_Electors._ Citizens having resided in the state one year, of quiet and peaceable behavior, are ent.i.tled to all the privileges of freemen, by taking an oath that, in giving their votes, they will so do it as they believe will conduce to the best good of the state.
_Legislature._ Senate, thirty members, elected annually; apportioned among the counties according to population, each county to have at least one senator; age, thirty years; freemen of the county. Representatives are elected in towns, each town being ent.i.tled to at least one representative; resident of the state two years, of the town one year.
_Quorum_, a majority. For raising a tax, two-thirds of the members elected must be present.
Bills vetoed by the governor may be again pa.s.sed by simple majorities.
Bills not returned by the governor within five days become laws, unless their return is prevented by adjournment.
_Executive._ The governor is elected annually by majority. If no person has a majority, the legislature chooses one of the three highest.
Resident of the state four years. A lieutenant-governor.
A secretary of state, chosen by the two houses; a treasurer, elected as governor and lieutenant-governor.
_Judiciary._ A supreme court and county courts; the judges chosen annually by the senate and house; justices of the peace are elected in the towns; judges of probate in districts; a.s.sistant judges of county courts, sheriffs, high bailiffs, and state"s attorneys, in their respective counties.
_Amendments._ A council of thirteen censors, chosen every seven years, examines into the different departments, and have power to call a convention to amend the const.i.tution.
Ma.s.sachusetts.
The const.i.tution of this state was formed in 1780. It has been several times amended.
_Electors._ Every male citizen, except paupers and persons under guardianship, having resided in the state one year, in the town or district six months; and having paid a tax within two years, or is legally exempt from taxation.
_Legislature_--styled _general court_. Senate, forty members, chosen in districts, and apportioned according to population; residents of the state five years, and inhabitants of the districts they represent.
Representatives are apportioned among the towns and cities. Every town or city containing 1,200 inhabitants, is ent.i.tled to one, and an additional one for every 2,400 additional inhabitants. Residence one year in the towns they represent.
Bills pa.s.sed against the veto by two-thirds majorities--or become laws if not returned within five days, unless the legislature by adjournment, prevent their return.
_Executive._ The governor is chosen annually, by majority. If no candidate has a majority, the house elects two of those voted for, (not exceeding four,) having the highest numbers of votes, of which two the senate elects a governor. He must have resided in the state seven years, and declare himself to be of the Christian religion. A council of nine, elected annually by joint ballot of the two houses, act with the governor in pardons and appointments, and in directing the affairs of state generally. Counselors must have resided in the state five years.
The secretary, treasurer, receiver-general, commissary-general, notaries public, and naval officers, are chosen annually by the legislature.
_Judiciary._ A supreme judicial court and a court of common pleas, held in every county of the state, and courts held by justices of the peace.
All judicial officers are appointed by the governor and council; justices of the higher courts during good behavior, justices of the peace for seven years. The former are removable by the governor and council, or address of the legislature.
The attorney-general, the solicitor-general, sheriffs, coroners, and registers of probate, are appointed as justices.
_Amendments_ agreed to by a majority of the senators and two-thirds of the representatives at two successive sessions, are submitted to the qualified voters of the state for ratification.
Rhode Island.
A charter granted in 1663, by Charles II, to the Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, continued, with some modifications, the basis of government of this state, until 1842, when the present const.i.tution was adopted.
_Electors._ Every male _native_ citizen, resident in the state two years, in the town or city six months, and having within a year paid a tax of $1, or has done military duty. Also every naturalized citizen, resident in the state one year, in the town or city six months, owning real estate worth $134 above all inc.u.mbrances, or which rents for $7 a year. Voters in this state must be registered in the town clerk"s office, at least seven days before they offer their votes.
_Legislature_ styled _general a.s.sembly_. Representatives, not to exceed seventy-two, are apportioned among the towns, no town to have more than one-sixth of the whole house. The senate consists of the lieutenant-governor and one senator from each town or city. The governor, and in his absence, the lieutenant-governor, presides in the senate, and in grand committee, (the two houses united.) _Quorum_, a majority.
