New Jersey, and now has been in force one hundred and twenty years, a longer time than the organic law of any other American commonwealth except Massachusetts. The popular vote by which this enduring constitution was ratified, taken in different towns on different days during the three months preceding its establishment, is unrecorded. The accounts of the basis of representation in New Hampshire have been prepared under my direction, the former by George Hill Evans, assistant in the library of Dartmouth College, and the latter by William Hugh Mitchell, graduate-student in history and political science. My indebtedness to both of them has been increased by further helpful co-operation, without which publication must have been delayed. My thanks are due to Mr. Edson C. Eastman, publisher of Chase's edition of the Public Statutes, 1901, for permission to reprint the marginal and appended notes to the constitution in that edition; to Hon. Albert S. Batchellor, editor of State Papers, for many valuable and scholarly suggestions, and to the Secretary of State for his courteous assumption of the painstaking and responsible burden of correcting the proof-sheets. Any errors which may be discovered it is hoped may be explained, if not excused, by the narrow limits of time allowed for preparing the manuscript and for publication. DARTMOUTH COLLEGE, HANOVER, NEW HAMPSHIRE, November 18, 1902. CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, ESTABLISHED OCTOBER 31, 1783, AS SUBSEQUENTLY AMENDED AND IN FORCE DECEMBER 1, 1902. ARTICLE 14. Legal remedies to be free, com- 15. Accused entitled to full and 19. Searchs and seizures regu- 20. Trial by jury in civil causes; exceptions. 21. Only qualified persons to serve as jurors, and to be fully compensated. 22. Liberty of the press. 23. Retrospective laws prohibited. 24. Militia. 25. Standing armies. 26. Military, subject to civil power. ARTICLE 27. Quartering of soldiers. 28. Taxes to be levied only by the people or legislature. 29. Suspension of laws by legislature only. 30. Freedom of speech. 31. Meetings of legislature, for what purpose. 32. Rights of assembly, instruction and petition. 33. Excessive bail, fines, and punishments prohibited. 34. Martial law limited. 35. The judiciary; tenure of office. 36. Pensions. 37. The legislative, executive, and judicial departments to be kept separate. 38. Social virtues inculcated. PART SECOND.-FORM OF GOVERNMENT. 1. Name of body politic. 2. Legislature, how constituted. 3. General court, when to meet and dissolve. 4. Power of general court to establish courts. 5. To make laws, elect officers, define their powers and duties, impose fines, and assess taxes; prohibited from authorizing towns to aid certain corporations. 6. Valuation of estates. 7. Members of legislature not to take fees or act as counsel. 8. Legislature to sit with open doors. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. 9. Representatives elected biennially; ratio of representation; number not to be increased by dividing towns. 10. Small towns may elect a proportionate part of time. ARTICLE 11. Biennial election of representatives in November. 12. Qualifications of electors. 13. Representatives, how elected, and qualifications of. 14. Compensation of the legislature. 15. Vacancies in house, how filled. 16. House to impeach before the senate. 17. Money bills to originate in house. 18. Power of adjournment limited. 19. Quorum, what constitutes. 20. Privileges of members of the legislature. 21. House to elect speaker and officers, settle rules of proceeding, and punish misconduct. 22. Senate and executive have like powers; imprisonment limited. 23. Journals and laws to be published; yeas and nays, and protests. SENATE. 24. Senate, how constituted; tenure of office. 25. Senatorial districts, how constituted. 26. Election of senators. 27. Senators, how and by whom chosen; right of suffrage. 28. Qualifications of senators. 29. Inhabitant defined. 30. Inhabitants of unincorporated places; their rights, etc. 31. Biennial meetings, how warned, governed, and conducted; return of votes. 32. Governor and council to count votes for senators and notify the persons elected. 33. Vacancies in senate, how filled. |
