The Evolution of Governments and Laws (Volume 2); Exhibiting the Governmental Structures of Ancient and Modern States, Their Growth and Decay and the Leading Principles of Their Laws (Paperback)

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: From the adoption of the fifteenth amendment till the ratification of the sixteenth a period of forty-three years elapsed. State Constitutions From thirteen, the number of the revolting colonies which assumed independence and sovereignty in 1776, the Union has now grown to contain forty-eight states, each with rights equal to those enjoyed by the original thirteen. The early constitutions modelled as we have seen after the colonial systems of government theretofore prevailing, have been amended or superseded by new ones from time to time, and the forty-eight fundamental laws of the states afford a most pleasing exhibit of advancement in the administration of public affairs and the development of the principles of government by a free and intelligent people. The ideas of government generally entertained at the time of the Revolution, having been moulded in English forms, did not extend to the selection of executive and judicial officers by direct choice of the people. Delegates to the legislative body, chosen in comparatively small districts, were the only officials selected by vote of the people in England. So, under the first constitutions of the states, the people elected only representatives to the legislatures, leaving to them the selection of executive and judicial officers. In Connecticut the people had always elected their governors and in Massachusetts had done so till their charter was annulled. As a safeguard against the arbitrary exercise of power, the expedient of three separate coordinate departments was adopted. The idea of this division of powers is thus clearly expressed in the fourth Article of the declaration of rights in the constitution of North Carolina of 1776. "That the legislative, executive and supreme judicial powers of government ought to be for...