420 KESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 



CHAPTER XIII. 



LAW. 



347. Constitution. California is a State in the American 

 Union, nominally sovereign, but subject to the superior author- 

 ity of Congress over commerce, naturalization, coinage, cur- 

 rency, foreign relations, and the army and navy. The execu- 

 tive officers of State are elected by the people, a year before 

 the Presidential election, and hold office for four years. The 

 legislative power of the State is held by a Senate, of forty 

 members, who hold office four years, (half being elected every 

 alternate year) and an Assembly of eighty members, all of 

 whom are elected every odd year. The Legislature holds a 

 regular session of four months once in two years, commencing 

 in December of every odd year. The members generally are 

 men with little experience in business, and little character. 

 Gross corruption is common among them. 



The Supreme Court of California has five judges, who are 

 elected by the people, and who hold their office for a term of 

 ten years. It has no original jurisdiction, and devotes itself to 

 the decision of law questions brought up on appeal from the 

 District Courts, of which there are twenty. The District Judges 

 are elected by the people for six years, and have original juris- 

 diction in cases of mandamus, injunction, land titles, divorces, 

 suits for more than $300 in money, murder, and arson that 

 -might cause death. Crimes are tried in the County Courts. 



