the tax, and shall be levied and collected
under general laws-; but the General As
sembly may, by general lawn, exempt from
taxation public property used for publio
purposes, actual places of religious worship
places of burial not used or held for private
or corporate profit, ' and . Institutions of
purely publio charity. ' 1 ' "'' '' 1
See. 8 . AU laws . exempting property
from taxation, other than the property
above enumerated, shall be void. ,
See 8. The power to tax corporations
and corporate property shall not be bun
rendered or suspended by any oontraot or
grant to which the Statu shall be a party.
Bee. 4. No debt shall be created by or
on behalf of the State, except to supply
casual deficiencies of revenue, repel inva
sion, suppress insurrection, defend the
State in war, or to pay existing debt; and
the debt created to supply deficiencies in
revenue shall never exceed, in the aggre
gate at any one time, one . million of. dol
lars. , . . , . ,
Sec. 5. All laws, authorizing the borrow
ing of money by and on behalf of the Stato,
Bball spccil'y the purpose of which tho
money is to be tiRed, and the money so
borrowed shall bo used for the purpose
specified and no other.
Sec. 0. The credit of the Commonwealth
shall not be pledged or loaned to any in
dividual, company, corporation or associa
tion, nor shall tho Commonwealth become
a joint owner or stockholder in any com
pany, association or corporation.
Sec. 7. Tho General Assembly shall not
authorize any county, city, borough, town
ship 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, institution or in
dividual, j
Seo. 8. The dobt of any county, city,
borough, township, school district or other
municipality or incorporated district, ex
cept as herein provided, shall never exceed
seven per centum upon the assessed .value
of the taxable propeity therein, nor shall
any such municipality or district incur any
now debt, or increase its indebtedness to
an amount exceeding two per centum upon
such assessed valuation of property, with
out the assent of the electors thereof at a
public election in such manner as shall be
provided by law ; but any city, the debt of
which now exceeds seven per centum of
such assessed valuation, may be authorized
by law to increase tho same threo per
centum, in tho aggregate at any one time,
upon such valuation.
Sec. 0. The Commonwealth shall ' not
assume the debt, or any part thereof, of
any city, county, borough or township, un
less such debt shall have been contracted
to enablo the Stato to repel invasion, sup
press domestic insurrection, defend itself
in time of war, or to assist the State iu the
discharge of any portion of its indebted
ness. Sec. 10. Any county, township, school
district or other municipality incurring any
indebtedness shall, at or before the timo of
so doing, provide for the collection of an
annual tax sufficient to pay the interest and
also the principal thereof within thirty
years. . .
Sec. 11. To provide for tho payment of
the present State debt, and any additional
dobt contracted as aforesaid, the General
Assembly shall continue and maintain the
sinking fund, sufficient to pay the accruing
interest on Biich debt, and annually to re
duce the principal thereof by a sum not loss
than two hundred and fifty thousand dol
lars ; tho said sinking fund shall consist of
tho proceeds of the sales of the publio
works or any part thereof, and of tho in
come or proceeds of the sale of any stocks
owned by the Commonwealth, together
with other funds and resources that may
be desiguated by law, and shall be in
creased from time to time by assigning to it
.any part of the taxes or other revenue
of tho State not required for tho ordinary
and current expenses of government ; and
unless in cases of war, invasion or insur
rection, no part of the sinking fund shall
be used or applied otherwise than iu the ex
tinguishing of tho public debt.
Sec. 12. Tho moneys of the Stato,
over and above tho necessary reserve, shall
be used in the payment of tho debt of the
Slate, either directly or through the sink
ing fund, and tho moneys of the sinking
fund shall never be invested In or' loaned
upon tho security of anything, except the
bonds of the United States or of this Stato.
Sec'. 13. Tho moneys hold as necessary
reserve shall be limited by law to the
amount required for the current expenses,
and shall be secured and kept as may bo
provided by law. Monthly statements shall
be published showing tho amount of such
moneys, where the same are deposited, and
how secured.
