USA > Illinois > Illinois, historical and statistical, comprising the essential facts of its planting and growth as a province, county, territory, and state, Vol. I > Part 49
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APPENDIX -- ACT OF CONGRESS.
granted, or hereafter to be granted, for military services during the late war, shall, while they continue to be held by the patentees, or their heirs, remain exempt, as aforesaid, from all taxes, for the term of three years, from and after the date of the patents respectively; and that all the lands belonging to the citizens of the United States, residing without the said state, shall never be taxed higher than lands belong- ing to persons residing therein.
§ 7. And be it further enacted, That all that part of the territory of the United States lying north of the state of Indiana, and which was included in the former Indiana territory, together with that part of the Illinois territory which is situated north of and not included within the boundaries prescribed by this act, to the state thereby authorized to be formed, shall be, and hereby is, attached to and made part of the Michigan territory, from and after the formation of the said state, subject, nevertheless, to be hereafter disposed of by congress, according to the right reserved in the fifth article of the ordinance aforesaid, and the inhabitants therein shall be entitled to the same privileges and immunities, and subject to the same rules and regulations, in all respects, with the other citizens of the Michigan territory.
Constitution of 1818.
Adopted at Kaskaskia in convention, August 26, 1818.
"THE people of the Illinois territory, having the right of admission into the general government as a member of the Union, consistent with the constitution of the United States, the ordinance of congress of 1787, and the law of congress approved April 18th, 1818, entitled "An act to enable the people of the Illinois territory to form a constitution and state government, and for the admission of such state into the Union, on an equal footing with the original states, and for other purposes;" in order to establish justice, promote the welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to themselves and their posterity, do by their representatives in convention, ordain and establish the following constitution or form of government; and do mutually agree with each other to form themselves into a free and independent state, by the name of the State of Illinois. And they do hereby ratify the boundaries assigned to such state by the act of congress aforesaid, which are as follows, to wit: Beginning at the mouth of the Wabash river, thence up the same, and with the line of Indiana to the northwest corner of said state; thence east with the line of the same state, to the middle of Lake Michigan; thence north, along the middle of said lake, to north latitude 42 degrees and 30 minutes; thence west to the middle of the Mississippi river, and thence down, along the middle of that river, to its confluence with the Ohio river; and thence up the latter river, along its northwestern shore, to the beginning.
ART. I. § I. The powers of the government of the state of Illinois, shall be divided into three distinct departments, and each of them be confided to a separate body of magistracy, to wit: Those which are legislative, to one; those which are executive, to another; and those which are judiciary, to another.
§ 2. No person or collection of persons being one of those departments, shall exercise any power properly belonging to either of the others, except as hereinafter expressly directed or permitted.
ART. II. § I. The legislative authority of this state shall be vested in a general
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assembly which shall consist of a senate and house of representatives, both to be elected by the people.
§ 2. The first election for senators and representatives shall commence on the third Thursday of September next, and continue for that and the two succeeding days; and the next election shall be held on the first Monday in August, 1820; and forever after, elections shall be held once in two years, on the first Monday of Aug- ust, in each and every county, at such places therein as may be provided by law.
§ 3. No person shall be a representative who shall not have attained the age of 21 years, who shall not be a citizen of the United States, and an inhabitant of this state; who shall not have resided within the limits of the county or district in which he shall be chosen 12 months next preceeding his election, if such county or district shall have been so long erected; but if not, then within the limits of the county or counties, district or districts out of which the same shall have been taken, unless he shall have been absent on the public business of the United States, or of this state, and who, morever, shall not have paid a state or county tax.
§ 4. The senators, at their first session herein provided for, shall be divided by lot from their respective counties or districts, as near as can be, into two classes. The seats of the senators of the first class shall be vacated at the expiration of the second year, and those of the second class, at the expiration of the fourth year, so that one-half thereof, as near as possible, may be biennially chosen forever thereafter.
§ 5. The number of senators and representatives shall, at the first session of the general assembly, holden after the returns herein provided for are made, be fixed by the general assembly, and apportioned among the several counties or districts to be established by law, according to the number of white inhabitants. The number of representatives shall not be less than 27, nor more than 36, until the number of in- habitants within this state shall amount to 100,000; and the number of senators shall never be less than one-third, nor more than one-half of the number of representatives.
§ 6. No person shall be a senator who has not arrived at the age of 25 years, who shall not be a citizen of the United States, and who shall not have resided one year in the county or district in which he shall be chosen immediately preceeding his election, if such county or district shall have been so long erected; but if not, then within the limits of the county or counties, district or districts out of which the same shall have been taken, unless he shall have been absent on the public business of the United States, or of this state, and shall not, moreover, have paid a state or county tax.
