USA > Texas > A pictorial history of Texas, from the earliest visits of European adventurers, to A.D. 1879. Embracing the periods of missions, colonization, the revolution the republic, and the state; also, a topographical description of the country together with its Indian tribes and their wars, and biographical sketches of hundreds of its leading historical characters. Also, a list of the countries, with historical and topical notes, and descriptions of the public institutions of the state > Part 59
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. Placedo 25
30.
Victoria. 40
15
. Thomaston .55
10
Burns 60
Cuero. 70 0.
For the fiscal year ending August 31, 1877, there were issued land certifi- cates to the different railroads in Texas, as follows: 1218 certificates to International and Great Northern Railroad Company for 779,520 acres, none to State; 2991 certificates to Texas and Pacific Railroad Company for 1,914,240 acres; 881 certificates to Galveston, Harrisburg and San Antonio Railroad Company for 563,840 acres; 536 certificates to East Line and Red River Railroad Company for 343,040 acres; 248 certificates to Galveston, B. and C. Narrow Gauge Railroad Company for 158,720 acres; 298 certificates to Tyler Tap Railroad Company for 190,720 acres; 352 certificates to Texas and Western Narrow Gauge Railroad Company for 225,280 acres; 192 cer- tificates to Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railroad Company for 122,880; 160 certificates to Corpus Christi, San Diago and Rio Grande Railroad Company for 102,400 acres ; 240 certificates to Henderson and Overton Branch Rail- road Company for 153,600 acres; 184 certificates to Dallas and Wichita Rail- road Company for 117,760 acres. The same number of certificates were issued to the school fund in each case. Making in the aggregate 7300 cer- tificates with 4,672,000 acres to the railroads, and 3,892,480 for the State.
TELEGRAPHS AND TAXES.
TELEGRAPH LINES .- On the 24th of January, 1860, telegraphic communi- cation was established between Galveston and Houston, and the lines were gradually extended to the principal cities of the State. There are two lines in Texas: the Western Union and the Military Line. In 1875, Con- gress made an appropriation to connect the military posts on the frontier by telegraph, and the lines were built during the year 1876. The Western Union has in operation about 2,000 miles and the Military Line probably 1,500 miles.
TOTAL AGGREGATE TAXABLE PROPERTY-1846-77.
YEARS.
Aggregate Taxable Property.
1846
$34,391,175 1847
37,562,505 1848
46,241,589 1850.
51,814,615
1851
69,730,581
1852
80,754,094
1853.
126,981,617
1837
183,591,205
224,353,266 1860
294.315.659
256,784,482 1861.
.358,101,886 1864.
1865
.122,749,123
1868.
.144,260,244
.149,655,336 1869
170,473,778 1870.
1871
222,504,073
207,920.526 1872.
223 410,920 1873.
1874.
241,811,860
1875.
.250,S53,790
1876
249,415.850
318,985,765 1877
99,155,114 1855
161,304,025 1858
193,636,818. 1859
1866
. 170,005.545 1867
1854.
149,521,451 1856
43,812,537 1849
The following table exhibits the amount of property in each county, and the summary following describes the different kinds of property taxed :
VIEW OF COMMERCE STREET SAN ANTONIO.
789
TAXABLE PROPERTY.
ASSESSMENT FOR 1877-78.
COUNTY.
Total Valuation.
Ad Valorem Tax.
Poll Tax.
Total Tax.
Anderson
$2,466,535
$12,232 94
$5,982
$18,314 94
Angelina
618,034
3,091 30
1,434
4,525 30
Aransas
637,481
3,186 75
490
3,676 75
Atascosa.
711,332
3,546 67
1,296
4,852 67
Austin.
2,508,091
12,540 46
5,032
17,602 46
Bandera.
331,169
1,655 84
778
2,433 84
Bastrop.
2,634,015
13,172 31
5,300
18,472 31
Bee ..
1,005,580
5,027 68
884
5,911 68
Bell.
3,387,970
16,889 84
5,734
22,623 84
Bexar
8,509,634
42,548 05
3,386
45,934 05
Blanco
706,729
3,534 43
1,232
4,766 43
Bosque
1,582,179
7,910 18
3,312
11,222 18
Bowie.
1,445,318
7,255 95
2,376
9,631 95
Brazoria
2,382,984
11,915 27
3,660
15,575 27
Brazos.
2,302,534
11.512 25
5,044
16,556 25
Brown.
1,206,560
6,082 78
2,738
8,770 78
Burleson.
