cle, and that it be recommitted to the
committee on incorporations, with in-
structions to remodel it and bring in a
new article.

mittee, who will no doubt consider this
subject of banking in connection with
finance, will report the necessary pro-
vision upon this subject, to meet the
very contingency suggested by the Mr. PRINGLE. I desire to say a
gentleman, and to obviate all the diffi- word upon that motion. All the dis-
culties raised by him in his long argu-cussion which has arisen here, and
ment. That argument would be well which has been pretty extended, has
enough in its proper place, when the not been on any section reported by
time for it shall have arrived. But I the committee, but upon amendments
cannot see its appropriateness to the sought to be engrafted upon it, involv-
question now before us, as to whether ing matters not embraced in the report
we shall adopt the two-third rule upon of the committee; matters I may be
the subject of corporations.
permitted to say which did not receive
The question was upon the amend- the sanction of the committee on in-
ment of Mr. LOTHROP, to insert after corporations, as it has not received the
the words "two-thirds of the members sanction of the committee of the
elected to each House," the following: whole. The committee on incorpora-
"Nor shall the rights of any corporation
organized under a general law be affected by
any subsequent amendment, alteration or
repeal of such law, unless such amendment,
alteration or repeal shall be passed by the
vote of two-thirds of the members elected to
each House, and unless the same is made
expressly applicable to existing corpora-
tions."

The amendment was not agreed to.
The CHAIRMAN.

amendment to that section which has not yet been discussed, is now pending in committee of the whole. That is all the action had so far upon the article.

Mr. W. E. WARNER. motion to recommit will not prevail, I hope the except it be accompanied by instructions to the committee as to the particular or particulars wherein it is desired this article shall be changed.

The PRESIDENT. The first question will be upon the report of the committee of the whole, and whether the Convention will grant leave to that committee to sit again. If leave is not granted, then the question will be taken upon the motion of the gentleman from tions has received no such intimation Bay, (Mr. BIRNEY,) to discharge the from this Convention through this dis- committee of the whole from the furcussion as would lead them to change ther consideration of this article for their report. I therefore see no ne- the purpose of recommitting it to the cessity for this recommittal, at least committee on incorporations. before the article has been gone through with here.

Mr. NORRIS. If the committee on The question incorporations has received no new now recurs upon the amendment of light from all this discussion, and are the gentleman from Allegan, (Mr. not disposed to change the recomWILLIAMS,) to strike out the word mendations contained in their report, of "beretofore" before the word "grant- course I will withdraw the motion to ed," and to insert after the word recommit. If any other member degranted" the words "prior to Jan- sires to renew it he can do so. uary 1, 1851." Mr. BIRNEY. I renew the motion Mr. PRINGLE. I move as a sub-of the gentleman from Washtenaw, stitute for the amendment to strike out (Mr. NORRIS.) I think there have been the words "act of incorporation," and so many alterations made in this article insert the words "special charter." that we may well be at a loss to underMr. HENDERSON. That is in ac- stand the exact situation of it. I cordance with the suggestion I made a hope, therefore, without any disrespect few moments since, and I think it will to the committee on incorporations, accomplish the same object as that to that this article will be recommitted,

Mr. GIDDINGS. If it be in order at this juncture, I would ask the gentleman from Bay, (Mr. BIRNEY,) what particular instructions he proposes to have the Convention give to the committee on incorporations?

Mr. BIRNEY. If leave is not granted to the committee of the whole to sit again, I will move that this article be recommitted to the committee on incorporations, with instructions to report a section substantially as follows;

"No general laws for the creation of corporations, or special act of incorporation by a vote of two-thirds of the members shall be passed, amended or repealed, unless elected to each House. This restriction shall

not apply to corporations for municipal, religious, literary or charitable purposes." vention grant leave to the committee The question was-" will the Con

be accomplished by the amendment of and that the committee on incorpora- of the whole to sit again?"—and being the gentleman from Allegan, (Mr. tions may report it back in WILLIAMS.)

Mr. CHAPIN. I move that the committee now rise, report progress, and ask leave to sit again.

The motion was agreed to, upon a division; ayes 51, noes not counted.

The committee accordingly rose, and the PRESIDENT having resumed the chair,

a

shape to conform with the action
so far had upon it in committee of the
whole. I think we may make progress
in that way, without having the matter
all thrown open to discussion again in

committee of the whole.

