Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1865-01-21
CONSTITUTION OF NEVADA.
CONSTITUTION OF NEVADA.

III. IN -
The following is complete and correct
abstract of the Constitution Of the State Of
Nevada, adopted on the seventh day OF Sep
TENDER. 1t is greatly condensed, occupying
but fraction Of the room required for the
publication of the whole document, out Will
be found equally useful and far more con-
venient for reference: .,.- o.. o.. =.
Preceding the Constitution proper y Igsotu,
ton adopting the Constitution OF the ohlLeu
: tates and an ordinance forever prohibiting sla'
very, securing perfect religious federation, dls'
claiming forever all right-and title to nnapproPn
ated public lands, which are left to the soie us.
position Of the United States; exempiinB Mo|
taxation all lands and other property u inc Uni
ted States, and declaring that lands OF nonfsn'
dents shall not be taxed higher than LANDS OF cIr
zrns ofthe proposed state. These enactment t' [e
made in compliance with the terms OF tue Ena
bling Act, and are declared irrevocable without
the consent Of the United States and OF peoPie
Of the State of Nevada
The preamble to the Constitution Is the same
as that of the old Constitution. IL READS mus
" We, the people of the State Of Nevada, graIe'
full to Almighty God for our freedom, 10 ordeu !"
secure Its blessings, insure domestic trnnqunlty
and form more perfect Government DO es'""'
lish this Constitution"
ARTICLE I-DECLARATIoH OF RIGHTS.
Section declares all men by nature flee anu
eounl possessing certain lnallenAble rights, ETC.,
the Language of the section being merely an am
pliHcation OF the Declaration OF Independents.
section asserts that the doctrine of the inne.
rent political power of the people, and their right
10 establish or change their form of Government,
and continues: Z" But the paramount allegiance
of every citizen Ia due TO the Federal Govern
upnt in the exercise of all its constitutional pow
ers, AZ the same have been or may be detined oy
the Supreme Court of the United States and no
power exists in the people Of this or any other
, tate of the Federal Union TO dissolve their con-
nection Herewith, or perform any act tending 10
impair, subvert or resist the supreme authority
of the Government of the. United States. The
Con tiiution of the United States eonfers full
power on the Federal Government TO maintain
and perpptuate its existence, and whensoever any
portion of the States, or people thereof, attempt
TO seccde from the Federal Union, or forrioly re-
sist the execution of its laws, the Federal Gov
eminent may, by warrant Of tho Constitution,
employ armed force in compelling obedience to
Its authority"
Section 3 establishes the right of trial by jury,
but provides that three.fourths Of jury in anv
civil case may find a verdict unless the LegislR
ture by u two.thirds vote shall require such YER
diets 10 be unanimous.
section requires perfect religious liberation
and freedom Of conscience No person TO be ex.
cluded MS witness on account Of religious opin-
ions.
Section ) secures the writ Of hsbeas corpus,
except in cases Of rebellion or invasion.
Section u prohibits excessive bull, cruel or un.
usual punishmeIts, etc ...
Section requires that all persons accused shall
be baable, except for capital offenses
Section prohibits trials for crime except on
preseutment or Indictment, and establishes the
usual safeguards asto personal and property rights
Section 9 secures the freedom Of speech and Of
the press and allows the truth TO be given In eV.
idence in actions for libel by way Identification.
Section 10 establishes the right Of the people to
hold public meetings, etc.
Section IL subordlnates the military to the civil
power, prohibits a standing army In time Of peace,
and limits army appropriations In time Of war 70
two years. .-.-. .,....-. .
Section IL forblds the billeting of soldiers:
Section Is. Representation shall be apportioDed
according TO population.
Section IA requires the exemption OF reasonable
amount OF property from execution for debt, and
forbids imprisonment for debt, except in case Of
frUud, libel or SANDER" ......
Section 10 forhids the passage Of any bill Of at.
tAlnder, ex post facto law, or law impairng the
obligation OF contracts.
Section ID secures 10 foreigners, on becoming
bona tide residents the same property rights ~
native. born citizens.
Section II prohibits slavery.
Section la protects the people against unreaS'
enable searches and seizures, and restricts the Is
suing of search warrants.
Section ~ defines treason against the State Jus
in the United States ConStitution), and requires
for conviction "thc testimony of two witnesses
to the same overt act, confession in open Court
Section 20 reserves 20 the people any and all
rights not enumerated
The most considerable change from the old
Constitution In this Article Is In the paramount
al, &C q tuhirh in the old
Constitution read thus: But the paramount al.
legance of every citizen is due to the Federal
Government and no power exists In the people
Of this or any other State in the Federal Union 10
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 Federnl Govern
ment TO maintain and perpetuate It's existence.
and whatsoever my portion Of the States. or PEG,
pie thereof attempt to secede from the Federal
Union, or forcibly resist the execution ofi;s laws,
the Federal Government may, by warrant Of the
Constitution. employ armed force In compelling
obedience to Its authority.
Section IL of the old Constitution, prohibiting
the Legislature from granting special privileges
etc.. was stricken out. being sufficiently provi.
drd for in the article ON Legislative Department.
The words libel or SANDER" were inserted
in Section IA, relative 10 Imprisonment for debt,
on ACCOUNT VI tue uuoplluu VI sIul6ent PRIV
siOns for the prevention and punishment ofduelling
The provision In Section l9, relative TO con-
victions OF treason, was not contained In the old
Cons;itu ton.
ARTICLE u-RIeHT 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
actually and not consiructively resided In the
State six MONTHS und in the district or county
fhirtr dayx may DrcrPlinp t.lprfi0n ~
vdrs that no person convicted oftreason or felony
In ANY State or Territory OF the United States,
unless restored TO civil rights, and 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
sn.called Confederate States, or either Of them,
unless an amnesty be granted 10 such by the
Federal Government, and no idiot or insane per.
son. shall be entitled to the privilege of IN elector
Section 2 provides that no perron shall be
deemed TO have gained or lost residence for the
purpose Of voting while In the service Of the
learning, nor while kept in any almshOuse, asy'
lum or prison ut the public expense.
Section 3 secures the right Of suffrage TO United
States soldiers and sailors Nc poll tax or regis
tration Is required nf such voters.
Section prohibits arrests on civil process on
election days.
section 5 provides that nll elections by the PEG.
pira poce.
section requires the enactment Of registry
law, and authorizes the Legislature TO prescribe
rules or oaths as tests Of electoral qualification
Section requires the lerying ofan 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 ] dams ex.
cepted, one-halfto go for State and one.half for
county purposes. The payment Of such tax may,
in the discretion Of ths Legislature, be made
condition to the right of voting.
Section y relates to the qualifications Of voters
on the adoption or rejection Of this Constitution.
In Section rio words actually and not con-
Structivey" were not In the old Constellation
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 the last paragraph Of the
sec Jon, after Idiot or insane" the words "or
disloyal person occurred In the old Contribution.
These were stricken out on the ground Of vague.
ness and uncertainty, and because the preceding
part of the provlso was alleged TO cover the
ground sufficiently. $3.50 a'
The provision In Section regarding additional
oaths or tests Of electoral qualifications was not