session. The presiding officers of the Senate and House shall issue a certificate to each of said Senators certifying his election, which certificate shall also be signed by the Governor and attested by the Secretary of State. Sec. 14. The Legislature shall pass all necessary laws to carry into effect the provisions of this Constitution. Sec. 15. Whenever any two of the judges of the Supreme Court of the State, elected under the provisions of this Constitution, shall have qualified in their offices, the causes then pending in the Supreme Court of the Territory, and the papers, records and proceedings of said court, and the seal and other property pertaining thereto, shall pass into the jurisdiction and possession of the Supreme Court of the State; and until so superceded the Supreme Court of the Territory and the judges thereof shall continue with like powers and jurisdiction, as if this Ccnstitution had not been adopted. Whenever the judge of the District Court of any district, elected under the provisions of this Constitution, shall have qualified in office, the several causes then pending in the District Court of the Territory, within any county in such district, and the records, papers and proceedings of said District Court and the seal and other property per taining thereto, shall pass into the jurisdiction and possession of the District Court of the State for such county; and until the District Courts of this Territory shall be superseded in the manner aforesaid the said District Courts and the judges thereof shall continue with the same jurisdiction and power to be exercised in the same judicial districts respectively as heretofore constituted under the laws of the territory. Sec. 16. Until otherwise provided by law the seals now in use in the Supreme and District Courts of this Territory are hereby declared to be the seals of the Supreme and District Courts respectively, of the State. Sec. 17. Whenever this Constitution shall go into effect, records and papers and proceedings of the Probate Court in each county, and all causes and matters of administration and other matters pending therein, shall pass into the jurisdiction and possession of the District Court of the same county, and the said District Court shall proceed to final decree or judgment order or other determination in the said several matters and causes, as the said Probate Court might have done if this Constitution had not been adopted. Sec. 18. Senators and members of the House of Representatives shall be chosen by the qualified electors of the several senatorial and representative districts as established in this Constitution, until such districts shall be changed by law, and thereafter by the qualified electors of the several districts as the same shall be established by law. Sec. 19. All county and precinct officers who may be in office at the time of the adoption of this Constitution, shall hold their respective offices for the full time for which they may have been elected, and until such time as their successors may be elected and qualified, as may be provided by law, and the official bonds of all such officers shall continue in full force and effect as though this Constitution had not been adopted. Sec. 20. Members of the Legislature and all State officers, district and supreme judges elected at the first election held under this Constitution shall hold their respective offices for the full term next ensuing such election, in addition to the period intervening between the date of their qualification and the commencement of such full term. Sec. 21. If the first session of the Legislature under this Constitution shall be concluded within twelve months of the time designated for a regular session thereof, then the next regular session following said special session shall be omitted. Sec. 22. The first regular election that would otherwise occur following the first session of the Legislature, shall be omitted, and all county and precinct officers elected at the first election held under this Constitution shall hold their office for the full term thereof, commencing at the expiration of the term of the county and precinct officers then in office, or the date of their qualification. Sec. 23. This convention does hereby declare on behalf of the people of the Territory of Wyoming, that this Constitution has been prepared and submitted to the people of the territory of Wyoming for their adoption or rejection, with no purpose of setting up or organizing a State government until such time as the Congress of the United States shall enact a law for the admission of the Territory of Wyoming as a State under its provisions. ORDINANCES. The following article shall be irrevocable without the consent of the United States and the people of this State: Section 1. The State of Wyoming is an inseparable part of the Federal Union and the Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the land. Sec. 2. Perfect toleration of religious sentiment shall be secured, and no inhabitant of this State shall ever be molested in person or property on account of his or her mode of religious worship. Sec. 3. The people inhabiting this State do agree and declare that they forever disclaim all right and title to the unappropriated public lands lying within the boundaries thereof, and to all lands lying within said limits owned or held by any Indian or Indian tribes, and that until the title thereto shall have been extinguished by the United States, the same shall be and remain subject to the disposition of the United States and that said Indian lands shall remain under the absolute jurisdiction and control of the Congress of the United States; that the lands belonging to the citizens of the United States residing without this State shall never be taxed at a higher rate than the lands belonging to the residents of this State; that no taxes shall be imposed by this State on lands or property therein, belonging to, or which may hereafter be purchased by the United States, or reserved for its use. But nothing in this article shall preclude this State from taxing as other lands are taxed, any lands owned or held by any Indian who has severed his tribal relations, and has obtained from the United States or from any person, a title thereto, by patent or other grant, save and except such lands as have been or may be granted to any Indian or Indians under any acts of Congress containing a provision exempting the lands thus granted from taxation, which last mentioned lands shall be exempt from taxation so long, and to such an extent, as is, or may be provided in the act of Congress granting the same. Sec. 4. All debts and liabilities of the Territory of Wyoming shall be assumed and paid by this State. Sec. 5. The Legislature shall make laws for the establishment and maintenance of systems of public schools which shall be open to all the children of the State and free from sectarian control. Done in open convention, at the City of Cheyenne, in the Territory of Wyoming, this 30th day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eighty-nine. JOHN K. JEFFREY, Attest: Secretary. |