Boo. 14. The making or profit oil of tho
public moneys or using the same for any
purpose not authorized by law by any
officer of the State, or member or ollicor of
tiie General Assembly, shall bo a misde
meanor and shall be punished as may be
provided by law, but part of such punish
ment shall be disqualification to hold office
for a period of not less than five years.
ARTICLE X.
' ,' ' Education. ' '
Sec, 1. Tho 1 General Assembly shall
provide for the maintainance and support
of a thorough and efficient system of publio
schools, wherein all the children of this
Commonwealth above the ages of six yean
may be educated, and shall appropriate at
least one million of dollars oauh year for
that purpose,
Sec. 2. No money raised for the sup.
port of the publio schools of the Common.
wealth shall be appropriated to or used for
the support or any sectarian school. ,
See. 8. Women twenty-one years of age
and upwards, shall be eligible to any office
of control or management under the school
laws ol tins blato. '
ARTICLE Xt. '
Bee. 1. The freemen of this Common
wealth shall be armed, organized and dis
ciplined for its defence when and in such
manner as shall be directed by law. The
usneral Assembly shall provide for main,
taiinng the militia by appropriations from
the Treasury of the Commonwealth, and
may exempt from military service persons
having ( conscientious scruples ' against
,:! -"..article xii. ""' ' ' " "
JHtblie Officer:
Bee 1. All officers, whose selection is
not provided for iu this Constitution, shall
be elected or appointed as may bq directed
8eo 9. ' No metnbor of Congress from
tills State, nor any person holding or ex
ercising any office, or , appointment of trust
or profit under the tTnlted .States, shall at
the same tithe hold or exercise any office in
this State to which salary, ibes or per
quisition shall be attached. . The General
Assembly may by law declare what ( offices
are Incompatible. ""' .;" .
Sec 8. 'Any person who' shall fight a
duel or send a ohallenge for that purpose,
or be aider or abettor in lighting a duel,
shall be deprived of the right of holding
any office of honor or profit In this State,
and may be otherwise punished as shall
be prescribed by law, - in. .-iU
, t ... ARTICLE XIII. .., . , . ;,
t '., ,, ilfw Counties. :
Sec. 1. t No new county shall be estab
lished which shall reduce any county to loss
than four hundred square miles, or to loss
than twenty thousand inhabitants; nor
shall any county be formed of lest area, or
containing a less population ; nor shall
any line thereof pass within ten miles of the
county seat of any county proposed to be
divided.
... , ARTICLE XIV. ... .
County Officers. .
Sec. 1. County officers shall consist of
sheriffs, coroners, prothonotaries, registers
of wills, recorders of deeds, commissioners,
treasurers, surveyors, auditors or controlers,
clerks of the courts, district attorneys, and
such others as may be from time to time be
established by law ; and no sheriff or treas
urer shall be eligible for the term next suc
ceeding the one for which he may be duct
ed, , , . ,- .
Bee. 2. County officers shall be elected
at the general elections and shall hold their
offices for the term of three years, begin
ning on the first Monday of January next
after their election, and until their succes
sors shall bo duly qualified ; all vacancies
not otherwise provided for shall bo filled in
such manner as may be provided by law.
Sec. 8. No person shall be appointed to
any office within any county -who shall
not have been a citizen and an inhabitant,
therein ono year next before his appointment
if the county shall have bceu so long erect
ed,butif it shall not haveboen soloug erect
ed, then within the limits of the county or
counties out of which it shall have been
taken.
Sec 4. Frothonotarics, dorks of the
court, recorders of deeds, registers of
wills, county surveyors and shorill's, shall
keep their offices in the county town of
tho county in which they respectively shall
be officers.
Sec. 5. Tho compensation of county
officers shall bo regulated by law, and all
county officers who are or may be salaried
shall pay all fees which they may bo author
ized to receive into the treasury of the
county or State, as may be directed by law.
