UNFINISHED BUSINESS.

At the expiration of the morning hour the Senate proceeded to the consideration of Senate Bill No. 13, To permit defendants in criminal causes to testify in their own behalf, which bill was before the Senate on its third reading when adjournment was had the preceding day.

The question before the Senate was the substitute proposed by the Judiciary Committee.

Mr. Leech moved to amend the amendment offered by the Judiciary Committee as follows:

"That the defendant, when allowed to testify before any court in his own behalf, shall be compelled to testify first and be the first witness examined."

On motion of Mr. Norment, the amendment was laid on the table.

Mr. McDowell called the previous question on the adoption of the amendment, which call, on a call for the ayes and noes, was not sustained by the following vote:

Ayes....
Noes..

Senators voting aye:

9

20

Messrs. Cobbs, Coile, Ledbetter, McDowell, Sanford, Thompson, Townes, Trimble, and Speaker Ewing. 9.

Senators voting no:

Messrs. Brown, Cecil, Fairbanks, French, Green, Jarvis, Jones, Kennedy, Leech, Lyle, Maney, Montedonico, Norment, Padgett, Polk, Quarles, Simerly, Sparks, Tolley, and Williamson. 20.

On motion of Mr. Tolley, and pending consideration of Senate Bill No. 13 on the Judiciary Committee's amendment, the Senate adjourned till 9:30 to-morrow morning, on a call of the ayes and noes, by the following vote:

Messrs. Brown, Cecil, Coile, Fairbanks, French, Jarvis, Ken

nedy, Leech, Maney, Montedonico, Padgett, Quarles, Simerly, Sparks, Tolley, and Williamson. 16.

Senators voting no:

Messrs. Cobbs, Green, Jones, Ledbetter, Lyle, McDowell, Norment, Polk, Sanford, Thompson, Townes, Trimble, and Speaker Ewing. 13.

SATURDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY 26TH, 1887.

FORTY-FIFTH DAY.

The Senate met at 9:30 A. M., pursuant to adjournment, Mr. Speaker Ewing in the chair.

Proceedings were opened with prayer by the Rev. Dr. J. D. Barbee.

On a call of the roll all of the Senators responded to their names except Messrs. Carden, Quarles, Sparks, and Thompson.

Mr. Quarles was granted a leave of absence on account of sickness.

The Journal of the preceding day's proceedings was read and approved.

REPORTS FROM STANDING COMMITTEES.

The following report was received from the Judiciary Committee.

MR. SPEAKER-The Judiciary Committee have had under consideration House Bill No. 36 and Senate Bills Nos. 196, 240, 241, 294, 295, and 312, and have directed me to return them as follows: House Bill No. 36, To change the times of holding the courts in the Ninth Judicial Circuit, be recommended for passage; Senate Bill No. 196, To amend Section 4, of Rule 2,

of the Chancery Practice, be recommended for rejection; Senate Bill No. 240, To authorize the city of Knoxville to issue bonds to construct a system of sewerage, be amended as follows: Amendment No. 1: In the eleventh line of Section 2, after the word "bonds," insert the words "of the same series." Amendment No. 2: In the sixth line of Section 4, after the words "special tax," insert the words "on property," and that said bill No. 240, so amended, be recommended for passage; Senate Bill No. 241, To authorize municipal corporations to fund their indebtedness existing on the first of January, 1887, be amended by inserting the words "on property" after the words "special tax" in line 6 of Section 4, and that so amended the bill be recommended for passage; Senate Bill No. 294, To amend Section 6340 of Milliken & Vertrees' Code, be recommended for passage; Senate Bill No. 295, To exempt certain religious sects from the penalties of the Sunday law, be returned without recommendation; Senate Bill No. 312, To amend Section 1265 of Milliken & Vertrees' Code, be recommended for passage.

SANFORD, Chairman.

By unanimous consent, Mr. Green withdrew Senate Bill No. 21.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS.

