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CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF WISCONSIN.

CONDENSED.

PREAMBLE.

We, the People of Wisconsin, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom; in order to secure its blessings, form a more perfect government, insure domestic tranquillity, and promote the general welfare, do establish this Constitution.

ARTICLE I.

DECLARATION OF RIGHTS.

SECTION 1. All men are born free and independent, and have, among other rights, those of life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. Governments are instituted to secure these rights. SEC. 2. There shall be neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except for the punishment of crimes.

SEC. 3. Liberty of speech and of the press shall not be abridged.

SEC. 4.

The right of the people to peaceably assemble to consult for the common good shall never be abridged. SEC. 5.

The right of trial by jury shall remain inviolate.

SEC. 6. Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel punishments inflicted.

SEC. 7. In criminal prosecutions, the rights of the accused shall be protected.

SEC. 8. Criminal offenses shall be prosecuted on presentment of a grand jury. No one shall be twice put in jeopardy for the same offense, nor be compelled to be a witness against himself. Every one shall have the right of giving bail except in capital offenses; and the writ of habeas corpus shall not be suspended, except in case of rebellion or invasion.

SEC. 9. Every person is entitled to a certain remedy for all injuries or wrongs.

SEC. 10. Treason consists in levying war against the State, or giving aid and comfort to its enemies. Two witnesses are necessary to convict a person of the crime.

SEC. 18.

The people are to be secure against unreasonable searches and seizures.
Bills of attainder, ex post facto laws, or laws impairing obligation of contracts,
passed.

No property shall be taken for public use without compensation.
All laws in the State are allodial. Feudal tenures are prohibited.
The rights of property are the same in resident aliens and citizens.
No person shall be imprisoned for debt.

Wholesome exemption laws shall be passed.

Liberty of conscience and rights of worship shall never be abridged. The public money shall never be applied to sectarian uses.

SEC. 19. No religious test shall ever be required as a qualification for any office.

287

SEC. 20.
SEC. 21.

Writs of error shall never be prohibited by law.

SEC. 22.

The military shall be in strict subordination to the civil power.

A free government can only be maintained by adhering to justice, moderation, temperance, frugality and virtue.

ARTICLE 11.

BOUNDARIES.

SECTION 1. The boundary of the State, beginning at the northeast corner of the State of Illinois, runs with the boundary line of Michigan, through Lake Michigan and Green Bay, to the mouth of the Menominie River; up that stream and the Brule River to Lake Brule; along the southern shore of that lake to the Lake of the Desert; thence in a direct line to the head of Montreal River; down the main channel of that stream to the middle of Lake Superior; thence through the center of said lake to the mouth of St. Louis River; up the channel of that stream to the first rapids; thence due south to the main branch of the St. Croix; down that river and the Mississippi to the northwest corner of Illinois; thence due east with the northern boundary of that State to the place of beginning.

SEC. 2. The propositions in the enabling act of Congress are accepted and confirmed.

ARTICLE III.

SUFFRAGE.

SECTION 1. The qualified electors are all male persons twenty-one years of age or upward, who are (1.) white citizens of the United States; (2.) who are white persons of foreign birth that have declared their intentions, according to law, to become citizens; (3) who are persons of Indian blood and citizens of the United States; and (4.) civilized Indians not members of any tribe.

SEC. 2. Persons under guardianship, such as are non compus mentis or insane, and those convicted of treason and felony and not pardoned, are not qualified electors.

SEC. 3.

by law.

All votes shall be by ballot, except for township officers when otherwise directed

SEC. 4. No person shall be deemed to have lost his residence by reason of his absence on business for the State or United States.

SEC. 5. No person in the army or navy shall become a resident of the State in consequence of being stationed therein.

SEC. 6. Persons convicted of bribery, larceny or any infamous crime, or those who bet on elections, may be excluded by law from the right of suffrage.

ARTICLE IV.

LEGISLATIVE.

SECTION 1. The Legislative power is vested in a Senate and Assembly.

SEC. 2. Members of the Assembly shall never number less than fifty-four, nor more than one hundred; of the Senate, not more than one-third, nor less than one-fourth of the members of the Assembly.

SEC. 3. Census shall be taken, every ten years, of the inhabitants of the State, beginning with 1855, when a new apportionment of members of the Senate and Assembly shall be made; also, after each United States census.

SEC. 4. Members of the Assembly shall be chosen on the Tuesday succeeding the first Monday of November of each year.

SEC. 5. Members of the Senate shall be elected for two years, at the same time and in the same manner as members of the Assembly.

SEC. 6. No person shall be eligible to the Legislature, unless a resident of the State one year, and a qualified elector.

SEC. 7.

Each House shall be the judge of the qualifications of its members. A majority

shall be necessary to form a quorum.

Each House shall make its own rules.

Each House shall choose its own officers.

SEC. 8.

SEC. 9.

SEC. 10.

Each House shall keep a journal of its proceedings.

The Legislature shall meet at the seat of government once a year.

SEC. 11. SEC. 12. No member shall be eligible to any other civil office in the State, during the term for which he was elected.