1,588,097
7,940 49
3,264
11,204 49
Burnet
1,153,165
5,776 24
1,984
7,760 24
Caldwell.
1,707,646
8,538 23
2,786
11,324 23
Calhoun.
696,924
3,465 72
780
4,245 72
Callahan.
125,400
627 40
394
1,021 40
Cameron.
1,656,238
8,281 25
4,480
12,761 25
Camp .
676,776
3,386 81
1,568
4,954 81
Cass.
1,621,344
8,092 10
4,834
12,926 10
Chambers
410,045
2,050 20
768
2,818 20
Cherokee
1,878,562
9,392 80
5,186
14,558 80
Clay.
822,766
4,114 33
1,052
5,166 33
Coleman.
736,828
3,688 56
1,002
4,690 56
Collin
5,576,170
27,880 85
8,250
36,130 85
Colorado
2,735,621.
13,678 71
5.436
19,114 71
Comal.
1,272,660
6,362 80
1,772
8,134 80
Comanche
1,090,435
5,455 21
2,960
8,415 21
Concho
84,569
409 15
14
423 15
Cook .
2,446,077
12,230 38
5,258
17,488 38
Coryell
1,809,246
9,055 40
4,176
13,231 40
Dallas
9,268,770
46,343 85
8,372
54,715 85
Delta .
694,444
3,472 22
2,004
5,476 22
Denton
3,149,672
15,748 36
5,240
20,988 36
De Witt
2,058,974
10,294 99
3,348
13,642 99
Duval
968,002
4,839 18
760
5,590 18
Eastland.
461,714
2,308 57
1,104
3,412 57
Ellis
4,248,764
21,243 75
4,836
26,079 75
El Paso.
421,436
2,107 23
1,322
3.429 23
Erath
1,614,323
8,072 88
3,926
11,998 88
Falls
2,815,086
14,075 40
5,614
19,689 40
Fannin
3,790,930
18,952 79
6,238
25,190 79
Fayette.
2,136,111
10,681 02
3,148
13.829 02
Fort Bend.
536,695
2,663 43
1,542
4,205 48
Franklin.
1,928,722
9,648 88
4,666
14,314 SS
Frio
554,682
2,773 33
422
3,195 38
Galveston.
22.913,350
114,566 83
3,116
117,682 83
Gillespie
961,630
4,808 15
1,664
6,474 15
Goliad
1,360,339
6,796 52
1,764
8,560 52
Gonzales
2,968,864
41,8.10 9-4
4,616
19.456 94
Grayson
6,668,235
33.342 53
11,616
44,958 53
1,125,219
5,627 09
2,000
8,127 09
Gregg.
4,797,853
23,985 81
7,828
31,813 81
Freestone.
790
HISTORY OF TEXAS.
ASSESSMENT FOR 1877-78-CONTINUED.
COUNTY,
Total Valuation.
Ad Valorem Tax.
Poll Tax.
Total Tax.
Grimes
$2,718,355
$13,599 15
$6,786
$20,385 15
Guadalupe.
2,488,716
12,443 15
2,874
15,317 15
Hamilton.
847,498
4,253 44
2,130
6,383 44
Hardin
321,431
1,607 06
500
2,107 06
Harris.
11,438,650
57,198 25
6,694
63,887 25
Harrison.
3,062,287
15,316 09
6,688
22,004 09
Hays
1,353,040
6,765 20
2,128
8,893 20
Henderson.
1,212,439
6,062 21
2,930
8,992 21
Hidalgo
375,531
1,877 84
608
2,485 84
Hill .
2,583,419
12,942 09
5,402
18,344 09
Hood.
850,910
4,254 55
1,960
6,214 55
Hopkins
1,989,704
9,948 37
4,366
14,314 37
Houston
1,974,147
9,876 66
4,146
14,022 66
Hunt
2,171,571
10,857 85
5,692
16,549 85
Jack.
774,470
3,867 95
1,488
5,355 95
Jackson
876,030
4,383 71
880
5,263 71
Jasper.
522,062
2,610 31
1,548
4,158 31
Jefferson
954,393
4.772 84
924
5,698 84
Johnson.
2,659,390
13,293 76
5,960
19,253 76
Karnes
1,009,000
5,045 46
1,014
6.059 46
Kaufman
2,854,269
14,274 46
4,248
18,522 46
Kendall
497,826
2,490 07
906
3,396 07
Kerr ..
404,370
2,021 85
682
2,703 85
Kimball
211,291
1,056 45
348
1,404 45
Kinney
425,056
1,131 75
590
2.721 75
Lamar.
