The Statesman's Manual

the time and places of elections for members of the legislature; he holds his office for the term of two years, but is not eligible for more than four years in any term of six years. At the same time, a lieutenant-governor is chosen for the same term, who is president of the senate, and succeeds the governor in case of death, resignation, removal from office, inability refusal to serve, impeachment, or absence from the state, of the latter.

The judicial power is vested in a supreme court of three judges, in district courts, and in such inferior courts as the legislature may, from time to time, establish. The judges of the supreme and district courts are appointed by the governor, with the advice and consent of two thirds of the senate; and the judges hold their offices for six years.

The right of suffrage is granted to every free male person over the age of twenty-one years (Indians not taxed, Africans, and descendants of Africans, excepted), who shall have attained the age of twenty-one years, and who shall be a citizen of the United States, or who was, at the adoption of this constitution by the Congress of the United States, a citizen of the republic of Texas, and shall have resided in this state one year next preceding an election, and the last six months within the district, city, or town, in which he offers to vote; provided that soldiers and seamen or marines of the army or navy of the United States, shall not be entitled to vote at any election created by this constitution.

The legislature shall have no power to pass laws for the emancipation of slaves, without the consent of their owners. No banking or discounting company shall hereafter be created, renewed, or extended. No person shall be imprisoned for debt.

COMPARATIVE VIEW OF THE STATE CONSTITUTIONS.

In the six New England states, the executive and legislative branches of the government are all elected annually. The representation in the lower branch of the legislature is more numerous in those states than in the other states of the Union; the representatives in the New England states being elected by towns to the house of representatives, while in all other parts of the Union the representation in that branch of the legislature is by counties; districts in South Carolina, and parishes in Louisiana, being local divisions synonymous with counties.

An executive council, elected by the people, is peculiar to the state of New Hampshire. There are, however, executive councils, elected by the legislature, in Maine, Massachusetts, Virginia, and North Carolina.

The governor possesses the veto power, or qualified negative, on bills and resolutions which have been passed by the legislature, in the following thirteen states, viz.: Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Mississippi, Louisiana, Michigan, Texas, Iowa, Wisconsiin and California; the executive veto can only be overruled by a two third vote of both branches of the legislature.

In the following ten, states the governor may return bills or resolutions passed by the legislature, but his veto may be overruled by a majority of

the members elected to both houses, viz.: Vermont, Connecticut, New Jersey, Alabama, Florida, Arkansas, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, and Missouri.

In the following eight states, the approval of the governor is not required to bills or resolutions passed by the legislature, but the same may become laws, after receiving the signature of the speaker or presiding officer of each branch of the legislature, viz.: Rhode Island, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Ohio.

In all of the states, except Virginia and South Carolina, the governor is elected by the people; in these two states he is chosen by the legislature. Lieutenant-governors are chosen by the people in Massachusetts, Vermont, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Missouri, Michigan, Texas, and California; in Virginia and South Carolina, by the legislature: In the other states, the office of lieutenant-governor does not exist, from

In the New England states, a majority of all the votes given is required to constitute a choice, in elections generally, by the people; there are exceptions in Maine, Vermont, and Connecticut, in elections for state. senators, and in Connecticut, on second trials, at adjourned meetings, for the choice of representatives to the general assembly, in which cases a plurality of votes only is required for a choice. In Maine, New Hampshire, and Connecticut, members of Congress are also elected by plurality. In all of the states except those of New England, a plurality of votes given effects a choice in elections by the people.

In all of the states, at popular elections, the manner of voting is by el ballot, except in Virginia, Kentucky, Missouri, and Arkansas, in which states, in all elections to any office of trust, honor, or profit, with exceptions as to electors of president and vice-president, the votes are given openly, or viva voce, and not by ballot.

North Carolina is now the only state which requires a freehold qualification for electors for either branch of the legislature, members of the senate in that state being chosen by freemen possessed of a freehold within the district where they reside and vote, of fifty acres of land. In Vir ginia, freeholders may vote for members of the house of delegates, in any county where they own a freehold of the value named in the constitution; housekeepers and heads of families who shall have been assessed with a part of the revenue of the commonwealth, within the preceding year when they vote, are also entitled to vote at elections.

Persons of color are entitled to vote at elections in the states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. In the state of New York, they are also qualified to vote, if possessed of a freehold estate of the value of two hundred and fifty dollars, without any incumbrance. In all other states of the Union, persons of color, or those of African descent, are excluded from the right of voting at elections.

Denn

Ministers of the gospel are not eligible as legislators in Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas. In South Carolina, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Missouri, they are eligible neither as governors nor legislators. In Delaware, they are not eligible to any office whatever.

New Hampshire and Massachusetts are the only states whose constitutions make provision for religious establishments. In New Hampshire the legislature is empowered to authorize, and in Massachusetts the legislature is enjoined to require, the several towns, parishes, &c., in the state to make adequate provision, at their own expense, for the support and maintenance of protestant teachers, or ministers of the gospel. The constitution of 'New Hampshire requires the governor, members of the council, and of both branches of the legislature, to be "of the protestant religion."

