Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-02-16
THE CONVENTION
rIuIRTY-sEcOND DAY.

| TEHERTHsSECOND BAEs
TUESDAY, Feb. Is, 1S70.-The Conven-
ton met at $50 O'Clock A. NJ, President
Brown In the chair. Prayer by Mr.. Sam
pie, after which the Journal was read and
approved.
TIME OF MEETING.
Mr.. Gaut offered resolution fixing the
hours of the session as follows: From
$50 to l P. M, and from 2 P. NJ. to7P. NJ
Mr.. Thompson, of Maury, offered a
resolution that the Convention meet at
3P. N.
Both these resolutions were laid on the
table
COMMON SCHOOLS.
The vote adopting the amendment of
Mr.. Heiskell, striking out the words-"It
shall be theduty of the General Assembly"
and inserting, 'the General Assembly
mayn in the report of the Committee on
| Common Schools was reeonsidered, and
the amendment rejected by the following
vote:
Ayes-Messrs. Allen, Arledge, Bate,
Coffin, Cummings, Dibbrel, Doherty,
Dromgoole, Fentress, Fielder, Gardner,
Garner, Gaut, Gibbs, Heiskell, Hill, of
Warren, Hill, of Gibson, House, of David
son, Robertson and Montgomery, Jones,
of Lincoln, Jones, of Giles, Kennedy,
Porter, of Haywood, Porter, of Henry
Seay, Shelton, Stephens, Turner, War
ner Williamson, Wright-30.
Noes-Messrs. Baxter, Blizzard, Bran
son, Brandon, Britton, Brooks, Brown,
of Davidson, Burkett, Byrne, Campbell,
Carter, Chowning, Cypert Deaderick,
Davenport, Finley, Gibson, Gordon,
Henderson, House, of Williamson, Ivie,
Key, Kirkpatrick, Kyle, Mabry, McDou-
gal, McNabb Morris, Meeks, Netherland,
Nicholson, Parker, Sample, Shepard,
Staley, Taylor, Thompson, of Davidson,
Thompson, of Maury, and Waters-40.
The vote was now taken on the propo-
sition in lieu offered By Mr.. Fentress,
! which reads as follows:
''The General Assembly may authorize
| the County Court of each county in this
State to levy and collect a school tax for
free common school purposes for the in
digent children in such counties between
the ages of six and eighteen years: Pro-
vided, that in case any county shall estab-
fish common schools within its limits there
shall be separate schools for white and
negro children"
1t was rejected by vote of 10 to 30.
The original proposition, as amended,
was read as follows:
''It shall be the duty of the General AS
| sembly TO provide for the establishment
OF free schools for the gratuitous instruc-
| ton of all the children of this State, be-
tween the ages of six and eighteen years.
For this purpose the ordinary tax assessed
on polls by the State under the provisions
of this Constitution shall never be applied
to other than free school purposes, and
the General Assembly may, from time TO
time, provide such additional means as
may be necessary for the support of a
system of common schools: Provided,
the Legislature shall establish such a sys-
tenn throughout the State, so as to prevent
the instruction of white children and ne
gro children at the same institution or
free school.
1t was adopted by the following vote:
Ayes-Messrs. Allen, Baxter, Blizzard,
Branson, Brandon, BrittOn, Brooks,
Brown, Of Davidson, Burkett, Burton,
Byrne, Campbell, Carter, Deaderick,
Davenport, Dohcrty, Finley, Fulkerson,
Gardner, Garner, Gaut, Gibson, Gordon,
Henderson, Ivie, Key, kirkpatrick, Kyle,
Mabry, McDougal, McNabb, Morris,
Meeks, Netherland, Nicholson, Parker,
Porter, of Henry, Sample, Seay, Shepard,
Staley, Taylor, Thompson, of Davidson,
Thompson, of Maury, Waters, Warner,
Williamson, Wright, and Mr.. President
| Brown-52.
Noes-Messrs. Arledge, Bate, Dibren,
Dromgoole, Fentress, Gibbs, Heiskell,
Hill of Warren, Hill of Gibson, House
of Davidson, Robertson and Montgomery,
Jones of Lincoln, Jones of Giles, Kenne-
dy, Porter of Haywood, Shelton, Steph-
ems, Tunnels.
Mr. Jones, of Lincoln, proposed tC
amend as follows-add to the section the
following:
''The whole amount of taxes collected
for common schools under this section
shall be paid over directly to the proper
fiscal officers of the several counties OF
the State in which the same way be col
lected, and under the direction OF TIT
| County Court shall be expended for TIT
| support of common schools in the re-
| spectiye counties. The taxes apprOpri
+ | ated under this section shall be raiset
from poll taxes alone.
Mr.. Thompson claimed that they ha(
no right to apply property tax to edu
cation purposes, but might make such ap
plication of poll tax. Further, he de
sired to have the money raised from thu
4 | source applied directly in the neighbor
! hood where it was collected. He though
this would act as a palliative to the pol
tax qualification required in the franchls
| amendment
q Mr.. STEPHENS desired to raise his warn
ing voice against the incorporation IN thu
V Constitution of this wholesale prOyisio
/ for the education of all the children o
y the State by the taxation of the people
+ The amendment proposed made it oblig1
L tory upon the Legislature to raise suft
o cient fund TO educate all the children
l Tennessee between the ages OF SIX AM
II cirbteen years. This, he calculated, wOul
e REQUIRE about four million dollars per yea
If it became known that this Conventlo
., had incorporated such a provision as thi
n in the organic law the hostility OF the II
teIlirent taxpayers would be at one
aroused against ratifying the amende
Constitution. He spoke strongly again
E. the State assuming the duty of educatin
G. the children of its citizens. This shoul
of be the duty of the parents themselve
Mr.. Brown, of Davidson, manifesto
O. surprise at the persistency with which Il
ed common school system had been assaile
ne Gentlemen had brought to bear in the oil
cussion all their powers of imaginati'
81 and ridicule. lie held, however, as her
tofore, that il was the duty of the State
proyide for the education of her childre
1t was not contemplated in the amen
ment proposed that the State should le'
oppressive and unreasonable taxes t
AS school purposes. He defended the col
Oh mon school system against the assau
"a. made by other delegates.
20 Mr.. Fentress urged the leaving of t
system of education to be controlled
each county. He thought ii would
more acceptable to the people and bett
- in every way. By the county systel
Il, the State officers would be avoided a
"a the schools could be conducted withC
ere | additional expense. The whole arran:
ments could be made by the Quartz
Court, funds raised for the education
the INDECENT children, and all the comp
Gated machinery of State system avoid'
Mr.. Jones, of Lincoln, also adyocai
len | the county system of common schools.
the Mr.. Baxter favored the State syste
Mr.. Jones' amendment was rejected
the following vote;
11yeS-MeSsrs, ATlcdgC, Bate, BrUO