In counties containing over one hundred and
fifty thousand inhabitants all county offi
cers shall bo paid by salary, and the salary
of any such officer and his clerks, hereto
fore paid by fees, shall not exceed the ag
gregate amount of fees earned during his
term aud collected by or for him.
Sec. 0. The Geuoral Assembly shall
provide by law for tho strict accountability
of all county, townshp and borough officers,
as well as lor the lees which may be paid
to them.
Sec. 7. Three county commissioners and
threo county auditors shall be elected in
each county where Buch officers are chosen,
in the year ono thousand eight hundred and
seventy-five and every third year thereafter;
and ' in the election of said officer each
qualified elector shall vote for no more than
two persons, and the throe persons having
the highost number of votes shall be elect
ed ; any casual vacancy in the office of
county commissioner - or county auditor
shall be filled by .the court: of Common
1'leas of the county in which such vacancy
snail occur, by tue appointment ol an elec
tor of the proper county who shall have
voted for the commissioner or auditor
whose place is to be filled. , ,. .
1 i l ARTICLE XV
C Hies and City Charters.
Section 1. Cities may be chartered
whenever a majority of the electors of any
town or borough having a population of at
least ten thousand shall vote at any general
election in favor of the same.
Bee. 2. No debt shall bo contracted or
liability incurred by any municipal com
mission, except in pursuance of an appro
priation previously made therefor by the
municipal government. ,; ' - j '
Soc. 8. . Every city shall create a sinking
fund, which shall be inviolably pledged for
the payment of its funded debt. ' '
ARTICLE XVI.' .
Private Corporation.
Section 1. All existing charters, or
grants or special or exclusive privileges,
under which a bona fide organization Bhall
not have taken place and business been
commenced in good faith, at the time of
the adoption or this Constitution, shall
thereafter have no validity. ' 1
Boo. 2, The General Assembly shall not
remit the forfeiture of the charter of any
corporation now existing, or alter or amend
the same, or pass any other general or spe
cial law for the bonefit of such corporation,
except upon the condition that such corpo
ration shall thereafter hold Its charter sub
ject to the provisions of this Constitution.
Sec. 8. The exercise of the right of em
incut domain shall never be abridged or so
construed as to prevent the General As
sembly from taking the property and fran
chises of incorpoiated companies, and sub
jecting them to publio use, the, same as
property of individuals ; and the exercise
of the police power of the Btate shall never
be abridged or 1 so construed as to permit
corporations to conduct their business in
such manner as to iufriuco the eoual rights
of individuals or tho general well-being of
tne mate.
Sec. 4. In all elections for directors or
managers of a corporation each member or
shareholder may cast the whole number
or his votes for one candidate, or distribute,
them upon two or more candidates, as he
1 way prefer.
. Bee. 6. No foreign corporation shall do
any business in this State without having
one or more known places of business and
an authorized agent or agents in the same
upon whom process may be served.
Beo. 0; ' Nooorparation shall engage 'kl
any business other , than that expressly au
thorized in its charter, nor shall it take or
hold any real estate except such as may be
necessary and proper for its legitimate bus
iness, .( I'.: " I Vi !. r .-.I-, i i -. 1- -i '
fi i pec. . , i9 corporation fuau issue stocaa
or bonds except lor money, labor done, or
money or property actually received i and
all fictitious increase of stock or debtedness
shall be void, i The stock and indebtedness
of corporation shall not be- .increased x
cept in pursuance or general law, nor with
out the consent of the persons holding the
larger amount in value of the stock, first
obtained at a meeting to be held after sixty
days notice given in pursuance or law.
Seo. 8. Municipal and i other corpora
tions and individuals invested with the
privilege of taking private property for
publio use shall make just compensation
for property taken, injured or destroyed by
tne count mclion or , enlargement 01 their
works, highways or improvements, which
compensation shall be paid or ' secured be
lore such taking, injury or destruction.
