S 10. No law shall be passed abridging the right of the people peaceably 2 to assemble and petition the government, or any department thereof, nor shall 3 any divorce be granted, otherwise than by due judicial proceedings; nor shall 4 any lottery hereafter be authorized or any sale of lottery tickets allowed. 5 within this State. -The Legislature shall reduce the salaries of officers who shall neglect the performance of any legal duty. Kan., 206. -The officers mentioned in this article shall, at stated times, receive for their services a compensation to be established by law, which shall neither be increased nor diminished during the period for which they shall have been elected. Kan., 198. -It shall be the duty of the Legislature to regulate, by law, the cases in which deductions shall be made from salaries of public officers for neglect of duty in their official capacity, and the amount of such deduction. Ala., 71; Miss., 343. -The Legislature may, at any time, provide by law for increasing or diminishing the salaries or compensation of any of the officers whose salary or compensation is fixed in this Constitution; Provided. No such change of salary or compensation shall apply to any officer during the term for which he may have been elected. Nev., 392. -The Legislature shall have power to provide for deduction from the salaries of public officers who may neglect the performance of any duty that may be assigned them by law. Tex., 515. RIGHT OF PETITION-RIGHT OF ASSEMBLING. -That every man hath a right to petition the Legislature for the redress of grievances, in a peaceable and orderly manner. Md., 254. That the people shall have a right [at all timesMe.], in a peaceable manner, to assemble together to consult for the common good; and to apply to those invested with the powers of government for redress of grievances, or other proper purposes, by petition, address or remonstrance. Ala., 74; Fl., 130; Me., 240. -The citizens have a right, in a peaceable manner, to assemble together for their common good, to instruct their representatives, and to apply to those invested with the power of the government for redress of grievances, or other proper purposes, by [petition] address or remonstrance. Ark., 85; Ct., 108. The people have a right, in an orderly and peaceable manner, to assemble to consult upon the common good; give instructions to their representatives, and to request, of the legislative body, by the way of addresses, petitions or remonstrances, redress of the wrongs done them, and of the grievances they suffer. Mass., 282. -The people shall have the right freely to assemble together to consult for the common good, to instruct their representatives, and to petition the Legislature for redress of grievances. Cal., 961; Ill., 166; Iowa, 184; Kan., 197; Mich., 314; Neb., 370; N. J., 413; N. C., 422; Nev., 380; Or., 448; or other purpose by petition, address or remonstrance. Miss., 335; Pa., 468; N. H., 400; R. I., 474; Tenn., 491; Tex., 506; Vt., 522. -No law shall restrain any of the inhabitants of the State from assembling together in a peaceable manner to consult for their common good, nor from instructing their representatives, nor from applying to the General Assembly for redress of grievances. Ind., 171. -The people have a right to assemble together in a peaceable manner, to consult for their common good, to instruct their representatives, and to petition the General Assembly for the redress of grievances. Ohio, 432. -Although disobedience to laws by a part of the people upon suggestions of impolicy or injustice in them, tends by immediate effect and the influence of example, not only to endanger the public welfare and safety, but also in governments of a republican form, contravenes the social principles of such governments founded on common consent for common good; yet the citizens have a right in an orderly manner to meet together, and to apply to persons intrusted with the powers of government, for redress of grievances or other proper purposes, by petition, remonstrance or address. Del., 117. -The right of the people to appeal to the courts, to petition government on all matters of legitimate cognizance and peaceably to assemble for the consideration of any matter of public concern shall never be impaired. Ga., 142. DIVORCES. ---Divorces from the bonds of matrimony shall not be granted, but in the cases by law provided for, and by suit in chancery, but decrees in chancery for divorce shall be final, unless appealed from, in the manner prescribed by law, within three months from the date of the enrollment thereof. Ala., 77. --The General Assembly shall not have power to pass any bill of divorce, but may prescribe by law the manner in which such cases may be investigated in the courts of justice, and divorces granted. Ark., 87. -No divorce shall be granted by the Legislature. Cal., 99; Iowa, 186; Mich., 303; Min., 323; N. J., 415; Tex., 516. -Divorces from the bonds of matrimony shall not be allowed but by the judgment of a court, as shall be prescribed by law. Fl., 140. -The Superior Court shall have exclusive jurisdiction in all cases of divorce, both total and partial; but no total divorce shall