Elizabeth-Town gazette., 1819-03-02
STATE OF NEW.JERSEY.
an Act concerning the Constitution Of tEis
State.

State.
WHEREAS the meeting of the Legislature
on the fourth Tuesday of October, au-
nually, as prescribed in The constitution
of this state, is attended with much in-
convenience and expense to the people,
in particular as it occasions two sittings
in order to fulfil in satisfactory man
ner the duties of the Legislative de-
| partment; and as no method is pointed
out in the said constitution, whereby the
citizens of this state may obtain amend
ments thereof, it seems to be the duty
Of their representatives, where it ap-
pears to them for the public good, TO
propose any amendment, and prescribe
the manner in which the sense of the
people may lawfully be taken on the
same, and ii SO appearing to the Legis-
lature in this case-Therefore,
/. Be 1T ENACTED by the Council and
General assembly Of this State, and it as
hereby enacted blythe authority Of the same,
That it be proposed, and it is hereby pro-
posed to the people of this state, 10 amend
the constitution thereof, so that the first
meeting of members of the Legislative
Council and General Assembly, after their
annual election, shall be on The first
Wednesday of January in every year,
instead of the fourth Tuesday in October,
and that the first meeting under said pro-
posed amendment be on the first Wednes-
day in January one thousand eight hun
dred and twenty-one, and that all officers
holding commissions under any Joint
Meeting appointment, whose Office shall
expire at the session Of the Legislature 10
October, preceding the annual meeting on
the first Wednesday of January 1921, or
preceding the first Wednesday Of Janua.
ry in any year thereafter, shall continue
in their several Offices until the said annu-
|al meeting, and shall then expire. And
when any such officer is salary officer,
the Legislature may by law enact a rate
able compensation.
2. .and be it enacted, That 10 order to
obtain the sense of the people on said pro-
posed amendment, the several persons in
this state qualified to vote for members OF
the Legislative Council aud General AS
sembly in the several counties of this state,
are hereby requested TO express their opin-
ion for or against the same, by inserting
90 their respective tickets, wherein Is con
tanned the names Of members of Council
aud Assembly voted for, at the next annu-
al election, the word amendment" or
the words {" no amendment" as they may
think fit, which words may be printed or
10 hand writing.
8. And be it enacted, That the votes so
given 10 regard to amendment or no
amendment, as aforesaid, shall be receiv-
ed and counted off by the officers of elec
ton 10 the several townships of this state,
and returned to the clerks of the courts
of common pleas of their respective coun-
ties, at the times and places, and in man
ner as required by law in respect of men,
bers Of Council aud Assembly And the
said clerks respectively shall make one
general list of the same, with the number
Of votes for and against, in proper columns,
and date and sign the same, and make re-
turn of such list at the expense of the
SLdte, tu tL6 uONcTuOI VI pCAoOu uuinluio-
tering the government thereof, on the
fourth Tuesday in October next ensuing,
at Trenton, which returns SO made, the
Governor or person administering the
government as aforesaid, shall, in the same
week, lay before the Council, who shall
cast up the same, and ascertain whether
two thirds Of the votes be in favour OF the
proposed amendment, and shall communi-
cate the result without delay to the house
of Assembly and if it shall appear that
two thirds Of the said votes are in favour
of said proposed amendment it shall there
upon be deemed part Of the constitution
Of this state, and the Governor or person
administering the government shall by
his proclamation make known the same to
the people.
| a. And be it enacted, That the Secreta-
ry of State shall cause copy Of this act
to be published in all the public newspa-
pers printed in this state, for the space oi
three months preceding the second Tues
day 10 October next, twice in each month.
Passed Feb. 8, 1919.
-An Act to prevent unnecessary costs.