The General Assembly is hereby prohibited
from depriving any person of an appeal
from any preliminary assessment of dam
ages against any such corporations or indi
viduals made by viewers or otherwise : and
the amount of such damages in all cases of
appoal snail on the demand of either party
be determined by a jury according to the
course of the common law.
Sec. 9. Every, banking law shall pro
vide for the registry and countersigning,
by an officer of the State, of all notes or
bills designed for circulation, and that
ample security to the full amount thereof
shall bo deposited with the Auditor Gener
al for the redemption of Buoh notes or
bills. .
See. 10. The Geuoral Assembly shall
have the power to alter, revoke or annul
any charter of incorporation now existing
and revocable at the adoption of this Con
stitution, or any that may hereafter be cre
ated, whenever in their opinion it may be
injurious to the citizens of this Common
wealth, in such manner, however, that no
injustice shall be done to the corporators.
No law hereafter enacted Bhall - create, re
new or extend the charter of more than
ono corporation.
Seo. 11. . No corporato body to possess
banking and discounting privileges shall be
created or organized in pursuance of any
law without three months previous public
notice, at the place of the intended loca
tion, of the intention to apply for such
privileges, in such manner as shall be pre
scribed by law, nor shall a charter for such
privilege be ' granted for a longer period
than twenty years.
Seo. 12. ; Any association or corporation
organized for the purpose, or any individ
ual, shall have the right to construct aud
maintain lines of telegraph' within' this
State, and to conneot the same with other
lines, and the General Assembly shall, by
general law of uniform operation, provide
reasonable regulations to give full effect to
this section. No telegraph company Bhall
consolidate with, or bold a . controlling in
terest in the stock or bonds of any other
telegraph company owing a competing line,
or acquire, by purchase, any other com
peting line of telegraph. ' '
Sec. 13.' The1 term " corporations, "as
used in this article, shall . be construed to
include all joint stock companies or associ
ations having any of the powers or priv
ileges ol corporations not possessed by in.
dividuals or partnerships.
t ; ' ARTICLE XVII. ;
'' ' ' Railroads and Canals. 1
Section 1. All railroads and canals shall
bo public highways, and all railroad and
canal companies shall be common carriers.
Any association or corporation organized
for the purpose shall have the right to con
struct and operate a railroad between any
points within this Btate, and to connect at
the state lino with railroads of other States.
Every railroad company shall have tho
right with its road to intersect, connect
with or cross any other railroad ; and shall
receive and transport each the other's pas
sengers, tonnage, and cars loaded or empty,
without dolay or discrimination.
Sec. 2. Every Railroad and canal cor
poration organized in this State shall main
tain an ollico therein where transfers of its
stock Bhall be made, and where its books
shall be kopt for inspection by any stock
holder or creditor of such corporation, in
which Bhall be recorded the amouut of cap
ital stock subscribed or paid in, and by
whom, the names of the owners of its
stock aud the amounts owned by them,
respectively, the transfers of said stock.
and tho names and places of residence of
Its officers. 1
Seo. 8. All individuals, associations and
corporations shall have equal right to have
persons and property transported over rail
roads aud canals, aud no undue or unrea
sonable discrimination shall be made in
charges for, or in facilities for, transporta
tion ot height or passengers within the
State, or comincr from or irolnir to anv
other Stato. Persons and property trans
ported over any railroad shall be delivered
at any station at charges not exceeding the
charges for transportation of persons and
property ol the same class in tho same ul
rection to any more distant station ; but
excursion and commutation tickets may bo
issued at special rates. ,
Soc. 4. . No railroad, canal or other cor
poration, or mo lessees, purchasers or man
agers of any railroad or canal corporation,
shall consolidate the stock, propeity or
franchises of, or in any way control any
other railroad or canal corporation owning
or having under its control a parallel or
competing line ; nor shall any officer of
suou railroad or oaual corporation act as an
officer of any other railroad or canal corpo
ration owning or having the control of a
parallel or competing line ; and the ques
tion whether railroads or oanals are paral.
lei or competing lines shall, when demand
ed by the party complainant, be decided by
a jury as in other civil issues.