§ 7. The senate and house of representatives, when assembled, shall each choose a speaker and other officers, (the speaker of the senate excepted.) Each house shall judge of the qualifications and elections of its members, and sit upon its own ad- journments. Two-thirds of each house shall constiute a quorum, but a smaller number may adjourn from day to day, and compel the attendance of absent members.
§ S. Each house shall keep a journal of its proceedings, and publish them. The yeas and nays of the members, on any question, shall, at the desire of any two of them, be entered on the journals.
§ 9. Any two members of either house shall have liberty to dissent and protest against any act or resolution which they may think injurious to the public, or to any individual, and have the reasons of their dissent entered on the journals.
§ 10. Each house may determine the rules of its proceedings, punish its members for disorderly behavior, and with the concurrence of two-thirds, expel a member, but not a second time for the same cause.
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§ II. When vacancies happen in either house, the governor, or the person exer- cising the powers of governor, shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies.
§ 12. Senators and representatives shall, in all cases, except treason, felony, or breach of the peace, be privileged from arrest during the session of the general assembly, and in going to and returning from the same, and for any speech or debate in either house, they shall not be questioned in any other place.
§ 13. Each house may punish, by imprisonment during its session, any person not a member, who shall be guilty of disrespect to the house, by any disorderly or contemptuous behavior in their presence; provided such imprisonment shall not at any one time exceed 24 hours.
§ 14. The doors of each house, and of committees of the whole, shall be kept open, except in such cases as in the opinion of the house require secrecy. Neither house shall, without the consent of the other, adjourn for more than two days, nor to any other place than that in which the two houses shall be sitting.
§ 15. Bills may originate in either house, but may be altered, amended or rejected by the other.
§ 16. Every bill shall be read on three different days in each house, unless in case of urgency, three-fourths of the house where such bill is so depending shall deem it expedient to dispense with this rule; and every bill having passed both houses shall be signed by the speakers of their respective houses.
§ 17. The style of the laws of this state shall be: Be it enacted by the people of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly.
§ 18. The general assembly of this state shall not allow the following officers of government greater or smaller annual salaries than as follows, until the year 1824: The governor, $1000; and the secretary of state, $600.
§ 19. No senator or representative shall, during the time for which he shall have been elected, be appointed to any civil office under this state, which shall have been ·created, or the emoluments of which shall have been increased during such time.
§ 20. No money shall be drawn from the treasury but in consequence of appro- priations made by law.
§ 21. An accurate statement of the receipts and expenditures of the public money shall be attached to and published with the laws, at the rising of each session of the general assembly.
§ 22. The house of representatives shall have the sole power of impeaching, but a majority of all the members present must concur in an impeachment. All im- peachments shall be tried by the senate, and when sitting for that purpose, the sena- tors shall be upon oath or affirmation to do justice according to law and evidence. No person shall be convicted without the concurrence of two-thirds of all the sena- tors present.
§ 23. The governor, and all other civil officers under this state, shall be liable to impeachment for any misdemeanor in office; but judgment in such cases shall not extend further than to removal from office, and disqualifiation to hold any office of honor, profit, or trust under this state. The party, whether convicted or acquitted, shall nevertheless be liable to indictment, trial, judgment, and punishment according to law.
§ 24. The first session of the general assembly shall commence on the first Mon- day of October next, and forever after the general assembly shall meet on the first Monday in December next ensuing the election of the members thereof, and at no other period, unless as provided by this constitution.
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§ 25. No judge of any court of law or equity, secretary of state, attorney general, attorney for the state, register, clerk of any court of record, sheriff, or collector, member of either house of congress, or person holding any lucrative office under the United States, or this, (provided that appointments in the militia, postmasters, or justices of the peace shall not be considered lucrative offices, ) shall have a seat in the general assembly; nor shall any person holding an office of honor or profit under the government of the United States, hold any office of honor or profit under the authority of this state.
§ 26. Every person who shall be chosen or appointed to any office of trust or profit shall, before entering upon the duties thereof, take an oath to support the constitution of the United States and of this state, and also an oath of office.
§ 27. In all elections, all white male inhabitants above the age of 21 years, hav- ing resided in the state six months next preceding the election, shall enjoy the right of an elector; but no person shall be entitled to vote except in the county or district in which he shall actually reside at the time of the election.
§ 28. All votes shall be given viva voce until altered by the general assembly.
§ 29. Electors shall, in all cases, except treason, felony, or breach of the peace, be privileged from arrest during their attendance at elections, and in going to and returning from the same.
§ 30. The general assembly shall have full power to exclude from the privilege of electing or being elected any person convicted of bribery, perjury, or any other infamous crime.
