The Nevada Democrat., 1862-08-02
Amendments TO the ConstltutlOn.

amendments proposed by the Legislature.
and which are now submitted TO the people,
relate to the Legislative, Executive, and
Judiciary departments Of the State Gov
ernment, and may be briefly stated as iol-
lows:
Amendments TO Article Four, provide
that the sessions of the Legislature shall be
held once in two years, iustead Of every
year as at present. and that the Senators
shall be elected for four years, or two
terms, and the Assemblymen for two years,
or one term.
Amendments to Article Five increases
the terms of the Governor, Controller,
Treasurer, Attorney General, and Secreta-
ry of State, from two 10 four years, and
provide that the latter officer shall he elec.
ted by the people, instead of being appoin-
ted by the Governor as now.
The amendments to Article Six relate to
the Judiciary. They provide that the Su.
preme Coult shall consist of FIVE Judges,
whose terms are TO continue for ten years,
except those elected at the Grst election,
who are to so classify themselves by lot
that one shall go out Of office every two
years. The District and County Courts are
constituted about the same as at present,
except that the Districts are cut down to
fourteen, and the Court of Sessions is done
away with. The Judges are all 10 be cho-
sen by the qualified voters of the State, and
of their respective districts and counties,
at special elections TO be pro vided for by
the Legislative.
Amendments to Article Nine merely pro-
vide that the Superintendent Of Public In-
structiOn shall be elected at the special
election in 1868 for Judicial officers, and
every four years thereafter.
The amendments 10 each Article are to
be voted upon separately from the others,
and the Governor has prescribed the follow
ing form:
Amendments to Article -Four (4) of the Con-
stitution-
Amendments to Article Five (5) of the Consti-
tuition
Amendments to Article Six co. of the Consti-
tuition
Amendments to Article Nine (9) of the Consti-
tution-
This is the. form, as we understand II, in
which the tickets should be printed, aud
voters can write ayes" or "No" after the
word Constitution. according as they are
10 favor of or opposed to the amendments
to either article, or put in ticket with
those words printed upon it.
AT one time, we had about concluded to
vote In favor of all the proposed amend.
ments; but further reflection has satisfied
US that 1t would be impOlitic 10 extend the
terms of members Of the Legislature and
the Executive officers. In all probability,
political affairs of the country will be un-
settled for many years, and in trOublOus
times we think the oftener the people have
an opportunity to express their voices
through the ballot box the better. Had the
amendments to Articles Four and Five
been adopted three or four years ago, we
should, in all probability, have had Sc.
cesslon Legislature and a GoAernOr and
other State officers of the same persuation;
and in that event serious attempt would
have been made last year to carry The State
out of the Union, and a bloody revolution
would have been inaugurated on this coast
We cannot fOresee what political charges
may occur in the next few years; but when
the integrity of our Government is at stake,
the people should have an opportunity TO
elect officers who will carry out their wishes
upon every question that arises. These
objections do not apply TO the amendments
to Articles Six and Nine, and we think the
changes proposed in our Judiciary system
will be highly conducive to the interest of
the State. We shall, therefore. unless we
change our opinion, vote, and use what 10.
iuence we have, against the proposed
amendments to Articles Four and Five, and
10 favor of the amendments to Articles Six
and Nine.
II is to be. hoped that the voters of the
Stale willreaect seriously upon this sub.
ject, and make up their minds how to vote