; See. B. No incorporated company doing
the business of a common carrier shall, di
rectly or indirectly prosecute or , enirairs in
mining or manufacturing articles for trans
portation over its, works ; nor shall such
company,dircctly or indiroctly,engage!in any
other business than that of common car
riers, or hold or aoqulre lands, freehold or
leasehold, directly or indirectly, except
such as shall be necessary for carrying on
its business ; but any mining or manufac
turing company may carry the produots of
its mines and manufactories on its railroad
or canal not exceeding fifty miles in length.
Boo, 0. No president. . director, officer;
agent or employees or auy railroad or canal
company shall be interested, directly or in
directly, in the furnishing of material or
supplies to sucn company, or In . the busi
ness of transportation as a common car rier
of freight or passengers over the works
owned, leased, controlled or worked by such
company, ;'-.. ...; c ri .-.j ; -
' Beo. 7. No discrimination in charge or
facilities for transportation shall be made-
between transportation companies . and in.
uiiuumii,iui in iavur Jul eiiaicr oy- auaw-
IWRIlK flrnurltnnlr n. nil.n.n.inn n .1 nr. fi i 1
road or canal company, or any lessee, man-
KU r vmpiwjw t-uuraoF, snail iuhko any
uioiouiuo iu lurnisning cars or motive
nnwar.
BeC. ft. No rnllrniul
portation company shall grant free passes,
or
p umcounc, to any , person ex
nt offlc'efrB or emnloveea of ti iWitn
cept
I
bo
Se(i.'9'.' 'No street passcrigerrailway shall
J Oonitillrtfd wllhin ,.lh. lln,w. ..
cityrr borough or township,, without the
consent of its local authorities,, ,
Bee. 10. No railroad,, canal or(. other
transportation company, in existence atthe
.....w v. v.iw ...... .m.v;u v. kill. Ill L1UIU, BIIH11
have the benefit of any . future legislation
uy geuunu ui'uciai lawn, , except on con-
(lit.inn nf nnmnljitA afnoniani). nf all tl.n
provisions of this article.' '
Bee. 11. The existing powers and duties of
tlin Aiiflifnr Oannval in mnard ti . 11 i.nn 1-
canals and other transportation companies,
excupi, us to ineir accounts, are nereuy
transferred to the Secretary of Internal
Affairs, who shall have a general super
vision over them, subject to such regula-
t.inna nnH nltamfwti.a a a ol.all l.n .t.....t.. 1...
...... ...... ... I... a,,..,, MW i w , luuu
law ; and, in addition to the annual reports
nun luyuiicu iy uu liuiuu, saiu .secretary
mnv I'nililtril fii.nnlal wittma nt ,. tln.n
upon any subject relating to the business
ui tiu uuniinuicBiivui miy oniuer or oiu
cers thorcof. . .
Sec. 12. The General Assembly shall en
force by appropriate legislation the pro
visions of this article
' " ': ' ' ARTICLE XV1IL ' ' ' : ,
Jruluri Amendment!. ''
Section 1. Any amendment Of amend
ments to this Constitution may be proposed
in the Senate or House of. Representatives ;
and, if the same shall be agreed by a ma
jority' of the members cltcted to each
House, such proposed amendment or amend
ments shall be entered on their journals
with the yeas aud nays taken thereon, and
the Secretary of the Commonwealth shall
cause the same to be published three
months before the next tronoral election, in
at least two newspapers iu every . county in
which such newspapers shall be published ;
aud if, in the General Assembly next after
wards chosen, such proposed amendment
or aramendments shall, be agreed to by a
majority of the members elected to each
House, tho Secretary of tho Commonwealth
shall cause the sanio again to bo published
in the manner aforesaid ; and such pro
posed amendment or amendments shall be
submitted to the qualified electors of tho
State, in such manner, and at such lime at
least three months after being so agreed to
by the two Houses, as the General ' Assem
bly shall .prescribe ; and,' if such omend
ment or amendments Bhall be approved by
a majority of those voting tliereou, such
amendment or amendments shall become a
part of the Constitution ; but no amend
ment or amendments shall be submitted
oftencr than once in five years. : When two
or more amendments shall be submitted
they shall be voted upon separately.