§ 31. In the year 1820, and every fifth year thereafter, an enumeration of all the white inhabitants of the state shall be made in such manner as shall be directed by law.
§ 32. All bills for raising a revenue shall originate in the house of representatives, subject, however, to amendment, or rejection as in other cases.
ART. III. § I. The executive power of the state shall be vested in a governor.
§ 2. The first election of governor shall commence on the third Thursday of September next, and continue for that and the two succeeding days; and the next election shall be held on the first Monday of August, in the year of our Lord IS22. And forever after, elections for governor shall be held once in four years, on the first Monday in August. The governor shall be chosen by the electors of the mem- bers of the general assembly, at the same places and in the same manner that they shall respectively vote for members thereof. The returns for every election of gov- ernor shall be sealed up and transmitted to the seat of government by the returning officers, directed to the speaker of the house of representatives, who shall open and publish them in the presence of a majority of the members of each house of the general assembly. The person having the highest number of votes, shall be gover- nor; but if two or more be equal and highest in votes, then one of them shall be chosen governor by joint ballot of both houses of the general assembly. Contested elections shall be determined by both houses of the general assembly in such manner as shall be prescribed by law.
§ 3. The first governor shall hold his office until the first Monday of December, in the year of our Lord 1822, and until another governor shall be elected and quali- fied to office; and forever after the governor shall hold his office for the term of four years and until another governor shall be elected and qualified; but he shall not be elegible for more than four years in any term of eight years. He shall be at least 30 years of age, and have been a citizen of the United States 30 years; two years of
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APPENDIX-CONSTITUTION OF ISIS.
which next preceding his election he shall have resided within the limits of this state.
§ 4. He shall, from time to time, give the general assembly information of the state of the government, and recommend to their consideration such measures as he shall deem expedient.
§ 5. He shall have power to grant reprieves and pardons after conviction, except in cases of impeachment.
§ 6. The governor shall, at stated times, receive a salary for his services, which shall neither be increased nor diminished during the term for which he has been elected.
§ 7. He may require information in writing from the officers in the executive department, upon any subject relating to the duties of their respective offices, and shall take care that the laws be faithfully executed.
§ 8. When any officer, the right of whose appointment is, by this constitution, vested in the general assembly, or in the governor and senate, shall, during the recess, die, or his office by any means become vacant, the governor shall have power to fill such vacancy, by granting a commission, which shall expire at the end of the next session of the general assembly.
§ 9. He may, on extraordinary occasions, convene the general assembly by pro- clamation, and shall state to them when assembled, the purpose for which they shall have been convened.
§ 10. He shall be commander-in-chief of the army and navy of this state, and of the militia, except when they shall be called into the service of the United States.
§ II. There shall be elected in each and every county in the said state, by those who are qualified to vote for members of the general assembly, and at the same time and places where the election for such members shall be held, one sheriff and one coroner, whose election shall be subject to such rules and regulations as shall be pre- scribed by law. The said sheriffs and coroners respectively, when elected, shall con- tinue in office two years, be subject to removal and disqualification, and such other rules and regulations as may be, from time to time, prescribed by law.
§ 12. In case of disagreement between the two houses with respect to the time of adjournment, the governor shall have power to adjourn the general assembly, to such time as he thinks proper, provided it be not a period beyond the next constitu- tional meeting of the same.
§ 13. A lieutenant-governor shall be chosed at every election for governor, in the same manner, continue in office for the same time, and possess the same qualifica- tions. In voting for governor and lieutenant-governor, the electors shall distinguish whom they vote for as governor, and whom as lieutenant-governor.
§ 14. He shall, by virtue of his office be speaker of the senate, have a right, when in committee of the whole, to debate and vote on all subjects; and whenever the senate are equally divided, to give the casting vote.
§ 15. Whenever the government shall be administered by the lieutenant-gover- nor, or he shall be unable to attend as speaker of the senate, the senators shall elect one of their own members as speaker for that occasion; and if, during the vacancy of the office of governor, the lieutenant-governor shall be impeached, removed from office, refuse to qualify, or resign, or die, or be absent from the state, the speaker of the senate shall in like manner, administer the government.
§ 16. The lieutenant-governor, while he acts as speaker of the senate, shall receive for his services, the same compensation, which shall, for the same period be- allowed to the speaker of the house of representatives and no more; and during the
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time he administers the government as governor, he shall receive the same compen- sation which the governor would have received had he been employed in the duties of his office.
§ 17. If the lieutenant governor shall be called upon to administer the govern- ment, and shall, while in such administration resign, die, or be absent from the state during the recess of the general assembly, it shall be the duty of the secretary, foi the time being, to convene the senate for the purpose of choosing a speaker.
