grants or appropriations. The legislature shall make such provisions by taxation or otherwise, as, with the income arising from the school trust fund, will secure a thorough and efficient system of common schools throughout the state; but no religious sect or sects shall ever have any exclusive right to, or control of any part of the school funds of this state.

sold for less

of than $5.00 per

acre.

SEC. 2. The university lands, school lands, and all Lands not to be other lands which have been acquired by the territory Nebraska, or which may hereafter be acquired by the state of Nebraska, for educational or school purposes, shall not be aliened or sold for a less sum than five dollars per acre.

ARTICLE VIII.

CORPORATIONS.

to be passed.

SECTION 1. The legislature shall pass no special act No special act conferring corporate powers.

SEC. 2. Corporations may be formed under general

laws.

ject to taxation,

SEC. 3. The property of corporations, now existing or Property subhereafter created, shall forever be subject to taxation, the same as the property of individuals.

lages to be or

SEC. 4. The legislature shall provide for the organiza- Cities and viltion of cities and incorporated villages by general laws, ganized. and restrict their power of taxation, assessment, borrowing money, contracting debts, and loaning their credits, so as to prevent the abuse of such power.

ARTICLE IX.

AMENDMENTS.

SECTION 1. If at any time a majority of the senate and

Amendments to house of representatives shall deem it necessary to call a constitution, convention to revise or change this constitution, they shall recommend to the electors to vote for or against a convention at the next election for members of the legislature; and if it shall appear that a majority of the electors voting thereon have voted for a convention, the legislature shall at its next session, provide for calling such convention.

Boundaries of the state.

ARTICLE X.

BOUNDARIES.

SECTION 1. The state of Nebraska shall consist of all the territory included within the following boundaries, towit: Commencing at a point formed by the intersection. of the western boundary of the state of Missouri with the fortieth degree of north latitude; extending thence due west along said fortieth degree of north latitude to a point formed by its intersection with the twenty-fifth degree of longitude west from Washington; thence north along said twenty-fifth degree of longitude to a point formed by its intersection with the forty-first degree of north latitude; thence west along said forty-first degree of north latitude to a point formed by its intersection with the twentyseventh degree of longitude west from Washington; thence north along said twenty-seventh degree of west longitude to a point formed by its intersection with the forty-third degree of north latitude; thence east along said forty-third degree of north latitude to the Reya Paha river; thence down the middle of the channel of said river, with its meanderings, to a junction with the Niobrara river; thence down the middle of the channel of said Niobrara river, and following the meanderings thereof to its junction with the Missouri river; thence down the middle of the channel of said Missouri river, and following the meanderings thereof to the place of beginning.

ARTICLE XI.

SCHEDULE.

Rights of per-
sons under ter.
ritorial govern-

tinue.

SECTION 1. That no inconvenience may arise from
the change of territorial government to a state govern- ment shall con-
ment, it is declared that all rights, suits, actions, prosecu-
tions, judgments, recognizances, claims, and contracts, both
as respects persons and bodies-corporate, shall continue
and be enforced, as if no change had taken place, and all
laws now in force shall remain in force until altered,
amended, or repealed by the legislature: Provided, Where-
ver the word territory shall occur, it shall be construed
to mean state, whenever it may be necessary, in order that
such laws may conform to the state government.

Penalties,

shall remain in
force.

SEC. 2. All debts, fines, penalties, recognizances, and bonds, etc.,
forfeitures, due and owing to the Territory of Nebraska,
shall inure to the benefit of the state, and all obligations
and bonds to the Territory of Nebraska, or any officer
thereof, shall be esteemed and taken as due and owing to
the State of Nebraska, and may be in such manner
enforced.

ritory shall con

SEC. 3. The governor, and all other officers of the ter- Officers of ter
ritorial government, shall continue to discharge and exer- tinue to act.
cise the duties of their respective offices, until superceded,

by the provisions of this constitution, or the officers ap-
pointed or elected by authority of its provisions.

SEC. 4. The first election for governor, secretary of First election.
state, auditor of state, one representative to congress, the
justice of the supreme court, the members of the senate
and house of representatives, shall be held on the second
day of June, one thousand eight hundred and sixty-six,
at the places and in the manner now prescribed by law for
general elections. The members of the senate shall be

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First election. elected in and from the same districts that are now prescribed by law for councilmen districts. The members of the house of representatives shall be elected in and from the same districts that are now prescribed by law for members of the house of representatives of the territory of Nebraska, and all the officers mentioned, to-wit: Senators and representatives shall hold their offices until the first Monday in January, A. D. 1867; governor, secretary of state, state auditor, and treasurer, until the second Monday in January, A. D. 1869, and until their successors are elected and qualified; the supreme judges until the first day of January, A. D. 1873.

legislature.

First session of SEC. 5. The first session of the legislature shall be held at the Capitol, in the City of Omaha, commencing on the fourth day of July, A. D. 1866.

Admission into. the union.

Constitution,

how submitted.

SEC. 6. This constitution is formed, and the State of Nebraska asks to be admitted into the Union on an equal footing with the original states, on the condition and faith of the terms of the propositions stated and specified in an act of congress, approved, April 19th, 1864, authorizing the people of the territory to form a constitution and state government; the people of the State of Nebraska hereby accepting the conditions in said act specified.

SEC. 7. The foregoing constitution shall be submitted to the electors of the territory of Nebraska at an election to be held on the second day of Juue, in the year one thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the several election districts of this territory. The ballots at such elections shall be written or printed as follows:

Those in favor of the constitution, "For the Constitution."

Those against the constitution, "Against the Constitution."

The polls at such elections shall be open at the hour of nine o'clock, A. M., and close at six o'clock, P. M., and the

returns of such elections shall be made to the acting gov- Constitution.
how submitted.
ernor of the territory, who, together with the United
States district attorney and chief justice of the territory, or
any two of them, shall canvass the same, and if a majority
of the legal votes shall be cast for said constitution, the
same shall be the constitution of Nebraska.

Said governor shall certify the same to the president of
the United States; Provided, That the said election shall
be conducted, and the returns made, in the same manner
and under the same regulations as are prescribed by law
in the case of the election of territorial officers.

The election returns for the governor, secretary of state,
auditor, treasurer, and supreme judges, shall be made to
the same officers, and the canvass of such returns made in
the same manner as is now prescribed by law for delegates
in congress.

Resolved by the Council and House of Representatives of
the Territory of Nebraska,

That the foregoing constitution be submitted to the
qualified electors of the territory, for their adoption or rejec-
tion, at an election hereby authorized to be held at the
time and in the manner specified in the seventh (7th) sec-
tion of the schedule of said constitution, and that the
returns and canvass of the votes cast at said election be
made as in said section prescribed.

JAMES G. MEGEATH,

Speaker of the House of Representatives.

O. P. MASON,

President of the Council.

ALVIN SAUNDERS,

Governor of the Territory of Nebraska.

:

f

Approved, February 9, 1866.

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