The weekly Butte record., 1862-08-30
Proposed Constitutional Amendments.


The following is an abstract Of The eonstitu
tional amendments upon which the people AR
called to vote at The approaching election
+ ARTICLE Iy-LEalsLArIv DEPARTMENT
Provides for biennial instead of annual sessions
OF the Legislature, each regular session to CON
mence on the first Monday Of December mex
ensuing the election of its members, and moi
continue longer than 30 days; Assemblymer
to be chosen biennially in September. for tbs
term Ct two years, and Senators, at the same
| time for four years. provided that after the
first election of Senators under this amendment
only half the whole number shall be elected
every two years. so as to preserve the present
system of rotation and renewal.
ARTICLE V-ExEcUTIvE DEPARTMENT
Makes the term of the Governor, Lieutenan.
Governor, Secretary of State. Controller
Treasurer. Attorney General and Surveyor
General four years, instead of two, and pro-
vides for the election of the Secretary of State
BY the people instead of bis appointment bv
the Governor. and requires him 20 keep and
report record of the official acts of the Leg
islative and Executive Departments of the
Government.
ARTICLE VI-JuDIcIAL DEPARrMEST.-
Vests the Judicial power of the State in a
Supreme Court. District, County and Probate
Courts. and in Justices of the Peace, Recor-
ders, and such other inferior courts as the Leg
islature may establish in any Incorporated city
or town. Makes the Supreme Court consist
of FIVE instead of three Justices requiring the
presence of three Justices to transact all bust
ness but such as is transacted in chambers, and
the concurrence of the same number is made
necessary to pronounce Judgment. Provides
for the election Of Supreme Judges at special
election, fixes their term Of Office at ten years,
and Classics them so that one Justice shall 90
out of Office every two years, while the Justice
having the shortest term to serve shall be
Chief Justice Divides the State into fourteen
instead of seventeen Judicial Districts, provides
for election of District Judges at special cleo
tions, fixes their term at six years, and proh-
bits the Legislature from granting them leave
of absence from the State. The County Judges
are to be elected at the special Judicial cleo
tions to be held as provided for the choice of
Supreme Judges. and shall hold office four
years from the first day of January next after
teir election, and shall be ex-officio Probate
Judges, though the Legislature may separate
the two offices in San Francisco county. The
Jurisdiction ard duties of all the higher courts
are carefully defined and simplifed, and the
Legislature required TO fix BY law the jurisdic-
ton of the inferior courts, which in civil cases
may he increased from $3.50 to $500.
ARTICLE lX-EDuCATIoS.-Simply pro-
vides that in and after the year 1868 the
State Superintendent of Public Instruction
shall be chosen at the special election for Ju-
dicial officers, and hold his Office for four years
entering upon it the first Monday of Decem.
Der next ensuing. when the other State officers
step into their places
10 order that no Inconvenience may result
to the public service from The taking effect of
the proposed amendments, it is provided that
no officer shall be superseded thereby, until
the election and qualification of his successor
as provided for in said amendments nor shall
the organization Of the several courts be
changed thereby, until the election and quail
icatlon OF the new Junicial officers.
Each one of the above amendments is to be
voted upon separately, in this form !: " Amend.
ments TO Article four, FIVE, six or nine, as the
case may be, Yes" for" No II so that any
one or all of the amendments may be accepted
Or rejected.