§ 18. In case of an impeachment of the governor, his removal from office, death, refusal to qualify, resignation or absence from the state, the lieutenant governor shall exercise all the power and authority appertaining to the office of governor, until the time pointed out by this constitution for the election of governor shall arrive, unless the general assembly shall provide by law for the election of a governor to fill such vacancy.
§ 19. The governor for the time being, and the judges of the supreme court or a major part of them, together with the governor, shall be and are hereby constituted a council to revise all bills about to be passed into laws by the general assembly; and for that purpose shall assemble themselves from time to time when the general assem- bly shall be convened; for which nevertheless they shall not receive any salary or consideration under any pretense whatever; and all bills which have passed the senate and house of representatives shall, before they become laws, be presented to the said council for their revisal and consideration; and if, upon such revisal and consideration, it should appear improper to the said council or a majority of them, that the bill should become a law of this state, they shall return the same, together with their objections thereto in writing to the senate or house of representatives (in whichsoever the same shall have originated) who shall enter the objections set down by the council at large in their minutes, and proceed to reconsider the said bill. But if, after such reconsideration, the said senate or house of representatives shall, not- withstanding the said objections, agree to pass the same by a majority of the whole number of members elected, it shall, together with the said objections, be sent to the other branch of the general assembly, where it shall also be reconsidered; and if approved by a majority of all the members elected, it shall become a law. If any bill shall not be returned within 10 days after it shall have been presented, the same shall be a law, unless the general assembly shall by their adjournment, render a return of the said bill in 10 days impracticable; in which case the said bill shall be returned on the first day of the meeting of the general assembly, after the expira- tion of the said 10 days, or be a law.
§ 20. The governor shall nominate, and by and with the advice and consent of the senate, appoint a secretary of state, who shall keep a fair register of the official acts of the governor, and when required, shall lay the same and all papers, minutes and vouchers relative thereto, before either branch of the general assembly and shall perform such other duties as shall be assigned him by law.
§ 21. The state treasurer and public printer or printers for the state shall be appointed biennially by the joint vote of both branches of the general assembly: Pro- vided, that during the recess of the same, the governor shall have power to fill sach vacancies as may happen in either of said offices.
§ 22. The governor shall nominate, and by and with the advice and consent of the senate, appoint all officers whose offices are established by this constitution, or shall be established by law, and whose appointments are not herein otherwise pro- vided for; Provided however, that inspectors, collectors and their deputies, survey-
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ors of the highways, constables, jailors, and such inferior officers whose jurisdiction may be confined within the limits of the county, shall be appointed in such manner as the general assembly may prescribe.
ART. IV. § 1. The judicial power of this state shall be vested in one supreme court, and such inferior courts as the general assembly shall, from time to time, ordain and establish.
· § 2. The supreme court shall be holden at the seat of government, and shall have an appellate jurisdiction only, except in cases relating to the revenue, in cases of mandamus, and in such cases of impeachment as may be required to be tried 'before it.
§ 3. The supreme court shall consist in a chief justice and three associates, any two of whom shall form a quorum. The number of justices may, however, be increased by the general assembly after the year 1824.
§ 4. The justices of the supreme court and the judges of the inferior courts shall be appointed by joint ballot of both branches of the general assembly, and commis- sioned by the governor, and shall hold their offices during good behavior until the end of the first session of the general assembly, which shall be begun and held after the first day of January, in the year of our Lord 1824, at which time their commis- sions shall expire: and until the expiration of which time, the said justices, respec- tively, shall hold circuit courts in the several counties, in such manner and at such times, and shall have and exercise such jurisdiction as the general assembly shall by law prescribe. But ever after the aforesaid period, the justices of the supreme court shall be commissioned during good behavior, and the justices thereof shall not hold circuit courts unless required by law.
§ 5. The judges of the inferior courts shall hold their offices during good behav- ior, but for any reasonable cause, which shall not be sufficient ground for impeach- ment, both the judges of the supreme and inferior courts shall be removed from office on the address of two-thirds of each branch of the general assembly: Provided always, that no member of either house of the general assembly, nor any person connected with a member by consanguinity, or affinity, shall be appointed to fill the vacancy occasioned by such removal. The said justices of the supreme court, during their temporary appointments, shall receive an annual salary of $1000, payable quarter-yearly out of the public treasury. The judges of the inferior courts, and the justices of the supreme court who may be appointed after the end of the first session of the general assembly, which shall be begun and held after the first day of Janu- ary, in the year of our Lord 1824, shall have adequate and competent salaries, which shall not be diminished during their continuance in office.
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