SEC. 13.

No member shall be eligible to any office of the United States, during the term for which he was elected.

ernor.

SEC. 14.

Writs of election, to fill vacancies in either House, shall be issued by the Gov

SEC. 15. Except treason, felony and breach of the peace, members are privileged from arrest in all cases; nor subject to any civil process during a session.

SEC. 16. Members are not liable for words spoken in debate.

SEC. 17. The style of all laws shall be, "The people of the State of Wisconsin represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:

SEC. 18. Private or local bills shall not embrace more than one subject.

SEC. 19. Bills may originate in either House, and a bill passed by one House may be amended by the other.

SEC. 20. Yeas and nays, at the request of one-sixth of the members present, shall be entered on the journal.

SEC. 21. [Each member shall receive, as an annual compensation, three hundred and fifty dollars and ten cents for each mile traveled in going to and returning from the seat of government]. As amended in 1867.

SEC. 22. Boards of Supervisors may be vested with powers of a local, legislative and administrative character, such as shall be conferred by the Legislature.

SEC. 23. One system only, of town and county government, shall be established by the Legislature.

SEC. 24. SEC. 25. est bidder.

The Legislature shall never authorize any lottery, or grant any divorce.
Stationery, for State use and State printing, shall be let by contract to the low-

SEC. 26. Extra compensation to any public officer shall not be granted after service is rendered, nor shall his compensation be increased or diminished during his term of office.

SEC. 27. The Legislature shall direct, by law, in what manner and in what Courts suits against the State may be brought.

SEC. 28. Public officers shall all take an oath of office.

SEC. 29. The Legislature shall determine what persons shall constitute the militia, and may provide for organizing the same.

SEC. 30. Members of the Legislature shall vote viva voce in all elections made by them.

SEC. 31. [Special legislation is prohibited (1) for changing the names of persons, or constituting one person the heir-at-law of another; (2) for laying out, opening or altering highways, except in certain cases; (3) for authorizing persons to keep ferries; (4) for authorizing the sale of the property of minors; (5) for locating a county seat; (6) for assessment of taxes; (7) for granting corporate powers, except to cities; (8) for apportioning any part of the school fund; and (9) for incorporating any town or village, or to award the charter thereof]. Added by amendment, in 1871.

SEC. 32. [General laws shall be passed for the transaction of any business prohibited by Section 21 of this Article.] Added by amendment, in 1871.

ARTICLE V.

SECTION 1. The executive power shall be vested in a Governor, who shall hold his office two years. A Lieutenant Governor shall be elected at the same time and for the same term. SEC. 2. Governor and Lieutenant Governor must be citizens of the United States, and qualified electors of the State.

SEC. 3. Governor and Lieutenant Governor are elected at the times and places of choosing members of the Legislature.

SEC. 4. The Governor shall be (1) commander-in-chief of the military and naval forces of the State; (2) he has power to convene the Legislature in extra session; (3) he shall communicate to the Legislature all necessary information; (4) he shall transact all necessary business with the officers of the State; and (5) shall expedite all legislative measures, and see that the laws are faithfully executed.

SEC. 5. [The Governor's salary shall be five thousand dollars per annum.] As amended in 1869.

SEC. 6. The Governor shall have power to grant reprieves and pardons.

SEC. 7.

The executive duties shall devolve upon the Lieutenant Governor when, from any cause, the executive office is vacated by the Governor.

SEC. 8. The Lieutenant Governor shall be President of the Senate. The Secretary of State shall act as Governor when both the Governor and Lieutenant Governor are incapacitated from any causes to fill the executive office.

SEC. 9. [The Lieutenant Governor shall receive a salary of one thousand dollars per annum.] As amended in 1869.

SEC. 10. All legislative bills shall be presented to the Governor for his signature before they become laws. Bills returned by the Governor without his signature may become laws by agreement of two-thirds of the members present in each house.

ARTICLE VI.

ADMINISTRATION.

SECTION 1. A Secretary of State, Treasurer and Attorney General shall be elected at the times and places of choosing members of the Legislature, who shall severally hold their offices for two years.

SEC. 2. The Secretary of State shall keep a record of the official acts of the Legislature and Executive Department. He shall be ex officio Auditor.

SEC. 3. The powers, duties and compensation of the Treasurer and Attorney General shall be prescribed by law.

SEC. 4. Sheriffs, Coroners, Registers of Deeds and District Attorneys shall be elected every two years.

ARTICLE VII.

JUDICIARY.

SECTION 1. The Senate shall form the Court of Impeachment. Judgment shall not extend further than removal from office; but the person impeached shall be liable to indictment, trial and punishment, according to law.

SEC. 2. The judicial power of the State is vested in a Supreme Court, Circuit Courts, Courts of Probate, and in Justices of the Peace. Municipal courts, also, may be authorized.

SEC. 3. The Supreme Court shall have appellate jurisdiction only. Trial by jury is not allowed in any case. The Court shall have a general superintending control over inferior courts, and power to issue writs of habeas corpus, mandamus, injunction, quo warranto, certiorari, and other original and remedial writs.