The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1879-05-02
Constitutional Amendment.

Ripley Sentinel.
At the next general election in
November, the people will vote
upon the following amendment to
our STATE constitution:
Resolued, by the legislature of the State
of Mississippi, (two thirds of each house
agreeing thereto,) That tho following
amendment to the constitution of this
! State az a substitute for sections six and
| seven, of article four of said constitution,
! be submitted to the qualified electors OF
| the State at the next general election for
| adoption OF rejection, namely:
Section 6. The political year shall begin
on the first Monday in January; the legis-
lature shall meet at the seat of govern
| ment on the first Tuesday after the first
| Monday in January, A. d., 1oS2, also on
the first Tuesday after the first Mon
day in January, 1888, and biennially
thereafter, unless sooner convened by the
governor. The time and place of meeting
| may be altered by law,
Section Z. A general election, by ballot,
shall be held on the first Tuesday after
the first Monday in November, A. ID. 1880,
and biennialy thereafter. All officers
who go into office on the first Monday in
y, 1909, SHdll bt eltCttu bu bnb St1-
eral election in 1880. All officers who go
into Office on the first Monday in January,
1880, and all officers who go into Office on
the first Monday in January, 1882, shall
hold their respective offices for three years,
but the constitutional terms of their sue
cessOrs shall not be hereby affected Elec-
tors IN all cases, except in cases of trea-
son, felony. and breach of the peace, shall
be privileged from arrest during their at
tendance at elections, and i'll going to and
returning therefrom.
Approved March s. 1878.
1t will be seen from this that if
the proposed amendment is adopt
ed, the officers elected in November
next will hold for three years.
Those whose constitutional term is
two years, which embraces all OK
cept circuit and chancery clerks
and district attorneys and State
senators will have their terms eX-
tended one year. The others, clerks
senators and district attorneys, will
have theirs shortened one year.
These officers will all go out of
office on the first Monday In Jan
uary, 1888.
In November 1880, another elec-
tion will be held for State officers
and a portion of the senators; but |
the officers elected then will not go |
into office until the first Monday |
in January, 1882, and they will
hold tor term of three years,
theirs being also shortened one |
year. The members of the legisla-
ture elected this year will attend
two regular sessions; one i'll Janua-
ry next, and another in January,
1882. The object of this amend.
Inent is a good one. Under our
present system we have an election
every year, attended with u heavy
expense, and more or less demOr-
ilization and injury to our indus
rial and agricultural interests. 1t
Jhis amendment is adopted our
State aud congressional elections
will come on the same time. The
changes proposed by this amend
nent in the length Of the terms of
he various Offices will apply to
,nly one term, after which it will
all back as it is under the cOnsti-
ution now-two and four years.
We hope that this amendment will
,e properly considered and adopt
ID by the people, because it is de-
idedly in the interest of economy.