30. No new county shall contain less than four hundred square miles of territory, nor shall any county be reduced below that amount; and all laws creating new counties, changing county lines, or removing county seats, shall, before taking effect, be submitted to the electors of the several counties to be affected thereby, at the next general election after the passage thereof, and be adopted by a majority of all the electors voting at such election, in each of said counties; but any county now or hereafter containing one hundred thousand inhabitants, may be divided, whenever a majority of the voters, residing in each of the proposed divisions, shall approve of the law passed for that purpose; but, no town or city within the same, shall be divided, nor shall either of the divisions contain less than twenty thousand inhabitants.

31. The members and officers of the general assembly shall receive a fixed compensation, to be prescribed by law, and no other allowance or perquisites, either in the payment of postage or otherwise; and no change in their compensation shall take effect during their term of office.

32. The general assembly shall grant no divorce, nor exercise any judicial power, not herein expressly conferred.

ARTICLE III.-Executive.

21. The executive department shall consist of a governor, lieutenant-governor, secretary of state, auditor, treasurer, and an attorney-general, who shall be chosen by the electors of the state, on the second Tuesday of October, and at the places of voting for members of the general assembly.

2. The governor, lieutenant-governor, secretary of state, treasurer, and attorneygeneral shall hold their offices for two years; and the auditor for four years. Their terms of office shall commence on the second Monday of January next after their election, and continue until their successors are elected and qualified.

3. The returns of every election for the officers named in the foregoing section, shall be sealed up and transmitted to the seat of government, by the returning officers, directed to the president of the senate, who, during the first week of the session, shall open and publish them, and declare the result, in the presence of a majority of the members of each house of the general assembly. The person having the highest number of votes shall be declared duly elected; but if any two or more shall be highest, and equal in votes, for the same office, one of them shall be chosen by the joint vote of both houses.

4. Should there be no session of the general assembly in January next after an election for any of the officers aforesaid, the returns of such election shall be made to the secretary of state, and opened, and the result declared by the governor, in such manner as may be provided by law.

5. The supreme executive power of this state shall be vested in the governor.

6. He may require information, in writing, from the officers in the executive de partment, upon any subject relating to the duties of their respective offices; and shall see that the laws are faithfully executed.

7. He shall communicate at every session, by message, to the general assembly, the condition of the state, and recommend such measures as he shall deem expedient. 8. He may, on extraordinary occasions, convene the general assembly by proclamation, and shall state to both houses, when assembled, the purpose for which they have been convened.

9. In case of disagreement between the two houses, in respect to the time of adjournment, he shall have power to adjourn the general assembly to such time as he may think proper, but not beyond the regular meetings thereof.

10. He shall be commander-in-chief of the military and naval forces of the state, except when they shall be called into the service of the United States.

11. He shall have power, after conviction, to grant reprieves, commutations, and pardons, for all crimes and offences, except treason and cases of impeachment, upon such conditions as he may think proper; subject, however, to such regulations, as to the manner of applying for pardons, as may be prescribed by law. Upon conviction for treason, he may suspend the execution of the sentence, and report the case to the general assembly, at its next meeting, when the general assembly shall either pardon, commute the sentence, direct its execution, or grant a further reprieve. He shall communicate to the general assembly, at every regular session, each case of reprieve, commutation, or pardon granted, stating the name and crime of the convict, the sentence, its date, and the date of the commutation, pardon, or reprieve, with his reasons therefor.

12. There shall be a seal of the state, which shall be kept by the governor, and used by him officially; and shall be called "The Great Seal of the State of Ohio." 13. All grants and commissions shall be issued in the name, and by the authority,

of the state of Ohio; sealed with the Great Seal; signed by the governor, and countersigned by the secretary of state.

14. No member of congress, or other person holding office under the authority of this state, or of the United States, shall execute the office of governor, except as herein provided.

15. In case of the death, impeachment, resignation, removal, or other disability of the governor, the powers and duties of the office, for the residue of the term, or until he shall be acquitted, or the disability removed, shall devolve upon the lieutenantgovernor.

16. The lieutenant-governor shall be president of the senate, but shall vote only when the senate is equally divided; and in case of his absence, or impeachment, or when he shall exercise the office of governor, the senate shall choose a president pro tempore.

17. If the lieutenant-governor, while executing the office of governor, shall be impeached, displaced, resign or die, or otherwise become incapable of performing the duties of the office, the president of the senate shall act as governor, until the vacancy is filled, or the disability removed; and if the president of the senate, for any of the above causes, shall be rendered incapable of performing the duties pertaining to the office of governor, the same shall devolve upon the speaker of the house of representatives.

