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Fines, &c.

Recognizances, &c.

Lt. governor

ers and jurisdiction, both at law and in equity, as if this constitution had not been adopted, and until the organization of the judicial department under this constitution.

§ 3. That all fines, penalties, forfeitures and escheats accruing to the State of Michigan under the present constitution and laws, shall accrue to the use of the State under this constitution.

§ 4. That all recognizances, bonds, obligations, and all other instruments entered into or executed before the adoption of this constitution, to the people of the State of Michigan, to any State, county or township, or any public officer or public body, or which may be entered into or executed under existing laws, "to the people of the State of Michigan," to any such officer or public body, before the complete organization of the departments of government under this constitution, shall remain binding and valid; and rights and liabilities upon the same shall continue, and may be prosecuted as provided by law. And all crimes and misdemeanors and penal actions, shall be tried, punished and prosecuted, as though no change had taken place, until otherwise provided by law.

Governor & § 5. A Governor and Lieutenant Governor shall be chosen under the existing constitution and laws, to serve after the expiration of the term of the present incumbent.

Officers to hold office.

§ 6. All officers, civil and military, now holding any office or appointment, shall continue to hold their respective offices, unless removed by competent authority, until superceded under the laws now in force, or under this constitution.

Senators &] § 7. The members of the Senate and House of Representatives of

representa

office.

tives to hold the Legislature of one thousand eight hundred and fifty-one, shall continue in office under the provisions of law, until superceded by their successors elected and qualified under this constitution.

County offi

office.

§ 8. All county officers, unless removed by competent authority, cers to hold shall continue to hold their respective offices until the first day of January, in the year one thousand eight hundred and fifty-three. The laws now in force as to the election, qualification and duties of township officers, shall continue in force until the Legislature shall, in conformity to the provisions of this constitution, provide for the holding of elections to fill such offices, and prescribe the duties of such officers respectively.

Term.

9. On the first day of January, in the year one thousand eight

hundred and fifty-two, the terms of office of the judges of the supreme court under existing laws, and of the judges of the county courts, and of the clerks of the supreme court, shall expire on the said day.

&c.

§ 10. On the first day of January, in the year one thousand eight Jurisdiction, hundred and fifty-two, the jurisdiction of all suits and proceedings then pending in the present supreme courts, shall become vested in the supreme court established by this constitution, and shall be finally adjudicated by the court where the same may be pending. The jurisdiction of all suits and proceedings at law and equity, then pending in the circuit courts and county courts for the several counties, shall become vested in the circuit court of the said counties, and district court for the upper peninsula.

justices'

courts to ex.

ercise juris

§ 11. The probate courts, the courts of justices of the peace and the Probate and police court authorized by an act entitled "An act to establish a police court in the city of Detroit," approved April second, one thousand diction. eight hundred and fifty, shall continue to exercise the jurisdiction and powers now conferred upon them respectively, until otherwise provided by law.

§ 12. The office of State Printer shall be vested in the present in- State printer cumbent until the expiration of the term for which he was elected under the law then in force; and all the provisions of the said law relating to his duties, rights, privileges and compensation, shall remain unimpaired and inviolate until the expiration of his said term of office.

islature of

§ 13. It shall be the duty of the Legislature, at their first session, Duty of leg to adapt the present laws to the provisions of this constitution, as far 1851 as may be.

torney Genl.

§ 14. The Attorney General of the State is required to prepare Duty of Atand report to the Legislature, at the commencement of the next session, such changes and modifications in existing laws as may be deemed necessary to adapt the same to this constitution, and as may be best calculated to carry into effect its provisions; and he shall receive no additional compensation therefor.

&c.

§ 15. Any territory attached to any county for judicial purposes, if Territory, not otherwise represented, shall be considered as forming part of such county, so far as regards elections for the purpose of representation.

to be submit

§ 16. This constitution shall be submitted to the people for their Constitution adoption or rejection, at the general election to be held on the first ed to people.

Qualificat'n

Tuesday of November, one thousand eight hundred and fifty; and there shall also be submitted for adoption or rejection, at the same time, the separate resolution in relation to the elective franchise; and it shall be the duty of the Secretary of State, and all other officers required to give or publish any notice in regard to the said general election, to give notice, as provided by law in case of an election of Governor, that this constitution has been duly submitted to the electors at said election. Every newspaper within this State publishing in the month of September next, this constitution as submitted, shall receive as compensation therefor, the sum of twenty-five dollars, to be paid as the Legislature shall direct.

§ 17. Any person entitled to vote for members of the Legislature, of electors. by the constitution and laws now in force, shall, at the said election, be entitled to vote for the adoption or rejection of this constitution, and for or against the resolution separately submitted, at the places and in the manner provided by law for the election of members of the Legislature.

Ballot box.

Canvass.

§ 18. At the said general election, a ballot box shall be kept by the several boards of inspectors thereof, for receiving the votes cast for or against the adoption of this constitution; and on the ballots shall be written or printed, or partly written and partly printed, the words "Adoption of the constitution-yes;" or "Adoption of the constitution-no."