be granted except on the concurrent verdicts of two special juries. In each divorce case, the court shall regulate the rights and disabilities of the parties. Ga., 148. -The General Assembly shall have no power to grant divorces, but may authorize the courts of justice to grant them for such causes as may be specified by law; Provided, That such laws be general and uniform in their operation. Ill., 154. -All power to grant divorces is vested in the District Courts, subject to regulation by law. Kan., 200. --The General Assembly have no power to grant divorces, to change the names of individuals, or direct the sales of estates belonging to infants, or other persons laboring under legal disabilities, by special legislation; but by general laws shall confer such powers on the courts of justice. Ky., 212. --The Legislature may enact general laws regulating the adoption of children, emancipation of minors, changing of names, and the granting of divorces; but no special laws shall be enacted relating to particular or individual cases. La., 234. -All causes of marriage, divorce and alimony, and all appeals from the Judges of Probate, shall be heard and determined by the Governor and Council until the Legislature shall, by law, make other provision. Mass., 290. 1 § 11. The people of this State, in their right of sovereignty, are deemed to 2 possess the original and ultimate property in and to all lands within the juris3 diction of the State; and all lands the title to which shall fail, from a defect 4 of heirs, shall revert or escheat to the people. 1 S 12. All feudal tenures of every description, with all their incidents, are 2 declared to be abolished, saving, however, all rents and services certain which 3 at any time heretofore have been lawfully created or reserved. 1 $ 13. All lands within this State are declared to be allodial, so that, subjece 2 only to the liability to escheat, the entire and absolute property is vested in 3 the owners, according to the nature of their respective estates. 1 S 14. No lease or grant of agricultural land, for a longer period than twelve 2 years, hereafter made, in which shall be reserved any rent or service of any 3 kind, shall be valid. -Divorces from the bonds of matrimony shall not be -The Legislature shall never authorize any lottery, -The General Assembly shall have power to pass general laws regulating divorce and alimony, but shall not have power to grant a divorce or secure alimony in any indivi lual case. N. C., 428. -The General Assembly shall grant no divorce, nor exercise any judicial power, not herein expressly conferred. Ohio, 435. -The Legislature shall not have power to enact laws annulling the contract of marriage in any case where by law, the courts of this Commonwealth are, or hereafter may be, empowered to decree a divorce. Pa., 462. The Legislature shall have no power to grant divorces, but may authorize the courts of justice to grant them for such causes as may be specified by law; Provided, That such laws be general and uniform throughout the State. Tenn., 499. --The General Assembly shall confer on the courts the power to grant divorces, change the names of persons, and direct the sale of estates belonging to infants and other persons under legal disabilities, but shall not, by special legislation, grant relief in such cases, or in any other case of which the courts or other tribunals may have jurisdiction. Va., 539. LOTTERIES. [Lotteries forbidden in Constitution of 1821, and sale of tickets forbidden except of lotteries provided by laws then existing]. p. 43; R. I., 476; (forbidden) Ill., 154; Va., 538; W. Va., 557; Ark., 73; Cal., 99; Ind., 181; Iowa, 186; Kan., 206; Md., 263; Mich., 303; Min., 323; Mo., 354; Nev., 343; N. J., 415; Ohio, 443; Tenn., 499; Tex., 576. -Lotteries and the sale of lottery tickets for any -The Legislature shall have the power to license the PUBLIC LANDS - TENURE OF LANDS- [Limitation of leases of agricultural lands in Michigan to twelve years]. p. 314. [The Constitution of 1821 pledged the public lands as a perpetual fund, the interest of which was to be inviolably devoted to schools]. p. 42. -All the lands within this State are declared to be -All lands within the State are declared to be allo- 1 § 15. All fines, quarter sales, or other like restraints upon alienation, reserved 2 in any grant of land hereafter to be made, shall be void. -No entry by warrant on land in this State shall be hereafter made; and in all cases where an entry has been heretofore made and has been or shall be so perfected as to entitle the locator to a grant, the Legislature shall make provision by law for issuing the same. W. Va., 556. -The State shall have concurrent jurisdiction on all rivers and lakes bordering on this State, so far as such rivers or lakes shall form a common boundary to the State and any other State or Territory, now or hereafter to be formed and bounded by the same. And the river and the navigable waters leading into the same, shall be common highways, and forever free as well to the inhabitants of the State as to the citizens of the United States, without any tax, impost or duty therefor. Wis., 568; (nearly similar), Neb., 