Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1819-12-11

PuOiiN ihSi3 uiC llutil may pC 5iFCA IL
evidence; and in all prosecutions for Ii
bel, the jury shall have right to deter.
mine the law and the fact. The 24th
and last section of this article declares
that {" the enumeration of certain rights
shall not impair nor deny others retain
ed by the people"
The second article respects Electors.
Every male citizen of The United States,
OF the age of 81 years, except paupcrs,
persons under guardianship, and Indians
not taxed, having been three months re-
sident, shall be an elector; and the cleo
tons are to be by ballot. The elections
TO take place on the second Monday OF
September annually for ever.
Article third distributes the powers OF
government into the three distinct de-
partments ofLegislative, Executive, and
Judicial.
Article the. fourth concerns the Legis-
lature, which is TO consist of two bodies,
House ofRepresentatives and a Senate,
both to be stlled the Legislature Of
Maine. This is the first application
OF the term Legislature, we believe, to
the style of a Legislative body. The
House of Representative to consist of
not less than one hundred, nor more than
two hundred members, to be chosen
annually, in proportion to population, to
be ascertained by process prescribed
| IN this article. In addition to the quail
LEGATIONS of an Elector, every Represen-
tative must have been FIVE years citi-
zen of the United States. The Senate
to consist OF not less than twenty, nor
more than thirty-one members, elected
| also TOR one year, to be chosen from dis
tricts to be laid out by law, as nearly as
practicable proportioned to the popula-
ton and to county lines. The qualifi-
cations required for Senators to be the
same as for Representatives, except that
it is required, in addition, that they shall
not be OF less age than IS years. No
person holding an office under the Uni
ted States, (post officers excepted,) or
an office of profit under the state, no
justice ofthe peace, or notary public, to
have a seat in either house.
Theftfh section vests the Executive
power in Governor,to be elected by
the qualified electors, and to hold his Of
flee for one year. He shall not be less
than thirty years of age; "natural
born citizen of the United States," and
shall have been for FIVE years, or from
the adoption of the constitution, resi-
dent OF the state. He is to have the
usual powers of Governors-of appoint
ing to Office, "with the advice and con-
sent OF the Council" and of command
ing in chief the army and navy, "cxcept
when called into the actual service OF
the United States" He has the same
power, in regard to the appreciation or
rejection of bills passed by the Legisla-
ture, as by the constitution ofthe United
States is given to the President. A
| Council, OF seven persons, to advise the
Governor in the Executive part of the
| government, is to be chosen annually,
on the first Wednesday of January, by
joint ballot of the Legislature. A Sc
cretary Of State and Treasurer to be
chosen annually, by the Legislature in
joint ballot.
The sirth article relates to the Judi
cial power, which is to be vested in a
Supreme Court, and such other courts
as the Legislature shall, from time to
time, establish. All judicial officers,
except Justices of the Peace, to hold
their office during good behavior, but
not beyond the term of seventy years.
The seventh article relates to the Mi
litary, which is to be organized by the
Legislature. The captains and subal-
terms Of the militia shall be elected by
the written votes of the members of their
respective companies the field officers
of regiments by the written votes of the
captains and subalterns of their respec-
tive regiments; the brigadier generals,
in like manner, by the field officers of
their respective brigades; the major
generals by the Senate and House of
Representatives, each having negative
on the other. The adjutant general and
quarter master general to be appointed
by the Governor and Council.
Article eight requires the establish
ment of town schools, and authorizes
the Legislature to encourage, by endow-
ment or otherwise, Colleges or Seinina-
ries of Learning.
The tenth article consists of general
provisions, forms Of oaths of Office, sc.
| The eleventh and last article is a
schedule, providing for the mode of or
ganizing the government, until the ne
cessary provision can be made by law
the number of Senators and Reprcsen.
tatives, the mode of election, &c