SCHEDULE. '
That no Inconvenience may arise from the
changes in the Constitution of tho Common
wealth, aud in order to carry the same Into
complete operation, it is hereby declared, that:
Section 1. This Constitution shall take effect
on the first day of January, in the year one
thousand eight buadred and seventy-four, for
all purposes not otherwise provided for therein.
Sec 2. All laws in force hi this Common
wealth at the time of the adoption of this Con
stitution not consistent therewith, and all rights,
actions, prosecutions and contracts shall con
tinue as If this Constitution had not been
adopted. ,'
Bee. 8. At tho general election In tho years
one thousand eight hundred and seventy-four
and one thousand eight hundred and seventy-ty-llve,
Senators shall be elected In all districts
where there shall be vacancies. Those elected
in the year one thousand eight hundred and
seventy-fonr shall servo for two years, and
those elected in tho year one thousand eight
hundred and sevonly-flve shall servo for oue
year. Senators now elected and those whose
terms are unexpired shall represent the districts
in which they reside until the end of the terms
Tor which they were elected.
See. 4. At the the general election In the
year one thousand ehrht hundred and loventv-
six, Senators shall be elected from even num
bered districts to serve for two years, and from
even numbered districts to serve for two years,
and from odd numbered districts, to sorve for
four years.
Sec. 5. The first election of Governor under
this Constitution shall beat the general election
In the year one thousand eight hundred and
seventy-five, when a Governor Bhall be elected
for threo years j and the term of the Governor
elected In the year one thousand eight hundred
and seventy-eight and those thereafter elected
hall be for four years, acccording to the pro
visions of this Constitution. ' " . .i '
Sec. 0. At the general election In the year
one thousand eight hundred and seventy-four,
a Lieutenant Governor shall be elected accord
ing to lbs provisions of this Constitution.
Sec. 7. The Secretary of Internal Affairs
shall be elected at the first general election al
ter the adoption of this Constitution t and,
when the said ollicor shall be duly elected and
quullllcd, the olllee of Surveyor General shull
be abolished. The Surveyor Gonoral lu office
at the time of the adoption of this Constitution
shull continue la ofiioe until the expiration of
me term lor which be was elected.
Sec. 8. When the Superintendent of Public
Instruction shall be duly qualified the office of
enperluteodent or common Schools shall cease.
. Sec. 9. Nothing contained in this Consti
tution shall be construed to render any person
now holding any State office for a first official
term Ineligible for re-election at the end of such
(erm. ' ' ' .....
Sec. 10. Tbe judges of the Supreme Court In
office when this Coustltution shall take effect,
shall continue until their commissions severally
explie. Two jndgos lu addition t the number
now composlug the said court shall he elected
at tho first general election after the adoption
of this Constitution.
Sue. 11. All courts of record and all existing
courts which are not specified in this Constitu
tion, shall contlnae lu existence until the flrat
day of December, in tbe veer one thouBund
eight hundred and seventy-five, without abrldg
nieutof their present jurisdiction, but no long
er. The Court of Pirst Criminal Jurisdiction
for the counties of Schuylkill, Lebanon and
Dauphin, Is hereby abolished, aud all causes
and proceedings pending therein In the county
of Sehnvlklll shall be tried and disnosod of in
the courts of Oyer and Terminer and Quarter
cessions oi me reace or said county.
