organization and maintenance: Provided, That all departments of this institution of learning shall be open in common to all students capable of matriculating. No rules or regulations shall be made by the trustees, faculties, or other officers of said institution of learning, nor shall any laws be made by the general assembly violating the letter or spirit of the articles under this title.

ART. 143. Institutions for the support of the insane, the education and support of the blind and the deaf and dumb, shall always be fostered by the State, and be subject to such regulations as may be prescribed by the general assembly.

TITLE VIII.

MILITIA.

ART. 144. It shall be the duty of the general assembly to organize the militia of the State; and all able-bodied male citizens, between the ages of eighteen and fortyfive years, not disfranchised by the laws of the United States and of this State, shall be subject to military duty.

ART. 145. The governor shall appoint all commissioned officers, subject to confirmation or rejection by the senate, except the staff-officers, who shall be appointed by their respective chiefs, and commissioned by the governor. All militia officers shall take and subscribe to the oath prescribed for officers of the United States Army and the oath prescribed for officers in this State.

ART. 146. The governor shall have power to call the militia into active service for the preservation of law and order, or when the public safety may require it. The militia, when in active service, shall receive the same pay and allowances, as officers and privates, as is received by officers and privates in the United States Army.

TITLE IX.

MODE OF REVISING THE CONSTITUTION.

ART. 147 Any amendment or amendments to this constitution may be proposed in the senate or house of representatives, and if the same shall be agreed to by twothirds of the members elected to each house, such proposed amendment or amendments shall be entered on their respective journals, with the yeas and nays taken thereon; and the secretary of state shall cause the same to be published three months before the next general election for representatives to the general assembly, in at least one newspaper in every parish of the State in which a newspaper shall be published. And such proposed amendment or amendments shall be submitted to the people at said election; and if a majority of the voters at said election shall approve and ratify such amendment or amendments, the same shall become a part of this constitution. If more than one amendment shall be submitted at one time, they shall be submitted in such manner and form that the people may vote for or against each amendment separately.

TITLE X.

SCHEDULE.

ART. 148. The ordinance of secession of the State of Louisiana, passed 26th of January, 1861, is hereby declared to be null and void. The constitution adopted in 1864, and all previous constitutions in the State of Louisiana, are declared to be superseded by this constitution.

ART. 149. All rights, actions, prosecutions, claims, contracts, and all laws in force at the time of the adoption of this constitution, and not inconsistent therewith, shall continue as if it had not been adopted; all judgments and judicial sales, marriages, and executed contracts, made in good faith and in accordance with existing laws in this State, rendered, made, or entered into, between the 26th day. of January, 1861, and the date when this constitution shall be adopted, are hereby declared to be valid, except the following laws:

An act to authorize the widening of the new canal and basin, approved March 14, 1867.

An act to amend and re-enact the 121st section of an act entitled "An act relative to crimes and offences, approved December 20, 1865.

An act for the punishment of persons for tampering with, persuading, or enticing away, harboring, feeding, or secreting laborers, servants, or apprentices, approved December 21, 1865.

An act to punish, in certain cases, the employers of laborers and apprentices, approved December 21, 1865.

An act in relation to exemption from State, parish, and city taxes, for the years 1862, 1863, 1864, and 1865, in certain cases, certified March 16, 1866.

An act granting ferry privileges to C. K. Marshall, his heirs or assigns, approved March 10, 1866.

An act to authorize the board of levee commissioners, of the levee district in the parishes of Madison and Carroll, to issue bonds, &c., approved March 28, 1867. Section third of An act to organize the police of New Orleans, and to create a police-board therein, approved February 12, 1866.

ART. 150. The laws relative to the duties of officers shall remain in force, though contrary to this constitution, and the several duties be performed by the respective officers, until the organization of the government under this constitution.

ART. 151. The general assembly shall provide for the removal of causes now pending in the courts of this State to courts created by or under this constitution.

TITLE XI.

ORDINANCE.

ART. 152. Immediately upon the adjournment of this convention this constitution shall be submitted for ratification to the registered voters of the State, in conformity to the act of Congress passed March 2, 1867, entitled "An act to provide for the more efficient government of the rebel States," and the acts supplementary thereto.

ART. 153. The election for the ratification of the constitution shall be held on Friday and Saturday, the 17th and 18th days of April, 1868, at the places now prescribed by law; and the polls shall be kept open from 7 o'clock a. m. to 7 o'clock p. m. At that election all those in favor of ratifying the constitution shall have written or printed on their ballots "For the constitution;" and those opposed to ratifying the constitution shall have written or printed on their ballots "Against the constitution." ART. 154. In order to establish a civil government, as required by act of Congress passed March 23, 1867, an election shall be held, at the same time and place at which the constitution is submitted for ratification, for all State, judicial, parish, and municipal officers, for members of the general assembly, and for congressional Representatives, at which election the electors who are qualified under the reconstruction acts of Congress shall vote, and none others: Provided, That any elector shall be eligible to any office under any municipal corporation in this State."