376. -No navigable stream in this State shall be either bridged or dammed without authority from the Board of Supervisors of the proper county, under the provisions of law. No such law shall prejudice the right of individuals to the free navigation of such streams, or preclude the State from the further improvement of the navigation of such stream. Miss., 314. [Pre-emption and other rights secured to certain classes]. Tenn., 492, 500. -In the event of the annexation of any foreign territory to this State, the General Assembly shall enact laws, extending to the inhabitants of the acquired territory all the rights and privileges which may be required by the terms of the acquisition; anything in this Constitution to the contrary notwithstanding. Ala., 78; Ark., 93. -That the General Assembly may at any time cede to the United States government a sufficient parcel or fraction of land for the purpose of coast defense and other national purposes. Fl., 138. -It shall be the duty of the General Assembly to -It shall be the duty of the General Assembly to -That the State of Texas hereby releases to the priated (appropriations) in any other manner by -All certificates for head-right claims to land, issued -The former owner of any tract of land in this PERPETUITIES-MONOPOLIES. -That perpetuities and monopolies are contrary to the genius of a republic, and shall not be allowed; [N. C., 422; Tenn., 491], nor shall any hereditary 1 § 16. No purchase or contract for the sale of lands in this State, made since 2 the fourteenth day of October, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five, 3 or which may hereafter be made, of, or with the Indians, shall be valid, unless 4 made under the authority and with the consent of the Legislature. 1 17. Such parts of the common law, and of the acts of the Legislature of 2 the colony of New York, as together did form the law of the said colony, on 3 the nineteenth day of April, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five, 4 and the resolutions of the Congress of the said colony, and of the Convention 5 of the State of New York, in force on the twentieth day of April, one thou6 sand seven hundred and seventy-seven,(1) which have not since expired, or been 7 repealed or altered, and such acts of the Legislature of this State as are now 8 in force, shall be and continue the law of this State, subject to such alterations 9 as the Legislature shall make concerning the same. But all such parts of the 10 common law, and such of the said acts or parts thereof as are repugnant to 11 this Constitution are hereby abrogated, (2) and the Legislature, at its first session emoluments, privileges or honors, ever be granted or -That no hereditary emoluments, privileges or honors, -That no title of nobility, or hereditary emolument, privilege, or distinction, can be granted. Mo., 348. -No law shall be passed granting to any citizen, or class of citizens, privileges or immunities which, upon the same terms, shall not equally belong to all citizens. Or., 448. -The rights of primogeniture shall not be re-established, and there shall not fail to be some legislative provision for the equitable distribution of the estates of intestates. S. Č., 488. -No perpetuities shall be allowed, except for eleemosynary purpose. Cal., 104; Ner., 392. -That the future Legislature of this State shall regulate entails, in such a manner as to prevent perpetuities, N. C., 426; Vt., 526. RIGHTS OF ALIENS. Cal., (1). N. Y., (1821) 43. -No distinction shall ever be made between citizens and aliens in reference to the purchase, enjoyment, or descent of property. Kan., 197; Neb., 371; Wis., 560. -Foreigners who are, or who may hereafter become bona fide residents of this State, shall enjoy the same rights in respect to the possession, enjoyment, and inheritance of property, as native born citizens. J7; Iowa, 184; Nev., 380; Mich., 314. -White foreigners, who are or may hereafter become residents of this State, shall enjoy the same rights in espect to the possession, enjoyment and descent of property as native-born citizens. And the Legislative Assembly shall have power to restrain and regulate the immigration to this State of persons not qualified to become citizens of the United States. Or., 448. CONTINUANCE OF LAWS AND GRANTS. (1). On this day the first Constitution went into operation. (2). Thus far in the Constitution of 1821, p. 43; substantially embraced in Constitution of 1777, 31. All laws which, on the first day of June, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-two, were in force in the State of Virginia, and which are of a general nature, and not local to that State, and not repugnant to this Constitution, nor to the laws which have been enacted by the General Assembly of this Commonwealth, shall be in force within this State, until they shall be altered or repealed by the General Assembly. -All laws and parts of laws in force in the Territory at the time of the acceptance of this Constitution by Congress, not inconsistent with this Constitution, shall continue and remain in full force until they expire or shall be repealed. Kan., 201; Wis., 571. -All laws now in force in this State, and