Senate Joint Resolution 7

Be It Resolved by the Legislative Assembly of the State of Oregon:

PARAGRAPH 1. Sections 2, 10 and 14, Article VII (Original), and sections 2, 4 and 5, Article XVIII of the Constitution of the State of Oregon, are amended to read:

Sec. 2. The Supreme Court shall consist of Four Justices to be chosen in districts by the electors thereof, who shall be citizens of the United States, and who shall have resided in the State at least three years next preceding their election, and after their election to reside in their respective districts:[-] The number of Justices, the Districts may be increased, but [shall not exceed five until the white population of the State shall amount to One Hundred Thousand, and] shall never exceed seven; and the boundaries of districts may be changed, but no Change of Districts, shall have the effect to remove a Judge from office, or [requre] require him to change his residence without his consent.[-]

Sec. 10. [When the white population of the State shall amount to Two Hundred Thousand the] The Legislative Assembly, may provide for the election of Supreme, and Circuit Judges, in distinct classes, one of which classes shall consist of three Justices of the Supreme Court, who shall not perform Circuit duty, and the other class shall consist of the necessary number of Circuit Judges, who shall hold full terms without allotment, and who shall take the same oath as the Supreme Judges.[-]

Sec. 14. The Counties having less than ten thousand [white] inhabitants, shall be [reimbersed] reimbursed wholly or in part for the salary, and expenses of the County Court by fees, percentage, & other equitable taxation, of the business done in said Court & in the office of the County Clerk.[-]

Sec. 2. Each elector who offers to vote upon this Constitution, shall be asked by the judges of election this question:

Do you vote for the Constitution? Yes, or No.

And also this question:

Do you vote for Slavery in Oregon? Yes, or No.

[And also this question:]

[Do you vote for free Negroes in Oregon? Yes, or No.]

And in the poll books shall be columns headed respectively.

“Constitution, Yes.” “Constitution, No”

[“Free Negroes, Yes” “Free Negroes, No.”]

“Slavery, Yes.” “Slavery, No”. [-]

And the names of the electors shall be entered in the poll books, together with their [awnsers] answers to the said questions, under their appropriate heads. The abstracts of the votes transmitted to the Secretary of the Territory, shall be publicly opened, and canvassed by the Governor and Secretary, or by either of them in the absence of the other; and the Governor, or in his absence the Secretary, shall forthwith issue his proclamation, and publish the same in the several newspapers printed in this State, declaring the result of the said election upon each of said questions.[-]

Sec. 4. If this Constitution shall be accepted by the electors, and a majority of all the votes given for, and against slavery, shall be given for slavery, then the following section shall be added to the Bill of Rights, and shall be part of this Constitution:

“Sec. ____ “Persons lawfully held as slaves in any State, Territory, or District of the United States, under the laws thereof, may be brought into this State, and such Slaves, and their descendants may be held as slaves within this State, and shall not be emancipated without the consent of their owners.”

And if a majority of such votes shall be given against slavery, then the foregoing section shall not, but the following sections shall be added to the Bill of Rights, and shall be a part of this Constitution.

“Sec. ____ There shall be neither slavery, nor involuntary servitude in the State, otherwise than as a punishment for crime, whereof the party shall have been duly convicted.”[-]

[And if a majority of all the votes given for, and against free negroes, shall be given against free negroes, then the following section shall be added to the Bill of Rights, and shall be part of this Constitution:]

[“Sec. ____ No free negro, or mulatto, not residing in this State at the time of the adoption of this Constitution, shall come, reside, or be within this State, or hold any real estate, or make any contracts, or maintain any suit therein; and the Legislative Assembly shall provide by penal laws, for the removal, by public officers, of all such negroes, and mulattoes, and for their effectual exclusion from the State, and for the punishment of persons who shall bring them into the State, or employ, or harbor them.”]

Sec. 5. Until an enumeration of the [white] inhabitants of the State shall be made, and the senators and representatives apportioned as directed in the Constitution, the County of Marion shall have two senators, and four representatives.[-]

Linn two senators, and four representatives.

Lane two senators, and three [represtatives] representatives.

Clackamas and Wasco, one senator jointly, and Clackamas three representatives, and Wasco one representative.[-]

Yamhill one senator, and two representatives.

Polk one senator, and two representatives.

Benton one senator, and two representatives.

Multnomah, one senator, and two representatives.

Washington, Columbia, Clatsop, and Tillamook one senator jointly, and Washington one representative, and Washington and Columbia one representative jointly, and Clatsop and Tillamook one representative jointly.[-]

Douglas, one senator, and two representatives.[-]

Jackson one senator, and three representatives.

Josephine one senator, and one [repsentative] representative.[-]

Umpqua, Coos and Curry, one senator jointly, and Umpqua one representative, and Coos and Curry one representative jointly.[-]

PARAGRAPH 2. The amendment proposed by this resolution shall be submitted to the people for their approval or rejection at the next regular general election held throughout this state.

Filed in the office of Secretary of State June 18, 2001

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