ART. 155. At the election for the ratification of the constitution, and for officers of the civil government, as required by Congress, all registered electors may vote in any parish where they have resided for ten days next preceding said election, and at any precinct in the parish, upon presentation of their certificates of registration, affidavit, or other satisfactory evidence that they are entitled to vote as registered electors.

ART. 156. The same registrars and commissioners who shall be appointed by the commanding general of the fifth military district to superintend the election for the ratification or rejection of the constitution, shall also, at the same time and place, superintend the election for all officers and representatives herein ordered: Provided, They be authorized so to act by the commanding general. And in case the commanding general should not so authorize said registrars and commissioners, the committee of seven, appointed by this convention to take charge of the whole matter of the ratification of the constitution and the election of civil officers, shall appoint one registrar for each parish in the State, except the parish of Orleans, and one in each district of the parish of Orleans, counting Orleans, right bank, as one district, who shall, each in his parish or district, appoint a sufficient number of commissioners of

election to hold the said election for said civil officers and representatives at the same time and place as herein provided for.

ART. 157. Returns shall be made in duplicate, sworn to by the commissioners holding the election, and forwarded within three days thereafter, to the registrars of the parish or district. The registrars shall immediately forward one copy of said returns to the chairman of the committee of seven appointed by this convention, who shall, within ten days after the last return has been received, make proclamation of the result of said election.

ART. 158. All civil officers thus elected shall enter upon the discharge of their duties on the second Monday after the return of their election shall have been officially promulgated, or as soon as qualified according to law, and shall continue in office for the terms of their respective offices herein prescribed, said terms to date from the first Monday in November following the election.

ART. 159. The general assembly elected under this constitution shall hold its first session in the city of New Orleans on the third Monday after the official promulgation aforesaid, and proceed immediately upon its organization to vote upon the adoption of the fourteenth amendment to the Constitution of the United States, proposed by Congress, and passed June 13, 1866. Said general assembly shall not have power to enact any laws relative to the per diem of members, or any other subject, after organization, until said constitutional amendment shall have been acted upon.

ART. 160. All registrars and commissioners appointed under this constitution shall, before entering upon their duties, take and subscribe the oath of office prescribed by Congress, approved July second, eighteen hundred and sixty-two, entitled "An act to prescribe an oath of office;" the said oath of office shall be administered to each registrar by the chairman of the committee of seven and to each commissioner by the registrar appointing him.

ART. 161. All registrars, commissioners, and other officers, necessary to carry into effect the provisions of this ordinance, except as otherwise provided for by the reconstruction acts of Congress, shall be paid out of any funds raised by virtue of the tax ordinance adopted by the convention December twenty-fourth, eighteen hundred and sixty-seven, not otherwise appropriated.

JAMES G. TALIAFERRO, President.

WM. VIGERS, Secretary.

AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION OF 1868.

RATIFIED 1870.

TITLE II. ART. 17. Strike out the words "first Monday" and insert the words "first Tuesday after the first Monday."

TITLE VI. ART. 99. No person shall hold any office, or shall be permitted to vote at any election, or to act as a juror who, in due course of law, shall have been convicted of treason, perjury, forgery, bribery, or other crime, punishable by imprisonment in the penitentiary, or who shall have been under interdiction.

ART. That no person who, at any time, may have been a collector of taxes, whether State, parish, or municipal, or who may have been otherwise intrusted with public money, shall be eligible to the General Assembly, or to any office of profit or trust under the State government, until he shall have obtained a discharge for the amount of such collections, and for all public moneys with which he may have been intrusted.

ART.

-. That prior to the first day of January, 1890, the debt of the State shall not be so increased as to exceed twenty-five millions of dollars.

RATIFIED 1874.

ART. SEC. 1. The issue of consolidated bonds authorized by the General Assembly of the State, at its regular session in the year 1874, is hereby declared to create a valid contract between the State and each and every holder of said bonds, which the State shall by no means and in no wise impair. The said bonds shall be a valid obligation of the State in favor of any holder thereof, and no court shall enjoin the payment of the principal or interest thereof, or the levy and collection of the tax therefor; to secure such levy, collection, and payment the judicial power shall be exercised when necessary. The tax required for the payment of the principal and interest of said bonds shall be assessed and collected each and every year until the bonds shall be paid, principal and interest, and the proceeds shall be paid by the treasurer of the State to the holders of said bonds as the principal and interest of the same shall fall due, and no further legislation or appropriation shall be requisite for the said assessment and collection and for such payment from the treasury.

SEC. 2. Whenever the debt of the State shall have been reduced below twenty-five million dollars, the constitutional limit shall remain at the lowest point reached, beyond which the public debt shall not thereafter be increased; and this rule continue in operation until the debt is reduced to fifteen million dollars, beyond which it shall not be increased. Nor shall taxation for all State purposes, excepting the support of public schools, ever exceed twelve and a half mills on the dollar of the assessed valuation of the real and personal property in the State, except in case of war or invasion.

