Have made no amendments thereto, and have directed me to report the same back to the Commission, recommending that it do pass, and ask to be discharged from the further consideration of the subject. CHAS. UPSON, Chairman of Committee. Report accepted and committee discharged. The amendments made to Article XV. were concurred in, the article ordered reprinted, and placed on the order of third reading. The preamble was placed on the order of third reading. On motion of Mr. Riley, RECESS. The Commission took a recess until 2:30, P. M. AFTERNOON SESSION. The Commission was called to order at 2:30 P. M., by the Chairman. Roll called: quorum present. MUNICIPAL INDEBTEDNESS. Mr. Hatch offered the following resolution: Resolved, That the clerk cause to be printed and transmitted a circular letter to the principal cities and villages of the State requesting from them answers to the following questions: First-What is the total assessed valuation in your municipality this year? Second-What is the total amount of the indebtedness of your municipality now outstanding? Third-What is the total amount of indebtedness of the school districts, board of water-works, and other public corporations within your municipality now outstanding? The resolution was adopted. LICENSING THE SALE OF LIQUORS. Mr. Upson presented the following: To the Commission for revising the State Constitution, now assembled in the city of Lansing: I hereby certify that the following report of a committee appointed by the Michigan Annual Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in conference assembled, in the city of Ionia, was adopted September 15th, 1873 : Your committee appointed to memorialize the Commission appointed by the Governor to advise amendments to the present constitution of the State, and now in session in the city of Lansing, on the subject of temperance, present the following resolution, viz: Resolved, As the sense of this Conference, that no change in the constitutional provision in relation to the traffic in intoxicating drinks is desirable. J. I. BUELL, Secretary of Conference. G. B. JOCELYN, D. D. GILLETT. Ordered laid on the table and printed in the journal. GENERAL ORDER. On motion of Mr. Hatch, The Commission resolved itself into committee of the whole on the general order, Mr. Divine in the chair, and after some time spent therein the committee rose, and through their chairman made the following report: REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE. The committee of the whole have had under consideration Article I. of Boundaries, Article III. of the Division of the Powers of Government, Have made no amendments thereto, and have directed me to report the same back to the Commission, recommending that the article do pass, and ask to be discharged from the further consideration of the subject. The committee of the whole have also had under consideration Article V., of the Legislative Department. Have made some progress therein, but not having gone through therewith, have directed me to report that fact to the Commission, and ask leave to sit again. Report accepted. JOHN DIVINE, Chairman. Articles I. and III. were placed on the order of third reading. As to Article V. the committee had leave to sit again. LEAVE OF ABSENCE. Mr. Crane asked and obtained leave of absence for himself indefinitely. ADJOURNMENT. On motion of Mr. Devereaux, The Commission adjourned. NINETEENTH DAY. LANSING, Wednesday, September 17, 1873. The Commission was called to order at 9 o'clock, by the Chairman. Roll called: quorum present. RAILROADS. By the committee on corporations, railroads, and elections: The committee on corporations, railroads, and elections, to whom was referred Article XIX.-A., of the State Constitution, Respectfully report that they have had the same under consideration, and have directed me to report the same back to the Commission with amendments thereto, recommending that the amendments be concurred in, and that the article as amended do pass, and ask to be discharged from the further consideration of the subject. E. W. MEDDAUGH, Chairman. Report accepted and committee discharged. The article was read a first and second time, ordered printed, referred to the committee of the whole, and placed on the general order. LIABILITY OF HUSBANDS. By the committee on finance and taxation: The committee on finance and taxation, to whom was referred the proposition to amend Section 4, Article XVI., as to the liability of husbands for the debts of their wives, according to the following resolution, adopted on the 15th inst.: Resolved, That the committee on exemptions be instructed to report an amendment to Section 4, of Article XVI., by adding to the said section the following: "And the husband of any married woman shall not be liable for or on account of any debt or obligation of his wife contracted before her marriage, or contracted by her in relation to her sole property after marriage ;” Respectfully report that they have considered the same, and have instructed me to report herewith the amendment, recommending that the same be adopted, and ask to be discharged from the further consideration of the subject. D. H. JEROME, Chairman. Report accepted and committee discharged. ELIGIBILITY OF WOMEN FOR OFFICE. Mr. Withey offered the following: Resolved, That the committee on election be instructed to inquire into the expediency of incorporating a provision in said article, in substance, that every woman above the age of twentyone years, who shall have resided in this State three months, and in any township or ward ten days, shall be eligible to any office under the laws of the State, except as otherwise provided in section five of article four. The resolution was adopted. BOUNDARIES AND SEAT OF GOVERNMENT.-DIVISION OF POWERS, PREAMBLE. Article I., of Boundaries and Seat of Government; Article III., of the Division of the Powers of Government; and the preamble to the Constitution, were severally read a third time, and referred to the committee on phraseology. GENERAL ORDER. On motion of Mr. Moffatt, The Commission resolved itself into committee of the whole, on the general order, Mr. Divine in the chair, and after some time spent therein, the committee rose, and through their chairman, made the following report: REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE. The committee of the whole have had under further consideration Article IV., of the Legislative Department; Have made some progress therein, but not having gone through therewith, have directed me to report that fact to the Commission, and ask leave to sit again. JOHN DIVINE, Chairman. Report accepted and leave granted. RECESS. On motion of Mr. Upson, The Commission took a recess until 2:30 P. M. AFTERNOON SESSION. The Commission was called to order at 2:30 by the chair man. Roll called; quorum present. LEAVE OF ABSENCE. On motion of Mr. Jerome, Mr. Withey was granted indefinite leave of absence, on account of the sickness of Hon. W. D. Foster. |