The Sun.
London, England, 1850-01-02 00:00:00

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

PLYMOUTH, DEC. 31.—There will be a court-
martial to-morrow on board her Majesty's ship
Impregnable, 78, flag-ship, Captain Sir Thomas
Maitland, C. 8., to try Lieutenant Lewry, of her
Majesty's ship Britomart, 8, Commander Chamber-
lain, on four separate charges of sleeping on his
post, drunkenness, disobedience, and contempt. The
Britomart returned from the coast of Africa a few
days since, and is shortly to be paid off.
The Indefatigable, 50, Captain Smart, K.H., went
into Burn Pool to-day to have her compasses adjusted.
She is expected to go to Lisbon.
The Contest, 12, Commander the Hon. J. Spencer,
bound for the coast of Africa with the mails, came in
yesterday from Portsmouth. On the ship firing her
salute, a sad accident happened to one of the men.
It appears that a part of the old fuse had been, by
accident, left in the touch-hole of the gun, and
while the seaman was ramming in the charge, the
powder ignited and an explosion took place, which so
shattered the poor fellow's arm as to render amputa-
tion necessary.
The Arethusa, 50-gun new frigate, will go out of
dock on Wednesday morning. She is ordered to be
Co mmissioned.

The Fearless, steamer, will have her defects made
good by the 9th.
The Penguin, 6, Lieutenant W. Leslie, will leave
Falmouth on January 6, for the Brazils.
PORTSMOM, TUESDAY.—The royal yacht Victoria
and Albert, Captain Lord Adolphus Fitzclarence, was
towed round from the steam-basin to the old basin this
morning, in readiness to be docked, in the room of the
Devastation.

The Fairy, tender to the above, was removed from
dock to-day after renewal of the composition on her
bottom, &c,

The Termagant steam-frigate was docked to-day to
have a new screw fitted, &c.
The Fire Queen steam-packet, for the Holyhead
station, sailed this morning in command of Lieutenant
Jones, late of the Flamer.
The Terrible steam-frigate, Captain Hope, sailed
this evening for Devonport, with supernumeraries
and newly-entered men, to be forwarded to the Su-
perb, 80, at Queenstown, making up her complement
to within 70.

ROYAL MARINES.

Captain Urquhart, lately removed from the active
list of captains by her Majesty's command, has been
appointed by the Secretary-at-War to the Paymaster-
ship of the 50tk Regiment, now serving at Hong.
Kong.

The military command at Ascension, now va-
cant by the unexpected return to England of C apt=
John Miller, has been accepted by Captain Lillicrap,
of the Chatham Division.
Among the many inconveniences to which the
Portsmouth division and the service at large have
been subjected by the removal of that corps to Gos-
port, a want of church accommodation is not one of
the least. From 500 to 700 men attend the little
parish church of Forton on Sunday; the building
for some time wanting repairs, is now in a really
defective and dangerous condition. One of the gal-
leries appropriated for the men is supported by shores,
and some fissures of considerable extent appear in the
side wall. To lessen the probability of accident, it is
suggested that until the necessary repairs are effected
one half only of the division should attend divine
service at once.

" COUNTRY QUARTERS," BY THE COUNTESS Or
BLESSINGTON.—' We hasten to notice this charming
novel, because we are sure that the reading public will
all be eager to learn of the appearance of this, unhap-
pily, one of the latest productions of an accomplished
lady's pen, and also on account of the elegantly-written
memoir of the lamented authoress, by her niece, Miss
Power. Lady Blessington is so celebrated as a novelist,
that it were a work of supererogation to enter into any
prais •e of her skill in such productions. It is only ne-
cessary to observe that " Country Quarters" will be found
delightful; and those who do not take the benefit of the
advantage now afforded them of revelling therein, will
have reason to blame themselves for losing a decided
treat in the engaging paths of fiction. We congratulate
the novel-loving public on the appearance of a work
which will altogether so charm and interest."—Morning
Advertiser,

8. No person shall be held to answer for a capital
or infamous offence except on presentment by grand
jury, nor be put twice in jeopardy for the same offence,
nor be compelled to be witness against himself.
9. No law shall be passed to abridge the freedom of
speech or the press. In the trials for libel, if the
matter charged be true, and published with good
motives and justifiable ends, the party shall be ac-
quitted, and the jury shall determine both the law and
the fact.
10. The people shall have the right to meet freely,
instruct their representatives, and petition the Legis-
lature.
11. All general laws shall have a uniform operation.
12. The military shall be subordinate to the civil
power; no standing army shall be kept in time of
peace, nor in time of war shall appropriation for the
army be made for more than two years.
13. No soldier shall be quartered in any house
without the consent of the owner, or as prescribed by
law.

14. Representation shall be apportioned according
to population.
15. No person shall be imprisoned for debt, unless
for fraud; and no person shall be imprisoned for a
militia fine in time of peace.
16. No bill of attainder, ex post facto law, or law
impairing the obligations of contracts, shall ever be
passed.

