CHAPTER PAGE 116. House Roll No. 519-An act making an appropriation for the relief of Mrs. Lucius Lawson... 453 117. House Roll No. 351-An act for the relief of Mrs. B. McKell..... 454 118. House Roll No. 4-An act for the relief of Rebecca Perkins..... 454 119. Senate File No. 256-An act to authorize, empower, and direct the board of county commissioners of Hitchcock county, Nebraska, to apply the sum of three thousand dollars of the fund known as the Culbertson irrigating and water power bonds of Culbertson precinct, of Hitchcock county, Nebraska, to the payment on the said bonds as they mature.. JOINT AND CONCURRENT RESOLUTIONS. 120. Senate File No. 22-A joint resolution providing for the appointment of a committee to investigate the accounts in the different executive offices of the state of Nebraska, and of the several state institutions under their control................ 121. Senate File No. 27-A joint resolution authorizing the governor of Nebraska to enter into and sign a compact with the governor of the state of South Dakota, as agreed upon by a commission appointed by said governors to fix the boundaries between said states at certain points.. 122. House Roll No. 435-Authorizing the Commissioner of Public Lands and Buildings to select and accept for the state of Nebraska certain tracts of land in Ft. Randall military reservation as school land...... 455 457 458 ... 459 123. House Roll No. 611-A concurrent resolution authorizing the governor to appoint a committee of three to confer with like committees from Texas, Kansas, and Oklahoma on north and South railway... 124. Senate File No. 1-Joint resolution on elevator trusts...... "Senate Resolution No. 13-A concurrent resolution relating to international arbitration.... of 126, Senate File No. 2-A joint resolution of the senate and House representatives of the state of Nebraska instructing Hon. John M. Thurston to support all measures favoring the free coinage of silver.... 460 461 462 463 CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF NEBRASKA. IN FORCE NOVEMBER 1, 1875. PREAMBLE. We, the people, grateful to Almighty God for our Preamble. freedom, do ordain and establish the following declaration of rights and frame of government as the constitution of the state of Nebraska: ARTICLE I.-BILL OF RIGHTS. Rights of SECTION 1. All persons are by nature free and independent, and have certain inherent and inalienable people. rights; among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. To secure these rights, and the protection of property, governments are instituted among people, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. Slavery pro SEC. 2. There shall be neither slavery nor invol-s untary servitude in this state, otherwise than for hibited." punishment of crime, whereof the party shall have been duly convicted. SEC. 3. No person shall be deprived of life, liberty, Process of law or property without due process of law. Religious free SEC. 4. All persons have a natural and indefeasible right to worship Almighty God according to the dom. dictates of their own consciences. No person shall be compelled to attend, erect, or support any place of worship against his consent, and no preference shall be given by law to any religious Society, be permitted. No religious test shall be required as a qualifica nor shall any interference with the rights of conscience tion for office, nor shall any person be incompetent to be a witness on account of his religious belief; but nothing herein shall be construed to dispense with oaths and affirmations. Religion, morality, and knowledge, however, being essential to good government, it shall be the duty of the legislature to pass suitable laws to protect every religious denomination in the peaceable enjoyment of its own mode of public worship, and to encourage schools and the means of instruction. Freedom of speech and the press. SEC. 5. Every person may freely speak, write, and publish on all subjects, being responsible for the abuse of that liberty; and in all trials for libel, both civil and criminal, the truth, when published with good motives and for justifiable ends, shall be a sufficient defense. Trial by jury. SEC. 6. The right of trial by jury shall remain inviolate, but the legislature may authorize trial by a jury of a less number than twelve men, in courts inferior to the district court. Search and SEC. 7. The right of the people to be secure in seizure. their persons, houses, papers and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated; and no warrant shall issue but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be seized. Habeas corpus. SEC. 8. The privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall not be suspended, unless, in case of rebellion or invasion, the public safety requires it, and then only in such manner as shall be prescribed by law. Bail. SEC. 9. All persons shall be bailable by sufficient sureties, except for treason and murder, where the proof is evident or the presumption great. Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted. Criminal offenses. SEC. 10. No person shall be held to answer for a criminal offense, except in cases in which the punishment is by fine or imprisonment, otherwise than in the penitentiary, in case of impeachment, and in cases arising in the army and navy or in the militia, when in actual service in time of war or public danger, unless on a presentment or indictment of a grand jury; Provided, That the legislature may by law provide for holding persons to answer for criminal offenses on information of a public prosecutor, and may by law abolish, limit, change, amend, or otherwise regulate the grand jury system. Impartial trial guaranteed. SEC. 11. In all criminal prosecutions the accused shall have the right to appear and defend in person or by counsel, to demand the nature and cause of accusation, and to have a copy thereof; to meet the witnesses against him face to face; to have process to compel the attendance of witnesses in his behalf, and a speedy public trial by an impartial jury of the county or district in which the offense is alleged to have been committed. SEC. 12. No person shall be compelled, in any Evidence against self; criminal case, to give evidence against himself, or be twice in jeoptwice put in jeopardy for the same offense. ardy. istered without SEC. 13. All courts shall be open, and every per- Justice adminson, for any injury done him in his lands, goods, per- delay. son, or reputation, shall have a remedy by due course of law, and justice administered without denial or delay. SEC. 14. Treason against the state shall consist Treason. only in levying war against the state, or in adhering to its enemies, giving them aid and comfort. No person shall be convicted of treason unless on the testimony of two witnesses to the same overt act, or on confession in open court. SEC. 15. All penalties shall be proportioned to the Penalties. nature of the offense, and no conviction shall work corruption of blood or forfeiture of estate; nor shall any person be transported out of the state for any offense committed within the state. der; ex post active laws; SEC. 16. No bill of attainder, ex post facto law, or Bill of attainlaw impairing the obligation of contracts, or making facto and retroany irrevocable grant of special privileges or immuni- special privities, shall be passed. leges. power. SEC. 17. The military shall be in strict subordina- Military tion to the civil power. SEC. 18. No soldier shall in time of peace be quar- Militia. tered in any house without the consent of the owner; nor in time of war, except in the manner prescribed by law. SEC. 19. The right of the people peaceably to as Right of petisemble to consult for the common good, and to peti- tion. tion the government, or any department thereof shall never be abridged. SEC. 20. No person shall be imprisoned for debt Imprisonment in any civil action on mesne or final process, unless for debt. in cases of fraud. Private prop SEC. 21. The property of no person shall be taken or damaged for public use without just compensa-erty. tion therefor. |