Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-03-13

The ratio Of representation is one hun
dred and thirty-tOUT thousand six hundred
and seventy-siX, leaving in Tennessee a
fraction of fOrty-siX thousand four hundred
and thirty. six, after giving her nine repre-
sentatiges.
An exact distribution of the pop
ulatiOn between the nine districts would
give to each district one hundred and thirty
niue thousand eight hundred and tbirty-fve,
which would more equitably than any other
mode, distribute the representation, and,
perhaps, more strictly conform to the act Of
Congress.
Should the fraction in favor of Tennessee
become entitled to representation under the
provisions Of a supplemental act, now pend
ing, such additional member will doubtless
be chosen by general ticket.
The question is before you, and the re-
! sponsibility it involves will doubtless be
met with a just sense of your duty to the
people of the State.
The universally conceded necessity for
this session, for the purposes already indics-
| ted, has, since your adjournment in Deem
Der, created the public mind a settled con-
/ viCiion that you would be called together
/ before the next regular session. This
has induced multiplicity of sp-
! plications for legislation Of a public
private and local nature. Petitions have
! been forwarded TO the Executive office,
! representing the necessity Of a change Of
] county lines in some localities; a change Of
! the law authorizing the creation and
| modification Of charters Of incorporation
! to meet the wants, real or imaginary, o.
specific municipal or private corporations;
IS well as MANY other changes in the law
| o. a kindred character.
Believing did, that within the con-
s.itutional limit Of twenty days, the pre-.
sentation of all these varied subjects might
| not only defeat the very object Of the SEES
sion, but could not result in the accomplish
ment If so much business, l was embar
raised in Just discrimination among thest
applications.
There are some questions, however, pre-
/ secuted in the proclamation, which / hope
viii attract your attention, as next in i'm
pUrtance TO the IedistrictiDg the State
These [ viii briefly enumerate
The act passed 9th Dec, 1871, during
| your regular session, entitled "An act Il
! provide for the sale Of lands which have
been sold for taxes due the State, anC
bought in by the Collectors of Revenue,
| provides that the Governor shall appoint
| Commissioner for each county in the State
| hos duty il is to sell all the lands il
BIS county heretofore sold for taxes
due the State, which were bought in by tn
| Collector Of Revenue, and not redeemed
by the owner or claimant. These Com
missioners are required to execute bond, ''iI
the sum Of double the amount of taxes biz
upon lands in their respective counties,
and the Comptroller is required, within
sixty days after the passage of the act, Il
/ furnish correct descriptive lists Of all sucl
| lands.
The magnitude of the labor imposed b,
/ this act upon the Comptroller, was not ap
| preCiated until the work was commenced
sI3or although all the clerical force at hi
| command has been assiduOusly employee
| IN transciibing these lists, the work is nc
half completed.
For this, among other reasons hereinafte
stated, / have made 10 appointments Q
Commissioners. No bond could be take
for a given county until the list for tha
coW ty was transcribed, separating the re
deemed from the unredeemed lands an
the amount unpaid asCeTtained, so as {
take the LOG Sin the sum Of double tn
amount Of taxes bid on the lands and III
paid"
After examining carefully the transcript
Of the records Of sales of lands for taxes O
file in the Comptroler's Office, grave doubt
were entertained whether the act in II
present shape could be made effective G
productive of valuable results to the State
The act is framed upon the idea tina
these sales are generally valid, and trans
, fsrred the title to the State If this theoT
BE- tenab'e. the act in this respect is uneH
caption abb. But if the reverse be true, a
attempt to execute it by the appointment
] | Comm ssiOneTs, and the advertisement an
p 10 Bog -" m Of the lands, might entail enc
NOUS bills of cost upon the State withcI
Z. TrespO ding benefit. With a view /
bringing the question before you, if deeme
advisable, / consulted the Attorney Gener
s and leading members of the legal professio
\ in the State, some of them members of Il
: General Assembly, who had given the sul
ject much thought, and the unanimous opil
ion Of all was that if the sales were II
b valid, and such as would pass the legal tit
: 70 the State, or TO the Superintendent
}. Public instruction, that the act was who'll
# Ineffective for the desired purposes. 1t
r not believed that many of the sales a.
J, such as pass the legal title. But the tax,
{ assessed upon the lands constitute a lie
Z upon them that can be enforced by Il
0 proper methods.
= Another serious embarrassment TO Il
h ! execution of the act arises out OF Il
;. fact that IN large majority