pending in said district courts, in the several counties of any district, shall be transferred to the circuit courts in the several counties, and be proceeded in as though said district courts had not been abolished; and the district courts shall continue in existence until the election and qualification of the judges of the circuit courts. [As amended October 9, 1883.] SEC. 7. There shall be established in each county a probate court, which shall be a court of record, open at all times, and holden by one judge, elected by the voters of the county, who shall hold his office for the term of three years, and shall receive such compensation, payable out of the county treasury, or by fees, or both, as shall be provided by law. SEC. 8. The probate court shall have jurisdiction in probate and testamentary matters, the appointment of administrators and guardians, the settlement of the accounts of executors, administrators, ors. and guardians, and such jurisdiction in habeas corpus, the issuing of marriage licenses, and for the sale of land by executors, administrators, and guardians, and such other jurisdiction, in any county or counties, as may be provided by law. SEC. 9. A competent number of justices of the peace shall be elected, by the electors, in each township in the several counties. Their term of office shall be three years, and their powers and duties shall be regulated by law. SEC. 10. All judges, other than those provided for in this constitution, shall be elected by the electors of the judicial district for which they may be created, but not for a longer term of office than five years. SEC. 11. The judges of the supreme court shall, immediately after the first election under this constitution, be classified by lot, so that one shall hold for the term of one year, one for two years, one for three years, one for four years, and one for five years; and at all subsequent elections, the term of each of the said judges shall be for five years. [Repealed October 9, 1883.] SEC. 12. The judges of the courts of common pleas shall, while in office, reside in the district for which they are elected; and their term of office shall be for five years. SEC. 13. In case the office of any judge shall become vacant before the expiration of the regular term for which he was elected, the vacancy shall be filled by appointment by the governor, until a successor is elected and qualified; and such successor shall be elected for the unexpired term at the first annual election that occurs more than thirty days after the vacancy shall have happened. SEC. 14. The judges of the supreme court, and of the court of common pleas, shall, at stated times, receive for their services such compensation as may be provided by law, which shall not be diminished or increased during their term of office; but they shall receive no fees or perquisites, nor hold any other office of profit or trust, under the authority of this State, or the United States. All votes for either of them, for any elective office, except a judicial office, under the authority of this State, given by the general assembly, or the people, shall be void. SEC. 15. The general assembly may increase or diminish the number of the judges of the supreme court, the number of the districts of the court of common pleas, the number of judges in any district, change the districts, or the subdivisions thereof, or establish other courts, whenever two thirds of the members elected to each house shall concur therein; but no such change, addition, or diminution shall vacate the office of any judge. SEC. 16. There shall be elected in each county, by the electors thereof, one clerk of the court of common pleas, who shall hold his office for the term of three years, and until his successor shall be elected and qualified. He shall, by virtue of his office, be clerk of all other courts of record held therein; but the general assembly may provide by law for the election of a clerk, with a like term of office, for each or any other of the courts of record, and may authorize the judge of the probate court to perform the duties of clerk for his court, under such regulations as may be directed by law. Clerks of courts shall be removable for such cause, and in such manner, as shall be prescribed by law. SEC. 17. Judges may be removed from office, by concurrent resolution of both houses of the general assembly, if two thirds of the members, elected to each house, concur therein; but no such removal shall be made, except upon complaint, the substance of which shall be entered on the journal, nor until the party charged shall have had notice thereof and an opportunity to be heard. SEC. 18. The several judges of the supreme court, of the common pleas, and of such other courts as may be created, shall, respectively, have and exercise such power and jurisdiction, at chambers or otherwise, as may be directed by law. SEC. 19. The general assembly may establish courts of conciliation, and prescribe their powers and duties; but such courts shall not render final judgment, in any case, except upon submission by the parties of the matter in dispute, and their agreement to abide such judgment. SEC. 20. The style of all process shall be, "The State of Ohio;" all prosecutions shall be carried on in the name and by the authority of the State of Ohio; and all indictments shall conclude, "against the peace and dignity of the State of Ohio." SEC. 21. A commission, which shall consist of five members, shall be appointed by the governor, with the advice and consent of the senate, the members of which shall hold office for the term of three years from and after the first day of February, 1876, to dispose of such part of the business then on the dockets of the supreme court as shall, by arrangement between said commission and said