Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1856-04-19
ARTICLES OF AMENDMENT
To the Constitution adopted by the Connci
OF Censors, at its February Session, 1856.
REPORT.


To THE CouSciI or CESsoRs NOW IN SESSION I.
Your Committee to whom has been referred
the different propositions cf amendment Of the
Constitution, recommended by said Council,
report the following articles Of amendment 10
be submitted to q Convention to be called under
nm Ordinance Of said Council for that purpose.
Article /. The General Assembly shall meet
on the second Thursday of October, bionnially.
Article 2. The Governor, Lieutenant Cow
ernor, Treasurer Of the State, House Of Rep
reseniaiives and Senators, shall lie chosen on
the first Tuesday in September, bienniully.
Article 3. The term of office of the Gov
ernor, Lieutenant Governor, and Treasurer Of
the State, shall commence when they shall be
chosen and qualified, aud shall continue for the
term Of two years or until their successors
shall be chosen a n qualified, or to the adjourn
men, of the session, Of the Legislature, at
which, by III, Constitution and Laws. their
SUCCESSORS are required to lie chosen, and uoi
after such adjournment.
Article 4. Assistant Judges of the County
Courts, SheriiFs, High Bailias, States Auor-
mics, Judges of Probate. and Justices Of the
Peace, shall be elected biennially, as provided
by the Constitution and Laws, and shall hold
their offices for two years commencing on the
first day Of December, next after their election.
Article 5. The House of Representatives
shall conss, of one hundred and fifty members.
Each County shall have two, the remainder
shall be apportioned TO the several counties ac-
cording TO the population Of each due regard
being always had in such appointment TO the
counties having the largest fractions. The
Legislature shall make a new appointment az
ter the taking Of each censns Of the United
States, or census taken by the authority of the
General Assembly. regarding the above pro-
visions of this articlc-and until there shall be
an appointment by the Legislature, the Repre-
senatives shall be apportioned to the several
counties as follows, TO wi, Addison County
twelve, Bennington County nine, Caledonia
County eleven, Chitenden County thirteen,
Essex County four, Franklin County thirteen.
Grand Isle County four, Lamoille County six,
Orange County thirteen, Orleans County eight,
Rutland County fifteen. Washington County
twelve, Windham County thirteen, Windsor
County seventeen, and shall be elected. and
their election certified, in the manner provided
for the choice of Senators and if two or
more persons voted for in any county shall re-
ceive an equal number Of votes, the House of
Representatives, when assembled, shall cleo,
one or more Of such persons, as the case NAV
require.
Article 6. The Legislature shall have pow.
or TO divide the counties into representative dis
tricts, and regulate by law the mode of ballot
ing for Representatives therein, and the mean,
and the manner by which the result of salt
balloting shall be asceriained. Each distIic
shall, so far as may be, consist of an equa
number of Inhabitants and Of contiguous terri
tory, but no town or city shall be divided, anc
II any town or city shall be entitled to one OF
more Representatives, such town or city shall
be made an entire district and NAV elect The
number Of Representatives to which il shall be
entitled. The persons voted for in such dis.
tricts, equal in number 10 that of Representa-
tives appotiioned thereto, having The creates
number Of legal votes, shall be the Represen
tatlve or Representatives, as the case may be
and If two or more persons IN any district shall
receive an equal number of votes, the House
of Representatives shall elect oneor more oil
such persons, as the case may require.
Article 7. The Senate shall be composed
Of two Senators from each county, and shall
be elected for the term of four years. AT III,
first session of the Senate elected under thi,
Constitution, as amended the Senators Of eacI
county shall be divided into two classes to be
determined by lot, the term of the first elias.
shall expire at the close of the second year, %
the second class at the close of the fourth year
one Senator from each county to be elected bi
ennially thereafter. And if vacancies shall
tho ekall IL.
poiniments until the next election, when al
vacancies shall be filled by the freemen.
Article s. The General Assembly, at il,
first session under this Constitution as amend
ed, shall elect and classify ihe Judges of tn,
Supreme Court in such manner that the tern
of office of one third of the whole number. a
near as may be, shall expire bienniaIly, an,
thereafter the term of office of such Judge
shall be six years. II the office Of any Judge
shall become vacant, before the expiration 0
the regular term for which he was elected, the
Governor shall make temporary appointment
until the meeting of the General Assembly
when such vacancy shall be filed.
Article o. All elections by the General As
sembly, or either branch thereof, shall be mad
by viva voce vote.
Article 10. The freemen of each town il
this State, shall, on the day of election 70
choosing Representatives to the General As
sembly, bring in their votes for Governor
Lieutenant Governor and Treasurer of the
State, and the presiding officer of each free
mems meeting, after the vnles shall have beer
taken, sorted and counted, shall, in open meet
ing, make a certificate of the names of eacl
person voted fur, with the number Of votes Civ
en- for each, annexed TO his name, and desig
mating the Office for which the VOTES were Civ
en-, record of which shall be made in tn,
town clerks Office, and he shall seal up sal,
certificate, and shall write thereon the name o
The town, and the words, Certificate of yoiei
for ---," adding thereto the title of III,
Office voted for as the case may be, and shall
de lVer such certificate TO some Represenlativ,
chosen as member of the General Assembl,
instead of delivering he roles as required b,
the tenth section of Tho sao,,I -, Z Il