Mr. PRINGLE. Let me state briefly what action has been taken by the committee of the whole in regard to Mr. MCCLELLAND reported that this article. A substitute has been the committee of the whole, in pursu- adopted for the first section, involving ance of the order of the Convention, the same general principles, but a little had had under consideration general more definite perhaps in its language. order number four, being the article entitled "corporations other than municipal," had made some progress therein, and had instructed him to ask leave to sit again.

The report of the committee of the whole was received.

Sections two, three, four and five have
not been materially changed; the word
"specie" having been struck out of one
of the sections and the words "lawful
money of the United States" inserted;
and the word "person" or "association"
struck out of another section. The

The question was "will the Con-discussion which has occupied so much vention grant leave to the committee time was upon proposed amendments of the whole to sit again?” to section six, all of which have been Mr. NORRIS. I move that the com- rejected, leaving the section to stand mittee of the whole be discharged from precisely as it was reported by the the further consideration of this arti- committee on incorporations.

An

taken, upon a division, ayes 56, noes not counted, leave was granted.

CORPORATIONS PAYING SPECIFIC TAX. The PRESIDENT. The Chair asks

unanimous consent of the Convention to lay before them a communication from the office of the Auditor General, it being perhaps pertinent to the subject which has been under discussion this morning in committee of the whole. It is desired that it shall be spread at large upon the journal, in order that the information it contains may be accessible to members.

No objection being made, the communication was received, and read, and with the accompanying list, laid upon the table and ordered to be printed in the journal.

The communication was as follows:
AUDITOR GENERAL'S OFEICE,
Lansing, June 8th, 1867.
HON. C. M. CROSWELL, President of the Con-
stitutional Convention:

SIR-I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of the following resolution of the Constitutional Convention, adopted May 31st:

Resolved, That the Auditor General be requested to communicate to the Convention the name and location of each of the corporations, associations and companies, doing business in this State, which are required to pay a specific tax, the amount of their capital stock, the Date of Incorrate per cent. required, the amount of taxes paid annually, and the amount, if any, unpaid.

In compliance with the above resolution, I herewith transmit the following list, which comprises all the corporations, associations and companies, doing business in this State, which are required to pay a specific tax, so far as is known at this Department.

List of Corporations-Continued.

1

*Three per cent. on gross receipts, payable in February. Acts 54, 1861, and 153, 1865.

The motion of Mr. LOVELL was then agreed to, upon a division, ayes 44, noes not counted.

The Convention accordingly, (at 15 minutes past 12 o'clock p. m.,) took a recess until half-past 2 o'clock p. m.

AFTERNOON SESSION.

informs the Chair that the resolution is in the hands of the printer, to whom the journal of this morning has been sent.

Mr. LEACH. I understood the resolution as providing for granting the Senate Chamber for this lecture. It was with this understanding that I voted for it. I am opposed to granting the use of this hall for any purThe Convention re-assembled at half-pose whatever during the time this Conpast two o'clock p. m., and was called vention may continue in session. to order by the PRESIDENT. The roll was called, and a quorum answered to their names.

LECTURE BY PROF. GRIMES.

The PRESIDENT. The Chair is requested to state that there has been a misapprehension on the part of some

The question recurred upon the motion of Mr. LOVELL to take a recess until half-past two o'clock this after-persons with regard to the place where

noon.

Mr. ALEXANDER. I move to amend that motion, so as to make it three o'clock. That will give our reporters and Secretaries more time to get up their business.

The amendment of Mr. ALEXANDER was not agreed to upon a division, ayes 32, noes 35.

Mr. LOVELL. In this part of the Hall, we understood the resolution to grant the use of the Senate Chamber. It is perhaps known to the Convention generally, that there are, on the average, about twenty members who are accustomed to spend their evenings in this Hall, in either reading, writing or social converse. Those gentlemen are the lecture of Prof. Grimes is to be de- willing, I have no doubt, to yield, for livered. It is, as the Chair is informed, anything of general public interest, to be delivered in this Hall, and not in their right (if it be a right) to meet the Senate Chamber, as some gentle- here and thus spend their evenings; men seem to suppose. but I do not suppose that they are wilMr. LEACH. I ask that the reso-ling to do so for the benefit merely of lution in relation to this lecture be traveling lecturers. Now, if that resoread. lution is to be understood as applying The PRESIDENT. The Secretary to this Hall, I desire to move, if it be