no action to be had by
the people upon these objects the Legis-
lures are already elected charged with the
will of the people. If any restriction
was necessary, then let the Legislature be
restricted to the matter brought before
them in the message of the Governor.
But, then, this restriction might operate
badly in the event that during the called
session of the Legislature something very
important should occur requiring It's &C
ton. In that case they could not act, but
must adjourn and must go home
and be subject to another called session,
thus throwing upon the people the ex-
penses of double mileage.
Mr.. Jone of LincOln-The Constitution
authorizing the Governor to call extraor-
binary sessions of the Legislature, it was
fair to presume he knows the purpose
for which he wants them to convene.
This amendment requires that he shall
call them for the specific purposes for
which he wishes them convened, and
shall state those purposes in his procla-
nation. In the Constitution of '34 it was
only required that these purposes be
stated in the message. Now in these
days of the formation of rings, it might
be that after the proclamation something
might induce the Governor topropose the
consideration of other matter; hence the
resolution for this restriction; and it was
a good and valid reason; another reason
was that the members of the Legislature
might have what time they could to con-
fer with their constituents as to the sub
jeCts upon which they may be called to-
gether.
Mr.. House of williamson, was able to
see but little difference in this amendment
and the present section in the Constitution.
The only difference being, that in
the amendment the Governor is required
to state specifically in his proclamation,
the objects for which he COnvenes them,
| but events might transpire between the
| proclamation and the converting of the
Legislature, to which the attention of the
Legislature should be called, and he in
| sisted that it is not so much the
Governor as the Legislature that needs
to be restricted. He was opposed to
trammeling the Executive of the State by
this section.
Mr.. Brown, of Davidson, considered
the amendment, as reported by the Exec
utive Committee, as one in every respect
correct. He could see no objection to it
after giving it the best attention he could;
and would say that it met his hearty ap-
probation.
Mr.. Warner had drawn up his resolu-
ton with refeTenCetO this section, to meet
a difficulty which existed in the minds of
the people as 10 whether the Governor
when calling a special session of the Legis-
lature, shall state for what he
calls them to yether, or whether he
shall make that statement after
they have assembled. Some con-
tended that under the old Constitution the
Governor was bound to state the objects
of the call in the proclamation; others
that he should state them afteF>thev come
together. But now as he must be cOgni-
Zant of these objects at the time of the
proclamation, it seems right and proper
that he should publish them. Nothing
should be done in q secret way. And
then the members of the Legislature, if
the objects of their coming together were
not published, would be left without time
for reflection upon them; as it is in the
amendment they will have time to think
upon the matter upon which they are to
come together, and so the session will be
shortened. The reasons were manifest,
clear and strong.
Mr. Fentress demanded the yeas and
nays, and they were ordered and taken,
resulting-yeas 81, nays 13, as follows:
Yeays-Messrs. Allen, Arledge, Bate,
Blackburn, Blizzard, Branson, Brandon,
BrittOn, Brooks, Brown, of Davidson,
Burkett, Byrne, Campbell, Carter, Chown-
ing, Cummings, Cypert, Deaderick, Deav-
export, Dibbrell, Doherty, DrOmgoole,
Fentress, Fielder, Finley, Fulkerson,
Gardner, Garner, Gaut, Gibson, Gordon,
Henderson, Hill, of Warren. Ivie,
Jones, of Lincoln, Kennedy, Key, Kirkpat-
rick, Kyle, McDougal, McNabb, Martin,
Morris, AIeeks, Netherland, Nicholson,
Parker, Sample, Seay, Shepard, Shelton,
staley, Taylor, Thompson, of Davidson,
Thompson, of Maury, Turner, Warner
and Wright-57.
Nays-Messrs. Baxter, Burton, Gibbs,
Heiskell, Hill, of Gibson, House, of
Williamson, House, of Davidson, Robert
son and Montgomery, Jones, of Giles,
Mabry, Porter, of Haywood, Porter, of
Henry, Stephens and Williamson-13.
So the section as reported by the Com
mittee was adopted, and then section 9
as amended was adopted.
Messrs. Allen, Cummings and Shepard
obtained leave of absence till Tuesday.
The following sections were adopted
except the last:
Sec. 10. He shall take care that the
laws be faithfully executed.
Sec. II. He shall, from time to time,
give to the General Assembly information
of the state of the Government, and
recommend to their consideration such
measures as he shall judge eXpedient.
Sec. u. In case of the removal of the
Governor from office, or of his
death, or resignation, the powers
and duties of the Office shall devOlve on
the Speaker of the Senate; and in case
of the death, removal from office, or
resignation of the Speaker of the Senate,
the powers and duties of the office shall
devolve on the Speaker of the House of