arising within the county, and in all transitory actions where the amount claimed does not exceed five hundred dollars (excepting actions of ejectment), and exclusive appellate jurisdiction in cases of appeal or certiorari from a justice of the peace, and with jurisdiction in civil cases, by consent of parties, unlimited as to amount. The County Court has also probate powers, the office of Judge of Probate being abolished. Terms of the court are held once every three months. The judge of the County Court is elected by the people. Term, four years.

An institution for the education of the blind was organized in 1850, at Tanesville. A tax of one fifteenth of a mill on every dollar of taxable property in the State is levied for its aid. Internal Improvements. The principal improvement of magnitude undertaken in this State is that of the navigation of the Wisconsin and Fox Rivers, under a grant from Congress of about half a million acres of land. This work is under the immediate direction of a Board of Public Works, consisting of five persons, the Governor of the State having the general control and supervision of the whole work. The construction of the Canal, and the improvement of the Fox River, to Lake Winnebago, was under contract to be completed the 1st of June, 1850. When this is done, it will open steamboat navigation between Lake Michigan, by the way of Green Bay, and the Mississippi River, nearly through the centre of the State. There is also the Milwaukee and Mississippi Railroad, the first 20 miles of which (to Waukesha) are nearly graded. Numerous plank-roads from the cities and towns on the lake run into the interior.

Common Schools. — In a report of the Committee on Education and School Lands, made to the Legislature in January, 1850, the school fund, consisting of lands specifically devoted to that object by the constitution, is estimated at $2,780,912. Besides this, all property that may accrue to the State by forfeiture and escheats, proceeds of fines for breaches of the penal laws, and five per cent. of the net proceeds of the sales of the public lands, are made part of the school fund. The constitution also requires, that each town shall annually raise by taxation, for the support of schools, a sum not less than one half that it receives from the school fund. For the year ending September 1, 1849, 1,430 out of 1,760 districts, and 455 parts of districts out of 557, in the State, made reports. In the districts reported, the schools were taught on an average 3.93 months and received $17,313.61 of public money. 32,174 children between the ages of 4 and 20 attended school. 268 children under 4 years of age, and 219 over 20, attended school. Average monthly wages of male teachers, $15.22; of female, $6.92. $12,789.37 were expended for teachers' wages, $725 for libraries, and $1,054.99 for other purposes. There are 26 school-houses of brick, 25 of stone, 359 of logs, and 291 framed, and all are valued at $ 75,810.75. The highest valuation of any school-house is $5,000, and the lowest 75 cents. There were 94 private or select schools with an average of 24 pupils, and 2 incorporated academies, the number of pupils in which is not given.

Abstract of the Constitution. Ratified by the People, Nov. 13, 1849. EVERY white male citizen of the United States, and every citizen of Mexico, electing to become a citizen of the United States, under the treaty of Queretaro, 21 years of age, resident of the State six months, and of the district where he claims his vote 30 days, preceding the election, may vote. Indians and their descendants may be permitted to vote in special cases by a two-thirds concurrent vote of the Legislature.

Senators, not less in number than one third, nor more than one half, the members of the Assembly, shall be elected for two years, in districts.

After the first election, they shall be so classified that one half may be elected annually. Members of the Assembly are chosen annually in districts. There shall not be less than 24, nor more than 36, until the population is 100,000, and afterwards there shall never be more than 80, nor less than 30. 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 district six months next before their election. Sessions of the Legislature shall be held on the first Monday in January annually, and the election for the members thereof shall be on the Tuesday next after the first Monday of November in each year. Members, except for treason, felony, or breach of the peace, shall be exempt from arrest, and shall not be subject to any civil process during the session, nor for fifteen days before and after the beginning and end thereof. No divorce shall be granted by the Legislature, nor shall a lottery be authorized by the State. A census shall be taken in 1852, in 1855, and every ten years thereafter. Corporations may be formed under general laws, but shall not be created by special act, and all general laws and special acts relating to corporations may be altered or repealed. Dues from corporations shall be secured by individual liability and otherwise. No charter shall be granted for banking purposes, nor shall any paper of any kind circulate as money. In elections by the Legislature, the members shall vote viva voce, and their votes shall be entered on the journal.

A Governor shall be elected for two years, and until his successor is qualified. Except at the first election, he must be 25 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 afterwards. The Lieutenant-Governor shall have the same term of office and qualifications as the Governor, shall be President of the Senate, and in case the office of Governor be vacant, he, and after him the President of the Senate, shall act as Governor. A Secretary of the Senate shall be appointed by the Governor. A Comptroller, Treasurer, Attorney, and Surveyor General, chosen at first by joint vote of the two houses of the Legislature, shall afterwards be elected at the same time and place, and in the same manner, as the Governor.