Bills when pa.s.sed by both houses are laws.
_Executive._ The governor and lieutenant-governor are elected annually by majority. If no candidate has a majority, the two houses in joint a.s.sembly (grand committee) elect from the two having the highest numbers of votes.
A secretary, an attorney-general, and a general treasurer, are elected in the same manner as the governor.
_Judiciary._ A supreme court and such inferior courts as the legislature shall establish. Judges of the supreme court are elected by the two houses in grand committee. The judges hold their offices until their places shall be declared vacant by the general a.s.sembly.
_Amendments_ must be agreed to by two successive legislatures, (a majority of all the members elected to each house voting in their favor,) and approved by three-fifths of the electors of the state voting thereon.
Connecticut.
This state was governed under a charter granted by Charles II, in 1662, until 1818, when the present const.i.tution was adopted. This const.i.tution has received numerous amendments.
_Electors._ Every white male citizen, who has resided in the state a year, and in the town six months, who sustains a good moral character, and is able to read any section of the const.i.tution of the state and of the const.i.tution of the United States.
_Legislature_--styled _general a.s.sembly_. Representatives are apportioned among the towns according to population. Any elector is eligible to either house. Senators, not less than eighteen, nor more than twenty-four, are chosen in districts, the number of which is not to be less than eight, nor more than twenty-four. _Quorum_, a majority.
Bills rejected by the governor may be again pa.s.sed by a majority of each house. Bills become laws also if not returned by the governor within three days, unless the legislature sooner adjourn.
_Executive._ A governor and lieutenant-governor are elected annually.
Any qualified elector thirty years of age is eligible. Election by majority. In case of a failure to elect, the general a.s.sembly chooses a governor from the two having the highest numbers of votes.
A treasurer, a secretary, and a controller of public accounts, are elected as the governor and lieutenant-governor. A sheriff is elected in each county for three years.
_Judiciary._ A supreme court, a superior court, and such inferior courts as the legislature shall establish. The judges are appointed by the general a.s.sembly; the judges of the supreme and superior courts for eight years; removable by the governor on address of two-thirds of each house. Judges of probate are chosen annually by the electors in districts; justices of the peace in the towns.
_Amendments_ are proposed by a majority of the house of representatives, approved by two-thirds of both houses of the next legislature and a majority of the electors at an election.
New York.
The first const.i.tution of this state was formed in 1777; the second in 1821, and adopted in 1822; the present was formed and adopted in 1846.
_Electors._ Every white male citizen, resident in the state a year, and in the county four months, and thirty days in the district which the person voted for is to represent. Naturalized persons must have been admitted as citizens ten days before voting. Colored men must have resided in the state three years, own a freehold of $250 in value over inc.u.mbrances, and have paid a tax thereon.
_Legislature._ Senate, thirty-two members elected in single districts for two years. a.s.sembly, one hundred and twenty-eight members, apportioned among the counties. Counties ent.i.tled to more than one member are divided into districts and a member is elected in each district. A census is taken, and a new apportionment made every ten years. A majority is a quorum to do business. The final pa.s.sage of bills requires a majority of all the members. Bills may be pa.s.sed against the veto by two-thirds majorities. They become laws if not returned within ten days, unless their return is prevented by adjournment.
_Executive._ A governor is elected for two years; a citizen, thirty years of age; a resident of the state five years. A lieutenant-governor.
_Judiciary._ A court of appeals, a supreme court, county courts, and courts held by justices of the peace. There are eight judicial districts, in each of which four justices of the supreme court are elected for eight years, two of them every two years. The court of appeals is composed of eight judges, four of whom are elected by the electors of the state for eight years, one every two years, and the other four are of the cla.s.s of justices of the supreme court whose term has most nearly expired. In each county are held circuit courts and special terms of the supreme court, by one or more justices of the supreme court. General terms of the supreme court are held in the several districts by three or more of the justices. A county court is held by a county judge elected for four years, who is also _surrogate_, called in other states, _judge of probate_. In counties having more than 40,000 inhabitants, a separate officer may be chosen as surrogate.