Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1864-12-01
CONSTITUTION OF NEVADA.

Il
ling grand and petit juries, and providing for their
compensation; regulating county and township
business regulating the election Of county and
township officers for the assessment and eollec.
ton of taxes for State, county and township pur-
poses !; providing for opening and conducting
elections OF State, county or township officers,
and designating the places of voting; providing
for the sale of real estate belonging to minors or
other persons laboring under legal disabilities A
uniform system of county and township govern. |
ment Ia required to be established. Lotteries and
the sale of lottery tickets are prohibited Extra
compensation to officers and employees Of the
Legislature Is forbidden. The first regular Ses-
sion is limited TO ninety days, subsequent ses.
sions Of sixty days; and special sessions, con-
yened by the Governor, to twenty days. a
homestead " us provided by law" is required to
be exempted from forced sale, except In certain
enumerated cases. Provision Is made for secur.
ing the separate property of O wife. The county
officers TO be elected are specified, the Legisla.
ture 10 prescribe their duties and compensation.
The compensation oflegislators cannot be chang.
ed during their terms; each member In allowed
not exceeding s60 per session for stationery,
newspapers postage, etc. % day additional Is
allowed the preslding officers of each branch
Elections of United States Senators are to be
made in Joint Convention by the Legislature
next preceding the expiration Of the Senatorial
term or Immediately after the happening of a
vacancy; in case offalure of the two Houses to
meet in Joint Convention within twenty days for
this PURPOSE, the Governor may call such Con-
yention or proclamation. Two-thirds OF all the
members elected 10 each branch are necessary to
pass any bill over the Governors veto The
Governor is allowed Ave days during the session.
OF ten days thereafter, within which 10 veto.
BILL and in the latter case the bill must be laid
before the next session of the Legislature.
The changes In this Article from the old Con-
stitution are numerous. Among them are: al
lowing the Senate to hold secret executive ses-
slons permitting special legislation respecting
fees and salaries, and the interest ON money
emitting the specification of the amount or value
Of the homestead exemption, and leaving that to
be provided for by law; emitting the section for
bidding the passage of any law authorizing mar
ried women to act as sol0 traders; emitting The
Limitation of the salaries OF county officers, and
the per diem Ofthemembers ofthe Legislature,etc.
ARTICLE Y--ExEcUTIvE DEPARTMENT.
Vests the executive power in Governor, 10 De
elected for four yeaTt, who must be qualified
elcctor, twenty five years of age, and, except at
the first election, for two Years preceding his eiec'
tion resident of the state Provides for canvass
ing election returns for Governor and other state
officers The Governor is COMMUNICATING OF
the military forces of the State, except when
called into the service of the United States He Is
to transact all executive business, see that the
laws are faithfully executed, and TO fill vacancies
in office by appointment where not otherwise
provided for. He may convene special sessions
of the Legislature but at such sessions no legls'
lntive business may be transacted, except such
an the Governor may call attention TO. He mas
power, in case of disagreement between the TWO
Houses as TO the time of adjournment, TO adjourn
| the Legislature 10 such time as lie may think
proper, but not beyond the time for the meet.
| ing of the next Legislature. lie may suspend
fines and forfeitures and grant reprieves not ex.
ceeding sixty days. The Governor, Justices of
the Supreme Court and Attorney General are
| faA of In nos
| of treason and impeachments. a Lieutenant
| Governor Is to be elected ut the same time and
| for the same term as the Governor. The usual
powers and duties Of such officer are prescribed
A Secretary Of State, Treasurer, Controller, sur
veyor General and Attorney General are also
provided for and their powers and duties pre-
scribed. The Governor, Secretary Of State and
Attorney General are constituted IL Board Of
State Prison Directors, and also Board of EI.
aInlntrs, to audit all claims against tho Stale,
except salaries or compensation fixed by law, be-
fore such claims can be passed upon by the lie.
gislature.
The only change of importance from the old
Constitution in tins Article il providing for The
election Of a Surveyor General.
ARTICLE vI-JuOICIAL DEPARTMENT.
Vests the judicial power Of the State In a Su.
