The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1891-09-11
THE GOVERNORS MESSAGE.
The Convict Question is the Gist of
the Document.
20 One Forty-seventh General AssembIy.

GENTLEMEN-Ha Having concluded
after careful deliberation, that it
was essential to the general welfare
Of the State to convene your hon
orable body in extraordinary ses-
sion, | have called you together for
the purpose Of considering the
measures heretofore set forth by
proclamation, which give extraord-
mary occasion for your re-assem-
bling.
Numerous requests were made for
various measures, chiefly local ones,
to be included among the subjects
for elaboration; but the time Of the
session was too limited, and matters
ofgeneral import were too pressing
to admit of this. And, therefore, [
limited the subjects to those upon
which [ deemed it necessary to take
Immediate action.
ELECTION LAWS.
In the first place, [ would most
respectfully call your attention to
the registration and election laws,
and recommend that they be SO
amended and revised as to make
them effective in carrying out the
full meaning and intent of the gen.
eral assembly in enacting them.
In some sections of the State the
poll-tax law is evaded, and itshould
be so amended as to insure its en-
forcement, or it should be repealed,
If this can not be done.
REDIsTRICTING, ETC.
The Constitution requires thatthe
Stateshall be re-districted every ten
, years into new representative, flo
torial, and senatorial districts, and
that representatives and senators
shall be apportioned according to
the census. Unless this apportion-
ment is made, great confusion may
be caused, for those counties which
have gained in the last census will
follow the recent enumeration, and
those that have lost will follow the
old enumeration, and there will be
no authority to decide who shall be
entitled to seats in the next general
assembly.
In dividing the State into Con-
gressional districts at the last ses-
sion of the general assembly, Sc
quatchie County was leftout. Such
amendment should be made as will
include this county within its prop
er Congressional limits.
JUDICIAL CIRCUITS, ETC.
Much confusion and dissatisfac.
ton have arisen from the changes
made in judicial circuits and chan.
Gerry divisions, and from the conse.
quent conflicts in the times of hold
ing courts. Requests were so nu
merous to have circuits changed
that | have opened the subject il
full, but recommend that only sucl
changes be made as may be neces
sary to prevent confusion and con
fictS.
WORLDS FAIR.
In obedience to a widespread de
mand, having had requests from
more than a hundred newspaper
and forty business mems associa
tions, that an appropriation to tn,
Worlds Fair be included among
the subjects for consideration,
have embraced it, and recommend
such action as will express the vii
of your respective constituencies
] will say what / have said in
former message, that if Tennessee
makes an exhibition it should be
creditable one, and time, energ,
and money will be required; and
again recommend an appropriation
commensurate with the benefits t,
be derived and the States fnancia
ability.
THE PENITENTIARY QUESTION.
Cd | presume that you come t
the consideration of the above men
toned subjects with settled opin
ions, and | most earnestly reques
you to dispose of them as speedil
as possible, aud pass to the consid
Grafton of the penitentiary and tn
subjects connected Herewith.
believe that the first step necessar
to be taken looking toward the il
auguration of a better prison sys
tenn is the revision of the crimina
code. The present statutes wer
enacted before the present cond
lions of society existed when ma:
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