Sec. 18. Tbe Register's courts now In exist
ence shall be abolished on tha tint day of Jan
uary next succeeding the adoption of this Con
stitution. " rrr ' .
1 Bee. IS. The General Assembly Shall, at
tba next session after tho adoption of this Con
stitution, designate tho several judicial districts
as required Dy tun loostitntion. i ns judges
In commission when such designation shah be
made shuU continue during their , nueiplred
terms Judges of the new districts In which they
reside ) but, when tbsro shall be two judges re
siding lq the same district, tho President Judge , .
shall elect to which district he iball be assigu- '
ed, and the additional law Judge shall be as
signed to the other district.
Bee. 14. , The .General Assembly shall, at the
next succeeding session after each decennial
census and not oftencr, designate the several
Judlolal districts, as required by this Oonstltn-
tion.. . ..Tin . r,
Sec. 15. Judges learned "n the"uvw of ' any
court of record, holdlog commission in force ' .
at the adoption of this Constitution, shall hold
their respective offices until the expiration of
the terms for which they were commissioned,
and Until their successors shall' be duly quail- "
fled. . 1 he uovernor enu commission the
President Judge of the Court of First Criminal -
jurisdiction lor the counties or Bciiuylklll, Leb
anon and Dauphin as a Jndge of the Court of
Common Pleas of Schuylkill county, for the
unexpired term of his office. . .
Sec. 10. After the expiration of the term of
any president judge of any Court of Common
Pleas lu commission at the adoption of this
Constitution, the judges of such court learned
in the law and oldest in commission shall be .
the President Judge thereof ; and when two or
more Judges are elected at tbe same time In any
Judicial district, they shall decide by lot which
shall be President Judge j bnt when the Presi
dent Judgo of a court shall be re-elected he
shall continue to bo President Judge of that
court. Associate Judges not learned in the
law, elected after the adoption of this Consti
tution, shall be commissioned to hold their
offices for the term of five years from the first
day of Jannsry next after their election. ;
8cc 17 The Goncral Assembly, at the first
session after the adoption of this Constitution,
shall fix and determine the compensation of tho
judges of the Snprome Oonrt and of the judges
several Judicial districts of the Commonwealth ; ,
and the provisions of the thirteenth section of
the article on Legislation shall not be deemed '
inconsistent herewith. Nothing contained in
this Constitution shall be hold to reduce the
compensation now paid to any law judge of
this Commonwealth now In commission. :
Sec. 18. The courts of Common Pleas in ,
the counties of Philadelphia and Allegheny,
shall be composed of the present Judges' of
tho District Court and Court of Common Pleas
of said counties until their offices shall sever
ally end, and such other Judges as may from
time to time be selected. For tho purpose of
first organization, in Philadelphia, tbe judges
of the court number one, shall be Judges. Alli
son, Pierce and Paxson of the court number
two, Judges Hare, Mitchell and one other
Judge, to be elected of the court number three,
Judges.Ludlow, Finlcttor and Lynd ; and the
court number fonr, Judges Thayer, Brlggs and
one other Judge, to be elected. The Judge first
named shall be tho President Judge of said
courts respectively, and thereafter the Presi
dent Judge shall be the Judge oldest in com-'
mission ; but any President Judge re-elected in
the same court or district shall continue to be
President Judge thereof. The additional Judges
for courts numbers two and four, shall be vo
ted for and elected at tho first general election ,,
after the adoption of this Constitution, In tho
same manner as tho two additional Judges of
Bupremo Court, and they shall decide by lot to
which court they shall beloug. Their term of
office shall commence on the first Monday of
January, In the year one thousaud eight hun
dred and seventy-five.
