Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1865-03-09
CONSTITUTION OF NEVADA.

business regulating the election of county and
township officers; for the assessment and coilec-
ton of taxes for State, county and township pur-
poses providing for opening ami conducting
elections OF State, county or township ofncers
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 is required to be established. Lotteries and
the sale of lottery tickets are prohibited. Extra
compensation to othcers and employees OF the
Legislature is forbidden. The first regular seq
sion is limited to ninety DAYS subsequent SEES
sions Of sixty days; and special sessions, con-
yened by the Governor, TO twenty days. 4
homestead las 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 wife The county
officers to be elected are specified, the Legisla'
ture TO prescribe their duties and compensation
The compensation oflegislators cannot be chang
ed during their terms; each member il allowed
not exceeding S6O per session for stationery,
newspapers, postage, etc; So day additional Is
allowed the presiding 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-
ventiOn or proclamation. TwO.thirds of all the
members elected to each branch are necessary to
pass any bill over the Governors veto. The
Governor is allowed five DAYS during the session,
or ten days thereafter, within which to veto Il
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-
sttution are numerous. Among them are: al
lowing the Senate 10 hold secret executive SEES.
sions; permitting special legislation respecting
,l...... 10
emitting the specification of the amount or value
of the homestead exemption, and leaving that TO
be provided for Ivy law; emitting the section for
bidding the passage of any law authorizing mar
ried women to act as sole traders; emitting the
limitation of the salaries OF county officers, and
the per diem of themem6ers ofthe Legislature, etc.
ARTICLE v-ENECUTtvE DEPARTMENT
Vests the executive power in Governor, to be
elected for four years, who must be qualified
electOr, twenty-five years of age, and, except ut
the first election, for two years preceding his cleo
ton resident of the state. Provides for canvass
ing election returns for Governor and other state
officers. The Governor is Commander.in.C Chief OF
the military forces of the State, except when
called into the service of the United States He is
TO transact all executive business, sec 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 Ut such sessions no legs-
lative business may be transacted except such
as the Governor may call attention to. lie has
power, in case of disagreement between the two
Houses as to the time Of adjournment, to adjourn
the Legislature 10 such time as he nav think
proper but not beyond the time for the meet.
ing of the next Legislature. He may suspend
fines and fnrfeiturrs and grant reprievCs nOt eX.
ceedng sixty days The Governor Justices Of
the supreme Court and Attorney General are
constituted a Court of PardOns, except in cases
OF treason and impeachments A Lieutenant
Governor il 10 be elected at 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 aud Attorney General are also
provided for and their powers and duties pre-
scribed The Governor Secretary of state and
Attorney General are constituted Board Of
State Prison Directors, and also q BoPrd of Elk
amnerS, 10 audit all claims against the State
except salaries or compensation fixed by law, be-
fore such claims can be passed upon by the he
gslature.
The only change of Importance from the old
Constitution in tins Article is providing for the
election of Surveyor General
ARTICLE vI-JUDIcIAL DEPARTMENT.
Vests the judicial power of the State in Su
preme Court consisting of Chief Justice and
two Associate Justices (with power in the Lcgis
uture TO add two assocatcs), nine District Court,
lat present. and Justices Of the Peace. The
Legislature may also establish Municipal Courts
IN Incorporated cities and towns. The Justices o
the Supreme Court are to be elected at general
elections tor six years each but those first elected
are to draw for long aud short terms 70 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 ut law involving
real estate or mining claims, the legality of taxes
assessments, fines, etc, wherethe amount i'll con-
troversy exceeds three hundred dollars also on
questions of law alone, in criminal cases amount
ing 10 felony. The State is divided into nine Ju
dcial Districts; Storey county constituting the
First, Ormsby the Second, Lyon the Third
WaShoe the Fourth, Nye and Churchill the Fifth
Humboldt the Sixth, Lander the Seventh, Doug
las the Eighth, Esmeralda the Ninth. Roop is
attached 10 the Washoe district. The Legislatu Il
may alter or change the districts hereafter II
increase or diminish the number of districts n
Judges. The First, or Storey District, has three
District Judges with u cO-eXtcnsive and cOncGr
rent jurisdiction The District Judges are 10 7,
elected for four years, and are to be paid our 81
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 TO estates of deceased persons and persons
and estates of minors and insane persons, and ot
the action of forcible entry and unlawful detainer
and of all criminal cases not otherwise provided
by law They have final appellate Jurisdiction
in all cases arising in Justices Courts and other
inferior tribunals The Legislature determines
the number of Justices of the Peace In each city
and township, and fixes their duties and cOmpen'
sation. Justices Courts have jurisdiction only
of cases not coming within the jurisdiction of the
District Courts, provided they may have such
criminal jurisdiction as may be conferred by law,
and the Legislature may confer upon them juris
diction concurrent with the District Courts III tic
enforcement of mechanics liens, not exceeding
$500, and of actions for the possession of lands
and tenements in certain specified cases. The
Supreme Court, District Courts, and such other
Courts us the Legislature may determine, are
Courts of Record. Their Judges are not allowed
to receive fees and perquisites for their own use
Judges are ineligible TO other than judicial Offices
during their terms. Provision IN made Tor docket
fees TO be applied toward the payment of the
salaries of Judges. No leave of absence can be
granted to any judicial officer and the absence
of such officer from the State for ninety days va
Gates his office.
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 AND REMOVAL
FROM OFFICE. %
Provides for impeaching by the Assembly, and
trials bv the Senate tho Chief Justice to preside
nj the trial of n Governor or Lieutenant Cover.
nor. and two.thrds of the Senator'S elected to
be necessary for conviction. All State and ju.
dicial officers except Justices Of the Peace, are
liable to Impeachment for misdemeanor 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
is indictable. The Judges of the supreme and
District Courts are also liable to be removed
from Office, after hearing, by vote of two.
thirds of the memberselected to each branch OF
the Legislature Provision may be made by law
for the removal of other civil officers.
This Article is substantially the same az that
in the old Constitution, except the provision re.
curing the Chief Justice 70 preside at the trial
Of Governor or Lieutenant Governor. -....
ARTICLE vIn-MUHICIPAL AND OTHER coRPoR
ATOMS.
Prohibits special legislation in regard to cor
porations, except for municipal purposes, but
allows corporations to be formed under general
laws Property of corporations Is subject to tax
alton like that of individuals, Corporators in
corporations formed under che laws OF the state
shall not be individually liable Tor the debtSoE
liabilities of such corporations No BANK notes OF
paper Of any kind can be allowed to circulate as
money except the Federal currency ana tne notes
of banks authorized under the laws OF Congres"
General laws must be passed for tine organization
of cities and towns and restricting their powers