Elements of Civil Government online

of Indian affairs, 145.
of internal revenue, 138.
of labor, 90.
land, 84, 90.
of patents, 145.
of pensions, 144.
railway, 84, 90.
of internal revenue, 138.
school, 49.
street, 61, 62.
township, 44, 49.
Committee, 190.
conference, 200.
county, 191.
district, 191.
executive, 191.
national, 192, 194.
special, 198,
standing, 198.
Common law, 170.
Communal district, 30.
Commutation of sentence, 87.
Comptroller, 87.
in U. S. government, 137.
Comptroller of currency, 138.
Congress, acts of, 65.
forbidden powers, 117.
member of, 111, 112.
power of, 110, 117.
representation in, 95.
Congressional districts, 191.
Constable, district, 33.
duties of, 35.
election and term, 35.
township, 43, 45.
Consuls, 135.
Constitution, 205-218.
amendments to, 107, 215.
formation of, 106.
nature of, 105.
Constitution of European countries, 70.
of State, 69.
necessity for, 106.
ratification of, 99.
value of, 71.
Conventions, 192, 194.
Copyright, 114, 145.
Coroner, 49.
duties of, 53.
inquest, 54.
in township, 46.
Corporation, 166.
municipal, 56.
Corruption, 177.
Council, city, 61, 62.
common, 61.
Councilman, 42, 57.
Counterfeiting, 114.
County, the, 48-55.
area, 49.
attorney, 51.
auditor, 52.
buildings, 49.
clerk, 52.
convention, 193.
court-house, 49.
executive department, 51.
formation, 48.
government, 49.
infirmary, 50.
jail, 49.
judge, 54, 55.
legislative department, 50.
officers, 49.
power, 48,
property, 50.
public affairs, 49.
purposes, 48.
sheriff, 51.
superintendent of schools, 44.
surveyor, 53.
Court-house, 49, 50.
Court, jurisdiction of, 151.
of claims, 153.
officers of, 155,173,174.
supreme, 151,
United States, 149.
of appeals, U.S. circuit, 152.
U.S. district, 153.
Court-martial, 171.

Declaration of Independence, 65.
Deeds, 49, 53.
Defendant, 172.
Democracy, 159, 161.
Department, of agriculture, 146.
of commerce, 147.
county, 40.
executive, of county, 51.
fire, 59.
government, 72.
interior, 144-146.
judicial, 40, 92, 149, 196.
of justice, 146, 147.
of labor, 147.
legislative, of county, 80.
of State, 77.
of territory, 94.
navy, 141, 142.
post office, 142-144.
State, 133.
township, 40, 41.
treasury, 136-139.
war, 139-141.
Despotism, 175.
Diplomatic service, 134.
Direct taxes, 202, 203.
Director infirmary, 54.
of mint, 139.
school, 43, 44.
Disfranchisement, 177.
Disorder, 179.
District-attorney, 155.
District, civil, 27.
clerk, 54.
communal, 30.
election, 29.
magisterial, 29.
marshal, 155.
militia, 29.
reporter, 155.
school, 21, 28.
Duties, 204.
citizen's, 33.
civil, 163.
industrial, 165.
moral, 166.
of children, 22.
of family, 19.
of parents, 23.
political, 167.

Education, board of, 61.
of child, 27.
Election act, 179.
district, 29.
judges of, 42.
of county officers, 50.
of justices, 93.
precinct, 29, 30.
presidential, 126, 127.
returns, 87.
Electoral college, 127.
vote, 128.
Electors, choice of, 115.
Electric light, 59.
Enabling act, 65.
Engineer, city, 61.
chief, 140.
county, 53.
ordnance, 140.
State, 90.
Enrolled bills, 200.
Envoys extraordinary, 134.
Examiner of state, 90.
Examining trial, 34.
Exercise, 204.
Executive department, of county, 49.
of State, 84.
of territory, 94.
of United States, 125-148.
function of civil district, 31.
Expenditure in county, 52.

Family, 17-20.
definition of, 18.
duties of members of, 19.
officers, 19.
members of, 18.
powers of officers, 19.
purposes of, 18.
responsibilities, 19.
rights of members, 19.
Federal reserve banks, 138.
Federal trade commission, 148.
Fence-viewers, 45.
Finance, 60.
Fire department, chief of, 62.
Freedom of assembly, 73.
of conscience, 73.
of press, 73.