18. Should the office of auditor, treasurer, secretary, or attorney-general, become vacant, for any of the causes specified in the fifteenth section of this article, the governor shall fill the vacancy until the disability is removed, or a successor elected and qualified. Every such vacancy shall be filled by election, at the first general election that occurs more than thirty days after it shall have happened; and the person chosen shall hold the office for the full term fixed in the second section of this article.

19. 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.

20. The officers of the executive department, and of the public state institutions, shall, at least five days preceding each regular session of the general assembly, severally report to the governor, who shall transmit such reports, with his message, to the general assembly.

ARTICLE IV.-Judicial.

21. The judicial power of the state shall be vested in a supreme court, in district courts, courts of common pleas, courts of probate, justices of the peace, and in such other courts, inferior to the supreme court, in one or more counties, as the general assembly may from time to time establish.

2. The supreme court shall consist of five judges, a majority of whom shall be necessary to form a quorum, or to pronounce a decision. It shall have original. jurisdiction in quo warranto, mandamus, habeas corpus, and procedendo, and such appellate jurisdiction as may be provided by law. It shall hold at least one term in each year, at the seat of government, and such other terms, at the seat of government, or elsewhere, as may be provided by law. The judges of the supreme court shall be elected, by the electors of the state at large.

3. The state shall be divided into nine common pleas districts, of which the county of Hamilton shall constitute one, of compact territory, and bounded by county lines; and each of said districts, consisting of three or more counties, shall be subdivided into three parts, of compact territory, bounded by county lines, and as nearly equal in population as practicable; in each of which, one judge of the court of common pleas for the said district, and residing therein, shall be elected by the electors of said subdivision. Courts of common pleas shall be held by one or more of these judges, in every county in the district, as often as may be provided by law; and more than one court, or sitting thereof, may be held at the same time in each district. 4. The jurisdiction of the courts of common pleas, and of the judges thereof, shall be fixed by law.

5. District courts shall be composed of the judges of the courts of common pleas of the respective districts, and one of the judges of the supreme court, any three of whom shall be a quorum, and shall be held in each county therein, at least once in each year; but, if it shall be found inexpedient to hold such court annually, in each county, of any district, the general assembly may, for such district, provide that said court shall hold at least three annual sessions therein, in not less than three places: Provided, that the general assembly may, by law, authorize the judges of each district to fix the times of holding the courts therein.

6. The district court shall have like original jurisdiction with the supreme court, and such appellate jurisdiction as may be provided by law.

7. There shall be established in each county, a probate court, which shall be a court of record, open at all times, and holden by one judge, elected by the voters of the county, who shall hold his office for the term of three years, and shall receive such compensation, payable out of the county treasury, or by fees, or both, as shall be provided by law.

8. The probate court shall have jurisdiction in probate and testamentary matters, the appointment of administrators and guardians, the settlement of the accounts of executors, administrators, and guardians, and such jurisdiction in habeas corpus, the issuing of marriage licenses, and for the sale of land by executors, adminis trators, and guardians, and such other jurisdiction, in any county, or counties, as may be provided by law.

9. A competent number of justices of the peace shall be elected, by the electors, in each township in the several counties. Their term of office shall be three years, and their powers and duties shall be regulated by law.

10. All judges, other than those provided for in this constitution, shall be elected by the electors of the judicial district for which they may be created, but not for a longer term of office than five years.

11. The judges of the supreme court shall, immediately after the first election under this constitution, be classified by lot, so that one shall hold for the term of one year, one for two years, one for three years, one for four years, and one for five years; and at all subsequent elections, the term of each of the said judges shall be for five years.

12. The judges of the courts of common pleas shall, while in office, reside in the district for which they are elected: and their term of office shall be for five years.

13. In case the office of any judge shall become vacant, before the expiration of the regular term for which he was elected, the vacancy shall be filled by appointment by the governor, until a successor is elected and qualified; and such successor shall be elected for the unexpired term, at the first annual election that occurs more than thirty days after the vacancy shall have happened.

14. The judges of the supreme court, and of the court of common pleas, shall, at stated times, receive, for their services, such compensation as may be provided by law, which shall not be diminished, or increased, during their term of office; but they shall receive no fees or perquisites, nor hold any other office of profit or trust, under the authority of this state, or the United States. All votes for either of them, for any elective office, except a judicial office, under the authority of this state, given by the general assembly, or the people, shall be void.

15. The general assembly may increase or diminish the number of the judges of the supreme court, the number of the districts of the court of common pleas, the number of judges in any district, change the districts, or the subdivisions thereof, or establish other courts, whenever two-thirds of the members elected to each house shall concur therein; but no such change, addition, or diminution, shall vacate the office of any judge.

