Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1862-02-19

mend to the adoption of the Convention as embody-
ing the provisions necessary for establishing and
regulating the legislative branch of the government
ALI propositions of amendment to the Coustitu-
ton which have been referred to them, and not in
corporated in said ordinance, have upon fall cor
slderat,on, been disapproved bya majority of the
committee They; therefore, return them herewith
to the Convention, and ask to be discharged from
- their further consideration - -s s
Respectfully submitted, .,~ exe- ~ 81.
e.. s.r.,.. a.. WILL, A. GRAHAM, v
Chairman.
AN ORDINANCE IN RELATION TO THE
LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT OF THE CON
3 ... STIrUTION.
BE At ordained by the delegates Of the people of
North Carolina in Convention assembled, That the
following articles, sections and clauses, shall be-
and are hereby adopted as part of the Constitu
ton of North Carolina and arranged therein next
af.er the declaration of rights, to-wit:
ARTICLE.
The powers of government being divided into
three distinct departments--the Legislative, Execu
tive and Judicial-no person or persons belonging
to or constituting any one of these departments
shall exercise any of the powers pertaining to any
other, except as herein expressly provided.
ARTICLE '
Every white male citizen of this State or of the
Confederate States Of the age of twenty one years.
who shall have been domicIled in TIE State for
year and in the county in which he claims to vote
six months next before the election and shall have
paid public tax, shall be entitled 10 vote for mem
bers Of the General Assembly, and for all officers
that now are or may he elective by the people: Pro-
rted, That no pauper, idiot, insane person. or per-
son convicted Of Infamous crime, unless restored
by law to the rights Of citizenship shall have the
right to vote: And. p'ooided further, That no per-
son IN the military, naval marine service of the
Confederate States, shall be considered as domicied
IN this State by reason Of his being stationed within
the same. The General Assembly may also pass
laws to deprive persons Of the right of suffrage who
shall have been convicted of bribery in electons.-
NO free negro, free mulatto free person Of mix.
ed blood, descended from negro ancestors to the
fourth generation inclusive, though ancestor Of
each generation may have been white person. shall
vote N any electioa------~~-----
s.t ARTICLE. ....s s.
SECTION l. The Legislative power shall be vested
in two distinct branches both dependent on the
people, to-wt: A Senate and House of Represen-
tatives, which, when assembled. shall be denomna-
ted the General Assembly of North Carolina.
2. The Senate shall consist Of fifty members cho-
sen by ballot and in districts; which districts shall
be laid Oft by the General Assembly at its first ses-
sion after the year one Thousand eight hundred and
sixty i've and every ten years thereafter in proper
tion to heupublic taxes paid into the Treasury of
the State by the citizens thereof and the average of
ury for the i've years preceding the time of laying
off the districts shall be considered its proportion
of the public taxes and constitute the basis Of ap
portionnent: Procided That no county shall be
divided in the formation OF Senatorial district. And
when there are one or more counties having an ex-
cess of taxation above the ratio 10 form Senatorial
district, adjoining county counties deficient in
such ratio such excess or excuses shall be added
to the taxes Of the county or counties deficient;
and c,,ch ODD fho nfyn NTH
receiving it shall have the requisite ratio, such
county and counties each shall constitute Senate
rial District.
8. The House of Representatives shall consist of
one hundred and twenty members chosen by ballot,
in counties according to their respective numbers,
which shall be determined by adding to the whole
number of free persons including those bound to
service for term of years, and including Indians
not taxed three iths of all other persons and each
county shall have at least one member of the House
Of Representatives, although it may not contain the
requisite ratio of population. This apportionment
shall be made by the General Assembly at the times
and periods hereinbefore appointed tor laying OFT
Senatorial Districts and upon enumeration Ct
the inhabitants Of the State which may tie ordered
by law, the census taken under the act of Con-
gress next preceding such appointment. And in
making such appointment. the ratio OF representa-
ton shall lie ascertaned by dividing the whole
amount of representative numbers of the State de-
ternined aforesaid after deductlnS That cOmpre-
hended in those counties which do not Severally
contain the one hundred and twentieth part thereof
by the number of representatives remaining after
deductipg the number assigned to the said Counties
To each county containing the said RATIO and not
twice the said ratio there shall be assigned one rep
resentative; to each county containing twice the
said ratio and not three times The sad ratio, there
shall be assigned two representatives, and SO on,
progressively; and the remaining representatives
shall be assigned to the counties having the largest
| fractions
| H. Until the first session of the General Assem-
bly, which shall be held after the year one thousand
eight hundred and sixty five, the apportionment OF
Senators and members of the House OF Representa-
t,ves respectively, now existing by law, is adopted
and continued in full force, with change OF the
! name of Commons to that Of Representatives,
| 8. The election of members of the General As
sembly shall be biennial, on the day which is or may
be appointed by law, and their sessions annual ap-
| pointed in like manner, except when convened 10y
the Governor, in pursuance Of the authority vested
| in him. but no compensation shall he allowed the
members thereof for longer term than forty-five
days at any one session.
| 6 The term of service of the members Of the
| Senate and House of Representatives shall commence
ON the day next succeeding the day Of their general
| election. and shall continue until the day next
succeeding the general election of their successors
T No person shall be a member Of the Senate