Gas-works, 59.
General assembly, 77.
General, adjutant, 84, 140.
attorney, 88,
commissary, 140.
inspector, 140.
quartermaster, 140.
surgeon, 140.
surveyor, 140.
Government, 157-162.
departments, 77.
duties toward, 69.
economy of, 61.
functions, 58, 59.
national, 98, 99.
origin of, 157, 158.
purposes of, 100.
school, 23-26.
State, 77.
Territory, 96.
varieties, 17, 159.
Governor of State, 85.
of Territory, 94,
powers and duties, 85, 86.
Grand jurors, 172, 177.
Guardians, appointment of, 54.
Habeas corpus, 117.
Hereditary monarchy, 160.
House of congress, 110.
of delegates, 78.
of representatives, 81, 121, 122.
Hundred, the, 28, 30.

Immigration commission, 90.
Impeachment, 82.
Inauguration, presidential, 128.
Income tax, 203.
Indiana ballot, 184, 187.
Indian Territory, 96.
Indictment, 172, 173.
Industrial rights, 165.
Initiative, 82.
Inquest, coroner's, 54.
Inspector-general, 140.
of bank, 90.
Instruction, superintendent of, 89.
Insurance commissioners, 84, 89.
Interior department, 144.
Internal revenue, 204.
International law, 170.
Interstate commerce, 113, 148, 153.
Intimidation, 179.

Jail, county, 49.
Jailer, 54.
Journal of house, 78.
Judge, 171-173, 176.
advocate-general, 140.
appointment of, 93.
county, 49, 50.
district, 94.
probate, 49, 55.
supreme court, 92.
surrogate, 49,
Judicial department of State, 191.
of U.S., 149.
district, 191.
Judiciary, functions of, 92.
Jurisdiction of courts, 149.
of supreme court, 151.
jurors, 173.
in township, 42.
Jury, 122, 123.
Justice, 163-168
of county, 50.
of peace, 33, 34.
precinct, 30.
of township, 45, 46.

Labor commissioner, 90.
Labor department, 147.
Land commissioner, 84, 90.
Law and liberty, 169-174.
Law, enactment of, 79, 197.
execution of, 84.
ex post facto, 118.
forbidden, 74.
indexing, 87.
making, 77.
of nations, 170.
of Territory, 95.
Legislation, 197-200.
in county, 54.
Legislative department of county, 49, 50.
power of presiding, 131.
State, 77.
Territory, 94.
Legislative department of township, 41.
of county, 50.
of school, 24.
of State, 77.
of U.S., 110.
Legislature, 77.
Letters of marque, 114.
Liberty, 169.
Librarian, State, 90.
Territory, 94.
Licenses, 53, 54.
Lieutenant-governor, 78, 84, 87.

Magisterial district, 29.
Marshal of village, 52.
Martial law, 171.
Massachusetts ballot, 183, 186.
Mayor, 57, 61.
Members of congress, 111.
of family, 19.
of school district, 22.
Ministers, 134, 135.
Ministerial officers, 35, 45, 174.
Militia, 115.
district, 29, 30.
Military academy, 145.
government, 159.
Mint, 138.
Monarchy, 159.
Money, coining of, 114.
Moral law, 170.
rights and duties, 166, 167.
Mortgages, 49, 53.
Municipal corporations, 56, 63.

National banks, 138.
National committees, 191.
convention, 191, 193, 194.
government, 98, 99.
legislation, 189.
Naturalization, 102.
Naval academy, 142.
New Jersey ballot, 184.
Nominations, 194, 195.

Officers, appointment of, 84.
city, 61.
civil district, 33.
election, 54.
election of, 176.
house of representatives, 81.
interior, 123.
ministerial, 35.
of family, 19, 20.
powers of, 19.
post-office, 143, 144.
school, 24.
of senate, 81.
Officers of Territory, 94.
township, 41.
treasury, 136.
of United States Court, 155, 156.
Official ballots, 184.
Oklahoma, 96.
Oligarchy, 160.
Oral instruction, 57.
Ordinances, 42.
Organization act, 94.
Overseers, 54.