SEC. 3. The revenue of each year derived from taxation upon real, personal, and mixed property, or from licenses, shall be devoted solely to the expenses of the said year for which it shall be raised, excepting any surplus remain, which shall be directed to sinking the public debt. All appropriations and claims in excess of revenue shall be null and void, and the State shall in no manner provide for their payment.

ART. The city of New Orleans shall not hereafter increase her debt in any manner or form or under any pretext. After the first day of January, 1875, no evidence of indebtedness or warrant for payment of money shall be issued by any officer of said city, except against cash actually in the treasury; but this shall not be so construed as to prevent a renewal of matured bonds at par, or the issue of new bonds in exchange for other bonds, provided the city debt be not thereby increased, nor to prevent the issue of drainage warrants to the transferee of contract, under act No. 30, of 1871, payable only from drainage taxes, and not otherwise; any person violating the prohibitions [provisions] of this article shall, on conviction, be by imprisonment for not less two nor more than ten years, and by fine of not less than three dollars nor more than ten thousand dollars.

MAINE.

THE CHARTER OF ACADIA--1603.*

HENRY, par la grace de Dieu, Roi de France & de Navarre: A nos amés & féaux Conseillers les Officiers de notre Admirauté de Normandie, Bretagne, Picardie & Guienne, & à chacun d'eux en droit soi, & en l'étendue de leurs ressorts & jurisdictions; SALUT. Nous avons pour beaucoup d'importantes occasions, ordonné, commis & établi le sieur de Monts, Gentilhomme ordinaire de notre Chambre, notre Lieutenant général, pour peupler & habiter les terres, côtes & pays de l'Acadie, & autres circonvoisins, en l'étendue du quarantième degré jusqu'au quarante-sixième, & là établir notre autorité, & autrement s'y loger & assurer; en sorte que nos sujets desormais y puissent être reçûs, y hanter, résider & trafiquer avec les Sauvages habitans desdits lieux, comme plus expressément nous l'avons déclaré par nos lettres patentes, expédiées & délivrées pour cet effet audit sieur de Monts le huitième jour de novembre dernier, suivant les conditions & articles, moyennant lesquelles il s'est chargé de la conduite & exécution de cette entreprise. Pour faciliter laquelle, & à ceux qui s'y sont joints avec lui, & leur donner quelque moyen & commodité d'en supporter la dépense; Nous avons eu agréable de leur promettre & assurer qu'il ne seroit permis à aucuns autres nos sujets, qu'à ceux qui entreroient en association avec lui pour faire ladite dépense, de trafiquer de pelleterie & autres marchandises durant dix années, ès terres, pays, ports, rivières & avenues de l'étendue de sa charge; ce que nous voulons avoir lieu. Nous, pour ces causes & autres considérations à ce nous mouvans, vous mandons & ordonnons que vous ayez, chacun de vous en l'étendue de vos pouvoirs, jurisdictions & détroits, à faire de notre part, comme de notre pleine puissance & autorité Royale, nous faisons très-expresses inhibitions & défenses à tous marchands, maîtres & Capitaines de navires, matelots & autres nos sujets de quelque état, qualité & condition qu'ils soient, autres néanmoins & fors à ceux qui sont entrés en association avec ledit sieur de Monts pour ladite entreprise, selon les articles & conventions d'icelles, par nous arrêtés, ainsi que dit est; d'equiper aucuns vaisseaux, & en iceux aller ou envoyer faire trafic & troque de pelleterie, & autres choses avec les Sauvages, fréquenter, négocier & communiquer durant ledit temps de dix ans, depuis le cap de Raze, jusqu'au quarantième degré, comprenant toute la côte de l'Acadie, terre & Cap-Breton, baie de Saint-Cler, de Chaleur, isles percées, Gaspay, Chichedec, Mesamichi, Lesquemin, Tadoussac & la rivière de Canada, tant d'un côté que d'autre, & toutes les baies et rivières qui entrent au dedans desdites costes, à peine de desobéissance, & confiscation entière de leurs vaisseaux, vivres, armes & marchandises, au profit dudit sieur de Monts & de ses associés, & de trente mille livres d'amende. Pour l'assurance & acquit de laquelle, & de la cohertion & punition de leur desobéissance, vous permettrez, comme nous avons aussi permis & permettons, audit sieur de Monts & associés, de saisir, appréhender & arrêter tous les contrevenans à notre présente défense & ordonnance, & leurs vaisseaux, marchandises, armes & victuailles, pour les amener & remettre ès mains de la justice,

This charter, which was granted by Henry IV of France to Pierre du Gast, sieur de Monts, a Protestant member of his suite, embraced the whole of North America between the fortieth and fortysixth degrees of latitude. An expeditio.. fitted out under it visited Passamaquoddy Bay in 1604, and another explored the coast of Maine in 1605, entering the l'enobscot, Kennebec, and Saco Rivers. But in 1606 it was decided to make a permanent settlement at Port Royal, and no further attempt was made to plant colonies under this charter within the limits of the present State of Maine. The French in Canada, however, maintained friendly relations with the Penobscot Indians, and had several missionary and trading stations among them until Great Britain took possession of the country under the treaty of Paris of 1673.

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