Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1845-10-21
THE CONSTITUTION OF TEXAs

ieA"s' i framed Gnd submitted 10 the pub
2 TIC his instrument Is conclusive eyi
dence oil the sireng h Of our repp5ica,
character ond feeling in that state. The
constitution Is So much like those or the
states OF or confederation that we woulc
al once pronounce i, To be formed by emi
grants from our country. Ii is pra iryinc
also ~ perceive that in many respects they
have improved opon the institutions oflhei,
native land.
FIRST as TO the suffrage. Every fre.
mate &c iifC pers'n Of the age OF twentv-one
years, ie>id ng in Texas one year next
preceding the election, and six months in
the county. can vote. Africans and de-
scendanis OF Africans are excepted.
The Governor holds for two years
Salary Sa,l0o. Residence three wears.
aud must be thirty years Of age. He can
mol be eligible more than (our ou, OF every
six years. FIRST election on The irsi Mon
day of November lS47. The members
o! the House hold for two years. The
Senators Cor four years. to b. divided into
two classes. so that one half may be cho.
sen bienuiaily.
Cle~gymen can vote but are not eligible
to the legislature and are exempt from nils
'iary duty, work on roads. or service on
Juries. his is evidently copied from The
constitution of New York.
DHrNists, either as principals or seconds.
after the adoption of this constitution. are
expressly excluded from all ana every of.
fee.
In elections the vote is to be by ballot
except Qpon the adoption ofthe constitution
which is to be cipa roce.
The laws are 10 b. revised in five years
after the adoption of the present consliu-
ton, and every ten years thereafter. Lot
terles are absolutely forbidden. No d.
vorce can be granted by the Legislature. -
No Banking corporation in any shape can
be cresled Neither can ildividuals issue
paper money. Bank notes are forbidden
in any and every form. A vote OF two
thirds is required 10 create any private cor
poration, and The state Is forbidden 10 be
joint owner ofany stock in such associa-
ton.
In relation 10 the vexed question Of past
grants OF land in Texas, the following con-
elusive restriction was Incorporated :-'.Ali
Claims, locations. surveys, grants, and H.
ties TO land, which are declared null and
void by the constitution OF the Republic OF
Texas, are, and The same shall remain for.
ever, null and vo d."
In reat.onlo Il rights Of the wife over
her property, The following benign, and we
may likewise say just, provision was adop-
ted:-'AIl property, both real and person
al, OF the wife, owned or claimed by her
before marriage, and that acquired after.
wards by gift, devise, or descent, shall be
her separate property"
This is highly hoT orabe 10 the Texans,
as It is carrying out principle which be-
ncvolent and patriotic minds have been
striving for twenty ears to incorporate in
10 The constitution OF the older states.
In relation 10 the great cause of EDucA-
TIoN,the Texan papers STATE "ihat the most
ample provisions are made therefor" No
details are given. We regret this because
there can be no subject more inierc stiog
than the means devised 10 educate The PEG.
pie.
Blu! in our opinion the most important
provision IN the Texas constitution, and
one which must render il marked above all
other constitutions which have been adop-
ted by the American states, IS the iucorpo-
ration of clause largely limiting the pow
-er Of the creditor over The debtors proper
iy. Here, Us in other states, the excmp-
ton law extends only TO personal properly.
But the Texas constitution applies The same
principle al once to cal estate as vel as
10 personal property. The amount cx-
emp.ed $500 acres, including the home
sliced or land in no case exceeding ~ 90
in value. This renders ii an exemption
law 20 that amount. The debates show
that this was Incorporated 10 secure home
10 the fem ~ of the debtor, independent Of
his rccklcssness or vice-ssi it is a proSpcc-
tee law, il is nj unjus, 10 credltos, be-
Cause ii drprives them of no righs When
they cred;; they viii know that they can
have no claim upon The farm OF the dcb'or
If under these Circumstance: they think
proper 10 trust him. they eio it with itcir
eyes open. This provision is evidently
calculated TO check all kinds OF credit, anI
on this ground too il was strongly utgcd.
TIE American statesman, 10 the org tni-
cation Of new governments at eas, would
be urged not less by the teaching history OF
the past, than the claims Of pr4fen, and
future patrio ISM, to advocate The incorpora-
ron Of such restrictions in the organic law
as would secure Labor SO far as Justice aud
right can do that. against the constant md
wearing encroachments of Capital.