The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1885-07-09
ventiOm Notes.

On Monday morning sixty-two delegates An.
sWered the roll call AT the Convention, and the
brief session was unusually quiet Even the il =
repressbe and indetatigable "genlleman from
Nassau, seemed suhdued by the solemn still
ness pervading the assembly, and bftvity was
the chlet characteristic of ms remarks Alter
transacting some business of minor Importance,
the Convention took Il recess till O'Clock, when
seventy nine delegates answered to the roll call
The only business Of importance transacted Was
the third reading OF Article VII, on Married
Women's Property, which was adopted by Il
large majority.
Tuesday morning the attendance WAS still
small, though Somewhat larger than IN Monday
Nothing definite was accomplished, time being
principally taken up in discussion and 10 II ttl-
tile attempt TO pass Article ", which failed on
account of the small attendance The friends
of the Article were not sufficiently numerous To
overcome the votes of those who objected To its
passage in its present shape. There was CON
siderable debate over Article Y on Public In
stituions, the disagreement being about The es-
tablishment of State Prison, AMI the mtnner ct
working convcts. The Article WAS finally re-
committed.
Tuesday afternoon consideration OF the com.
Heated homestead question was resumed, call
ing forth speeches too numerous to enumeratc.
strenuous effort WAS made TO reduce The
homestead, outside of an incorporated city or
town. To eighty acres, Instead of the present
of tie measure deeming that number sufficient
TO enable man to provide for the maintenance
of his family and still have room left for the
erection of n residence but the reduction was
voted down by large majority and the old
limit adopted. The question of the power of
husband and wife TO mortgage the homestead
another fruitful subject OF argument, several
OF the members maintaining with ability the
position that when no nestead is made subject
to mortgage, like any other piece OF property, it
practically ceases TO be homestead The ma
jorlty Of the convention, however, disapproved
OF their views.
On Wednesday, after some routine business of
minor importance, the homestead question was
again brought up, and, after some discussion,
Article was referred back to the Committee on
Homestead Exemption, in order that, having
been fully informed as to the sentiments Of the
House by the exhaustive review ct the whole
question: they should frame and report 4 new
Article in accordance Herewith
Article MI, coming up on the second reading
occupied the Convention for the remainder of
the morning, and the whole of the afternoon
session. The first discussion was upon the
question of exemplng from taxation, tor the
period OF ten years from the adoption Of the con-
stituiiOn, factories engaged in the manufacture
of certain kinds of goods employing five or more
skilled workmen and empowering the legisla
ture to exempt, for like period, such other
manufacturing establishments as it might deem
expedient. MIR. Mcclellan gave an interesting
review of Floridas undtveloped resources, re-
quri ing only the necessary factories To open up
new sources OF immense revenue to the State,
and urged that every reasonable inducrment be
offered to secure The factories. His speech
called forth considerable opposition. Later
Mr.. Blount rose, in support OF the measure and
by clear, logical argument, AMI an irresistible
array of facts and figures, proved that the State
would make gain in taxes alone by such tenn
pOrary exemption, besides the benefit that would
accrue from the development OF resources, and
the acquisition OF valuable element OF popula-
ton. But the majority of the Convention, adopt
ing the views advanced by opponents of the
measure that such a provision would be legsla-
ton against the poor in tapor Of tie rtch, struck
the exemptng clause from the section.
The stormest scene. probably, that has yet ell
tcrtained the Convention, was called forth by an
additional section offered by Mr.. McCaskill on
behalf OF the Committee on Taxation and FL
nance, providing that the Legislature establish
suitable penalties for the non-payment OF taxes.
The opposition of the minority TO this unrestrict-
ed power was determined and bitter, their drift
on the question being clearly indicated by a
prOviso which they attempted to engraft, to the
effect that the Legislature should not have pow
er to imprson or disfranchise any person for
non payment of taxes. During the discussion,
angry passion visbly rose but the additional
section was passed. nevertheless