The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1857-02-12
PARLIAMENTARY
The Committee on the 4Disfribution of Po,re,s,
and the Legislative Department. hare iWstrnc-
ted me to make the folioteing Report:

1. The Legislative authority of this State
shall be vested in Senate ana House Of Rep
resentatives. which shall be designated the
General Assembly of the State of Iowa: and
the style of their laws shall commence in the
following manners ssBe II enacted bv the Cen
eral Assembly of the State of Iowa.,
2. The session of the General Assembly
shall be biennial, and shall commence on tie
second Monday Of January next ensuing the
election OF its members; unless the Governor
of the State shall. in the interim. convene the
General Assembly BY proclamation
3. The members of the House of Represen--
tatives shall be chosen every second year, by
the qualified electors of their respective dis
tricts, on the second Tuesday i'm October. ex-
cept the year OF the Presidential election.
when the election shall be on the Tuesday next
after the fist Monday in November; whose
term OF Office shall continue two years from
the Tuesday next after the first Monday in
November.
a. Noperson shall be member of the House
of Representatives who shall not have at
tanned the age # twentv-one wears: be free
white male citizen of the United States, and
have been an inbabitant of this State one year
next preceding his election; and at the time of
his election have an actual residence of thirty
days in the county or district he may be chosen
to represent.
5. Senator'S shall be chosen for the term of
four years, at the same time and place as Rep
resentatives; they. shall be twenty-five years
of age. and possess the qualifications OF Rep
resentatives as to residence and citi zeDship.
6. The number of Senator's shall not be less
than one-third, nor more than ore half the
Representative body. The present Senators
shall remain in Office during the term for which
thew were elected, and shall be divided into
two classes. Those Senators whose term of
of fh, fret -.
1853, shall be one class. and those Senators
whose term of Office expires on the first Mon
day in August, 1861 shall be the other class:
so that one-half shall be chosen every two
years.
T. When the number of Senator's is increas-
ed, they shall be annexed by lot to one of the
two classes, so as to keep them as nearly equal
in number practicable.
8. Each House shall chaose its own officers.
and judge of the qualification. election, and re-
turn Of its own members. A contested cleo
tion shall be determined in sach manner as shall
be directed bv law.
8 majority Of each House shall consti-
tute a quorum to do business; but smaller
number may adjourn from day 70 dav, and may
compel the attendance of absent members in
such manner and under such penalties as each
House may provide.
10. Each House shall sit upon its own adj
jonrnments, keep journal of its proceedings.
and publish the same; determine it's rules of
proceedings, punish members for disorderly
behavior, and, with the consent of two-thirds.
expel member, but not a second time for the
same ofense; and shall have all other powers
necessary for branch of the General Assem-
bly, OF free and independent State.
IL. Every member of the General Assembly
shall have The liberty TO dissent from. or pro
test against any act or resolution which he may
think injurious to the public or an individual,
and have the reasons for his dissent entered on
the journals; and the yeas and nays of the
members of either House. on any question,
shall. at the desire Of any two members pres
ent be entered on the journals
IL. Senator's and Representatives in all ca
ses. except treason, felony, or breach of the
peace, shall be privileged from arrest durihe
the session of the General Assembly, and in
going to and returning from tie same
ID. When vacancies occur in either House,
the Governor, or the person exercising the
functions of Governor, shall issue writs of
election TO fill snch vacancies.
IA. The doors Of each House shall be omen
except on such occasion as, in the opinion of
the House. may require secrecy.
ID. Neither House shall. without the consent
of the other, adjourn for more than three DAYS,
nor to any other place than that in which they
NAV be sitting
16. Bills may originate in either House. and
may be amended, altered, or rejected by the
other; and every bill having passed both Hous-
es, shall be signed by the Speaker and Presi-
dent of their respective Houses.
IL. Every bill which shall have passed the
General Assembly, shall, before it becomes
law, lie presented to the Governor IL he ap
prove, he shall sign it: but if not. he shall re-
turn it with his objections, TO the House in
which it originated, which shall enter the same
upon the Journal and proceed to reconsider it,
il, after such reconsideration, it again pass both
houses, by yeas and nays, by majority of two-
thirds of the members of each House present.
it shall become law, notwithstanding The
Governors objections. If any bill shall not
be returned within three days after II shall have
been presented to him, Sunday excepted. the
same shall be law in like manner as il he had
signed it, unless the General Assembly, by ad-
journment, prevent such return.
IL No bill shall be passed unless by the as
sent Of majority of all the members elected
to each branch of the General Assembly, and
the question upon the final passage shall be la
ken Immediately upon its last reading, and the
yeas and nays entered on the journal.
: 10. An accurate statement of the receipts
and expenditures of the public money. shall
be attached to and published with the laws, at
every regular session of the General As
sembly
20. The House of Representatives shall
have the sole power of impeachment, and all |
shall be tried by the Senate
When sitting for that purpose, the Senators
shall he upon oathor affirmation, and no per-
son shall be convicted without the concur
renee OF two-thirds OF the members present
81. The Governor, Secretary Of State, Au-
ditor, Trt asurer, Judges of the Supreme and
District Courts. Superintendent of Public In |
and Attorney General, shall be Ii |
able to impeachment for any misdemeanor in
Office; but judgment in such cases shall extend
only to removal from Office, and disqualfca-
ton to hold any office Of honor, trust, or prof.
it, under this State; but the party convicted or
acquitted shall nevertheless be liable to in
trial, and punishment, according to
law. All other civil officers shall be tried for
misdemeanors in Office, in such manner as the
General Assembly may provide.
%. No Senator or Representative shall, du-
ring the time for which he shall have been
elected, be appointed to any civil office of
profit under this State, which shall have been
created, or the emoluments Of which shall have
been increased during such term, except such
offices as may be filled by elections by the
people.
20. No person holding any lucrative Office
under the United States, or this State, or any
other power, shall be eligible to the General
Assembly: Pyovided, that Offices in the militia,
to which there is attached no annual salary. or
thu Office of justice OF the peace, or postmas-
tiers whose compensation does not exceed one |
hundred dollars per annum, or notary public,