Remonstrance Announcement

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Tennessee Constitution, Article I, Section 23 states: "That the citizens have a right, in a peaceable manner, to assemble together for their common good, to instruct their representatives, and to apply to those invested with the powers of government for redress of grievances, or other proper purposes, by address or remonstrance."

Today, citizens have forgotten this right, evidenced by the fact that I am the first person to exercise this right since the year 1850.  Petitions to the General Assembly used to be common but stopped after the civil war, but this right remains protected in our state constitution.  

The following is an excerpt from the 1831 House Journal of the Tennessee House of Representatives.

  Mr. Claiborne presented a petition of Baptist McCombs and others.

Ordered that said petition be referred to the committee on claims.

  Mr. Hardin presented a petition of Joseph Nolen, praying the passage of an act authorizing him to hawke and peddle without a license.

  Ordered That said petition be referred to the committee of propositions and grievances.

  Mr. McGaughey, from the committee of propositions and grievances made a report upon the petition of sundry citizens of Franklin county, praying for the passage of an act authorizing them to raise a certain sum of money by lottery for the purpose of erecting a female academy in said county.

And the resolution contained therein, was concurred in by the House, as follows, to wit;

  Resolved that the prayer of the petitioner ought not to be granted.

Tennessee House of Representatives, House Journal 1831, p 282

As you can see, there were various reasons, our forefathers petitioned the General Assembly for "proper purpose".  You also have a right to petition for redress of grievances, which is what I did.  The above video is the announcement of my Petition of Remonstrance, announced before the full body of the Tennessee House of Representatives.