Sec. 1!). In the county of Allegheny, for the
purpose of first organization under this Consti
tution, the Judges of the court of Common
Plcus, at the time of the adoption of this Con
stitution, shall be the judges of the court num
ber ono, and the Judges of the District Court,
at tha same date, shall be the judges of the '
Common Pleas number two. Tbe President
Judges of the Common Pleas and District
Court shall be President Judge of said courts
number one and two, respectively, until their
offices shull end ; and thereafter the judge old
est In commission shall be President Judge j ' '
but any President Judge re-elected in tha same
court or district shall continue to bo President .
Judge thereof. . ,
See. 20. The organization of tho courts of
of Common Pleas, under this constitution, for
the counties of Philadelphia and Allegheny,
shall lake effect on the first Monday of Janua
ry, one thousand eight hundred and seventy
five, and existing courts in said counties shall
Luii.iiiuu 1 ,b,l IIWVUk yVWUID null JUUD-
dictlon until that date, but no now suits shall
be Instituted In the conrtB of Arii Prim after
tho adoption of this Constitution, ,
Sec. 21. Tho causes and proceedings pend
ing in tho court of A'isi I'riut, court of Com
mon Pleus, and District Court in Philadelphia
shall be tried and. disposed of lu the court of
Common Pleus. The records and dockets of
said courts shall be transferred to the Prothon
otary's office of said county. '
Sea. 22. The causes and proceedings pending
In the court of Common Pleas in the county of
Allegheny shall be tried and disposed of In the
court number one ; and the causes and proceed
ings peudlng In the District Court shall be tried
aud disposed of in tho court number two.
Seo. 23. The Prothonotary of tho court of
Common Pleas of Philadelphia shall bo first
appointed by tb Judges of said court on the
first Monday of December, laths year one ,
thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, and
the present Prothonotary of the District Court
in said county shall b tho Prothonotary of
the said court of Common Pious null! said date
when his commission shall expire, and the
present Clerk of the court of Oyer and Termi
ner and Quarter Sessions of the Peace In Phil
adelphia shall be the clerk of such court until
the expiration of his present commission on
the first Monday of December, In the year one
thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.
Scc 24. In olties coutulnlnsr over fifty
thousand Inhabitants, except Philadelphia, all
alderman In office at the time of the adoption
of this Constitution shall continue in office
until the expiration of their commissions i and
at the election for city and ward officers In tho
year one thousand eight hulidrod and seventy
fire, one alderman shall b elected lu euch
ward as provided la this Constitution.
- See. 25. ' Iu Philadelphia magistrates, In
lieu of aldermen, shall be chosen, as required
in this Constitution, at the eleotion in said city
for city and ward officers in the year oue thou
sand eight hundred and seventy-five their
term of office shall commence on tho first Mon
day of April succeeding (heir,, election. , Tho
terms ef office of aldermen lu tuldclty hbldiug,
or entitled to, commission at the time of the
adaption of this Constitution shall not be af
fected thereby. - . .
Bee. 2H. All persons In' office In this Com
monwealth at the time of the adoption of this
Constitution, and at the first election under it,
hall hold their respective offices until the term
for which they have been elected or appointed
hall expire, sod until their successors shall be
duly quulltled, unless otherwise provided In this
Constitution. '
Bee. 2?: ' The Bovebth article of this Consti
tution prescribing an eutli f office shall take
effect on and after the liist, day of January ,ouo
thousand eight buudred aud seventy-five. ,
Sec. 28. The terms of office of County Com
missioners and County Auditors, ohoseu prior
to the year one thousand eight hundred and
seventy-five, which shall not have expired be-
lore tne nrst jnonunr ur vnuumj m mn jwr
one thousand eight hundred and seventy-tlx,
hall expire on that day. . .
Sec, 2D. All stato, county, city, ward, bor.
ongh and township officers in office at the time
of the adoptioa of- this Constitution, whose
compensation is not provided for by. salaries
alone, shall continue to rclyo tho compema- .
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