16. There shall be elected in each county, by the electors thereof, one clerk of the court of common pleas, who shall hold his office for the term of three years, and until his successor shall be elected and qualified. He shall, by virtue of his office, be clerk of all other courts of record held therein; but the general assembly may provide, by law, for the election of a clerk, with a like term of office, for each or any other of the courts of record, and may authorize the judge of the probate court to perform the duties of clerk for his court, under such regulations as may be directed by law. Clerks of courts shall be removable for such cause, and in such manner, as shall be prescribed by law.

17. Judges may be removed from office, by concurrent resolution of both houses of the general assembly, if two-thirds of the members, elected to each house, concur therein; but no such removal shall be made, except upon complaint, the substance of which shall be entered on the journal, nor until the party charged shall have had notice thereof, and an opportunity to be heard.

18. The several judges of the supreme court, of the common pleas, and of such other courts as may be created, shall, respectively, have and exercise such power and jurisdiction, at chambers, or otherwise, as may be directed by law.

19. The general assembly may establish courts of conciliation, and prescribe their powers and duties; but such courts shall not render final judgment, in any case, except upon submission, by the parties, of the matter in dispute, and their agree ment to abide such judgment.

20. The style of all process shall be, "The State of Ohio;" all prosecutions shall be carried on, in the name, and by the authority, of the state of Ohio; and all indictments shall conclude, "against the peace and dignity of the state of Ohio."

ARTICLE V.-Elective Franchise.

21. Every white male citizen of the United States, of the age of twenty-one years, who shall have been a resident of the state one year next preceding the election, and of the county, township, or ward, in which he resides, such time as may be provided by law, shall have the qualifications of an elector, and be entitled to vote at all elections.

2. All elections shall be by ballot.

3. Electors, during their attendance at elections, and in going to, and returning therefrom, shall be privileged from arrest, in all cases, except treason, felony, and breach of the peace.

4. The general assembly shall have power to exclude from the privilege of voting, or of being eligible to office, any person convicted of bribery, perjury, or otherwise infamous crime.

5. No person in the military, naval, or marine service of the United States, shall, by being stationed in any garrison, or military or naval station, within the state, be considered a resident of this state.

6. No idiot, or insane person, shall be entitled to the privileges of an elector.

ARTICLE VI.-Education.

21. The principal of all funds, arising from the sale, or other disposition of lands, or other property, granted or intrusted to this state for educational and religious purposes, shall for ever be preserved inviolate, and undiminished: and the income arising therefrom, shall be faithfully applied to the specific objects of the original grants, or appropriations.

2. The general assembly shall make such provisions, by taxation, or otherwise, as, with the income arising from the school trust fund will secure a thorough and efficient system of common schools throughout the state; but no religious or other sect, or sects, shall ever have any exclusive right to, or control of, any part of the school funds of this state.

ARTICLE VII.-Public Institutions.

21. Institutions for the benefit of the insane, blind, and deaf and dumb, shall always be fostered and supported by the state; and be subject to such regulations as may be prescribed by the general assembly.

2. The directors of the penitentiary shall be appointed or elected in such manner as the general assembly may direct; and the trustees of the benevolent, and other state institutions, now elected by the general assembly, and of such other state institutions as may be hereafter created, shall be appointed by the governor, by and with the advice and consent of the senate; and upon all nominations made by the governor, the question shall be taken by yeas and nays and entered upon the journals of the senate.

3. The governor shall have power to fill all vacancies that may occur in the offices aforesaid, until the next session of the general assembly, and until a successor to his appointee shall be confirmed and qualified.

ARTICLE VIII.-Public Debt and Public Works.

1. The state may contract debts, to supply casual deficits or failures in revenues, or to meet expenses not otherwise provided for; but the aggregate amount of such debts, direct and contingent, whether contracted by virtue of one or more acts of the general assembly, or at different periods of time, shall never exceed seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars; and the money, arising from the creation of such debts, shall be applied to the purpose for which it was obtained, or to repay the debts so contracted, and to no other purpose whatever.

2. In addition to the above limited power, the state may contract debts to repel invasion, suppress insurrection, defend the state in war, or to redeem the present outstanding indebtedness of the state: but the money, arising from the contracting of such debts, shall be applied to the purpose for which it was raised, or to repay such debts, and to no other purpose whatever; and all debts, incurred to redeem the present outstanding indebtedness of the state, shall be so contracted as to be payable by the sinking fund, hereinafter provided for, as the same shall accumulate.

3. Except the debts above specified in sections one and two of this article, no debt whatever shall hereafter be created by, or on behalf of the state.

4. The credit of the state shall not, in any manner, be given or loaned to, or in aid of, any individual association or corporation whatever; nor shall the state ever hereafter become a joint owner, or stockholder, in any company or association, in this state, or elsewhere, formed for any purpose whatever.