Papers, 49.
Pardons, 131.
Parents, rights and duties of, 33
Parish, 48.
Parliamentary law, 171.
Parties, 189-196.
Party committees, 190, 191.
conventions, 190, 191.
machinery, 189, 191.
Passports, 133.
Patents, 144, 145.
Patriarchy, 160.
Patronage of president, 132.
Paymaster, 140.
Penalties, 177.
Pensions, 144.
Personal property, 203.
Petit jury, 172.
Piracy, 114.
Plaintiff, 172.
Plantations, 30.
Platforms, 126, 194.
Police, chief, 62.
court, 61.
Political conventions, 192.
parties, 189.
Polling list, 176.
place, 176, 177, 180.
in district, 31.
Poll-tax, 39, 44, 203.
Poor, support of, 54.
Postmaster, 123.
Post office, 114.
bureau, 143.
department, 142.
Popular vote, 128.
Porto Rico, 97.
Pound keeper, 45.
Powers of State, 79.
Precinct election, 29, 30.
justice's, 30.
President, 125, 129, 130, 190, 193.
cabinet of, 132.
powers of, 108.
Presidential election, 189.
Press, freedom of, 72.
Primary elections, 195.
Privateers, 115.
Private property, 72.
Private tax, 203.
Privilege of State, 78.
Probate judge, 54, 55.
Proceedings, legal, 174.
Property tax, 203.

Quartermaster-general, 140.

Railway commissioners, 90.
Real estate tax, 203.
Recall, 63.
Recorder, 58.
county, 53.
Referendum, 82.
Register, county, 53.
of land office, 84, 90.
Representative democracy, 161.
districts, 191.
duties, 78.
house of, 81.
Reprieves, 86, 131.
Reprisal, 114.
Republic, 161, 163.
Republican principles, 72.
Residence, official, of president, 128.
Revenue and taxation, 201, 204.
collection of, 52, 88, 136.
Rights, 163, 171.
natural, 27.
of accused, 74.
of eminent domain, 166.
of private property, 164.
political, 175.

School, 21, 26.
appointment of officers, 34.
children, 22, 23.
definition and purpose of, 21.
directors, 43, 44, 51.
district, 28.
formation of, 21.
functions of, 22.
government, 23, 27.
members, 22.
position of, 28.
power of teacher of, 25.
rights of, 22.
teacher, 25.
Secret ballot, 179.
Secretary of state, 87.
of territory, 94.
of treasury, 136.
Security, personal, 72.
Selectmen, 42.
Senate, 81, 119.
Senator, 110.
Senatorial districts, 191.
Sessions of congress, 131.
Sheriff, 49, 174, 177.
Shire town, 49.
Society, 158, 165, 166.
Social rights, 165, 166.
Solicitor, 158, 166, 167.
city, 61.
general, 146.
of treasury, 139.
Speaker, 81, 82.
Speech, freedom of, 157.
State, 64-97.
administration of, 116.
engineer, 70.
State examiner, 90.
librarian, 90.
officers, 84.
secretary of, 87.
subdivisions of, 48.
teachers' institute, 89.
Statistics, commissioner of, 90.
Statute law, 170.
Suffrage and elections, 175-178.
rights of, 39.
Suits, 171, 174.
civil, 54.
Superintendent of banking, 90.
of coast survey, 138.
Superintendent of elections, 51.
of poor, 54.
of public instruction, 89.
Supervisor, 43, 44.
Supreme court, 92, 150.
Surveyor, 33,
general, 90.
county, 49, 53.

Tariff, 204.
Taxation, 79, 201, 202.
Taxes, 52, 53, 202, 203.
collection of, 35, 43, 45.
income, 203.
indirect, 202.
Teachers, 25, 26.
duties of, 25.
powers of, 25, 26.
Territory, 65, 94, 95, 96.
Theocracy, 160.
Tipstaff, 174.
Town (see Township), 39, 30, 37-47.
meetings, 41.
Township, or town, 37-47.
assessor, 43, 44.
citizens of, 38.
clerk, 43.
collector, 45.
commissioner, 44.
constable, 43, 45.
councilmen, 42.
governmental functions of, 37.
Township, purposes, 38.
selectmen, 42.
supervisor, 43, 44.
treasurer, 43.
Treason, 86.
Treasurer, city, 61.
Treasurer, county, 52.
township, 43.
village, 57, 58.
Treasury department, 136-139.
Treaties, 120, 131.
Trials, 171, 172.
by jury, 173.
Trustees, 57.
of township, 42.
duties of, 42.

Unit, the civil, 28-31.
United States, 98-156.
circuit courts, 152.
circuit court of appeals, 152.
district court, 153.
formation of, 99.
jurisdiction of courts, 149.
supreme court, 150.

Veto, 86.
Vice-president, 125, 190, 193, 194.
Village, 56, 57.
Voters, 29, 32, 33, 39, 60, 67, 68, 175, 182.
Voting, 175, 176, 181, 183.

