The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1875-02-24
Constitutional Amendments.

The following are the amendments to the
state constitution which have been adopted by
the Senate and House and will be submitted to
the people:
ELECTION OF SENATORS BY PLURALITY VOTE
Senators shall be elected by plurality of the
votes given in by the qualified electors
Sections four and five of Article four, Part sec
ond of the Constitution, are amended, by strik-
ing out the word majority wherever 1t oc-
ours in said sections. and inserting instead
thereof the word plurality"
RELATING TO SPECIAL LEGISLATION AND CoRPo-
RATIoNS.
Amend Article four, Part third of the Consti-
tuition, by adding thereto the following sec-
tons:
Section 49, The Legislature shall, from
time to time provide, as far as practicable, by
general laws, for all matters usually appe rtain-
ing to special or private legislation.
Section IA. Corporations shall be formed un-
der general laws, and shall not be created by
special acts of the Legislature, except for mu-
nicipal purposes, and in cases where the OBJ
jects of the corporation cannot otherwise be at
tanned; and however formed, they shall forev-
er be subject to the general laws OF the state.
POWER OF GOVERNOR TO PARDON.
Article five part first, section eleven, shall be
amended by striking out of said section all after
the word "reprieves,' and by adding thereto
the following: Communications and pardons, eX
cept in cases of impeachment, upon such coDdi-
tiOns, and with such restrictions and limita-
tons, as may be deemed proper, subject to such
regulations as may be provided by law, rea-
tive to the manner of applying for pardons
And he shall communicate to the legislature
at each session thereof, each case of reprieve,
remission of penalty, Communication or pardon
granted, stating the name of the convict, the
crime of which he was convicted, the sentence
a,Af tfC of hn date nt fhn mi C-
sion communication, or pardon, and the cOndi-
tons, ii any, upon which the same was granted.
TAXATION.
Section eight of article nine shall be amended
by inserting after the words "rear' the words
sand personal" SO that the section, as
amended, shall read as follows:
Section s. All taxes upon real and personal
estate, assessed by authority of this state, shall
be appOrtiODed and assessed equally according
to the just value thereof.
Said article shall be further amended, by
adding thu following:
Section g. The legislature shall never, in
any manner, suspend or surrender the power
of taxation.
APPOINTMENT OF JUDGES OF MUNICIPAL AND
POLICE COURTS
The Constitution shall be amended, by strik-
ing out Section eight of Article six, and insert
ing the following:
Section g. Judges of Municipal and Police
Courts shall be appointed by the Executive
power, in the same manner as other judicial Of
ficers, and shall hold their offices for the term
of four years. PROVIDED however, that the pres
ect incumbents shall hold their offices for the
term for which they were elected.
ABoLIsHING LAND AGENCY.
Section ten of Article nine, of the amend
ments, is hereby amended, by striking out the
words LAND Agent"
Future AMENDMENTS
Article FOUR part third, shall be amended
by adding thereto section nine, as follows:
The legislature shall by two-thirds concur
rent vote of both branches have the power to
call constitutional conventions, for the purpose
of amending this constitution.
CoDIFICATIoN OF THE AMENDED CONSTITUTION.
Section six of Article ten, shall be amended,
by striking out the same, and inserting in
stead thereof, the following:
Section 6. After the amendments proposed
herewith shall have been submitted to popular
vote, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Judicial
Court shall arrange the constitution, as amend,
ed, under appropriate titles and in proper arti-
cles, parts and sections, emitting all sections,
clauses and words not in force, and making no
other changes in the provisions 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 parch-
ment and deposited in the office, OF the
Secretary of State; and printed copies
thereof, shall be prefixed to the books
containing the laws of the state. And the
constitution, with the amendments made
thereto, in accordance with the provisions
thereof shall be the supreme law of the state.
Section Z. Sections one, two and five, of ar
tice ten of the existing constitution shall here
after be omitted in any printed copies thereof,
prefixed to the laws Of the state; but this shall
not impair the validity of acts under those sec.
tions; and said section five shall remain in full
force as partof the constitution according to
the stipulations of said section, with the same
effect as if contained in said printed copies.