Preme Court, consisting of Chief Justice and
two Associate Justices with power in the Legis
ature TO add two aSsociateS) nine District Courts
| Legislature may also establish Municipal Courts
in incorporated cities and towns. The Justices OF
| the Supreme Court are 10 be elected nj general
elections TOR six years each, but those first elected
are to draw for long and short terms, so that one
will go out of office every two years. The Su.
preme Court has appellate jurisdiction In al
cases in equity, and in all cases at law involving
real estute or mining claims, the legality Of taxes
assessments fines, etc., where the amount In con
! troversy exceeds three hundred dollars; also OF
questions of law alone, in criminal cases amount
ing TO felony The State Is divided into nine Ju
dicial Districts; Storey county constituting tn
| First, OFmsby the Second, Lyon the Third
Washoe the Fourth, Nye and Churchill the Fifth
Humboldt tho Sixth, Lander the Seventh, Doug
! las the Eighth, Esmeralda the Ninth. Roop il
attached 10 the Washoe district The Legislature
| may alter or change the districts hereafter, Of
! increase or diminish the number of districts o.
Judges The First, or Storey District, has thre
| District Judges with n co-extensive and concur
rent Jurisdiction. The District Judges are TO b.
| elected for four years, and are TO be paid out o.
the treasures of the counties comprising their re
| spective Districts The District Courts have
original Jurisdiction in all cases wherein the Su
preme Court has appellate Jurisdiction also, re
lating 10 estates of deceased persons, and person.
| and estates Of minors and insane persons, ana O.
the action Of forcIble entry and unlawful detainer
! and of all criminal cases not otherwise provided
by law. They have final appellate jurisdiction
in oil cases arising in Justices Courts and othel
inferior tribunals. The Legislature determines
the number Of Justices of the Peace In each city
| and township, and fixes their duties and compen
sntion. Justices Courts have Jurisdiction only
Of cases not coming within the Jurisdiction of tht
District Courts, provided they may have sucf
| criminal jurisdiction rs may be conferred by law
and the Legislature may confer upon them juris
diction concurrent with the District Courts in tn,
| enforcement of mechanics liens, not exceeding
! md pfo for ha NJ lam
and tenements In certain specified cases. Tht
Supreme Court, District Courts and such othel
Courts as the Legislature may determine, ART
Courts of Record Their Judges are not allowed
to receive fees and perqulsites for their own use
Judges are ineligible to other than judicial Offices
| during their terms. Provision IL made for docket
| fees, TO be applied toward the payment Of the
salaries of Judges. No leave Of absence can bt
granted to any judicial officer, and the absenc,
of such officer from the State for ninety days va
Gates his Office. Ir.,
This Article is radically different from the cor
responding Article Of the old Constitution, where
in the Judicial system was copied substantially
| from that of California
ARTICLE VII IMPEACHMENT ASD REMOVAL
FROM OFFICE.
Provides for impeaehing by the Assembly, anC
trials by the Senate, the Chief Justice to presid,
a the trial Of a Governor or Lieutenant Cover
nor, and two-thirds Of the Senators elected &c
be necessary for conviction. All State and Ju
dicial officers, except Justices Of the Peace, arr
| liable to impeachment for mlsdemeanor or NAL
| feasance In Office but Judgment can only extend
| TO removal and disqualification from holding
office The party Is liable, however, to indict
ment and trial according TO law, If the offense
IN indictable. The Judges of the Supreme and
District Courts also liable to be removed
| from offer. after a hearing, by vote Of two
thirds of the members elected TO each branch Of
| the Legislature. Provision may be made by law
for the removal of other civil officers
| This Article Ia substantially the same as that
In the old Constitution, except the provision re.
quirfng the Chief JuNice:o preside ut the trial
| of Governor or Lieutenant Governor.
| ARTICLE vIn-MUSICTPALA AND OTHER CoRPoR.
| ATOMS .-....
Prohibits special legislation in regard to cor.
poratiouS, except for municipal purposes, but
allows corporations to be formed under general
laws Property Of corporations ~ subject to tax.
alton like that of individuals. Corporators in
| corporations formed under the laws of the State
shall not be individually liable forthe debts or
liabilities of such corporations No bank notes or
paper of any kind can be allowed TO circulate rs
money except the Federal currency and the notes
| of banks authorized under the laws Of Congress.
General laws must be parsed for the organization
Of cities and towns, and restricting theirpowers
of taxation, assessment, borrowing money. con-
tracing debts und looming their credit except for
procuring supplies Of water. The State is pro-
hihjted from loanInR or giving money or its cred.