governor be chosen by the people, the grand committee shall elect one of the highest two candidates, unless such a result is produced by rejecting the entire vote of a town, city, or ward, for informality or illegality, in which case a new election shall be ordered. If no lieutenant-governor be chosen, one of the highest two candidates shall be elected by the grand committee. No veto is granted to the governor by the constitution. The governor and lieutenant are annually chosen on the first Wednesday in April. The governor may grant reprieves, except in cases of impeachment. If the office of governor be vacant, the lieutenant-governor, and after him the president of the senate, shall act as governor. There are two sessions of the general assembly, every year; one at Newport, on the first Tuesday of May; the other on the last Monday of October, once in two years, at South Kingstown, and the intermediate years, alternately, at Bristol and East Greenwich; and this second session adjourns, every year, to Providence. The members are allowed one dollar per diem, and eight cents per mile for travel. The general assembly cannot authorize any new lottery; they cannot incur state debts exceeding $50,000, except in time of war, insurrection, or invasion; or pledge the faith of the state for the obligations of others without the express consent of the people; they cannot appropriate public money to local or private purposes, without a vote of two-thirds of the members elected; neither can they create "a corporation for any other than for religious, literary, or charitable purposes, or for a military or fire company," until after another election of members, and such public notice as may be required by law. In all elections of state officers by the people, a majority of votes is necessary to a choice. The judges of the supreme court (on which alone chancery powers may be conferred) shall be elected by the grand committee, shall receive a fixed compensation, and shall hold office until the office is declared vacant by a majority the members chosen to each House. Wardens, or justices of the peace, are elected in towns by the people. Slavery is not permitted in the state. Imprisonment for debt is allowed only on "strong presumption of fraud." In libel cases, "the truth, unless published from malicious motives, shall be sufficient defence." Every elector for an office is qualified to hold that office. A majority of the members elected to each House may propose amendments to the constitution, which shall be published in the newspapers; and printed copies, with the names of all the members who voted on them, shall be sent to every town and city clerk, who shall insert them in the warrants for, and read them at, the next annual town-meeting. If they be approved by a majority of those afterwards elected to each House, they shall again be published; and, if afterwards sanctioned by two thirds of the votes cast by the people, shall be adopted. GOVERNMENT For the year ending 1st Tuesday in May, 1848. of Coventry, Governor, ELISHA HARRIS, Salary. $400 Edward W. Lawton, Henry Barnard, Dr. of Newport, of Newport, Lieutenant-Governor, Salary. Secretary of State, $750 and fees. 500 Fees. Attorney-General, of Providence, of Providence, Speaker of the House. JUDICIARY. Supreme Court. of Warren, of Providence, Chief Justice, Levi Haile, The Court of Common Pleas in each of the five counties consists of a justice of the Supreme Court, who sits as chief justice, and two associate justices, who are elected for each county. FINANCES. When the state first received the deposit fund or surplus revenue from the United States, they invested it for schools. For the state prison and the Dorr war the state has since used $152,719.21 of it, and this is sometimes spoken of as a debt. There is also a claim of about $40,000 for some old Revolutionary certificates. There is no state debt, properly speaking. Banks in Rhode Island in May, 1847. $10,852,052.00 Debts due from directors, 1,351,718.16 689,710.44 $16,337,146.60 Entries and $650 do. 550 do. 550 do. 550 do. do. Total discounts, Specie actually in banks, Cr. $670,542.06 554,666.73 13,333,654.92 $14,558,863.71 305,735.02 342,461.33 563,142.56 48,028.91 221,130.43 221,558.71 76,225.93 Deposits in other banks, Stocks, Real estate, Furniture, and other property, $16,337,146.60 Public Schools.-The state has a school fund, invested in bank stock, of $51,300. By an act passed 1836, the interest of this state's part of the United States surplus revenue (commonly called the Deposit Fund) was set apart for public schools. $25,000 is annually paid from the state treasury for schools; and each town, in 1846, according to the requisitions of the revised school law, voted to raise by tax one-third as much as they receive from the state, and many of the towns raise a much larger sum. The amount expended for schools in 1844 (exclusive of academies and private schools) was over $54,000. For several years past, great exertions have been made in all parts of the state in improving the schools, and a very large sum has been expended in erecting district school-houses, and repairing old ones. Providence Athenæum. - The charter of this institution was granted in January, 1836; and in September, 1846, its library contained 13,002 volumes. Of this number, 12,200 have been purchased, and 802 given. The total outlay has been $19,036.62; making the average cost per volume, $1.56. 