The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1875-04-02
Whaa the Legislature Sid ESUT-
in. Its ScVcnIy-GVe Days SeS-
IRcpubIican Ranncr.I


| The Thirty-ninth General Assembly o.
| Tennessee adjourned yesterday, after
| being in session of seventy-five days. II
| the work accomplished during that time
| will not find favor in all quarters, it can
at least be said that it will come up to
average expectation, since more sources
of revenue were brought into play, with
| less expense to be incurred in running
| the State Government These two points,
standing out in bold relief, will contri.
butte not little in CLOSING over minor
sins of omission or commission.
During the session there were :.62 bills
introduced in the house, and 2S9 in the
the Senate, making a total of S5l. Out
of this large batch, l43 were passed into
laws. In addition to this, there were II
resoluti Jus adopted. Although the BaH-
Rey', as the official newspaper designated
by the State Government, has all eady
published nearly all the laws in full, for
the convenience of the general public who
do not care to wade through long enact
ment, we present a review-a sort OF run
ming summary-of the principal acts Of
the session, giving the go-hy to measures
solely OF local interest First III lmpOT-
lance, perhaps, in that 1t will bring in
snug annual revenue to the State, Is the
law taxing railroads. In its original
form, it provided for the ordinary 80 cent
tax on all railroad properly, but was
changed to the basis where it now stands,
of imposing n tax of | } per cent, on the
gross earnings of railroads. 1t is eSti
mated that this tax will bring an annual
revenue to the State of from $llO,O 600 to
Sl35, 600 The act regulating trial by jul
~ in civil cases is one OF considerable I'M
partancC, as it is estimated IT will save TO
the State a matter Of 500, 900 a year. or
thereabouts. The main feature is that
in the trial Of civil cases 1t shall be op-
tional with the parties to the sulttO have |
a Jury or not, as the surroundings and |
necessities Of the case may suggest and |
upon motion of either party, and for rea- !
sons satisfactory to the court, any cause |
may be transferred from jury to a nom
iury docket. A law of twin interest Is
/ hat taxing losing litigants with the costs |
in civil cases, which was passed over the
Governor veto. 1t will, according to a
reasonable estimation, save the State
from $3.50 600 to 5000 no year.
One of the most important measures
PASSED Il r ugh the BODY is hat embo1y-
ing a number of amendments to the Con-
,titutiou. which may be briefly stated as
follows. The Governor to hold his Office
tor four Years; Judges Of the Supreme
Court, twelve; Comptroller and treasurer
four years; General Assembly to convene
every four years; the clause OK
,mpting one thousand dollars worth of
property in the hands of each taxpayer
; stricken out the clause prohibiting the
State from owing State bank is stricken
put; all Judges to be elected by the Leg
stature; the Legislature to have the pow
n 10 create courts with both common law
md chancery Jurisdiction, and to have
power to authorize miSdemeanors in civil
.auses to be tried by jury of less than
welve; poll tax qualification stricken out
Judges Of the Supren Court to be re-
uced to three. as under the old Consti
ntiou; the legislature to haYc power to