The age-herald., 1901-07-12
Minority Report.

Minority Report.
 MT. President:-The undersigned mem- bers of the committee on impeachments do not concur in the report of the ma- jority as to section l, 2 and 3, and in lieu thereof we recommend the follow ing:
 Section l. The Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, Treasurer, Auditor, Attorney General, Superinten- dent of Education, Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries and Judges of the Supreme Court may be removed from office for wilful neglect of duty, corruption in office, habitr1l drunken ness incompetency or any ioffense involv- ing moral turpitude while in office or committed under color thereof or con- nected herewith by the Seate, sitting as court for that purpose, under oath or affirmation, on articles or charges preferred by the House of Representa- tives.
 Sec. g. The Chancellors, Judges ef the Circuit Courts, Judges of the Probate Courts, Solicitors and Judges of the h. ferior Courts from which an appeal may be taken directly to the Supreme Court may be removed from office for any of the causes specified in the preceding sec tion by the Supreme Court under such regulations as may be : prescribed by law.
 Sheriffs and Other Officers.
 Sec. 8. The Sheriffs, Clerks of the Circuit or other courts of like jurisdic- tion, of Criminal Courts, Tax Collectors, Tax Assessors, County Treasurers, County Superintendents of Education, County Solicitors Coroners, Justices of the Peace, Notaries Public, Constables and all other county officers, mayors, in tendants of incorporated cities and towns in this State, may be removed from of flee for any of the causes specified in section of this article, by the circuit or other courts of like Jurisdiction, or criminal courts of the county in which said officers hold their office under such regulations as may prescribed by law; provided That the right of trial by jury and appeal in such cases be secured.
 We are aware that the change De made by the majority in section l was done to try to remedy the defect as shown by the opinion of the Supreme Court in the Robinson case. We are un- able to see how the change remedies the difficulty and therefore recommend the adoption of the section as found in the Constitution. of 1875, with the addition Of Lieutenant Governor and Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries.
 Sections and 3.
 As to sections 2 and B. the minority dis sent from the action of the majority in transposing to word "sheriffs' from sec ton to section 2, and the section as recommended by the minority is the same as in your constitution.
 The effect of the adoption of the ma jority report will be to take the impeach- ment of the sheriffs out of the hands of the local community which elected them and place 1t in the Supreme Court, and 1t will be observed that this Is not limited to cases arising from negligence in allow ing a prisoner to be 1ynched, but for any cause whatever, which we insist Is not demanded by any condition that has ever existed in our State or which is at all likely to ever occur, and therefore we submit that the provisions of the consti- tuition of 1875 should not be changed
 J. F. THOMPSON,
 J. J. ROBINSON.
 The Article.
 Impeachments-Sectio 1. That the Gov ernor, Lieutenant Governor Secretary of State, Auditor, Treasurer, Attorney Gen eral, Superintendent of Education, Com missioner of Agriculture and Industries and judges from the Supreme Court may be removed from office for wilful neglect of d, corruption in office, ,incompetency or inte.hperance in the use of intoxicating liquors or narcotics to such an extent, in view of the dignity of the office and im- portance of its duties, as units the offi- cers for the discharge of such duties, or for any offense involving moral turpitude while in office or committed under color thereof or connected herewith, by the