The council of censors is peculiar to Vermont; that body is chosen once in seven years, and among their other powers, they can call a convention to amend the constitution of the state.

Massachusetts and New Hampshire are the only states whose constitutions appoint titles to the officers of government. The governor of Massachusetts is entitled "His Excellency," and the lieutenant-governor “ His Honor." The governor of New Hampshire is entitled "“His Excellency.”

CALIFORNIA.

THE Constitution of California was formed by a convention of delegates at Monterey, in September, 1849, and ratified by the people in November, 1849. The constitution being submitted to Congress, the state was admitted into the Union, September 9, 1850.

The legislative power is vested in a senate and assembly, called the legislature of California. Senators not less in number than one third, nor more than one half the number of members of assembly, are elected by the people in districts, for a term of two years, so classified that one half may be chosen annually. Members of the assembly are elected by the people annually in districts. There shall not be less than twenty four, nor more than thirty-six, until the population is one hundred thousand; and afterward, there shall never be more than eighty nor less than thirty. Senators and members of the assembly must be qualified electors in their districts, and be citizens and inhabitants of the state one year, and of their districts six months, before their election.

The executive power is vested in a governor, elected by the people for a term of two years. He must be over twenty five years of age, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the state two years next before the election. He may veto a bill, but two thirds of the legislature may pass it afterward. A lieutenant-governor is elected by the people at the same time, and for the same term with the governor, and must have the same qualifications; he is president of the senate, and in case the office of governor be vacant, he acts as governor. A secretary of state is appointed by the governor. A comptroller, treasurer, attorney and surveyor general, are to be elected by the people at the same time, and for the same term as the governor.

The annual election is held on the Tuesday next after the first Monday of November, and the sessions of the legislature are to be held annually, and commence on the first Monday in January. The place for the seat of government has been fixed at Vallejo. Divorces by the legislature, lotteries, banking charters, and paper-money, are prohibited.

In elections by the legislature, the members vote viva voce-by the people by ballot. The judicial power is vested in a supreme court, district courts, and county courts; the judges of all which are elected by the people. The supreme court consists of a chief justice and two associates, elected for a term of six years. District judges are chosen for a term of six years. One county judge is elected in each county for four years. County officers are chosen by the people. A superintendent of public instruction is elected by the people of the state, for a term of three years.

Every white male citizen of the United States, and every citizen of Mexico under the treaty of Queretaro, twenty-one years of age, resident in the state six months, and of the district where he offers to vote thirty days preceding the election, is entitled to vote. Indians and their descendants may be permitted to vote in special cases, by a two thirds concurrent vote of the legislature.

CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE

Of the principal political and other Events in American History, from the Discovery in 1492 to 1846.

Aug. 3, Columbus sets sail from Palos, in Spain.

Oct. 12, First land discovered (one of the Bahamas).

66 27, Cuba discovered.

Dec. 6, Hayti or Hispaniola discovered.

Jan. 16, Columbus returns to Spain.

Sept. 25, Columbus sails from Cadiz on his second voyage.

Dec. 8, Columbus lays the foundation of Isabella, in Hispaniola, the first
European town in the New World.

May 5, Jamaica discovered.

Mar. 10, Columbus sails again for Spain.

June 24, Newfoundland discovered by the Cabots.

May 30, Columbus sails from Spain on his third voyage.
July 31, Trinidad discovered.

Aug. 1, America discovered by Columbus.

June 16, America discovered by Americus Vespucius.
Amazon river discovered by Pinzon.

April 23, Brazil discovered by Cabral.

May 11, Columbus sails on his last voyage.

Aug. 14, Bay of Honduras discovered by Columbus.
Sept. 2, Columbus returns to Spain.

1504.

1506.

May 20, Columbus dies, in his fifty-ninth year.

1508.

St. Lawrence river first navigated by Aubert.

1512.

April 2, Florida discovered by Juan Ponce de Leon.

Baracoa, the first town in Cuba, built by Diego Velasquez.

Sept. 25, Pacific ocean discovered by Vasco Nunez de Balboa.

Rio de la Plata discovered by Juan Diaz de Solis.

Patent granted by Charles V. for an annual import of 4,000 negro slaves to
Hispaniola, Cuba, Jamaica, and Puerto Rico.

Yucatan discovered by Francis Hernandez Cordova.

1521.

1522.

1525.

Montezuma dies.

Nov. 7, Straits of Magellan discovered by Ferdinand Magellan.

Aug. 13, Mexico taken by Cortes.

Bermudas discovered by Juan Bermudez.

First invasion of Peru by Pizarro and Almagro.

1528.

Pizarro appointed governor of Peru.

May 18, Ferdinand de Soto sails from Havana, on an expedition for the con-
quest of Florida.

Aug. 6, Orellana explores the Amazon, and arrives at the ocean.
Mines of Potosi, in South America, discovered.

1548. Platina discovered in the south of Mexico.

1563.

1576.

1585.

Slaves first imported into the West Indies by the English.
Elizabeth's and Frobisher's straits discovered by Martin Frobisher.
June 26, Virginia visited by Sir Walter Raleigh.