court, be transferred to such commission; and said commission shall have like jurisdiction and power in respect to such business as are or may be vested in said court, and the members of said commission shall receive a like compensation for the time being with the judges of said court. A majority of the members of said commission shall be necessary to form a quorum or pronounce a decision, and its decision shall be certified, entered, and enforced as the judgments of the supreme court, and at the expiration of said commission all business undisposed of shall by it be certified to the supreme court, and disposed of as if said commission had never existed. The clerk and reporter of said court shall be the clerk and reporter of said commission, and the commission shall have such other attendants, not exceeding in number those provided by law for said court, which attendants said commission may appoint and remove at its pleasure. Any vacancy occurring in said commission shall be filled by appointment of the governor, with the advice and consent of the senate, if the senate be in session; and if the senate be not in session, by the governor ; but in such last case, such appointment shall expire at the end of the next session of the general assembly. The general assembly may, on application of the supreme court, duly entered on the journal of the court and certified, provide by law, whenever two thirds of such [each] house shall concur therein, from time to time, for the appointment in like manner of a like commission with like powers, jurisdiction, and duties: provided, that the term of any such commission shall not exceed two years nor shall it be created oftener than once in ten years. In obedience to a joint resolution of the general assembly, March 30, 1875, the above section was submitted to the people on the 12th day of October, 1875, and adopted. The following statement shows the vote: Whole number of votes cast For the amendment :: 595,248 339,076 Against the amendment 98,561 ARTICLE V. ELECTIVE FRANCHISE. SECTION 1. Every white male citizen of the United States, of the age of twenty-one years, who shall have been a resident of the State one year next preceding the election, and of the county, township, or ward in which he resides such time as may be provided by law, shall have the qualifications of an elector, and be entitled to vote at all elections. SEC. 2. All elections shall be by ballot. SEC. 3. Electors, during their attendance at elections and in going to and returning therefrom, shall be privileged from arrest, in all cases, except treason, felony, and breach of the peace. SEC. 4. The general assembly shall have power to exclude from the privilege of voting, or of being eligible to office, any person convicted of bribery, perjury, or other infamous crime. SEC. 5. No person in the military, naval, or marine service of the United States shall, by being stationed in any garrison or military or naval station within the State, be considered a resident of this State. SEC. 6. No idiot or insane person shall be entitled to the privileges of an elector. ARTICLE VI. EDUCATION. SECTION 1. The principal of all funds arising from the sale or other disposition of lands or other property, granted or intrusted to this State for educational and religious purposes, shall forever be preserved inviolate and undiminished; and the income arising therefrom shall be faithfully applied to the specific objects of the original grants or appropriations. SEC. 2. The general assembly 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 or other sect or sects shall ever have any exclusive right to or control of any part of the school funds of this State. ARTICLE VII. PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS. SECTION 1. Institutions for the benefit of the insane, blind, and deaf and dumb shall always be fostered and supported by the State, and be subject to such regulations as may be prescribed by the general assembly. SEC. 2. The directors of the penitentiary shall be appointed or elected in such manner as the general assembly may direct; and the trustees of the benevolent and other State institutions now elected by the general assembly, and of such other State institutions as may be hereafter created, shall be appointed by the governor, by and with the advice and consent of the senate; and upon all nominations made by the governor the question shall be taken by yeas and nays and entered upon the journals of the senate. SEC. 3. The governor shall have power to fill all vacancies that may occur in the offices aforesaid, until the next session of the general assembly, and until a successor to his appointee shall be confirmed and qualified. ARTICLE VIII. PUBLIC DEBT AND PUBLIC WORKS. SECTION I. The State may contract debts to supply casual deficits or failures in revenues, or to meet expenses not otherwise provided for; but the aggregate amount of such debts, direct and contingent, whether contracted by virtue of one or more acts of the general assembly, or at different periods of time, shall never exceed seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars; and the money arising from the creation of such debts shall be applied to the purpose for which it was obtained, or to repay the debts so contracted, and to no other purpose what ever. SEC. 2. In addition to the above limited power, the State may contract debts to repel invasion, suppress insurrection, defend the State in war, or to redeem the present outstanding indebtedness of the State; but the money arising from the contracting of such debts shall be applied to the purpose for which it was raised, or to repay such debts, and to no other purpose whatever; and all debts incurred to redeem the present outstanding indebtedness of the State shall be so contracted |