not repugnant to this Constitution, shall remain and be in force, until altered or repealed by the Legislature or shall expire by their own limitation. Me., 249; Tenn., 419. -All statute laws of this State now in force, not inconsistent with this Constitution, shall continue in force until they shall expire by their own limitation, or be amended or repealed by the General Assembly; and all writs, prosecutions, actions, and causes of action, except as herein or otherwise provided, shall continue; and all indictments which shall have been found, or may hereafter be found, for any crime or offense committed before this Constitution takes effect, may be proceeded upon as if no change had taken place, except as hereinafter specified. Mo., 362. -All laws in force in the Territory of Oregon when the Constitution takes effect, and consistent therewith shall continue in force until altered or repealed. Or., 460. -All the laws of this State existing at the time of making this Constitution, and not inconsistent with it, shall remain in force, unless they shall be altered by future laws; and all actions and prosecutions now pending shall proceed as if this Constitution had not been made. Del., 125. 12 after the adoption of this Constitution, shall appoint three Commissioners, 13 whose duty it shall be to reduce into a written and systematic code the whole 14 body of the law of this State, or so much and such parts thereof as to the said 15 Commissioners shall seem practicable and expedient. And the said Commis16 sioners shall specify such alterations and amendments therein as they shall deem 17 proper, and they shall at all times make reports of their proceedings to the 18 Legislature, when called upon to do so; and the Legislature shall pass laws 19 regulating the tenure of office, the filling of vacancies therein, and the com20 pensation of the said Commissioners, and shall also provide for the publication 21 of the said code, prior to its being presented to the Legislature for adoption. -All fines, penalties, forfeitures, obligations and ---The General Assembly may grant aid to said dis- -All the laws, which have heretofore been adopted, -All laws which have heretofore been adopted, used and approved in the province, colony or State, and usually practiced on in the courts of law, shall remain and be in full force until altered and repealed by the Legislature, such parts thereof only excepted, as are repugnant to the rights and liberties contained in this Constitution; Provided, That nothing herein contained, when compared with the twenty-third article in the bill of rights, shall be construed to affect the laws already made respecting the persons or estates of absentees. N. H., 410. -All laws of this State, in force on the first day of September, one thousand eight hundred and fifty-one, and not inconsistent with this Constitution, shall continue in force until amended or repealed. Ohio, 444. -Nothing contained in this Constitution shall impair the validity of any debts or contracts, or affect any rights of property, or any suits, actions, rights of action, or other proceedings in courts of justice. Tenn., 499. -The common laws and statute laws now in force not repugnant to this Constitution, shall remain in force until they expire of their own limitation, or be altered or repealed by the Legislature; and all writs, actions, causes of action, prosecution, contracts, claims, and rights of individuals and of bodies corporate, and of the State, and all charters of incorpora tion, shall contiuue, and all indictments which shall have been found, or which may hereafter be found, for any crime or offense committed before the adoption of this Constitution, may be proceeded upon as if no change had taken place. The several courts of law and equity, except as herein otherwise provided, shall continue with the like powers and jurisdiction as if this Constitution had not been adopted. N. J., 420. --Such parts of the common law as are now in force -The compact with the State of Virginia, subject to -The laws, public records and the judicial and legis- REVISION OF THE LAWS. —At its first session, after the adoption of this Constitution, the General Assembly shall appoint_not more than three persons, learned in the law, whose duty it shall be to revise and arrange the statute laws of this Commonwealth, both civil and criminal, so as to have but one law on any one subject; and, also, three other persons, learned in the law, whose duty it shall be to prepare a code of practice for the courts, both civil and criminal, in this Commonwealth, by abridging and simplifying the rules of practice and laws in relation thereto; all of whom shall, at as early a day as practicable, report the result of their labors to the General Assembly, for their adoption or modification. Ky., 221. -No general revision of the laws shall hereafter be made. When a reprint thereof becomes necessary! the Legislature, in joint convention, shall appoint a suitable person to collect together such acts and parts of acts as are in force, and without alteration, arrange them under appropriate heads and titles. The laws so arranged shall be submitted to two commissioners |