§ 19. The canvass of the votes cast for the adoption or rejection of this constitution, and the provision in relation to the elective franchise separately submitted, and the returns thereof, shall be made by the proper canvassing officers, in the same manner as now provided by law for the canvass and return of the votes cast at an election for Governor, as near as may be, and the return thereof shall be directed to the Secretary of State. On the sixteenth day of December next, or within five days thereafter, the Auditor General, State Treasurer and Secretary of State shall meet at the capitol, and proceed, in presence of the Governor, to examine and canvass the returns of the said votes, and proclamation shall forthwith be made by the Governor of the result thereof. If it shall appear that a majority of the votes cast upon the question have thereon "Adoption of the constitution-yes," this constitution shall be the supreme law of the State from and after the first day of January, one thousand eight

hundred fifty-one, except as is herein otherwise provided; but if a majority of the votes cast upon the question have thereon "Adoption of the constitution-no," the same shall be null and void. And in case of the adoption of this constitution, said officers shall immediately, or as soon thereafter as practicable, proceed to open the statements of votes returned from the several counties for judges of the supreme court and State officers under the act entitled "An act to amend the revised statutes and to provide for the election of certain officers by the people in pursuance to an amendment of the constitution, approved February sixteenth, one thousand eight hundred and fifty," and shall ascertain, determine and certify the results of the election for said officers under said acts, in the same manner, as near as may be, as is now provided by law in regard to the election of Representatives in Congress. And the several judges and officers so ascertained to have been elected, may be qualified and enter upon the duties of their respective offices on the first Monday of January next, or as soon thereafter as practicable.

§ 20. The salaries or compensation of all persons holding office salaries. under the present constitution shall continue to be the same as now provided by law, until superseded by their successors elected or appointed under this constitution; and it shall not be lawful hereafter for the Legislature to increase or diminish the compensation of any officer during the term for which he is elected or appointed.

paid.

Representa

§ 21. The Legislature, at their first session, shall provide for the Expendi payment of all expenditures of the convention to revise the consti- tures of contution and of the publication of the same as is provided in this article. § 22. Every county, except Mackinaw and Chippewa, entitled to a representative in the Legislature, at the time of the adoption of this tive districts constitution, shall continue to be so entitled under this constitution; and the county of Saginaw, with the territory that may be attached, shall be entitled to one representative; the county of Tuscola, and the territory that may be attached, one representative; the county of Sanilac, and the territory that may be attached, one representative; the counties of Midland and Aronac, with the territory that may be attached, one representative; the county of Montcalm, with the territory that may be attached thereto, one representative; and the counties of Newaygo and Oceana, with the territory that may be attached thereto, one representative. Each county having a ratio of

Cases pend

cery.

representation and a fraction over, equal to a moiety of said ratio, shall be entitled to two representatives, and so on above that number, giving one additional member for each additional ratio.

§ 23. The cases pending and undisposed of in the late court of ing in chan- chancery at the time of the adoption of this constitution, shall continue to be heard and determined by the judges of the supreme court. But the Legislature shall, at its session in one thousand eight hnndred and fifty-one, provide by law, for the transfer of said causes that may remain undisposed of on the first day of January, one thousand eight hundred and fifty-two, to the supreme or circuit court established by this constitution, or require that the same may be heard and determined by the circuit judges.

Term of office of Gov. and Lt. Gov.

Upper Peninsula.

Dist. judge.

Legislature

§ 24. The term of office of the Governor and Lieutenant Governor shall commence on the first day of January next after their election. § 25. The territory described in the article entitled " Upper Peninsula," shall be attached to and constitute a part of the third circuit for the election of a Regent of the University.

§ 6. The Legislature shall have authority after the expiration of the term of office of the district judge first elected for the "Upper Peninsula," to abolish said office of district judge and district attorney, or either of them.

§ 27. The Legislature shall, at its session of one thousand eight of 1851; its hundred and fifty-one, apportion the Representatives among the several counties and districts, and divide the State into Senate districts, pursuant to the provisions of this constitution.

duties.

Terms of S.

§ 28. The terms of office of all State and county officers, of the and Co. offi- circuit judges, members of the board of education, and members of the Legislature, shall begin on the first day of January next succeeding their election.

cers.

State divid'd

§ 29. The State, exclusive of the Upper Peninsula, shall be diviinto 8 judi- ded into eight judicial circuits, and the counties of Monroe, Lenawee cial circuits. and Hillsdale shall constitute the first circuit; the counties of Branch, St. Joseph, Cass and Berrien shall constitute the second circuit; the county of Wayne shall constitute the third circuit; the counties of Washtenaw, Jackson and Ingham shall constitute the fourth circuit; the counties of Calhoun, Kalamazoo, Allegan, Eaton and Van Buren shall constitute the fifth circuit; [the] counties of St. Clair, Macomb, Oakland and Sanilac shall constitute the sixth circuit; the counties of Lapeer, Genesee, Saginaw, Shiawassee, Livingston, Tuscola and Midland shall constitute the seventh circuit; and the counties of Barry, Kent, Ottawa, Ionia, Clinton and Montcalm shall constitute the eighth circuit.

Done in Convention, at the Capitol of the State, this fifteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty, and of the Independence of the United States the seventy-fifth.

D. GOODWIN, President.

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