FLORIDA. 



369 



for State and county purposes ; for opening and con- 

 ducting elections for State and county omcers, and for 

 designating the places of voting ; for the sale of real 

 estate belonging to minors, estates of decedents, and 

 of persons laboring under legal disabilities ; regulat- 

 ing the fees of officers of the btate and county ; giving 

 effect to informal or invalid deeds or wills ; legitimiz- 

 ing children ; providing for the adoption of children ; 

 relieving minors from legal disabilities ; and for the 



; establishment of ferries. 



No local or special bill shall be passed, unless no- 

 tice of the intention to apply therefor shall have been 

 published in the locality where the matter or thing 

 to be affected may be situated, which notice shall 

 state the substance of the contemplated law, and shall 

 be published at least sixty days prior to the introduc- 



i tion into the Legislature of such oill, and in the man- 



- ner to be provided by law. 



Lotteries are prohibited in this State. 

 The Legislature shall establish a uniform system of 

 county and municipal government, which shall bo 



' applicable, except in cases where local or special laws 



' are provided by the Legislature that may be incon- 



; sistent therewith. 



The Legislature shall provide by general law for 

 incorporating such educational, agricultural, mechan- 

 ical, mining, and other useful companies or associa- 

 tions as may be deemed necessary. 

 Laws shall be passed regulating elections, and pro- 



i hibiting, under adequate penalties, all undue influ- 

 ence thereon from power, bribery, tumult, or other 

 improper practice. 



The Legislature shall provide for the election by 

 the people or appointment by the Governor of all 

 State and county officers not otherwise provided for 

 by this Constitution, and fix by law their duties and 



i compensation. 



The Governor's veto may be overcome by a 

 two-third vote of each house. The Governor 

 is to be elected for four years. He may veto 

 separate items of an appropriation bill. There 

 ' is to be no Lieutenant-Go vernor. A Secretary 

 of State, Attorney-General, Comptroller, Treas- 

 urer, Superintendent of Public Instruction, and 

 Commissioner of Agriculture, are to be elected 

 for four years. The salary of the Governor is 

 fixed at $3,500 a year ; of the Comptroller and 

 Treasurer, at $2,000 each; and of the other 

 officials named, at $1,500 each. These may be 

 increased or diminished by the Legislature after 

 eight years from the adoption of the Constitu- 

 tion. The judicial power is vested in a Su- 

 preme Court, Circuit Courts, criminal courts, 

 Bounty courts, county judges, and justices of 

 the peace. The Supreme Court has appellate 

 and supervisory jurisdiction, and consists of 

 :hree justices elected for six years, one being 

 chosen every two years. Seven Circuit judges 

 'one for each Circuit) are to be appointed by 

 tjhe Governor, and confirmed by the Senate, 

 'or six years. The Circuit Courts are the tri- 

 punals of general original jurisdiction. County 

 : udges are elected for four years. Under cer- 

 tain conditions, there may be established in any 

 Bounty a criminal court of record, held by a 

 iudge appointed by the Governor and Senate 

 JOT four years. The justices of the Supreme 

 i'3ourt receive a salary of $3,000 a year, and 

 -he Circuit judges of $2,500. General elections 

 ire biennial in even years. 



Mvery male person of the age of twenty-one years 

 upward, that shall, at the time of registration, be 

 VOL. xxv. 24 A 



a citizen of the United States, or that shall have de- 

 clared his intention to become such in conformity to 

 the laws of the United States, and that shall have re- 

 sided and had his habitation, domicile, home, and 

 place of permanent abode in Florida for one year, 

 and in the county for six months, shall, in such coun- 

 ty, be deemed a qualified elector at all elections under 

 tins Constitution. 



The Legislature, at its first session after the ratifi- 

 cation of this Constitution, shall provide by law for 

 the registration of all the legally qualified voters in 

 each county, and for the returns of elections ; and 

 shall also provide that after the completion, from time 

 to time, of such registration, no person not duly regis- 

 tered according to law shall be allowed to vote. The 

 Legislature may make the payment of a capitation-tax 

 a prerequisite for voting. 



The Legislature shall have power to provide for issu- 

 ing State bonds only for the purpose of repelling in- 

 vasion or suppressing insurrection, or for the purpose 

 of redeeming or refunding bonds already issued, at a 

 lower rate of interest. 



No tax shall be levied for the benefit of any char- 

 tered company of the State, nor for paying interest on 

 any bonds issued by such chartered companies, or by 

 counties, or by corporations, for the above-mentioned 

 purpose. 



The credit of the State shall not be pledged or loaned 

 to any individual, company, corporation, or associa- 

 tion ; nor shall the State "become a joint owner or 

 stockholder in any company, association, or corpora- 

 tion. The Legislature shall not authorize any county, 

 city, borough, township, or incorporated district, to 

 become a stockholder in any company, association, or 

 corporation, or to obtain or appropriate money^ for, or 

 to loan its credit to, any corporation, association, in- 

 stitution, or individual. 



Married women are secured in their rights 

 of property. A system of free public schools 

 is provided for. The principal of the State 

 school fund is to be invested, and the income 

 used for the support of schools. There is to be 

 an annual State tax of one mill on the dollar 

 for school purposes, and a county tax of from 

 three to five mills on the dollar. Counties may 

 be divided into school districts, and the tax- 

 payers thereof may levy a district tax of not 

 exceeding three mills on the dollar. Not more 

 than two normal schools shall be established. 

 The schools for white and colored children are 

 to be separate. Marriage between white and 

 colored persons is forbidden. 



The property of all corporations, except the prop- 

 erty of a corporation which shall construct a ship or 

 barge canal across the Peninsula of Florida, if the 

 Legislature should so enact, whether heretofore or 

 hereafter incorporated, shall be subject to taxation 

 unless such property be held and used exclusively 

 for religious, scientific, municipal, educational, liter- 

 ary, or charitable purposes. 



The Legislature is invested with full power to pass 

 laws for the correction of abuses and to prevent un- 

 just discrimination and excessive charges by persons 

 and corporations engaged as common carriers in trans- 

 porting persons and property, or performing other 

 services of a public nature ; and shall provide for en- 

 forcing such laws by adequate penalties or forfeitures. 



No railroad or other transportation company or 

 common carrier in this State snail grant a free pass, 

 or discount the fare paid by the public generally, to 

 any member of the Legislature, or to any Salaried offi- 

 cer of this State, and the Legislature shall prohibit 

 the granting or receiving such free pass, or fare at a 

 discount, by suitable penalties. 



Amendments to the Constitution must be 

 proposed by three fifths of each house, and 



