The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1874-09-05
An Act
Proposing amendments to the Constitution
of the State of Louisiana.

Proposing amendments TO the constitution
of the State of Louisiana
Section l. Be it enacted by the Senate
and House of Representatives OF the State
of Louisiana in General Assembly convened
two thirds of the members of each house
agreeing thereto), That the following amend
ments be proposed and entered upon the
respective Journals of the Senate and House
of Representatives,, with the yeas and nays
taken thereon, and the Secretary of State
shall cause the same to be published three
months before the next general election Tor
Representatives to the General Assembly
in at least one newspaper in every parish OF
the State in which q newspaper shall be pub
hshed And said proposed amendments
shall be submitted to the people at said
election in such manner and form that the
people may vote for or against each amend
ment separately e. first proposed
amendment for approval" or against APP
prevail" and in like manner as TO the others
and if a majority Of the voters at said cleo
ton shall approve and ratify such amend
ment or amendments, the same shall be APP
propriately NUM- bred and become part of
the constitution, and be proclaimed as such
by the GovernoS and Secretary of State.
PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTR
TUITION.
No 1.-THE issue of consolidated bonds
authorized by the General Assembly of the
State at its regular session III the year 1874,
is hereby declared to create valid contract
between the State and each and every
holder of said bonds, which the State shall
by no means and III no wise impair. The
said bonds shall be valid obligation of the
State in favor of any holder thereof, and no
court shall enjOin the payment of the prih-
cipal or interest thereof or the levy and
collection of tax therefor; to secure such
levy collection and payment, the judicial
power shall be exercised when necessary.
The tax required for the payment Of the
principal and interest of said bouds shall be
assessed and collected each and every year
until said bonds shall be paid principal aud
interest, and the proceeds shall be paid by
the Treasurer of the State to the holders of
said bonds as the principal and interest of
the same shall fall due, and no further leg
islation or appropriation shall be requisite
for the said assessment and collection and
for such payment from the treasury.
No 2.-Whenever the debt OF the State
shall have been reduced below twenty-five
million dollars, the constitutional limit shall
remain at the lowest point reached, beyond
which the public debt shall not thereafter
be increased, and this Iule continue in op-
Grafton until the debt is reduced to fifteen
million dollars, beyond which it shall not
be increased. Nor shall taxation for all
State purposes, excepting the support OF
public schools, ever exceed twelve and q
| half mills on the dollar of the assessed valu-
| alton of the real and personal property in
the State except in case of war or invasion.
No. 3.-The revenue of each year derived
| from taxation upon real, personal and
mixed property, or from licenses, shall be
devoted solely to the expenses of the said
year for which it shall be raised, excepting
any surplus remain, which shall he directed
to sinking the public debt. All appropria-
tons and claims in excess of revenue shall
be null and void, and the State shall i'll no
manner provide for their payment.
tSigned) CHARLES W. LOWELL,
Speaker of the House of Representatives.
{Signed) C. C. ANTOINE,
Lieutenant Governor and President of the
Senate
Approved January 9th. 1874.
(Signedl WILLIAM P. KELLOGG,
Governor of the State OF Louisiana.
A true copy:
p. G. DEsLoSDE, Secretary of State