4,730,723
23,653 50
9,440
33,098 50
Lampasas.
1,035,504
5,177 68
1,746
6,923 68
Lavaca
2,474,785
12,368 03
4,008
16,466 03
Lee.
1,661,892
8,309 56
3,130
11,439 56
Leon
1,625,733
8,126 35
4,560
12,686 35
Liberty
820.202
4,101 01
1,472
5,573 01
Limestone
2,297,762
13,980 62
4,760
18,740 62
Live Oak
845,247
4,229 34
506
4,785 34
Llano
546,351
2,731 75
1,274
4,005 75
McCulloch.
523,902
2,613 41
496
3,109 41
McLennan.
5,529,817
27,651 79
8,572
36,223 79
McMullen
159,039
789 19
258
1,056 19
Madison
716,062
3,578 55
1,920
5,498 55
Marion
1,853,297
9,269 51
3,326
12,595 51
Mason
539.411
2,697 05
778
3,475 05
Matagorda
1,270,025
6,350 88
1,486
7,836 88
Maverick
,469,635
2,846 93
696
3.042 93
Medina
1,056,401
5.282 00
1,412
6,694 00
Menard
,103,019
986 48
150
1,142 48
Milam .
2,438,906
12,194 48
5,712
17,906 48
Montague.
1,082,460
5.405 61
3,292
8,697 61
Montgomery
1,302,303
6,511 96
2,634
9,145 96
Morris.
441,497
2.208 86
1,394
3,602 85
Nacogdoches
1,237,368
6.187 76
3,950
10,137 76
Navarro
4,375,515
21,877 72
6,902
28,779 72
Newton.
334,869
1,674 34
1,206
2.880 34
Nueces.
2,452,841
12.264 19
1,239
13,512 19
Orange.
526,845
2,634 22
298
3,452 22
Palo Pinto.
740,833
3,554 16
1,670
5,224 16
Panola
1,269,890
6,349 45
4,146
10,495 45
Parker
1,782,564
8,954 83
3,698
12,652 88
791
TAXABLE PROPERTY.
ASSESSMENT FOR 1877-78-CONTINUED.
COUNTY.
Total Valuation.
Ad Valorem Tax.
Poll Tax.
Total Tax.
Polk.
$717,354
$3,588 27
$2,086
$5.674 27
Presidio
747,881
3,739 40
564
4,303 40
Pecas.
375,900
1,879 48
720
2,599 48
Rains.
399,572
1,997 69
1,056
3,053 69
Red River
2,303,320
11,516 59
5,326
16,842 59
Refugio
1,141,994
5,727 74
548
6,275 74
Robertson.
3,644,630
18,223 15
8,328
26,551 15
Rockwall
709,476
3,547 38
868
4,415 38
Rusk .
2,313,523
11,567 62
6,266
17,833 62
Sabine.
328,079
1,640 53
1,392
3,032 53
Somervell.
230,125
1,154 70
780
1,934 70
San Augustine
481,260
2,406 34
1,518
3,924 34
San Patricio
864,812
4,324 06
384
4,708 06
San Saba
1,029,512
5,150 63
1,814
6,964 63
Shelby.
782,475
3,912 38
2,892
6,801 38
San Jacinto
666,859
3,336 04
2,144
5,4S0 04
Smith
3,552,188
17,759 10
6,492
24.251 10
Starr
1,026,511
512 56
1,210
6,342 56
Stephens.
586,348
2,931 75
722
3,653 75
Tarrant.
4,515,815
22,577 08
7,348
29,925 08
Titus
709,616
3,849 54
1,934
5,783 54
Taylor
43,209
216 04
126
342 04
Tom Green
754,787
3,773 88
492
4,265 88
Travis
10,739,100
53,698 08
10,260
68,958 08
Trinity
715,592
3,575 65
1,482
5,057 65
Tyler .
666,437
3,334 02
1,848
5,182 02
Upshur
1,185,093
5,930 46
2,934
8,864 46
Uvalde
828,725
4,142 26
802
4,944 26
Van Zandt
1,676,053
8,382 93
2,932
11,314 93
Victoria
2.306,262
11,531 31
2,212
13,773 31
Walker
1,464,699
7,323 39
3,462
10,785 39
Wharton.
876,384
4,387 40
1,452
5,839 40
Waller.
1,733,948
8,684 25
3,324
12,008 25
Washington
4,667,355
23,351 76
8,556
31,907 76
Webb. .
