Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1874-05-28
The New CONSTITUTION.

We propose in series of articles,
as room and opportunity offer, to no
tice the alterations proposed to be
made in the organic law of the State
by the new Constitution. They are
numerous and important, and state
ment of them will aid our readers in
deciding how their votes shall be
given on the 18th of August.
The first in order is the
BILL OF RIGHTS.
There are but few changes in this
article. The old Constitution says
"The right of trial by jury shall be
inviolate." The new Constitution
amends this as follows:
sSEc. 8. The right of trial by jury
shall be inviolate, but in civil cases
pending in Courts inferior to the Com
mon Pleas, in which the amount in con-
troversy does not exceed one hundred
dollars, or the right of appeal to the
Court of Common Pleas is given, a jury
of not less than six persons may be pro
vided for by law"
This simply makes Constitutional
what is now done by statute.
The following important section in
the old Constitution is re-enacted
word for word:
sReligion, morality and knowledge,
however, being essential to good gov
erument, ir shall be the duty of the
General Assembly to pass suitable laws
to protect every religious denomination
in the peaceable enjoyment of its own
mode of public worship, and to encour-
age schools and the means of instruc-
tion."
Section 10 is amended by clause
exempting streets and highways in
cities and incorporated villages from
the recruitment of payment in ad-
vance where property is taken for the
public use.
The following new section is in
serted:
"SEcrIoN 20. Jurisdiction to charge
property or to affect rights in Judicial
proceedings shall not be acquired by
publication only, unless upon or after
makiug proof of such publication it shall
be found by the Court that the resi-
dence and pOst-Office address of the par
ty to be affected are unknown, and can
not be ascertained by reasonable dill
gence."
ARTICLE 2D-LEGIsLATIvE.
Election day is changed from the
second Tuesday in October to the
Tuesday succeeding the first Mon
day in November. This saves the
labor and expense of holding two
elections in the presidential years.
In addition to the disqualifications
of the old Constitution it is provided
that contractors with or claimants
against the State shall be ineligible to
a seat in the General Assembly.
Joint resolutions, except those re-
lating tothe course of business, must
be passed by the same vote as laws.
The duty of entering protests is
made mandatory with the Clerk, who
is required to do it absolutely. This
takes away the power of partisan
majorities to refuse to enter protests
of minorities.
Votes dispensing with the first and
second reading of bills, must be re-
corded by yeas and nays. These
readings are now dispensed with by
simple UiUa Uoce vote. The object of
this amendment is to prevent hasty
legislation.
Section Is confers upon the Gov
ernor the veto power. A vote of
three -fifths of all the members is re-
quired to pass bill over the veto.
This is the most important amend
ment of this article.
The manner of voting upon appro-
priation bills is SO changed that a
separate vote is allowed, on the de-
mand of any member, on any and
every item of the bill.
The section in regard to extra com
and the payment of any
claim, the subject matter of which |