Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1873-11-07
A Resume or the Articles.


ARTICLEs-IMPoRTAN CHANGEs-NEw
ADDITIONS AND BAD LAW REPEALED-
THE LEGISLATURE AND ITS WORKINGS
| NEW OFFICES CREATED--THE EXECUTIVE
l-ELECT1oNs-EDUC - RAILROADS
| AND CANALS-CIIANGES IN THE JUDICI-
AIRY.
The following is a summaryofthc changes
which will be effected by the constitution
which has passed the Constitutional Con-
vention. The instrument will be presented
for the concurrence of the people at q spe-
cial election to be held on the third day of
December.
ARTICLE ON LEGISLATURE.
The House will be increased to not less
than 200 members, and the Senate will con-
tain 50-Philadelphia' representation be-
ing 38 members and 8 Senators. The scs-
sions are to be biennial instead OF annual !;
term of Senators will be four years, and
members of the House two. Salary and
mileage TO be fixed by law, with the pro-
vision that during the term for which the
members are sitting they shall not increase
their salaries. In apportioning the House
each county shall have one member for
every 17,600 Inhabitants. The cities are
to have seperate districts, but no district
shall have more than four representatives.
One important provision requires every
bill to be read on three different days before
its final passage, aud on the latter the vote
is to be taken by yeas and nays, which are
to be recorded on the journal, and a ma
jority of all the members are required to
vote on the final passage.
Section seven prohibits special or local
legislation in all the cases which heretofore
appeared Objectionable. Any local or spe-
cial bills not covered by this prohibition
are required to be advertised for at least
thirty days prior to their introduction in
the locality where they are to take ef-
feet.
Section twelve relates to contracts for
providing the Legislature with stationery,
&c. 1t provides that the contract shall be
awarded to the lowest bidder, and that no
member shall be directly or indirectly in
tcrested in such contract. The contracts
are to be approved by the Auditor General,
State Treasurer, Governor, and Lieutenant
Governor. Appropriation bills are to em-
brace nothing but the ordinary expenses
of the Executive. Legislative, and Judicial
ry Department, interest on public debt, and
public-school fund. All other appropra-
tions are to be made by special bills.
Section nineteen prohibits investments of
trust funds by executors, administrators,
and guardians in bonds and stocks of any
private corporation, and such acts now eX
isting are avoidable.
The above are among the prominent
changes of the articles on legislation.
TIE EXECUTIVE.
This article provides for the increasing
of the term of Office of Governor from three
to four years, and also the election of a
Lieutenant Governor, who shall be Presi-
dent of the Senate. The article provides
for the appointment of Board of Pardons,
consisting of the Governor, Lieutenant
Governor, Secretary of the Commonwealth,
Attorney General, and Secretary of Inter-
nal Affairs. This latter officer takes the
place of tha. of the present Surveyor Gen
cral, whose office is abolished.
One of the most important provisions is
that which allows the Governor to veto any
item in any appropriation ,and approve the
balance of the bill.
The Secretary of Internal Affairs will
serve n term of four years. Auditor Geuer-
al three years, and State Treasurer two
years.
Auditor General and State Treasury 10
be incapacitated from holding the same Of
flee for two consecutive terms.
THE JUDICIARY.
The Supreme Court will be increased
from five to seven judges, whose term of
Office will be twenty-one instead of fifteen
years. They are not eligible for reelection.
Sections five and six relate to Philadel-
pha and Allegheny county courts. This
ground hasN been thoroughly gone over
with in these columns.
Provisions are made that all cases of
fclonious homicide and other criminal mat
ters provided for by law may be removed to
the Supreme Court for review.
Another provides that parties, by agree
meut filed, may in any civil case dispense
with trial by jury, and submit the same
for the decision Of the court.
The most important provision in this ar
ticle is that which allows a separate Judi
cial district for every 10000 inhabitants.
The judges are required to audit and set
tie administrators'and decedents' accounts,
free of cost to the parties.
Whenever two judges of the Supreme
Court arc to be chosen for the same term
service, each voter shall vote for the one
only and when three are to be chosen, he
shall vote for no more than two, and can
didates highest in vote shall be declared
elected.
SUFFRAGE AND ELECTION.
The general election is to be changed from
the second Tuesday in October to the first
Monday in November.
And the local election will be held on the
third Tuesday of February, at which the
city, ward, borough, and township officers
are to be elected. The article requires a
residence of each voter of at least two
months in the district to entitle him to a
vote, and in the case of foreigners they
| must be citizens of the United States for
one month to entitle them to the elective
franchise.
An important provision is that every
ballot shall be numbered and recorded on
the list OF voters opposite the name of the
elector. Another section refers all contest
ed elections to the courts, including the
election of the electors for President and
| Vice President Of the United States.
TAXATION AND FINANCE.
This article requires that all taxation
shall be uniform upon the same class of
subjects, and shall be levied and collected
under general laws.
1t provides that the Legislature shall
continue and maintain the sinking fund
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