Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1875-12-05
TEXAS.
The constitutional ConNen
Judiofary-The Common
Syssem-Rate OF Interest-ES"


From our Special Correspondent
FoRr worth, TEXAS, October D.
Onr constitutional convention adjourned
an the twenty-sourth instant, after
Isbored session Of about eighty dayF
Won will remember that on or about it
convsning i wrote you that the session
Topld he a long one, Notwithstanding
thev held out. many Of them, that they
v-oi1ld have short session. But Texas
Is a large State, and has suCn a variety
Of interests 10 reconcile, and so many
nositive characters to harmonic and
fcne down. that il necessarily requires
tiuoe. The member from this place,
n II. Durnell, being the only one oil
the yeperay hodv Of 1915, that framed
The constitut.. q being admitted into
the Union, By general acclamat1on
signed first. He Is q native Tennessee.
| an and IL the father Of the Homestead
| IsIy i'm this State, which is so liberal to
| heads of families. He fought for Il
again, and had il engrsfted IN the pres
4 emf constitution. 1t allows not exceed
| inc two hundred iscres in the country
and lots in q town used by the head o.
/ a family as home and place OF busl'
ness. not exceeding five thousand dol
lars Ia value, are exempt from deou
of any kind, except the purchase money
and taxes, and materials for building
There is a general election for all officer
from governor to constable Except sec
retary of state) ordered on the thirC
Tuesday efficiently in February
The officers-elect go in on tn
third Tuesday in April next
| Under the constitution of 1870 (the pres
emit one, Just wiped QUIT, We had In IN
state q district court to transact all TIA
business except road and bridge matters
which was done by the five justices II
each county. Now they make count!
indge. with jurisdiction to one thousand
dollars in civil matters, and in misde
mesnors and over probate matters. Fou
| commissioners in each county, with tn
county Judge, attend TO roads and bridge
and the financial matters of the county
There NAV be not exceeding eight JUS
tices in each county, with civil jurisdie
tion To two hundred dollars, who act q
notaries, and a number OF notarles 70 o
anpoiuted by the governor. All Officer
hold for two wears. The number OF u
: dicisl districts was reduced from thirty
six To tyenty-six, and ours commences
st This place aud runs one hundred mile
{ ont on the border, so that we will begl
here and ride the circuit as in the goo
. old DAYS of yore. Three-fourths OF tn
! business will be in the county court
/ Land suits, divorce and Islander sun
r will 90 to the district courts. Distrl'
ind0es, salaries were reduced from thu
tv-five hundred to twenty-five hundre
) dollars. County judges and county q
torpeys have such perquisites as shall
: uroyided by law. The greatest hight vi
= over the judiciary bill, the struggle bein
; ] 10 reduce salaries and run more on IL
: perquisites of the office. They have su
= ceeded, and have Rkaced it so TIL
{ litigaDts and criminals must pay the
\ own way. The grand jury Is reduced
: twelve men-nine q quorum. The per
! iurv ia the district court is the san
e number (six in the county COURT, 81
L nine may find, provided they WI.
down their names with the verdict. y
d iury to be had in civil cases unless II
: uarty demanding shall first pay for IL,
4 unless he takes the pauper's oau
There is no registration law; twel'
months in the State and Elk months
e the county qualities one 70 vote exec
e -shen voting for taxation IN a munlclp
corpof ,>:-ar and then ne mnst Oe re
there shall be set apart annually o
more than fourth Of the general rev
t nue. Of the State and dollar pOll-tax
4 all males between twenty-one and Six
wears: all lands heretofore set apa
for,public schools-An immense amonn
: all alternate sections heretofore
Q hereafter granted to railroads or 9th
,. | corporations, ana one half OF the pu
!. lie domain, which is many thousands
acres. This makes very liberal sch
d fund, but the fight was pretty ha
q one to get them up TO this point. i
II white and coiored schools are on I
same footing, but separate. 1t proVl0
&c for a coIored university. The provisio
u concerning railroads are definite, bur
lie think, fair. Ii reserves the right 70 It
% ulate 6he charges Of fTeights and pssse
gers on all now or hereafter bun
y 1t prevents the consolidation
rs parallel or competing lines. Our
T prene court consists of six judges IN
n before), three to determine whether
not appeals shall be granted, and to
~ called the appellate court, and TO sit
lg not exceeding three points in the Sta'
"a and the other thEpeSto be called the {
"A preme court, to determine the eau:
- that pass the appellate court as wort
"a of consideration. Judges salaries, thu
u thousand five hundred dollars q ye
to each; governors salary, four thou'a
. dollars a yesr; the lieutenant-govern
., receives same pay as the senators, .
dollars q day; secretary OF state, I
u thousand dollars year. You Will u
n, perceive that the grsngers about b
I'd Of that body were grangers} have drs'
,;s things down fine, preparing for spe
|, payment, you know, and the hne
Is, times that are to come again, wheI
.er dollar will look as big as q wsgon-wbt
ha They have fixed the rate OF interest
an eight per cent, but you may 60
twelve per cent. per annum. In
tn will be fewer private banks, and cap
sn will flow into productive industrl
"a We have had no usury-law since IL
and there has been much compla
VI from il yet the old Californians say Z
To- thew have no usury-law in that Sta
N, and that usury will, in spite Of Ia
" follow the law Of supply and dema
For 8 few months, and until the
u order Of things can be adjusted 70
ie- situation, it will cause money to be tic
En- The constitution will be ratified b.
as heavy vote. Hours, c,,,,,o