Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1899-12-11

The following is the text Of the en-
the house of representatives by Dele
gate Pedro Perea:
A bill to enable the people Of New
Mexico to form constitution and state
government and to be admitted into the
union on an equal footing with the orig
inal states
Be it enacted by the senate and house
Of representatives of The United States
Of America in congress assembled, that
the inhabitants of all that part of the
area of the United States now constitut-
ing the territory of New Mexico, as at
present described, may become the state
Of New Mexico as hereinafter provided.
Sec. 2. That all persons who shall
have resided within the limits of said
proposed state fot -cne year. and are
otherwise qualified by the laws of said
territory to vote FOR representatives to
the legislative assembly thereof, are
hereby authorized to vote for and
choose delegates to form a convention
in said territory. Such delegates shall
possess the qualifications of such elect.
ors; and the aforesaid convention shall
consist of eighty-one delegates, based
on a population of 1900 for each dele
gate, according to the last census in
New Mexico made by the United States,
apportioned among the several counties
within the limits Of the proposed state
as follows: Bernalillo county, IL dele
gates; Chaves, /; Cofax, 4; Dona Ana,
5; Eddy, / Grant, 5: Lincoln, 2; Mora,
5; Guadalupe, 2; Rio Arriba, 6; San
Juan, l. Union, 2; San Miguel, 10; Santa
Fe, 7: Sierra 2; SocOrro, 5; Taos, 5, and
Valencia 7. And the governor Of said
territory shall by proclamation order
an election Of the delegates aforesaid in
said territory, to be held on the eighth
Tuesday after the passage of this act,
which proclamation shall be issued
within ten days after the passage of
this act; and such election shall be con-
Quoted, the returns made, the result as
certained, and the certificates to the
persons elected to such convention is
sued in the same manner as is pre-
scribed by the laws of said territory
regulating the elections therein fo"
members Of the house Of representatives
of the legislative assembly thereof, by
the board Of county commissioners of
the respective counties, as said boards
are at present constituted and organ
lied. All persons resident in said pro-
posed state who are qualified voters of
said territory as herein provided shall
be entitled to vote upon the ratification
Of the constitution, under such rules
and regulations as said convention may
prescribe not in conflict with this act.
| Sec. 3. That the delegates to the con-
| vention thus elected shall meea at the
| seAl OF government Of said territory on
the fifth Tuesday after their election,
excluding the day Of election, and shall
| organize said convention by electing
| one of their members as president
| thereof, and some person who Is quail
| flied eector of said territory as secre-
| tary thereof; that the persons holding
certificates of election issued by the
board of county commissioners Of the
respective counties alone shall be enti-
| tied to take part in the election of such
president in the first instance, and when
said president shall be elected some one
of the persons holding the certificate of
| election from board of county COM
| missioners of some one of the counties
shall administer the oath Of office tt
such president to support the constitu-
ton and laws of the United States and
to faithfully perform the duties of the
office upon which he is about to enter
according to the best of his knowledge
and ability; and thereafter the presi-
dent shall administer the same oath OF
Office to each of the delegates who ma!
hold certificates of election issued t.
them by the respective boards Of coun
ty commissioners of said Territory, II
accordance with the provision Of thi:
act; and the same oath shall be admin
, istered by him to the secretary Of sale
convention, and all other officers VIII
may be appointed or employed by tn
/. same for the transaction of their busi
, ness. After orga anization said delegates
when assembled in convention, shal
declare on behalf of the people Of SAT-
) proposed state that they adopt the con
J stitution of the United States; where
: upon the said convention shall be, an
is hereby, authorized to form a consti
tuition and state government for sal
: proposed state The constitution sha
e be republican in form, and make no dis
: tnction in civil or political rights on &C
(: count of race or color, except as to In
4 dians not taxed, and not be repugnar
: to the constitution of the United State
I; and the principles of the Declaration {
: Independence. The said conventio
? shall be the sole Judge Of the election rt
: turns and qualification of its member
And said convention shall provide, b
ordinance, irrevocable without the cor
sent Of the United States and the peop
= of said state:
4 /. That perfect liberation Of religio,
e sentiment shall be secured, and that r
a inhabitant of said state shall ever
molested in person or property on al