817 volumes were added in the year ending September, 1846, of which 783 were purchased at a cost of $1,485.01, or 1.89 per volume. The number of volumes in the public libraries of Providence is $43,200. French books, Total, Library of Brown University. — The library contained, in September, 1846, (exclusive of odd volumes and pamphlets unbound), 19,317 volumes. Of this number, 401 were purchased at home during the year; and 5,609 volumes were obtained, with great economy and judgment, by Professor Jewett, in Europe. The following table, exhibiting the price of the foreign books, is abridged from the Report of the library committee, submitted in Sept. 1846: 16 25 145 State Prison (Dr. Thomas Cleveland, Warden). The number of convicts in the state prison in October, 1846, was 20, of whom 17 were natives of Rhode Island, 4 of other states, and 2 of Ireland; 9 were received, 3 discharged, 2 were set free by the general assembly, and 1 escaped. 3 were committed for murder; 4 for manslaughter; 2 for burglary; 6 for shopbreaking; 2 for felonious assaults; 2 for counterfeiting; and 1 for perjury. VI. CONNECTICUT. The territory of Connecticut originally comprised two colonies, the Colony of Connecticut, and the Colony of New Haven. The settlement of Hartford, in the colony of Connecticut, was commenced by emigrants from Massachusetts, in 1635; and that of New Haven, in 1638, by emigrants from England. In 1662, a charter was granted by Charles II., with ample privileges, uniting the colonies of Connecticut and New Haven, under one government; but the colony of New Haven refused, for some time, to accept the charter, and the union did not take place till 1665. The charter was suspended, in 1687, by Sir Edmund Andros; but it was restored again after the Revolution of 1688 in England; and it formed the basis of the government till 1818. GOVERNORS. Edward Hopkins, 1640 Edward Hopkins, do. 1641 Thomas Wells, do. do. 1642 John Webster, do. do. 1645 John Winthrop, do. 1646 do. do. Connecticut. John Haynes, John Haynes,' John Haynes, John Haynes, John Haynes, John Haynes, John Winthrop, Robert Treat, Robert Treat, John Winthrop, Jonathan Trumbull, Oliver Wolcott, Gideon Tomlinson, do. do. do. * Elected annually to his death, in 1657. The Colonies united in 1665. do. do. do. do. do. 1647 New Haven. 1648 Theophilus Eaton,* elected do. 1650 William Leet, do. 1651 After the Revolution. elected 1776 | John S. Peters, do. do. do. do. do. do. do. do. 1696 Jonathan Trumbull,、 elected 1652 do. 1653 do. 1654 do. 1655 do. 1656 do. 1657 do. 1658 do. 1659 1796 Henry W. Edwards, 163 1658 1661 elected 1724 do. 1741 do. 1751 do. 1754 do. 1766 do .1769 elected 1831 do. 1833 1784 Henry W. Edwards, do. do. 1809 Chauncey F. Cleveland, do. 1811 Roger S. Baldwin, do. 1813 Isaac Toucey, do. 1817 Clark Bissell, do. 1827 1834 1835 1838 1842 1844 1846 1847 ABSTRACT OF THE CONSTITUTION. The charter granted in 1662, by Charles II., formed the basis of the government of Connecticut till 1818, when the present constitution was framed. Every white male citizen of the United States, 21 years old, who has gained a settlement in the state, has resided six months in his town, is possessed of a freehold of $7 yearly value, or has done military duty for one year, or has been excused therefrom, or has paid a state tax within the year, and who has a good moral character, may vote, on taking the oath. Every voter is eligible to any office, unless it be expressly excepted. Duelling forfeits the right of suffrage. Representatives, chosen by towns, on the first Monday of every April; and ṣenators (in number not less than 18, nor more than 28), chosen at the same time, by districts, and by a plurality of votes, or, in case of an even vote, selected from the highest candidates by the other House, constitute the general assembly, which meets alternately at Hartford and New Haven, on the first Monday of May. The governor must be a voter, and 30 years old, and is chosen annually by a majority of votes ; and, in case there be no choice, one of the two highest candidates is chosen by joint ballot of the assembly. He may grant reprieves, except in case of impeachment, but not pardons. He may veto a bill; but a majority of both Houses may pass it again in spite of his veto. A lieutenant-governor, secretary, treasurer, and comptroller, are chosen in the same way as the gov The judges of all the courts, and justices of the peace, are appointed by the assembly; the judges of the supreme and superior courts during good behavior, or until 70 years of age, removable by address of two-thirds of each House; and the others for one year, unless they reach 70 years of age before that time. Sheriffs are appointed for three years, by the assembly. In all libel cases, the truth may be given in evidence. When a majority of the House of Representatives propose amendments to the constitution, they shall be printed with the laws; and if two-thirds of each House, at the next session, approve them, they shall be submitted to the people, at a special town-meeting, and, if approved by a majority of votes cast, shall be adopted. ernor. GOVERNMENT For the year ending on the 1st Wednesday in May, 1848. Salary. $1,100 300 Governor, Comm'r of the School Fund, and Sup't of Schools, $1,250 and expenses. Pres. pro tem. of the Senate. Clerk of the House. |