War, declaration of, 114.
Ward convention, 195.
Warrants, 34, 45.
Water works, 59, 60.
Wills, 49, 53, 54.
Works, electric, 59.
gas, 59.
public, 57, 59, 60.
water, 57.
Writs, serving of, 35.




SUPPLEMENT.

BY HON. HOKE SMITH, U.S. SENATOR,

Formerly President of the Board of Education, Atlanta, Ga.


GEORGIA SUPPLEMENT. - PETERMAN'S CIVIL GOVERNMENT.

Copyright, 1901, 1908, 1914, by AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY,


THE STATE OF GEORGIA.

In the people of Georgia is vested the power of government and with
them lies the supreme authority in the State, except in this: the
people of Georgia can pass no law which conflicts with the provisions
of the Constitution of the United States. As a safeguard and for the
better administration of their affairs, the people of Georgia have
established a Constitution. The present Constitution was adopted by
delegates selected from Senatorial districts. The delegates met in
convention and adopted the present Constitution in 1877. All laws in
Georgia must be made in accordance with the Constitution of the United
States and the Constitution of Georgia. They must also be executed
according to the provisions of these Constitutions. The Constitution
of Georgia can be amended by a two-thirds vote of the members of each
branch of the General Assembly, but the action of the General Assembly
in amending the Constitution must be ratified by the voters at the next
election of members of the General Assembly; or, a new Constitution can
be made by another constitutional convention, which can be called only
by two thirds of the members of each house of the General Assembly.

The Constitution of Georgia places the administration of the civil
government of the State in three departments, the Legislative, the
Executive, and the Judicial.

LEGISLATIVE. - The Legislative department consists of two bodies,
namely, the _Senate_ and the House of Representatives. The Senate is
composed of forty-four members, one from each Senatorial district. The
Senatorial districts consist of three or more counties. No one can be
elected a State Senator who is not a citizen of the United States, who
has not attained the age of twenty-five years, and who has not been a
resident of the State four years.

The _House of Representatives_ consists of one hundred and eighty-six
members, apportioned among the different counties according to
population. The six counties having the largest population have three
representatives each; the twenty-six counties having the next largest
population have two representatives each; the remaining one hundred
sixteen counties have one representative each. A member of the House
of Representatives must be twenty-one years of age, and must have
resided in the State four years, and in the county from which elected
one year. The members of the Legislature are elected biennially on the
first Wednesday in October.

Both members of the Senate and the House are chosen for terms of two
years at the general State elections.

The _General Assembly_ meets annually on the fourth Wednesday in June,
and can make all laws deemed by its members proper and necessary for
the welfare of the State not in conflict with the Constitution of the
State or Constitution of the United States. A majority of each House
constitutes a quorum for the transaction of business. Neither branch
of the Legislature has the right to adjourn for a longer time than
three days without the consent of the other, but should they disagree
upon a question of adjournment, the Governor may adjourn either or both
of them. The Acts of the Legislature which are approved by the
Governor and become laws are published each year for the information of
the public. When the Legislature is called upon to elect some officer,
both branches meet in the hall of the House of Representatives, and the
President of the Senate presides over the joint body and declares the
result. No bill can be passed by the Legislature unless it receives a
majority vote of all members elected to each house of the General
Assembly, and this fact must be shown by the journals of both houses.
It is also necessary for a measure to receive the signature of the
Governor before becoming a law. When a bill is vetoed by the Governor
it may be passed by a two-thirds vote of the members of each house,
thus making his approval unnecessary. The most important appointments
made by the Governor must be confirmed by the Senate before the
appointments become effective. The Senate has the sole power to hear
impeachment proceedings. It requires a two-thirds vote of the Senate
to sustain articles of impeachment before there can be a conviction.
The House of Representatives must first pass all bills for raising
revenue and appropriating money, but the Senate may propose or concur
in amendments to such bills. The right to institute impeachments is
vested in the House of Representatives.

FRANCHISE. - Every male citizen of this State and of the United States
twenty-one years old, who has resided in the State one year prior to
the election, and in the county in which he offers to vote six months,
who has paid all taxes required of him by law since 1877, is an
elector, and if registered, may vote. Those who have not paid their
taxes, idiots, insane persons, illiterates of poor character who are
neither ex-soldiers nor descendants of soldiers nor owners of a certain
amount of property, and persons convicted of serious crime, unless
pardoned, are disqualified from voting.