At the expiration of the morning hour the Senate proceeded to the consideration of Senate Bill No. 13, To permit defendants in criminal causes to testify in their own behalf.

Which bill was before the Senate on its third reading, when an adjournment was had the preceding day.

The question before the Senate was on the substitute proposed by the Judiciary Committee.

The report of the committee was then adopted, and consideration of the bill as amended, on motion of Mr. Townes, was set as the special order for Monday, February the 28th, at 12 м., on a call for the ayes and noes, by the following vote:

Ayes.
Noes

Senators voting aye:

18

10

Messrs. Cobbs, Fairbanks, Jarvis, Jones, Leech, Lewis, Long,

Lynn, McDowell, Montedonico, Norment, Polk, Sanford, Tolley, Townes, Trimble, Williamson, and Speaker Ewing. 18.

Senators voting no:

Messrs. Brown, Cecil, Coile, French, Green, Kennedy, Ledbetter, Lyle, Padgett, and Simerly. 10.

HOUSE MESSAGE.

The following message was received from the House through its Clerk:

MR. SPEAKER-I am directed to return Senate Bill No. 122, For the relief of W. C. Kelly, substituted and passed by the House; Senate Bill No. 285, To allow any railroad to change termini, passed; Senate Bill No. 300, Authorizing Murfreesboro to issue bonds, substituted and passed; and Senate Bills Nos. 60, 51, 157, 109, 66, 85, 211, 222, 55, 33, and 30, signed by the Speaker of the House; and House Bill No. 159 for the signature of the Speaker of the Senate; also to transmit House Bill No. 251, To amend fish law, and House Bill No. 433, to define powers of Mayor and Aldermen of Bristol, passed by the House. WADE, Clerk.

Mr. McDowell moved to suspend the rules for the purpose of taking up for consideration on its third reading Senate Bill No. 273, To prescribe the mode of submitting the proposed constitutional amendment to the people.

On a call for the ayes and noes, the motion was lost, not receiving the necessary two-thirds, by the following vote:

1

Ayes
Noes

Senators voting aye:

17

11

Messrs. Cobbs, Coile, French, Green, Jones, Ledbettter, Leech, Lewis, Lyle, McDowell, Norment, Polk, Sanford, Townes, Trimble, Williamson, and Speaker Ewing. 17.

Senators voting no:

Messrs. Brown, Cecil, Fairbanks, Jarvis, Kennedy, Long, Lynn, Montedonico, Padgett, Simerly, and Tolley. 11.

On motion, Senate Bill No. 113, Relative to the Randall Cole Industrial School, was referred to the Committee on Charitable Institutions.

NEW BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS.

By Mr. Long, Senate Bill No. 339, To authorize counties to allow taxes collected from railroads heretofore constructed to be paid to towns or cities.

Passed first reading.

By Mr. Long, Senate Bill No. 340, To amend the charter of the city of Chattanooga.

Passed first reading.

By Mr. Trimble, Senate Bill No. 341, To amend Sections 1720 and 1721 of Milliken & Vertrees' Code.

Passed first reading.

By Mr. Kennedy (by request), Senate Bill No. 342, To protect the State and counties in paying costs.

Passed first reading.

By Mr. Kennedy (by request), Senate Bill No. 343, To regulate the collection of tax on the sale or alienation of land.

Passed first reading.

By Mr. French, Senate Bill No. 344, Requiring the Registers of Deeds in this State to execute bonds as revenue officers, and to require them to collect all revenue on the privilege of conveying real estate.

Passed first reading.

By Mr. French, Senate Bill No. 345, To require Registers of Deeds to keep a separate book for the registration of charters of incorporation.

Passed first reading..

By Mr. Montedonico (by request), Senate Bill No. 346, To amend the usury laws of the State, and establish a conventional rate of interest.

Passed first reading.

By Mr. Lyle (by request), Senate Bill No. 347, Providing for the taxing of gas companies.

Passed first reading.