Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1847-09-07
CONSTITUTION
OF THE
STATE OF ILLINOIS.
PREAMBLE.


grateful to ALMIGHTY COP for the civil
political and religious liberty, which
He hath so long permitted US to enjoy,
and looking TO HIM for blessing upon
our endeavors to secure and transmit
the same uninpaired to succeeding
generations--in order to form more
perfect government, establish Justice,
insure domestic tranquility, provide fol
the common defence, promote the gen
eral welfare, and secure the blessings
ofiiberty TO ourselves and our posterity,
do ordain and establish the Constitution
for the State of Illinois.
ARTICLE /.
BOUNDARIES.
SECTION l. The boundaries and iuris-
dictioa ofthe state shall be as follows, to
wit: Beginning at the mouth of the Wa
bash river; thence up the same, and with
the line Of Indiana, to the northwest COR
heT OF said state 10 the middle of lake
Michigan; thence north, along the middle
OF said lake, TO north latitude forty two
degrees and thirty minutes; thence west
to the middle ofthe Mississippi river, and
thence down, along the middle ofthat riv-
er, to Its confluence with the Ohio river;
and thence up the latter river, along its
northwestern shore, to the place of begin
ming; Provided, that this state shall ex.
ercise such jurisdiction upon the Ohio riv.
er as she is now entitled to, or such as
may hereafter be agreed upon by this
state and the state Of Kentucky.
ARTICLE Ii.
CONCERNING THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE
POWERS OF GOVERNMENT.
SEC. /. The powers ofthe government
ofthe state of Illinois shall be divided into
three distinct departments, and each of
them be confded to a separate body of
magistracy, TO wit: Those which arc leg
islative, to one: those which are executive,
to another; and those which are judicial
to another.
SEC. 2. No person, or collection of per.
sons, being one of these departments,
shall exercise any power properly belong
ing to either of the others, except as here
mater expressly directed or permitted,
and all acts in contlavention Of this
section shall be void.
ARTICLE III.
OF THE LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT.
SEC. !. The legislative authority OF
this state shall be vested in General
Assembly, which shall consist of Sen
ate and House of Representatives both to
be elected by the people.
Sec. 2. The first election for senators
and representatives, shall be held on the
Tuesday after the first Monday in Novem-
Der, one thousand eight hundred and forty
eight; and thereafter, elections for mem
bers of the general assembly shall be
held once in two years, on the Tuesday
next after the first Monday in November.
In each and every county, at such places
therein as may be provided by law.
SEC. 3. No person shall be repre-
sentative who shall not have attained the
age of twenty-five years; who shall not
be citizen of the United States. and
three years an lnhabitant Of this state;
who shall not have resided within the
limits ofthe county or district in which he
shall be chosen twelve months next pre-
ceding his election, if such county or dis
trict shall have been so long erected; but
If not, then within the limits ofthe coun.
~ or counties, district or districts, out oil
which the same shall have been taken,
unless he shall have been alIseAt on the
public business of the United States, or Of
this state; and who, moreover, shall not
have paid state or county tax.
SEC. a, No person shall be senator
who shall have not attained the age Of
thirty years; who shall not be a citizen
ofthe United States, five years an inhab.
liant Of this state, and one year in the
county or district in which he shall be
chosen Immediately preceding his cleo
ton, if such county or district shall have
been so long erected, but il not, then with.
in the limits Of the county or counties
district or districts, out ofwhich the same
shall have been taken, unless he shall
have been absent on the public bushes!
ofthe United States, or of this state, anC
shall not, moreover, have paid state Of
county tax.
Sec. 5. The senators at their first ses
sion herein provided for shall be divides
by lot,as near as can be, into two classes
The seats ofthe first class shall be vaca
ted at the expiration of the second year
and those of the second class at the expi
ration ofthe fourth year; SO that one bal
thereof, as near as possible, may be bien
nially chosen forever thereafter.
SEC. g. The senate shall consist Z
twenty-five members, and the house ofrep
resenfatives shall consist of seventy. iv
members, until the population Of the stat
shall amount to one million Of souls. whe
five members may be added to the house
and Eve additional members for ever
FIVE hundred thousand inhabitants there
after. until the whole number of represet
tatives shall amount to one hundred; aftt