- 17. Foreigners, bona fide residents of this state,
shall enjoy the same rights in respect to property as
native born citizens.
18. Neither slavery, nor involuntary servitude,
unless for the punishment of crimes, shall ever be
tolerated in this state.
19. The right of the people to be secure in their
persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unrea-
sonable seizures and searches, shall not be violated.
20. Treason against the state shall consist only in
levying war against it, adhering to its enemies, or
giving them aid and comfort. No person shall be
convicted of treason, unless on the evidence of two
witnesses to the same overt act, or confession in open
court.
91. This enumeration of rights shall not be con•
strued to impair or deny others retained by the
people.

ARTICLE lI.—RIGHT or SIIITRAGEI.
1. Every white male citizen of the United States,
and every white male citizen of Mexico, who shal3
have elected to become a citizen of th.
...uoanged and ratified at.
I.lznudeerrettahreoit
orn
30th day of May, 1848, of the
f-tuhe -v
age of twenty-one years, who shall have been
a resident of the state six months next preceding-
the election, and the county or district in which he
claims his vote thirty days, shall be entitled to rote at
all elections which are now, or hereafter may be au-
thorised by law; provided, that nothing herein con•
tained shall be construed to prevent the Legislatures,
by a two-thirds concurrent vote, from admitting t o
the right of suffrage Indians, or the descendants of
Indians, in such special cases as such a proportion of
the legislative body may deem just and proper.
2. Electors are privileged from arrest—and are not
obliged to perform militia duty on election days.

ARTICLE 111.
The powers of the Government are divided into
Legislative, Executive, and Judicial—and they are to
be kept separate.

ARTICLE IV.---LEGISLATURE.
The legislative power is to be vested in a Senate
and Assembly.
The session shall commence en the first Monday is
January.
Members of Assembly are to be chosen annually
on the first Monday in November.
Senators are to be chosen for two years. Their
number is not to be less than one-third, nor more than
one-half, that of the Assembly. A majority of each
house constitutes a quorum. Neither shall adjourn
for more than three days without consent of the other.
The Governor may veto any bill, but it may be made
a law nevertheless, by a two-thirds vote. No divorce
shall be granted, or lottery established, by the
Legislature.
Every law enacted by the Legislature shall embrace
but one object, and that shall be expressed in the
title ; and no law shall be revised or amended by
reference to its title.
The census shall be taken in 1852, 1855, and every
ten years thereafter. The number of members of
Assembly shall not be under 24, nor over 36, until
the population is 100,000; and after that it shall not
be under 30 nor over 80.
31. Corporations may be formed under general
laws, but shall not be created by special Act, except
fur municipal purposes. All general laws and spe-
cial Acts passed pursuant to this section, may be
altered from time to time, or repealed.
32. Dues from corporations shall be secured by
such individual liability of the corporators, and other
means, as may be prescribed by law.
33. The term corporations, as used in this article,
shall be construed to include all associations and
joint-stock companies having any of the powers or
privileges of corporations not possessed by individuals
or partnerships. And all corporations shall have the
right to sue, and shall be subject to be sued, in all
courts, in like cases, as natural persons.
34. The Legislature shall have no power to pass
any Act granting any charter for banking purposes ;
but associations may be formed, under general laws,
for the deposit of gold and silver; but no such associ-
ation shall make, issue, or put in circulation, any bill,
cheque, ticket, certificate, promissory note, or other
paper, or the paper of any bank, to circulate as money.
35. The Legislature of this state shall prohibit, by
law, any person or persons, association, company, or
corporation, from exercising the privileges of banking,
or create paper to circulate as money.
36. Each stockholder of a corporation, or joint-
stock association, shall be individually and personally
liable for his proportion of all its debts and liabilities.
37. It shall be the duty of the Legislature to pro-
vide for the organization of cities and incorporated
villages, and to restrict their power o f taxation, as-
sessment,
hbe
their credit,
i g som money, etyo, p
rceovnetnr at ct i
abuses ng i
debts,n asseasnsd
l.
ments and in contracting debts by such municipal
corporations.

CONSTITUTION of CALIFORNIA.
Governor Riley has issued his proclamation calling
upon the people to vote for or against the adoption of
the constitution which has been framed by their
delegates assembled in convention. The places for
holding the polls are to be designated by the prefects
in their respective districts. The proclamation closes
thus :
" The people are now called upon to form a go-
vernment for themselves, and to designate such
officers as they desire to mike and execute the laws.
That their choice may be wisely made, and that the
government so organized may secure the permanent
welfare and happiness of the people of the new state,
is the sincere and earnest wish of the present execu-
tive, who, if the constitution be ratified, will, with
pleasure, surrender his powers to whomsoever the
people may designate as his successor."
The constitution does not differ essentially from that
of the state of New York, upon which in its most es-
sential particulars it has been evidently modelled.
The following synopsis gives all its provisions of
any importance :-
♦RTICLE I. DECLAMATION OF RIGHTS.
1. All men are by nature free and independent, and
have certain inalienable rights.
2. All political power is inherent in the people :
government is for their benefit, and they have a right
to change it at will.
3. The right of trial by jury shall be secured to
all for ever; but a jury trial may be waived by the
parties in all civil cases.
4. The free exercise of religious worship shall be
for ever allowed, and no religious test shall be re•
quired for civil privileges.
5. The syTitothabeas corprl shah. -mot be suspended
unless necessary in cases of rebellion or invasion.
6. Excessive bail shall not be required, nor true
or unusual punishments be inflicted.
7. All persons shall be bailable except for capital
offences.