The Supreme Court, with appellate jurisdiction where the matter in dispute exceeds $200, and where the legality of certain acts is questioned, and in certain criminal cases, shall consist of a chief justice and two associates, elected by the people for six years, and the judges shall be so classified that one shall go out of office every two years. After the first election, the senior justice in commission shall be the chief justice. District courts shall have jurisdiction in law and equity, where the amount in dispute exclusive of interest exceeds $200, and the judges shall, after the first election, when they shall be chosen by the Legislature, be elected by the people for six years. The Legislature shall provide for the election by the people of clerks of courts, district attorneys, sheriffs, coroners, &c. One county judge shall be elected in each county for four years, who shall hold the county court, and act as judge of probate, and, with two justices of the peace, shall hold courts of sessions for criminal business. No judicial officer, except justices of the peace, shall receive to his use any fees or perquisites. Justices of the Supreme Court and district judges shall be ineligible to any other office during the term for which they are elected.

A Superintendent of Public Instruction shall be elected for three years. A system of common schools, to be taught at least three months in each year, shall be provided by the Legislature. The proceeds of public lands granted to the State for schools, the 500,000 acres granted to new States under the act of Congress of 1841, estates of persons dying without heirs, and

such per cent. as Congress shall grant on the sale of lands in this State, shall be a fund, the interest of which, and the rents of unsold lands, shall be inviolably appropriated to the support of common schools. The proceeds and income of certain lands are set apart for the support of a University.

Being knowingly concerned in any way in a duel forfeits the right to vote, and to be elected to office. The credit of the State shall not be given or loaned to any individual or corporation. The real and personal property of the wife before marriage, and that acquired after by gift, devise, or descent, shall be her separate property. The Legislature shall protect by law from forced sale a certain portion of the homestead and other property of all heads of families. A plurality of votes shall constitute a choice, where not otherwise directed by the constitution.

No State debt or debts, amounting singly or in the aggregate with previous debts to $300,000, shall be contracted, except in case of war, unless such debt be authorized for some single work by a law, which shall provide means exclusive of loans for the payment of the annual interest, and of the principal in twenty years, which law shall be irrepealable until the debt and interest are paid, and shall not take effect until it shall have received a majority of all the votes cast at a general election by the people, and have been published at least three months before such election in one newspaper in each judicial district throughout the State.

Amendments to the constitution must be agreed to by a majority of the members elected to each of the two houses; be entered on the journals with the yeas and nays; be referred to the Legislature then next to be chosen, and be published three months previous to such election; be passed by a majority of all the members elected to this Legislature, be then submitted to the people, and, if approved by a majority of the qualified voters, they shall become a part of the constitution. Or if two thirds of both houses shall think a change necessary, they shall recommend to the people to vote for or against a convention, and if a majority so vote, the Legislature at its next session shall call a convention, to be held within six months, which convention shall consist of a number of members not less than that of both branches of the Legislature.

The boundary of the State shall be as follows:- Commencing at the point of intersection of the 42d degree of north latitude with the 120th degree of longitude west from Greenwich, and running south on the line of said 120th degree of west longitude until it intersects the 39th degree of north latitude; thence running in a straight line, in a southeasterly direction, to the River Colorado, at a point where it intersects the 35th degree of north latitude; thence down the middle of the channel of said river, to the boundary line between the United States and Mexico, as established by the treaty of May 30th, 1848; thence running west, and along said boundary line, to the Pacific Ocean, and extending therein three English miles; thence running in a northwesterly direction, and following the direction of the Pacific coast to the 42d degree of north latitude; thence on the line of said 42d degree of north latitude to the place of beginning; including also all the islands, harbours, and bays along and adjacent to the Pacific coast.

John McDougall, of Sacramento City, Lieutenant-Governor, $3 per day.

I. State tax of per cent. on $200,000,000 worth of real and personal property,

II. Poll tax of $5 each on 50,000 inhabitants,

III. Miners' tax of $20 per month on 25,000 foreign miners, which may net
IV. Duties on auction sales,

$1,000,000.00

250,000.00 250,000.00

25,000.00

$1,525,000.00

Whole amount of annual expenses of State government, including interest on
State debt,

700,000.00

$825,000.00

Balance remaining in the Treasury after deducting entire expenses of State government,

Places.

Benicia,

Post-Offices and Postmasters in California.

Special Post-Office Agent for California, R. T. P. ALLEN.

Stockton,
Vernon,

Colloma,

Los Angelos,
Monterey,
Sacramento,

Salls Creek,

T. W. Hope,

Names.
J. D. Hoppe,
S. Barney,
Hector Cooper,
Alex. McLean,
L. W. Boggs,

G. R. Buffmun,

G. A. Grunt.

The first mails despatched to California left New York the 2d of October, 1848, and were sent by way of Cape Horn. The subsequent mails have been sent by the Isthmus of Panama. The first mail was contained in a single bag. The one on the 23d of June, 1850, filled 160 bags.

The cost of the mail service to and in California is as follows:

Contract Laws Line, New York to Chagres, per annum,

Aspinwall's, Panama to San Francisco,

Mail agents, and freight of mails over the Isthmus,

$ 290,000

190,000

20,000

$500,000

These contracts were authorized by Congress, and made for ten years, for semi-monthly service on the east, and monthly on the west.

The contracts made for interior service in California by the special agent are as follows:

Charges of postage between any points in California and Oregon, 124 cents, and to any other place in the United States, 40 cents.

Population.

From the best data, the emigration since January 1st, 1849, up to July 1st, 1850,