Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XVI.djvu/600

576 WEST VIRGINIA general, and senators must have been citizens of the state for five years next preceding their election or appointment. Any citizen enga- ging as principal or second in a duel is thereby disqualified from ever holding any office of honor, trust, or profit in the state. No citi- zen shall be denied the privilege of voting at any election because his name has not been registered or listed as a qualified voter. The legislative power is vested in a senate of 24 members elected for four years, and a house of 65 delegates elected for two years. The sessions of the legislature are biennial, begin- ning on the second Wednesday in January, in odd years ; they are limited to 45 days, but may be extended with the concurrence of two thirds of the members elected to each house. The senate chooses a president from its own body. Each member of the legislature re- ceives $4 a day and 10 cts. a mile for travel. The speaker of the house and the president of the senate receive each $6 a day and mile- age. A majority vote is sufficient to pass a bill over the executive veto. The executive department consists of a governor, annual sal- ary $2,700; secretary of state, $1,000; state superintendent of free schools, $1,500 ; au- ditor, $2,000; treasurer, $1,400 ; and attorney general, who is also reporter of the court of appeals, $1,300. They are elected by the people for four years. The governor is in- eligible to the same office for two successive terms. The general state election is held on the second Tuesday in October ; there will be an election for state officers in 1876. The judicial power is vested in a supreme court of appeals, in circuit, county, and corporation courts, and justices of the peace. The su- premo court of appeals consists of four judges, who are elected for 12 years by the people and receive an annual salary of $2,250 each. It has original and appellate jurisdiction in cases of habeas corpus, mandamus, and pro- hibition, and appellate jurisdiction in civil cases where the amount exceeds $100, in con- troversies concerning the title or boundaries of land, the probate of wills, appointment of guardians, and some other enumerated matters. It has appellate jurisdiction in criminal cases where there has been a conviction for felony or misdemeanor in a circuit court. At least two terms of the court must be held every year. The state is divided into nine circuits, in each of which a circuit judge is elected by the people for eight years, and receives an annual salary of $2,000. A circuit court is held in every county twice a year. The cir- cuit courts have the supervision of all pro- ceedings before the county courts and other inferior tribunals by mandamus, prohibition, or certiorari. They have original and general jurisdiction of all matters at law where the amount in controversy exceeds $50, and hear appeals from the county courts. In each county there is a county court composed of a president and two justices of the peace. It holds six sessions a year, two of which are limited to matters connected with the police and fiscal affairs of the county. The president is elected by the voters of the county for four years. Justices of the peace are also elected by popular vote. United States courts are held at Clarksburg, Wheeling, Charleston, and Parkersburg. The constitution requires that taxation shall be equal and uniform throughout the state, and that all property shall be taxed in proportion to its value ; but property used for educational, literary, scientific, religious, or charitable purposes may by law be exempted from taxation. West Virginia is represented in congress by two senators and three represen- tatives, and has therefore five electoral votes. West Virginia is liable for a part of the debt of Virginia existing at the time of the division of the state, but neither the ratio nor the amount of the debt to be paid by West Virginia has yet been adjusted, although Vir- ginia has set apart a third, amounting to about $15,000,000, as West Virginia's share. The state has no other public debt, and claims that on a fair settlement it should pay but $1,600,- 000 of the Virginia debt. The revenue of the state during the year ending Oct. 1, 1875, was $547,426, and the disbursements were $576,- 172. The balance in the treasury at that date was $253,618, distributed as follows : state fund, $14,459 ; general school fund, $207,186 ; school fund, $31,973. The assessed value of property in 1873 was: real, $99,486,189, per- sonal, $39,865,240; in 1874, real, $99,688,203, personal, $41,102,588. In 1875 the value of real estate had increased to $1 10,922,030. The state tax in 1873 amounted to $648,104, inclu- ding $330,995 for state purposes, $287,914 for schools, and $70,195 for public buildings. In 1874 the tax was $573,307, as follows: for state purposes, $330,002 ; schools, $242,981 ; public buildings, $324. The state hospital for the insane, at Weston, was opened in 1864. The total number of inmates, Oct. 1, 1875, was 349. The average yearly cost of maintaining each patient was $125 18; total cost of the institution during the year, $69,310, of which $43,629 was for current expenses. The peni- tentiary, at Moundsville, on Oct. 1, 1875, had 105 convicts. The convicts are employed at various trades within the prison, but the insti- tution is not self-sustaining. The state insti- tution for the deaf, dumb, and blind, at Rom- ney, was opened in 1870, and in 1875 had 5 instructors and 80 pupils, of whom 63 were deaf mutes and 17 blind. The current ex- penses of the institution are about $25,000 a year. There are accommodations for 120 pu- pils. The supervision and management of the public schools are vested in a state superin- tendent elected by the people for four years; county superintendents elected for two years ; district boards of education, each consisting of a president and two commissioners, elected for two years; district trustees; and county boards of examiners. The constitution pro-