Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume VII.djvu/733

 GEOEGIA 721 ring every four years, and has appellate juris- diction only of cases from the superior courts and the city courts of Savannah and Augusta. There is a judge of the superior court for each of the 19 judicial circuits, who holds office for eight years. These courts, except in matters of probate, have general original juris- diction both civil and criminal, at law and in equity, issue writs of certiorari to inferior tri- bunals, and may have appellate jurisdiction conferred upon them by law. A session is held twice a year in each county. The judges are appointed by the governor with the con- sent of the senate, and may be removed by him upon the address of two thirds of each branch of the legislature, or upon impeach- ment and conviction. The judges of the su- preme and superior courts and the attorney general must be 30 years of age, for three years citizens of the state, and must have practised law seven years. There is an ordi- nary for each county, elected by the people thereof for four years, who holds a court of ordinary and probate ; from his decisions there may be an appeal to the superior court. A justice of .the peace is elected by the qualified voters of each militia district for four years. Justices have jurisdiction in civil cases in which the sum claimed does not exceed $100 ; when the amount is more than $50, an appeal may be taken to the superior court. A notary public (ex officio a justice of the peace) for each militia district may be appointed by the governor for four years. County courts pre- sided over by a single judge in each county were established by the act of Jan. 19, 1872, in most of the counties. The judges, who have the same jurisdiction as justices of the peace, are appointed by the governor with the consent of the senate for four years, and must be 25 years of age and residents of the county for which they are appointed. Each head of a family is entitled to exemption from execution on a homestead of realty to the value of $2,000 in specie, and personal property to the value of $1,000 in specie, " ex- cept for taxes, money borrowed and expended in the improvement of the homestead, or for the purchase money of the same, and for labor done thereon or material furnished therefor, or removal of encumbrances thereon." The militia consists of all able-bodied males 18 to 45 years of age, except those conscientiously opposed to bearing arms, who may purchase exemption. Amendments to the constitution may be proposed by a two-thirds vote of each house of two successive legislatures, after which they must be ratified by the people. No con- vention of the people shall be called by the le- gislature in the election of delegates to which any person qualified to vote by this constitution is disqualified, nor unless the representatives therein shall be based on population. Georgia is entitled to nine representatives in the lower house of congress. The rate of interest is 7 per cent. All property owned by a married woman at the time of marriage, and all that may be given to and inherited or acquired by her, is her separate property, and not liable for the debts of her husband. A married woman may sue and be sued in matters pertaining to her separate estate as though single, and with the consent of her husband may trade as a feme sole. No total divorce can be granted except on the concurrent verdict of two juries. The grounds of total divorce are intermarriage within the prohibited degrees, mental or phy- sical incapacity at the time of marriage, adul- tery, wilful and continued desertion for three years, conviction of crime and sentence to the penitentiary for two years or more, force, menace, duress, or fraud in procuring the mar- riage, and pregnancy at the time of marriage unknown to the husband. For cruel treatment or habitual drunkenness the jury may grant either a partial or a total divorce. Treason in the first degree, murder, arson of an occupied dwelling or of a house in a city, town, or vil- lage, castration, and rape may be punished with death. Other punishments are fines, im- prisonment, and whipping, not more than 39 lashes. According to the federal censuses, the valuation of property has been as follows : YEARS. ASSESSED VALUE. True value of real and per- sonal. Real. Personal. Both. 1850 .. $335,425,714 645,895,287 268,169,207 1860 . . 1870 . . $179,801,441 148,948,216 $438,430,946 83,271,803 $618,282,387 227,219,519 The diminution in the value of personal prop- erty is chiefly owing to the emancipation of the slaves. In 1870 the taxation not national amounted to $2,627,029, of which $945,394 was state tax, $906,270 county tax, and $775,- 365 town, city, &c., tax. The public debt was $21,753,712, of which $6,544,500 (funded, but not including bonds issued subsequently to 1868) was state debt; $561,735, of which $300,386 was funded, county debt ; and $14,- 647,477 town, city, &c., debt, of which all but $264,162 was funded. The total receipts into the state treasury during the fiscal year amounted to $1,164,304, of which $732,898 was from general taxes, $35,924 from liquor tax, $5,778 from licenses, $21,446 from cor- porations, $45,000 from state railroad, $10,- 292 from interest, $310,000 from loans, and $2,966 from miscellaneous sources. The dis- bursements amounted to $1,444,817, of which $17,035 was for the executive department, $526,891 for legislative expenses, $35,280 for the judiciary, $2,547 for penitentiary expenses, $114,647 for institutions for deaf and dumb, blind, and insane, $20,000 for educational pur- poses, $57,321 for printing, $495,608 for pay- ments and interest on public debt, and $175,- 488 for miscellaneous expenses. The treasurer in his report for the year ending Dec. 31, 1873, gives the outstanding debt of the state, Jan. 1, 1874, as follows: