Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XIV.djvu/310

 294 RHODE ISLAND and a general assembly consisting of a sen- ate and house of representatives. They are all elected annually by the qualified voters on the first Wednesday of April. An audi- tor (salary $1,500) is chosen annually by the general assembly. The senate consists of the lieutenant governor and one member from each city and town in the state. The gov- ernor, and in his absence the lieutenant gov- ernor, presides, voting only in case of a tie. The secretary of state is ex officio secretary of the senate. The house of representatives can- not exceed 72 members, apportioned among the cities and towns according to population after each census; but each town is entitled to at least one representative, and none can have more than 12 ; the latter number is sent by the city of Providence. The pay of the mem- bers is $1 a day and 8 cents for every mile travelled. The present number of senators is 86 and of representatives 72. Rhode Island has two capitals, Providence and Newport, the general assembly holding annually its regular session in the latter city commencing on the last Tuesday of May, and a session by adjourn- ment in the former. The pardoning power is vested exclusively in the governor, with the advice and consent of the senate. The judicial power is vested in a supreme court and courts of common pleas. The supreme court has general appellate and original jurisdiction, and consists of a chief justice, with a salary of $4,500, and three associate justices with sala- ries of $4,000 each ; they are elected by the general assembly, and hold office until removed by a resolution of both houses. The court of common pleas in each of the five counties is held by a single judge of the supreme court. It has jurisdiction of appeals from justices' and other inferior courts, of crimes not pun- ishable by imprisonment for life, and of civil cases involving $100 and upward, or the title to real estate. Justices' courts are held in each town and city by a trial justice select- ed from the qualified justices of the peace. The town councils are courts of probate with- in their respective towns, though in each a special judge of probate may be elected, who then has exclusive jurisdiction of probate mat- ters. In the city of Providence the muni- cipal court is the court of probate. Voters must be male citizens of the United States 21 years old and upward. Naturalized citizens must also be possessed of a freehold of $184 or renting for $7 per annum, and have resided one year in the state and six months in the town or city in which they offer to vote. Na- tive-born citizens may vote upon the same qualifications; they may also vote, without the property qualification, if they have resided two years in the state and six months in the town or city, have been registered on or before the last day of December preceding the elec- tion, and have within a year paid taxes amount- ing to $1 or served at least one day in the militia. But no person can vote " upon any proposition to impose a tax, or for thfe expen- diture of money in any town or city, unless he shall, within the year next preceding, have paid a tax assessed upon his property therein, valued at least at $134." The distinction between native and naturalized citizens is not expressly stated in the constitution, but rests upon a reference in that instrument to the act calling the convention to frame it. The voting for general state officers and for representatives in congress must be by ballot ; voting for senators and representatives in the general assembly and for town or city officers is by ballot when demanded by any seven persons entitled to vote for those officers. In all elections a majority of all the electors voting is necessary to a choice. If there be no choice for gover- nor or other state officers, the election is made by the general assembly in joint session from the two candidates having the greatest num- ber of votes. In the case of senators and rep- resentatives, a new election is held by the people until some candidate receives a major- ity. Amendments to the constitution must be adopted by a majority of all the members elected to each house of two successive legis- latures, and subsequently by a three-fifths vote of the people. Rhode Island is entitled to two representatives and in common with the other states to two senators in congress, and has thus four votes in the electoral college. The valuation of the real and personal property of the state according to the federal censuses has been as follows : AJ MESSED TALU E. True mine of Reel Mteto. Penoiul ttUt*. Total. ionl eiUte. I860...

$80,508,794 I860.... 1870. . . . $88.778&>4 wjgnjSK $4i,82,ioi 111,402,278 $125,104,805 244.278,854 185,387,588 296,966,646 The total taxation not national in 1870 was $2,170,152, of which $489,253 was state and $1,680,899 town, city, &c. ; total public debt. $5,938,642, of which $2,913,500 was state and $3,025,142 town, city, &c. The receipts and payments into and from the state treasury du- ring the year ending April 80, 187,5, were as follows : Balance in treasury May 1, 1874 $294,806 08 RECEIPTS. State tax $492,418 77 Institutions for savings 112,928 17 State insurance companies 18,889 91 Foreign insurance agents 88,405 90 Courts and justices 84,90588 Jailers 4,158 69 Auctioneers 1,810 02 Town councils 8,069 78 Peddlers' licenses 8,70000 Dividends on the school fund 22,1)02 50 Charters 6.750 00 Interest on deposits of revenue.. 16,412 62 Miscellaneous 9,248 98 $763,276 07 Total .' $1,057,582 16