1,091,658
5,458 29
1,564
7,022 29
Williamson
3,755,956
18,786 35
4,400
23,186 35
Wilson
1,049,827
4,249 01
1,778
7,027 01
Wise
1,525,075
7,629 92
3,940
11,569 92
Wood.
1,615,818
8,079 10
3,222
11,301 19
Young.
714,607
3,573 81
1,240
4,813 81
Zapata
386,391
2,907 25
460
2,367 25
Shackelford.
493,776
2,468 58
702
3,070 58
792
HISTORY OF TEXAS.
SUMMARY OF ASSESSMENTS. RENDERED PROPERTY.
Description of Property.
Valued at
Number of acres, 61,445,039
$125,621,392
Town lots ..
49,419,067
Number miles of railroad, 1,763 667-1000
14,959,643
Number miles of telegraph, 2,231 51-1000
145,860
Number acres, land certificates, 890,255 .
211,572
Number of steamboats and sailing vessels, etc., 356 ..
184,072
Number of carriages, buggies, etc., 131,075
4,919,446
Manufacturers' tools, implements, etc.
3,955,874
Materials and manufactured articles.
307,802
Number of horses and mules, 966,977 .
20,242,896
Number of cattle, 3,263,373. . ..
18,048,668
Number of jacks and jennets, 5,299
178,816
Number of sheep, 2,227,839
2,829,404
Number of goats, 223,417.
161,134
Number of hogs, 1,286,933.
2,257,002
Goods, wares and merchandise
16,427,407
Money on hand .
8,507,337
Miscellaneous property
24,441,356
Total value
$292,818,743
State ad valorem tax, 12 per cent.
· $1,464,244 68
State poll, 230,069, at $2 each. 460,138 00
Total State tax. $1,924,382 68
Average value of land per acre.
·$2 0412
UNRENDERED PROPERTY.
Description of Property.
Valued at
Number of acres, 15,035,411
$19,462,180
Town lots .. .
2,789,878
Number miles of railroad, 18.
81,000
Number miles of telegraph, 12.
5,000
Number acres, land certificates, 19,392.
2,840
Number of steamboats, sailing vessels, etc., 217.
239,000
Number of carriages, buggies, etc., 845
42,597
Manufacturers' tools, implements, etc.
59,290
Materials and manufactured articles
525
Number of horses and mules, 18,584
284,581
Number of cattle, 149,983 ..
883,342
Number of jacks and jennets, 72
3,985
Number of sheep, 65,533
78.601
Number of goats, 5,201.
3,550
Number of hogs, 5,976
11,558
Goods, wares and merchandise.
1,333.910
Money on hand .
317,176
Miscellaneous property
518,009
Total value
$26,117,022
State ad valorem tax, 12 of 1 per cent
$130,583 78
Number polls, 2,335, $2 each .
4,670 00
Total
$135,253 78
· Average value of land per acre. $1 29
Total amount of property rendered and unrendered. $318,985,765
State ad valorem tax, 1/2 of 1 per cent. . $1,594,828 46
Poll tax.
464.808 00
Total
$2,059,636 46
.
MASONIC HEADQUARTERS OF STATE, HOUSTON.
CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE.
PREAMBLE.
Humbly inyoking the blessing of Almighty God, the people of the State of Texas do ordain and establish this Constitution.
ARTICLE I.
BILL OF RIGHTS.
That the general, great, and essential principals of liberty and free gov- ernment may be recognized and established, we declare:
SECTION 1. Texas is a free and independent State, subject only to the Constitution of the United States; and the maintenance of our free insti- tntions and the perpetuity of the Union depend upon the preservation of the right of local self-government unimpaired to all the States.
SEC. 2. All political power is inherent in the people, and all free govern- ments are founded on their authority, and instituted for their benefit. The faith of the people of Texas stands pledged to the preservation of a repub- lican form of government, and, subject to this limitation only, they have at all times the inalienable right to alter, reform or abolish their government in such manner as they may think expedient. .
SEC. 3. All free men, when they form a social compact, have equal rights and no man, or set of men, is entitled to exclusive separate public emolu- ments, or privileges, but in consideration of public services.
SEC. 4. No religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office, or public trust, in this State; nor shall any one be excluded from holding office on account of his religious sentiments, provided he acknowl- edges the existence of a Supreme Being.
SEC. 5. No person shall be disqualified to give evidence in any of the courts of this State on account of his religious opinions, or for the want of any religious belief, but all oaths or affirmations shall be administered in the mode most binding upon the conscience, and shall be taken subject to the pains and penalties of perjury.
SEC. 6. All men have a natural and indefeasible right to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their own consciences. No man shall be compelled to attend, erect, or support any place of worship, or to maintain any ministry, against his consent. No human authority ought, in any case whatever, to control or interfere with the rights of conscience in matters of religion, and no preference shall ever be given by law to any religious society or mode of worship. But it shall be the duty of the legislature to pass such laws as may be necessary to protect equally every religious denomination in the peaceable enjoyment of its own mode of public wor- ahip.
796
HISTORY OF TEXAS.
SEC. 7. No money shall be appropriated or drawn from the treasury for the benefit of any sect, or religious society, theological or religious semi- nary ; nor shall property belonging to the State be appropriated for any such purposes.
SEC. 8. Every person shall be at liberty to speak, write, or publish his opinions on any subject, being responsible for the abuse of that privilege; and no law shall ever be passed curtailing the liberty of speech or of the press. In prosecutions for the publication of papers investigating the con- duct of officers or men in public capacity, or when the matter published is proper for public information, the truth thereof may be given in evidence. And in all indictments for libels the jury shall have the right to determine the law and the facts, under the direction of the court, as in other cases.
SEC. 9. The people shall be secure, in their persons, houses, papers, and possessions, from all unreasonable seizures or searches, and no warrant to search any place, or to seize any person or thing, shall issue without describing them as near as may be, nor without probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation.
SEC. 10. In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall have a speedy public trial by an impartial jury. He shall have the right to demand the nature and cause of the accusation against him, and to have a copy thereof. He shall not be compelled to give evidence against himself. He shall have the right of being heard by himself or counsel, or both ; shall be confronted with the witnesses against him, and shall have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor. And no person shall be held to answer for a criminal offence, unless on indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases in which the punishment is by fine or imprisonment otherwise than in the penitentiary, in cases of impeachment, and in cases arising in the army or navy, or in the militia, when in actual service in time of war or public danger.
SEC. 11. All prisoners shall be bailable by sufficient sureties, unless for capital offences, when the proof is evident; but this provision shall not be so construed as to prevent bail after indictment found, upon examination of the evidence in such manner as may be prescribed by law.
SEC. 12 The writ of habeas corpus is a writ of right, and shall never be suspended. The Legislature shall enact laws to render the remedy speedy and effectual.
SEC. 13. Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel or unusual punishment inflicted. All courts shall be open, and every person, for an injury done him in his lands, goods, person, or reputa. tion shall have remedy by due course of law.
SEC. 14. No person, for the same offence, shall be twice put in jeopardy of life or liberty ; nor shall a person be again put upon trial for the same offence after a verdict of not guilty in a court of competent jurisdiction.
SEC. 15. The right of trial by jury shall remain inviolate. The Legisla- ture shall pass such laws as may be needed to regulate the same, and to maintain its purity and efficiency.
797
CONSTITUTION.
SEC. 16. No bill of attainder, ex post facto law, retroactive law. or any law impairing the obligation of contracts, shall be made.
SEC. 17. No person's property shall be taken, damaged or destroyed for or applied to public use without adequate compensation being made, unless by the consent of such person; and when taken, except for the use of the State, such compensation shall be first made, or secured by a deposit of money ; and no irrevocable or uncontrollable grant of special privileges or immunities shall be made; but all privileges and franchises granted by the Legislature, or created under its authority, shall be subject to the control thereof.
SEC. 18. No person shall ever be imprisoned for debt.
SEC. 19. No citizen of this State shall be deprived of life, liberty, prop- erty, privileges, or immunities, or in any manner disfranchised, except by the due course of the law of the land.
SEC. 20. No person shall be outlawed; nor shall any person be trans- ported out of the State for any offence committed within the same.
SEC. 21. No conviction shall work corruption of blood, or forfeiture of estate; and the estates of those who destroy their own lives shall descend or vest as in case of natural death.
SEC. 22. Treason against the State shall consist only in levying war against it, or adhering to its enemies, giving them aid and comfort; and no person shall be convicted of treason except on the testimony of two wit- nesses to the same overt act, or on confession in open court.
SEC. 23. Every citizen shall have the right to keep and bear arms in the lawful defence of himself or the State; but the Legislature shall have power by law to regulate the wearing of arms, with a view to prevent crime.
SEC. 24. The military shall at all times be subordinate to the civil au- thority.
