Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-02-06
The Constitutional Commission.

Dill autnoflZng inc DlflRo SAFE 20. 10 Dullu
tramway, one and halfme in length in Mon
son.
The Constitutional Commission.
The fifth report presented by the Commit
tee Of which Mr.. Talbot is chairman, and is enti
tied bribery at Elections and is as follows;
Sec. l. No person who shall receive, expect, OF
offer TO receive or pay, offer or promise to pay,
contribute offer or promise to contrbut to anoth-
er to be paid used any money or other valuable
thing as a compensation or reward for the giving
o Withholding q vote at an election, who shall
make any provision to influence the giving OIL
withholding of any such vote, Or who shall make,
or become directly indirectly interested in any
bet or wager depending upon the result Of any
election, shall vote at such election. And upon
challenge for such cause the person so challenged
before the officers authorized for the purpose shall
ceive his VOTE shall swear and affirm before such
officers that he has not received or offered, does
not expect to receive, has not paid, offered or
promised to pay and does not intend to pay; con-
trbuted, offered, or promised to contribute, and
does not intend to contribute to another to be paid
or used any money or valuable thing : compen-
sation or reward for giving or Withholding vote
at such an election, and has not made any promi-
ses 10 influence the giving orwihholding any such
vote, made or become directly orindrecty in
terested in any bet or wager depending upon the
result of such election.
SC ,. The Legislature at the session thereof
next after tle adoption Of this section shall and
from time to time thereafter may enact laws en-
Guiding from the right of suffrage, peIpetually or
for term Of years all persons cony icted Of bribery
at any election of voting at any under the in
iluence of a bride.
The sixth report, entitled November Elections,
is as follows:
Sec |. The election Of such State and county
officers as are chosen by popular vote, shall be
on the Tuesday next after the first Monday of
November, commencing in the year 1876.
Sec. 2. Sec. Of article is hereby abrogated.
Sec. of article 10 is amended BY striking out the
word September, and substituting therefor the
ments is amended by substituting the word "No-
vember' for the word September" in the seventh
line of said section, as printed in the revised stat
utes Of 1871. Sec. OF the same article is amend
ed by substituting for the words the second Mon
day Of September" the words, 1.-THE Tuesday next
after the first Monday of November
The last of the section consists in substituting
November for September, The time Of holding the
elections.
Mr.. Pike presented the seventh report "4lbroga-
ton of the Council. Section provides that part
second of article five shall be abrogated. Section
provides for the striking out the word council
councillors wherever occurs. 1t also provides
that the Secretary of State shall count the votes
which is now done by the Executive Council.
Section 3 provides that IT shall be the duty of the
Legislature to provide by law for proper offices
without whose sanction no money slall be drawn
from the Treasury.
Mr.. Pike also presented the following report en-
titled "Codefcatiop.
SEC. l. After the amendments proposed here
with have been submitted to popular vote, the
Chief Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court
shall arrange the Constitution, as amended, under
appropriate titles and in proper articles, parts,
sections, emitting all sections clauses and acts not
in force and making no other changes in the pro-
visions or language thereof, and shall submit the
same to the leg islature at its next session. And
| the draft and arrangement when approved by the
legislature shall be enrolled on parchment, depos
tied In the office OF the Secretary OF State and be
the supreme law of the State, and printed copies
thereof shall be prefixed to the books containing
the laws OF the state.
SEC. 2. Section Of art. 10 is hereby abro-
gated.
Mr.. Pike presented report s, entitled Biennial
elections and Biennial sessions" Section / pro-
yides that the Governor, Senators and Represena-
tves shall be elected bennially and hold Office
| two years from the first Wednesday of January
next succeeding their election. And the Legis-
lature at the first session next after the adoption
Of this article shall make all needfu provision by
law in relation to the tenure of office of all county
officers. The first election under this article shall
DE made in the year 1885, and the Legislature
shall thereafter convene on the first Wednesday
| of January bennially. The remaining sections
| pi Divide for the necessary substitutions. There
is also section providing that volunteer soldiers
who are electors shall vote in time Of war. The
reported amendment was adopted by vote OF d
| to 4.
The next report taken up was that relating to
the power of the legislature over corporations. \
| spirited and protracted debate followed. Several
amendments were proposed and voted down.
| Finally, Judge Kent agreed to draw proposition
| which will probably meet the approval of a. ma
| lority OF the members.
| A proposition to test the sense OF the commits
sion on biennial elections, with annual sessions OF
| the legislature. was voted down. to6.
Mr.. Libbey strenuousy opposed the biennial
proposition and Judge Kent said he thought 1t
should be submitted 10 the people, though he per-
sonally was not convinced that it polite, par
tculaIly in reference to sessions OF the
1t is hardly possible that the Board will con-
| Glade its work to-day.