Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1875-02-11
Constitutional Commission.
At the session of the Constitutional Com
mission at Augusta last Saturday:

"a follows:
SIC. |. The Governor shall be elected by
plurality Of votes given in by the qualified cleo
tor. 1t also provides for changing majority"
10 minority" whenever II occurs
Adopted to 3.-Messrs. Gilbert, Libby.
aud Robins voting no.
The same gentleman presented a report
entitled. Election OF senators by piuraIi-
~" Section first provides that Senators
shall be elected by plurality of the votes
given by qualified electors, and further
provides for striking out the word "majori-
"" where II occurs, and inserting instead
thereof the word. plurality" Adopted
to , Me>>rs. Gilbert aud Robbins voting
no.
Mr.. Pike presented a report entitled:
~ and Agency" as follows Section 10 of
art. o:the amendments Is hereby amend
ed hy striking out the words. Land Agent
aud-' Unanimously adopted.
After a protrrcted contest, the following
was adopted unanimously Ia lieu OF the
elton numbered II. and i the amend
m,ut which w be sent 70 the Leyi.la-
turc:
>rC. Il. Corporations shall hc formed I'M
der general laws. and not BE- created by special
srt> Of the Legislature, except for municipal
purposes. and IN cases where the objects Of the
corporation cannot otherwise be- attained; and
however formed. they shall forever be subject
% thr general laws Of the state.
the following was adopted as an amend
mint ia att9:
Amend >or. :, art. O. by inserting after the
word real the words land personal
SIC. :. Al taxes upon real aud personal c--
TIT" assessed by authority of this state. shall
b. app"rtioncd and assessed equally according
- the first value thereof.
Also a. amend The same article by add
inc the following
sc .. The legislature shall never. in any
manner, suspend or surrender the power u
TAXATION.
The following report was accepted
to-
Amend articl" >ix. section seven. bv .trik-
ing "ut IL the iir,t line The words Judge,
and
Ala 20 -aid article the following:
>rc .. Judges Of Probate shall lee appoint
cd hN the Executive power the same a, any
other Judicial officer and shall hold their Office
for he term Of four years. Provided, howcv-
rr, that the present officers shall hold their Of
tcc inT nv term for which they were elected.
The following. relating to the appoint
m"nt of Judge, Of Municipal and Police
Courts:
Amend the constitution by striking out Sec
: II art. q, AMI insert thu following:
Judges Of Municipal and Police Courts shall
be appointed hy Ia" Executive power in the
same manner = other police officers. and Shall
hold Offices for the term Of four years. ProV-
dcd. however, that the present incumbcnts
shall hold their Offices for the term for which
they were elected.
Or Robins submitted the followin. re-
port from A committee and he was very
vehement in supporting the measure. that
the Stt'c should h- restricted from giving
all or cndowinS the higher Institutions of
learning. II WAS proposed tn be a substi-
tutc for art. ot the constitution:
\ general diffusion Il the advantages Of c,lu-
cation being essential - the prcssI alton Of he
rShi, ani Liabilities Of the poop 4; 10 promote
thu important object th- Legislature ar. al-
thar zi and II shall be- their duty 10 require
~" different towns 10 make provision at their
own expense, for support aud maintenance OF
common schools, aud by such other measures
o.. ID" l.. >IIturc al it. discretion NAV drt i,r
10 stab, n and maintain a y stem II public IN
-iTucil q for the common benefit Of all the pco-
pIr, prov d"d, however, that NJ appprtionmcut
shall ic made in aid OF any town which doe-
net raise IT, due proportion for The support Of
~ schools n may b. dcs ignaicd by law and
further provided that the Legislature shall
make no appropriation Tor the benefit OF insti-
tu'i"n' 81 learning other than those incuded,in
the system Of public instruction aforesaid.
The vote on this was az follows Yeas
Kent, kimball. Libby, Robbins, Rust.
Nays-llaines, Madigan, Pike, Talbot
1t required to pass.
motion passed January 29th, was
amended aud passed. As amended il
reads:
Resolved, That art lst. sec. 3. OF the consti-
tuition should ~ amended by striking ont the
word, and all religious societies ia this state,
~. ti,,' htlut i,vt 4 % uancur turatrI snail
atlinss have the exclusive right OF ecctiug their
public teacher aud contracting with them for
their support and maintenance" and inserting
Ia leu thereof the following words. 10 wit =
And all religious societies IN thi. state
VII Their incorporate or uuincorporate. shall at
all times have The right Of managing In ways
not Inrun-i.tcnt with other provisions OF this
instrument, their eccles iastical affairs accord
'ns 70 thc policy Of their respective churches"
The following substitution OF sec and
Of article {, part trst, and of act of the
amendments vas adopted ; 10 /:
SIC. .. Tho House Of Representatives shall
consist of one hundred and tifty-one member.
% be elected ny the justified eixctor, and to
hO II their Office for - years from the day
o. ~ preceding the first meeting Of the Iegi,li.
turr. m" existing apportionmcnts Of the
-.''TSl ti'irS' towns and plantations OF thi,
-Llr snail continue until The next apportion-
hrnt - Kepre-' natives shall be made by the
L.si, aiurr. The Legislature after the fret
day Of January aul before the fifteenth day Of
August - The yehr Of our Lord one thou.aud
eieht hundred and eighty-ouc and within cy-
cay Subsequent period OF ut most ten wears,
and At least i've years, shall cause the number
Of ihc nhAhiant, of the state to BE- ascertalncd
exclusive OF Foreigners not naturalizcd, aud In
diAu- not taxed, and for that . urpOs. may
ai 1T IN" cen u last taken by the authority Of
thr government Of tIe United States. The
l. gi>Iiturc shall at th- several pc RODS Of max
IuS IN enumeration Of said inhabitants appor-
ton the whole number OF Representatives
hr>t among the counties, and the number aI-
portIoncd TO each county among the several
Representative districts thereof ~ nearly a.
may be according 10 the number Of said innal,-
ltdut-. There shall be a. many Representa-
tive districts in each county =. the number of
Representatives apportioned 10 each county:
SAM districts TO he made nearly as may be
b! uniting contiguous and without dividing
any Town or the ward of any CITY. Provided
that where any town or the ward OF any city
-hiii nave inhabitants enough TO cntitle II, up
on an equal rrOportionment, to more than one
Representative. then the number of Reprcsen-
tatlNe, apportioned to such town or ward shall
he the number TO which il is % entitled. Pro-
Nided also, that If, in making up Representa-
tive districts by uniting town, and the ward,
Of cities. there should be more Representatives
aupOrupned TO 4 county than the number Of
Representative districts then the Legislature,
In apportloning the Representatives to the d--
trCts OF county, may and shall determine
what years during the next ten years, such eX-
cess IN the number OF Represe natives shall be
assigned 10 ard elected by the several Repre-
sentative districts so established, having the
largest excess Of inhabitants above the equal
ra'io Of representation for each county. Pro
.lded also, that in case single Representative
districts cannot be so made out Of contiguous
territory. then the Legislature may make Rep
resentative districts, To which not more than
two Representatives may be apportioned, if the
aggregate Of said inhabitants therein shall en-
title them thereto. The legislature shall not
alter the right Of repre- sentation established
until the next general apportionment, unless
II shall become Necessary or convenient upon
o
Mr.. Libby was the only person who yot-
ed in the negative.