SEC. 25. No soldier shall in time of peace be quartered in the house of any citizen without the consent of the owner, nor in time of war but in a manner prescribed by law.
SEC. 26. Perpetuities and monopolies are contrary to the genius of a free government, and shall never be allowed; nor shall the law of primogeni- ture or entailments ever be in force in this State.
SEC. 27. The citizens shall have the right, in a peaceable manner, to assemble together for their common good, and apply to those invested with the power of government for redress of grievance or other purposes, by petition, address, or remonstrance.
SEC. 28. No power of suspending laws in this State shall be exercised except by the Legislature.
SEC. 29. To guard against transgressions of the higher powers herein dele- gated, we declare that everything to this " Bill of Rights " is excepted out
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of the general powers of government, and shall forever remain inviolate, and all laws contrary thereto, or to the following provisions, shall be void.
ARTICLE II.
THE POWERS OF GOVERNMENT.
SECTION 1. The powers of the government of the State of Texas shall be divided into three distinct departments, each of which shall 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 judicial to another; and no person, or collection of persons, being of one of these departments. shall exercise any power properly attached to either of the others, except in the instances herein expressly permitted.
ARTICLE III. LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT.
SECTION 1. The legislative power of this State shall be vested in a Senate and House of Representatives, which together shall be styled " The Legis- lature of the State of Texas."
SEC. 2. The Senate shall consist of thirty-one members, and shall never be increased above this number. The House of Representatives shall consist of ninety-three members until the first apportionment after the adoption of this Constitution, when, or at any apportionment thereafter, the number of Representatives may be increased by the Legislature, upon the ratio of not more than one Representative for every fifteen thousand inhabitants; pro- vided, the number of Representatives shall never exceed one hundred and fifty.
SEC. 3. The Senators shall be chosen by the qualified electors for the term of four years; but a new Senate shall be chosen after every apportionment, and the Senators elected after each apportionment shall be divided by lot into two classes. The seats of the Senators of the first class shall be vacated at the expiration of the first two years, and those of the second class at the expiration of four years, so that one-half of the Senators shall be chosen biennially thereafter.
SEC. 4. The members of the House of Representatives shall be chosen by the qualified electors, and their term of office shall be two years from the day of their election.
SEC. 5. The Legislature shall meet every two years, at such time as may be provided by law, and at other times, when convened by the Governor.
SEC. 6. No person shall be a Senator, unless he be a citizen of the United States, and at the time of his election a qualified elector of this State, and shall have been a resident of this State five years next preceding his election, and the last year thereof a resident of the district for which he shall be chosen, and shall have attained the age of twenty-six years.
SEC. 7. No person shall be a Representative, unless he be a citizen of the United States, and at the time of his election a qualified elector of this State,
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and shall have been a resident of this State two years next preceding his election, the last year thereof a resident of the district for which he shall be chosen, and shall have attained the age of twenty-one years.
SEC. 8. Each House shall be the judge of the qualifications and election of its own members ; but contested elections shall be determined in such manner as shall be provided by law.
SEC. 9. The Senate shall, at the beginning and close of each session, and at such other times as may be necessary, elect one of its members President pro tempore, who shall perform the duties of the Lieutenant-Governor in any case of absence or disability of that officer, and whenever the said office of Lieutenant-Governor shall be vacant. The House of Representatives shall, when it first assembles, organize temporarily, and thereupon proceed to the election of a Speaker from its own members; and each House shall choose its other officers.
SEC. 10. Two-thirds of each House shall constitute a quorum to do busi- ness, but a smaller number may adjourn from day to day, and compel the attendance of absent members, in such manner and under such penalties as each House may provide.
SEC. 11. Each House may determine the rules of its own proceedings, punish members for disorderly conduct, and, with the consent of two-thirds, expel a member, but not a second time for the same offence.
SEC. 12. Each House shall keep a journal of its proceedings, and publish the same; and the yeas and nays of the members of either House on any question shall, at the desire of any three members present, be entered on the journals.
SEC. 13. When vacancies occur in either House, the Governor, or the person exercising the power of the Governor, shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies; and should the Governor fail to issue a writ of elec- tion to fill any such vacancy within twenty days after it occurs, the return- ing officer of the district in which such vacancy may have happened, shall be authorized to order an election for that purpose.
SEC. 14. Senators and Representatives shall, except in cases of treason, felony, or breach of the peace, be privileged from arrest during the session of the Legislature, and in going to and returning from the same, allowing one day for every twenty miles such member may reside from the place at which the Legislature is convened.
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