Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1910-08-25

In the United states we have state
constitutions. ana these In the thir-
teen original states a%ntedated the fed
eral constitution itself In tracing
back these state constitutions. We find
that the colonies established rs the
English In America were one or tho
other OF two kinds, according to the
way in which the king disposed Of the
land. Wien the land WAS granted to
a colonization company for settle
ment, the grant was accompanied BY
q charter, defining geographical linn
It's. and setting forth the rights and
duties Of the c%nlonies. such colonies
were GATED charter colonies, and their
governments charter governments.
There were four of these-Nirginia.
Massachusetts, Rhode Island and
Connecticut. In the case of the eight
other colonies The land was given or
sold by the king 20 friends or favor
ties of his. The individual getting
the grant was called the proprietary.
The colonies were known as pfoprie-
tary colonies, and their governments
were such as the proprietnries saw fit
to give them. Ultimately many of
the colonies became royal provinces
by the kings nbrogation OF the grants
previously made. Hence. at the
breaking out Of the revolution there
were three charter colonies. three
proprietary colonies. and seven royal
provinces. The total number had
been increased to thirteen by the dt-
vision Of Carolina, and all oil them
possessed written constitutions.
The Fundamental orders Of Con-
necticut drafted by the people in
1899. is said TO be The oldest written
sAaafffH4faa sf (which hfGfATF hauI
knowledge. and under IL the people
lived until they had been q state in
the Union for nearly thirty wears.
War between the colonies and the
mother country necessit0ted changes
In the forms OF colonial government
Accordingly. we find that in ten OF
tho colonies. all the needed changes
had been made prior to the declara-
ton OF independence, and the other
three were scarcely less tardy To
the thirteen original states. thirty
three have since been added. with
the exception of oklahoma, all the
new and old. have largely
amended and often have entirely re-
modelled their constitutions
In 1910 there were twenty-five
constitutions. OF these, only
three had been submitted for ratifi-
iittthiA AA Attf RtfflAf "a tttfAt iFHittt
tive states. tn to that time constitu-
lions had been framed, sometimes by
legislatures. but more frequently by
specially elected constitutional con-
vcntiuns It was rare. however, in
either case, for the completed work
20 be submitted TO the people for APP |
proyat The body which had drafted
the document was expected to adopt
It. since that time the custom has
grown up. and has become the
method ia practically all states that
the Legislature passes a resolution
for a constitutional conven-
At the next election the peo-
pie vote on this resolution II car
ried in the affirmative. the succeed
ing legislature prescrihes the time, /
place of meeting. ana number of
members for the convention, the cleo
don districts and their numerical rep
resentatfou. the mode Of election and
The duration of the convention. When
he constitution has been framed IL
Is usually submitted TO the people for
adoption or rejection, though only