Year: 1874

a full term; so that each elector can
thereafter vote for but three of the
five Judges Of the Supreme Court,
and two of the three Judges of 3 Cir
cult Court. If this section be adopt
ed, the majority party in any circuit
will generally elect two, and the mi
lnoriJy party one, of the Judges for
that circuit; while the majority par
ty in the Safe will generally elect
three, and the minority party two,
Of the Judges of the Supreme Court
80 that the bench Of each of these
courts will thereafter be composed of
lawyers selected from both the great
parties.


Vacancies on the bench of the
Supreme or Circuit Court viii be
filled by appointment until the next
biennial election, when if this pro-
posed method of electing judges be
adopted by the people, such Yacan-
cies viii be filed for the unexpired
term; otherwise, for the full term.


Until the General Assembly shall
otherwise provide, the salary of the
Supreme Judges is temporarily fixed
at five thousand dollars. In learn
ing and general ability, these Judges
ought to occupy the first rank. It
ran hardly be expected, however,
that men of this character will saeri-
fee the remunerative practice Of
their profession for a position on the
Supreme Bench at a salary which
scarcely pays their expenses. They
must remain at the Capital nearly
the entire year, where the cost Of
living has largely advanced. Their
families must be supported and edu-
Gated. When they shall haye ceased
to serve the State they ought not to
be thrown penniless upon the world,
to begin professional life anew, and
depend upon regaining the business
they sacrificed to serve it. While
in Office they are forbidden to oengage
in any other employment; they
ought therefore, to be reasonably re
warded, so that something shall re-
main to them when age and infirmity
shall come upon them. But the
whole matter is within the power of
the General Assembly, which may,
at its first session, reduce the sala-
ry if it see proper.


The business of the Supreme
Court is at least four years in arrear.
1t would be unEise to oYerWhelm
the new Court by casting this accu-
mutation upon it. A commission is
therefore provided to clear the dock
ct (Sec. Al. It is also provided (Sec.
g. that a like commission may be
constituted in the future, but not
oftener than once in ten years, and
thus relieve against a recurrence of
a blockade without invoking a con-
vention.


Alarming complaints of official
extortion in the offices of some of
the Probate Judges and Common
Pleas Clerks reached the Convention.
Believing that the change would be
conducive to official integrity, it is
provided that the Probate Judges
and Common Pleas Clerks shall
hereafter be salaried officers and that
all their official fees be paid into the
county Treasury. 1t is required that
each Judge shall annually report to
the General Assembly the number
of days he shall have been actually
employed during the year, so that
the official force may be augmented
or diminished as necessity demands.
It is also provided that the intoxi-
cation of a Judge during term, or
while officially engaged, shall work
a forfeiture of Office.


The foregoing is an outline of the
new features in the proprosed judi
eial sy.tem.


It viii be seen that the appellate
Jurisdiction of the Supreme and Cir
cult Courts, and the whole jurisdie-
ton of the Common Pleas, is left
broadly and exclusively in the con-
troll of the General Assembly. It's
believed that by wise legislation, in
putting the system into effect, it can
be made to fully meet the public de-
mand and expectation.


ARTICLE Y.-THE ELECTIVE FRANCHISE


The word "white" as a qualifca-
ton of electors, has been stricken
out of the first section. The existing
provision that persons stationed at
any military or naval station within
the State shall not thereby gain
residence, has been substituted by
the general rule stated in section
six, applicable to all cases of tempo
rary presence or absence. And in
section seven provision is made for
the exercise OF. the right Of suffrage
by electors in the military service OF
the United States.


ARTICLE vI.-ELECTION.


This article is so amended as to
provide (Section 3 that women may
be elected to any school offices ex-
cept that of State Commissioer of
Schools.


ARTICLE yH.-PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS.


The power of appointing the di-
rectors of public institutions is taken
from the Governor, and the govern
ment of all public institutions is re-
mitted to the General Assembly. In
addition to the institutions estab-
lished by the present Constitution.
provisions for the incurable insane,
for a reform school for boys, and q
house of discipline, are made perma-
nent. Other institutions are recog-
nized in section two, but their con-
tinuance is left at the discretion of
the General Assembly.


ARTICLE vIII.-PUBLIc DEBT AND PUB


Lie WORKS.


This article has been amended by
adding to the seventh 9TH section
provision forbidding the use of
any part of the sinking fund except
| in payment of the State debt. In
place of the present Board, consist
| ing of three members, one ''Superin-
tendent Of Public Works" is to be
elected every four years as long as
may be necessary. The sixth (6th)
section of this article cuts off the use
of public money or credit, not only
in any joint stock company, corpo-
ration or association, but also in the
construction or purchase by county,
township, city or village, of any rail
road or canal, even though the same