REGISTRATION. - Before a citizen can become entitled to vote he is
required to register. On the first day of January of every year the
tax collector opens a voters' book in which every person wishing to
vote subscribes his name, showing that he is entitled to vote. From
this book the tax collector prepares a list of registered voters of the
county, which he files with the county registrars. The county
registrars are appointed by the Judge of the Superior Court for a term
of two years. The county registrars take this list and compare it with
the list of disqualified voters prepared by the tax collector, the
ordinary, and the clerk of the Superior Court, and from the two prepare
a final list of registered voters. Only those whose names appear on
the list of voters prepared by the registrars, are entitled to vote.
On or before the hour for opening the election a copy of the list of
registered voters is furnished the election managers. All elections
are presided over by three superintendents. Votes are cast by ballot.

EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT. - The Executive Department of the State consists
of the Governor, Secretary of State, State Treasurer, and
Comptroller-General. Their powers and duties were originally vested in
the Governor and his Council, but now the duties of each office are
separate and distinct.

They are elected for a term of two years by the people of the State, at
the same time the members of the Legislature are elected. The
qualifications for these offices are: twenty-five years of age (for
Governor thirty), a citizen of the United States ten years (for
Governor fifteen), and of the State six years.

The _Governor_ is commander in chief of the army and naval forces of
the State. He has revision of all bills passed by the General
Assembly, and, a two-thirds majority in each house is necessary to pass
a bill over his disapproval. The Governor can commute sentences, and
grant pardons to criminals, except in cases of treason or impeachment.
He is empowered to fill many important offices by appointment. He
issues commissions to all officers in the State. He may issue
proclamations of rewards for the apprehension of criminals. He reports
to the Legislature on the financial condition of the State, and gives
suggestions as to any general law that should be passed.

The _Secretary of State_ has the custody of the Great Seal of State and
all State papers. He preserves all the original bills and acts passed
by the General Assembly. He affixes the Great Seal to all State
grants, and public documents executed by the Governor, keeps correct
maps of surveys; and plats of lands granted by the State, and records
all grants. The Secretary of State grants charters to banking,
insurance, railroad, canal, navigation, express, telephone, and
telegraph companies.

The Secretary of State is _ex-officio Commissioner of Corporations_.
All State and foreign corporations are required to file an annual
statement in his office. He is also the official who passes upon the
legality of all stocks, bonds, debentures, and other securities offered
for sale in the State of Georgia. He is the legal officer of the State
who issues licenses for automobiles. The Secretary of State is
_ex-officio Surveyor-General_ who acts in disputed boundary lines of
counties. He is the officer to whom election returns of all officers
elected by the people are submitted for certification. He keeps a
record in his office of the subdivisions of the State into counties,
and all records pertaining to the original subdivisions of the State
into counties and land districts.

The _State Treasurer_ has custody of all State funds, and pays out
moneys only on warrants issued by the Governor. The members of the
General Assembly receive their pay from the Treasurer upon drafts drawn
by the Speaker of the House or President of the Senate. He has control
of the funds pledged to the payment of the public debt, and keeps
accounts of all receipts and expenditures. He acts also as _State Bank
Examiner_.

The _Comptroller-General_ audits all accounts against the State. He
examines the digests of all tax returns, receives and collects all
evidences of debts due the State from any other source than taxes,
issues executions against defaulting tax collectors, and countersigns
all warrants drawn on the Treasury by the Governor. He must keep a
record of all tax collectors' and receivers' bonds. He must make an
annual report to the Governor, showing the currents account between the
Treasurer and the State. The report must include a statement of taxes
paid in by each county, the annual income from the educational fund,
and the amounts paid out of said fund, the condition of the public
debt, and accounts of all officers and agents disbursing public money.
For the use of the members of the General Assembly he must prepare a
table of the taxable property in each county of the State, a table of
the polls and number of voters in each county, the number of children
in each county returned for participation in the educational fund, and
the amount drawn by each county out of that fund. He is _ex-officio
Insurance Commissioner_, and has general supervision over all insurance
companies doing business in Georgia.

This properly ends the executive department as fixed by the
Constitution, but there are other State officers whose duties are such
that they really belong to the same class, and may be considered under
this head.

The _Attorney-General_ is the legal adviser of the executive
department. He represents the State in all capital felonies in the
Supreme Court, and in all civil and criminal cases in any court when
required to do so by the Governor. He is elected by the people for a