Slike strani
PDF
ePub

The resolutions were then order ed to be transcribed for a third reading, yeas 19, nays 12.

On the 16th inst. resolutions came up on third reading. Mr. Sullivan moved to go into committee of the whole for the purpose of striking out the fifth resolution, relative to the distribution of the surplus revenue, and the veto of the President, on the Maysville road bill. Mr. Morris moved to commit them to the committee on the judiciary system. Mr. Burden was in favor of the commitment, for the purpose of making some change in the phraseology. The motion prevailed, and the resolutions were committed accordingly.

On the 15th of March, Mr. Burden offered the following resolution to the senate :

'That whereas the Bank of the United States has tended in a great degree to maintain a sound and uniform currency; to facilitate the financial operations of the goverment; to regulate foreign and domestic exchange, and has been conducive to commercial prosperity, that the legislature of Pennsylvania recommend a renewal of its charter under such regulations and restrictions as to the power of the respective states, as congress may deem right and proper.'

cause of this singular state of things-which made the market house a desolate place, was the complaint of the regular butchers, that the farmers and other persons whom they call 'shiners,' were al lowed to cut-up and retail meat in the street, (in parcels less than a quarter,) free of charge, while they paid heavy rents to the city for their stalls. The difficulty was finally adjusted, and the inhabitants of hiladelphia were again permited to participate in the luxury of a well-furnished market.

Valuation of real and personal property in the several counties of the state, and county taxes, for the year 1831.

[blocks in formation]

1,203,647

1,202

Huntingdon

[blocks in formation]

Jefferson

[blocks in formation]

The Senate having unanimously Franklin

Greene

Lebanon

assented to that resolution, it was sent to the Assembly, where it Indiana passed, yeas 75, nays 11. 1831,-July, 16.-The inhabit- Lancaster ants of Philadelphia were this Lehigh day, somewhat astonished by the refusal on the part of the butchers, to furnish, any longer, fresh meat to their tables. At first, it was supposed, that they had been converted by a celebrated Bramin, to the Northampton Northumberland doctrine of transmigration; but it was finally ascertained, that the Philadelphia

Luzerne Lycoming McKean Mercer Mifflin Montgomery

Perry

[blocks in formation]

1830-October Election. The committee thereof, which is to be following was given as a correct appointed every biennial session. statement of the result of the election in Delaware:-Majority for Mr. Milligan (national republican) in Kent 72; in Sussex county 365 -437; majority for Mr. Ridgely (Jackson) in Newcastle county 3, total majority for Milligan 434. The political character of the Legislature, it was said, stood thus -In the Senate, national republicans 7, Jackson men 2-majority to the national republicans of 18, on joint ballot.

The State decided to call a Convention by a large majority.

5. No acts of incorporation are hereafter to be passed, without the concurrence of two thirds of each branch of the Legislature, except for the renewal of existing corporations-all acts are to contain a power of revocation by the Legislature. No act hereafter passed, shall be for a longer period than twenty years, without a re-enactment by the Legislature, except incorporations for public improve

ment.

'6. The Governor is to be chosen for four years, and to be ever after AMENDED CONSTITUTION. The ineligible. New provisions are Convention which was elected pur- made for contested elections of suant to this decision, met on the Governor; and to fill vacancies, 7th of November, 1831, and after He is to set forth in writing, fully, an arduous session of 25 days, the grounds of all reprieves, paradjourned, having proposed the dons, and remissions to be entered following amendments to the State in the register of his official acts, Constitution, which were adopted and laid before the Legislature at by the unanimous vote of the Con- its next session. vention

1. The Representatives are to be chosen for two years; the prop. erty qualification abolished.

2. The Senators ought to be chosen for four years.

7. All elections are to be on the second Tuesday of November. Every free white male citizen, who has resided one year in the State, the last month in the county, and, if he be of the age of 22 years, is entitled to vote. All free white male citizens, between the ages of 21 and 22 years, having resided as aforesaid, may vote, without payment of tax. No person in the military, naval, or marine service of the United States can gain such residence as will entitle him to vote, in consequence of being stationed in any military or naval sta

3. The Legislature is to meet biennially; the first Tuesday in January, 1833, is to be the commencement of biennial sessions. 2. 4. The State Treasurer is to be elected by the Legislature biennially. In case of his death, resignation, &c. the Governor is to fill the office until the next session of the Legislature. He is to settle annually with the Legislature, or a tion in the State; no idiot, insane

person, pauper, or person convict ed of a felony can vote; and the Legislature is authorised to impose the forfeiture of the right of suffrage as a punishment of crime. '8. The judicial power of the State is to be exercised by four Common Law Judges, and a Chancellor. Of the four Law Judges, one is Chief Justice, and three Associates. The Chief Justice and Chancellor may be appointed in any part of the State-of the Associates, one must reside in each county. [The court of civil jurisdiction is styled the Supreme Court; and is composed of the Chief Justice and two Associates no Associate Judge sits in his own county-the Chief Justice presides in every county. Two Judges con stitute a quorum.]

"The Court of General Sessions of the Peace and Gaol Delivery is composed of the same Judges, and in the same manner, as the Superior Court.

The Court of Oyer and Terininer is composed of the four Law Judges. Three to constitute a quo

rum,

"The Chancellor exercises the powers of the Court of Chancery. The Orphans' Court is composed of the Chancellor and the Associate Judge residing in the county. Either may hold the court, inthe absence of the other. When they concur in opinion, there shall be no appeal, except in matters of real estate. When their opinions are opposed, or when a decision is made by one sitting alone, and in all matters involving a right to real estate, there is an appeal to the Supreme Court of the county, whose decision shall be final.

'The Court of Errors and Appeals, upon a writ of Error to the Superior Court, is composed of the Chancellor, who presides, and two of the Associate Judges, to wit, the

one, who, on account of his resi dence, did not sit in the case below; and one, who did sit. Upon appeal from the Court of Chancery, the Chief Justice and three Associates compose the Court of Errors and Appeals; three of them constitute a quorum. If the Superior Court deem that a question of law ought to be heard before all the Judges, they may, upon the application of either party, direct it to be heard in the Court of Errors and Appeals, which shall then be composed of the Chancellor, (who presides,) and all the Judges.

'When the Chancellor is interested in a chancery case, the Chief Justice, sitting alone in the Superior Court, shall have jurisdiction, with an appeal to the three Associate Judges, sitting as a Court of Errors and Appeals.

When there is an exception to the Chancellor, or any Judge, so that a quorum cannot be constituted in court, in consequence of said exception, the Governor shall have power to appoint a Judge for that special cause, whose commission shall expire with the determination of the case.

'The Judges are to receive salaries, which shall not be less than the following sums, to wit-the Chief Justice $1,200; Chancellor $1,100; the Associates, each

$1,000. They are to receive no other fees or perquisites for business done by them.

"The General Assembly may establish inferior courts, or give to one or more justices of the peace, jurisdiction in cases of assaults and batteries, unlicensed public houses retailing liquors contrary to law; disturbing camp-meetings, or other meetings for public worship; nuisances; horse-racing, cock fighting, and shooting-matches; larcenies committed by negroes or mulattoes, knowingly concealing,

buying, or receiving, stolen grods from negroes or mulattoes,&c. This juridiction may be granted either with or without the intervention of a grand or petit jury, and either with or without appeal, as the Legislature shall deem proper.

The Clerk of the Supreme Court is to be styled the Prothonotary. The office of Clerk of the Supreme Court is abolished.

9. But one person is to be voted for is Sheriff, and one person as Corcner in each county. The term of office in each case is two years. In Newcastle and Kent cou ties, at the expiration of the term of office of the present sheriff and coroner, respectively, in 1833, the Governor is authorized to fill up the offices for any year, in consequence of there being no election in that year under the biennial system.

to revise the Constitution are hereafter to be held on the third Tuesday of May, in any year. The majority of all the citizens of the State, having right to vote, is to be ascertained by reference to the highest number of votes given at any one of the three general elections next preceding, unless the number of votes given on the occasion shall exceed the number given in any of the three preceding elections,in which case the majority shall be ascertained by reference to the election itself.

11. No offices are vacated except th Chancellor and judges of the existing courts, and the clerks, whose offices will be abolished on the third Tuesday of January next; on which day the new judicial system goes into effect. The offices of Registers for Wills, and Justices of the Peace, are not af

10. Elections for Conventions fected.

[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]

of the river Susquehannah, that the state of Pennsylvania has caused to be erected in and across the bed of said river, certain dams, 216,824 43 which greatly increase the peril,

41,810 42

$35,367 22

and impede the navigation thereof; and in consequence of said dams, the descending trade of said river has been greatly diminished, and must, eventually, be lost to the citizens of this state: And whereas in support of the representations so made, it appears by a printed copy of the annual report of the canal commissioners of the state of Pennsylvania, made to the legislature of 77,177 64 the said state, and other evidence, that three dams have been erected across the said river, the one at a place called Duncan's island, another at a place called the Shamokin, and the third at or near a place called Nanticoke, which dams are not less than eight feet above the natural bed of the river, and constructed of timber and masses of solid masonry, and effectually prevent the descent of boats and arks down said river,except by the passing through the chute or sluice made in one side of each of said dams, which chute or sluice is at all times dangerous, and has already occasioned great losses to those who have attempted the passage of them, and by said dams the ascending navigation is wholly destroyed: And, whereas the river Susquehannah, from the earliest settlement of the country, has been used by the inhabitants of its borders, for the convenient transportation to market of the products of their industry, and for the transportation from the sea-board to the interior, of such articles as the situation of its people rendered convenient and necessary: And whereas, the inhabitants of the soil bordering on navigable rivers, have a right to the free and unob

STATE RIGHTS.-A controversy be tween this State and Pennsylvania, on account of the Susquehannah, gave rise to negotiations which strikingly served the necessity of resting the power of making internal improvments in the federal government. Under the authority of the government of Pennsylvania, certain dams were erected in the Susquehannah, above the Maryland line. As these dams obstructed the navigation of that river, prevented the easy transmission of produce to Baltimore, petitions were sent to the legislature of Maryland, complaining of the obstructions. A joint committee was created to inquire into the subject, which made the following report: 'Whereas it has been represented to this General Assembly, by the memorial of divers citizens of this state, interested in the navigation

« PrejšnjaNaprej »