Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1864-12-19
cMossM44FvfIes Or NEVADA J
: ooNsPTTUTIeNIeT NEVADA.

r OoN64AfU YS49NtaF NGbA0As &
The following is complete and correct
abstract Of the Constitution Of the State of
Nevada, adopted on the seventh day Of Sep;
TENDER. It is greatly condensed, occupying
but fraction Of the room required forthe
publication Of the whole document, but will
be found equally useful and far more con.
Yenient for reference
Preceding the Constitution proper Is O resoIu.
non adopting the Constitution of the United
otates and an ordinance forever prohibiting sla.
very, securing perfect religious liberation dis.
claiming forever all right and title 10 uuappr0pr.
ated public lands which are left to the sole dis.
position Of the United States; exempting from
taxation all lands and other property Of the Uni.
Ied states, and declaring that lands of non.resi.
uents snsu not be taxed higher than lands Of ctti
made In compliance with the terms of the Ens-
bling Act, and are declared irreyocable without
the consent Of the United States and of the peope
OF the State Of Nevada.
The preamble to the Constitution Is the same
as that Of the old Constitution. 1t reads thus
we me people OF the State Of Nevada, CRATE
tul 70 Almighty God for our freedom in order to
secure its blessings, insure domestic tranquility
and form more perfect Government, do eata6-
lish this Constitution"
ARTICLE I-DECLARATIoN OF RIGHTS,
section declares all men by nature free and
equal possessing certain inalienable rights, etc
the language Of the section being merely an am.
plfcatton OF the Declaration Of Independence
Section asserts that the doctrine Of the iphe
rent political power Of the people, and their right
to establish or change their form Of Government
and continues: But the paramount allegiance
Of every citizen Is due to the Federal Govern.
ment In the exercise of all Its constitutional now
ers, as the same have been or may be defined by
the Supreme Court Of the United States and no
power exists in the people of this or any other
State of the Federal Union to dissolve their con.
nection Herewith, or perform any act tending to
impair, subyert or resist the supreme authority
of the Government of the United States. The
Constitution of the United States confers full
power on the Federal Government to maintain
and perpetuate Its existence, and whensoever any
portion Of the States or people thereof, attempt
to secede from the Federal Union, or forcibly re-
sist the execution of its laws, the Federal Gov
eminent may, by warrant of the Constitution,
employ armed force in compelling obedience to
Its authority" ----..
Section establishes the right of trial by jury,
but provides that three.fourths Of Q jury In any
civil case may find a verdict unless the Legisla
ture by two.thIrds vote shall require such YER
diets to be unanimous
and freedom of conscience. No person to be ex.
cluded as witness on account of religious Opin
ions. DID, .
Section 5 secures the writ of habeas corpus
except in cases of rebellion or invasion.
Section prohibits excessive bail, cruel or IN
usual puniShments, etc
Section requires that all persons accused shall
be bailsbIe except for capital offenses. --
Section prohibits trials for crime except on
presentment or indictment, and establishes the
usual safeguards asst personal and property rights
Section secures the freedom of speech and Of
the press, and allows the truth TO be given In ev
dence in actions for libel, by way classification
Section 10 establishes the right Of the people 10
hold public meetings, ETC.
Section II subordlnRtes the military to the civil
power, prohibits a standing army In time Of peace
and limits army appropriations in time of war to
two years.
Section 10 forbids the billeting Of soldiers.
Section l3 Representation shall be apportioned
according to population.
Section IA requires the exemption ola reasonable
amount of property from execution for debt, and
forbids imprisonment for debt, except In case Of
fraud, libel or SANDER"
Section Is forblds the passage of any bill Of at
tAinder, ex post facto law, or law impairing the
obligation Of contracts. =
Section IL secures to foreigners, on becoming
bona fide residents, the same property rights III
natiye-born citizena
Section II prohibits slavery.
Section 10 protects the people against unreas
enable searches and seizures, and restricts the is
suing of search warrants.
Section l9 defines treason against the State (as
in the United States ConStitution), and requires
for conviction the testimony of two witnesses
to the same overt act or confession in open Court
Section 20 reserves to the people any and all
rights not enumerated.
ha oopCtdarohla nbnn0A frOm the old
Constitution in this Article is in the paramount
allegiance" clause of Section Q, which in the old
Constitution read thus: I" But the paramount al.
legiance of every citizen is due 10 the Federal
Government and no power exists in the people
Of this any other State In the Federal Union to
dissolve their connection Herewith, or perform
any act tending 10 impair, Subvert or resist the
supreme authority Of the Government of the
United States The Constitution of the United
States confers full power on the Federal Govern
ment TO maintain and perpetuate its existence,
and whensoever any portion Of the States, or PEG.
pie thereof, attempt to secede from the Federal
Union or forcibly resist the execution of Its laws,
the Federal Government may, by warrant OF the
Constitution, employ armed force In compelling
obedience TO Its authority" ..-. -
Section IL of tho old Constitution, prohibiting
the Legislature from granting special privileges,
etc, was stricken out, as being sufficiently Prov.
ded for in the article on Legislative Department.
Inc WORDS. '-uDel OF blhuueE -heLr lnsGt tSu
IN Section IA, relative to Imprisonment for debt,
on account of the adoption of stringent provi.
slOnsfor the prevention andpunishment ofduelling
The provision in Section 10, relative to con.
victions of treason, was not contained in the old
Constitution. -. IL
ARTICLE u-RIGHT OF SUFFRAGE.
Section confers the right of suffrage on every
white male citizen of the United states, twenty.
one years of age and upwards, who shall have
ranidad In tha
State six MONTHS, and in the district or county
thirty days next preceding any election" pro.
yides that no person convicted oftrenson or felony
in any State or Territory of the United States,
unless restored to civil rights, and no person who,
after arriving at the age of eighteen years shall
have voluntarily borne arms against the United
States or held civil or military office under the
so-called Confederate States, or either of them,
unless an amnesty be granted to such by the
Federal Government, and no idiot or insane per-
son. shall be entitled to the privilege of an eector
Section 2 provides that no person shall be
deemed to have gained or lost residence for the
purpose of voting while in the service of the
United States, while student In any seminary Of
learning nor while kept in any almshouse, asy-
lum or prison at the public expense.
Section secures the right Of suffrage 10 United
States soldiers and sailors. No poll tax or regis
tration IL required Of such voters .-....--
Section prohibits arrests on civil process on
election days
Section 5provides that oil elections by the peo.
pie shall he by ballot, and by the Legislature
uird uoee.
Section requires the enactment of registry
law, and authorizes the Legislature TO prescribe
rules or oaths tests Of electoral qualification.
Section requires the levying Of an annual poll
tax of from two to four dollars, on all male resi-.
dents between the ages Of twenty.one and sixty
years of age, uncivilized American IEdlans ex-
cepted, onehalfto go for State and one-hslf for
county purposes The payment Of such tax may,
in the discretion of the Legislature be made a
condition 10 the right Of voting.
Section 8 relates to the qualifications OF voters
on the adoption or rejection Of this Constitution.
In Section tie words actually and not con-
structiYely" were not in the old Constitution.
They were inserted to prevent the possibility OF
reckoning the residence or the voter from the
time he leaves some other State or county TO
come to Nevada In ME last paragraph Of the
section, after idiot or insane" the words or
dsloyal person" occurred In the old Constitution.
These were stricken out on the ground of vague
ness and uncertainty, and because the preceding
part of the proviso was alleged to cover the
ground sufficiently.
The provision In Section regarding additional
oaths or tests of electoral qualifications was not
contained, at least specifically, In the old Con-
stItution There are aome other changes In the