[Section 4. Sheriffs, Coroners, Registers of Deeds and District Attorneys shall be chosen by the electors of the respective counties, once in every two years, and as often as vacancies shall happen; Sheriffs shall hold no other office, and be ineligible for two years next succeeding the termination of their offices. They may be required by law, to renew their security from time to time; and in default of giving such new security, their offices shall be deemed vacant. But the county shall never be made responsible for the acts of the Sheriff. The Governor may remove any officer in this section mentioned, giving to such officer a copy of the charges against him, and an opportunity of being heard in his defence.]

[Section 4, as amended by a vote of the people at the General Election November 7, 1882.]

SECTION 4. Sheriffs, coroners, registers of deeds, district attorneys, and all other county officers except judicial officers, shall be chosen by the electors of the respective counties, once in every two years. Sheriff's sha'l hold no other office. and be ineligible for two years next succeeding the termination of their offices; they may be required by law to renew their security from time to time, and in default of giving such new security their office shall be deemed vacant; but the county shall never be made responsible for the acts of the Sheriff. The Governor may remove any officer in this section mentioned, giving to such a copy of the charges against him and an opportunity of being heard in his defense. All vacancies shall be filled by appointment; and the person appointed to fill a vacancy shall hold only for the unexpired portion of the term to which he shall be appointed and until his successor shall be elected and qualified.

ARTICLE VII.

JUDICIARY.

SECTION 1. The court for the trial of impeachments shall be composed of the Senate. The House of Representatives shall have the power of impeaching all civil officers of this State, for corrupt conduct in office, or for crimes and misdemeanors; but a majority of all the members elected shall concur in an impeachment. On the trial of an impeachment against the Governor, the LieutenantGovernor shall not act as a member of the court. No judicial officer shall exercise his office, after he shall have been impeached, until his acquittal. Before Lue trial of an impeachment, the members of the court shall take an oath or affirmation, truly and impartially to try the impeachment according to evidence; and no person shall be convicted without the concurrence of two-thirds of the members present. Judgment in cases of impeachment shall not extend further than to removal from office, or removal from office and disqualification to hold any office of honor, profit or trust under the State; but the party impeached shall be liable to indictment. trial and punishment according to law.

SECTION 2. The judicial power of this State, both as to matters of law an equity, shall be vested in a Supreme court, Circuit courts, Courts of Probate, and in Justices of the Peace. The Legislature may also vest such jurisdiction as shall be deemed necessary in municipal courts, and shall have power to establish inferior courts in the several counties, with limited civil and criminal jurisdiction. Provided, that the jurisdiction which may be vested in municipal courts, shall not exceed, in their respective municipalities, that of circuit courts in their respective circuits, as prescribed in this Constitution: And that the Legislature shall provide as well for the election of Judges of the Municipal courts, as of the Judges of inferior courts, by the qualified electors of the respective jurisdictions. The term of office of the judges of the said Municipal and inferior courts shall not be longer than that of the Judges of the circuit court.

SECTION 3. The Supreme court, except in cases otherwise provided in this Constitution, shall have appellate jurisdiction only, which shall be co-extensive with the State; but in no case removed to the Supreme Court shall a trial by

jury be allowed.

The Supreme Court shall have a general superintending con trol over all inferior courts; it shall have power to issue writs of habcas-corpus, mandamus, injunction, quo warranto, certiorari; and other original and remedial writs, and to hear and determine the same.

[Section 4. For the term of five years, and thereafter until the Legis'ature shall otherwise provide, the judges of the several circuit courts shall be judges of the Supreme Court, four of whom shall constitute a quorum, and the concur rence of a majority of the judges present shall be necessary to a decision, The Legislature shall have power, if they shou'd think it expedient and neces sary, to provide by law,for the organization of a separate Supreme court, with the jurisdiction and powers prescribed in this Constitution, to consist of one chief justice and two associate justices, to be elected by the qualified electors of the State, at such time and in such manner as the Legislature may provide. The separate Supreme court when so organized, shall not be changed or discontinued by the Legislature; the judges thereof shall be so classified that but one of them shall go out of office at the same time; and their term of office shall be the same as is provided for the judges of the circuit court. And whenever the Legislature may consider it necessary to establish a separate Supreme court, they shall have power to reduce the number of circuit court judges to four and subdivide the judicial circuits, but no such subdivision or reduction shall take effect until after the expiration of the term of some one of said judges, or till a va cancy occur by some other means.]

[Section 4, as amended by a vote of the people at an election held April 2, 1889.]

SECTION 4. The chief justice and associate justices of the supreme court shall be severally known as justices of said court with the same terms of office, respectively, as now provided. The supreme court shall consist of five justices (any three of whom shall be a quorum), to be elected as now provided. justice having been longest a continuous member of the court (or in case of two or more of such senior justices having served for the same length of time, then the one whose commission first expires), shall be ex-officio the chief justice.

The

SECTION 5. The State shall be divided into five judicial circuits, to be composed as follows: The first circuit shall comprise the counties of Racine, Walworth, Rock and Green; the second circuit the counties of Milwaukee, Waukesha, Jefferson and Dane; the third circuit, the counties of Washington, Dodge, Columbia, Marquette, Sauk and Portage; the fourth circuit, the counties of Brown, Manitowoc, Sheboygan, Fond du Lac, Winnebago and Calumet; and the fifth circuit shall comprise the counties of Iowa, La Fayette, Grant. Crawford and St. Croix; and the county of Rich'and shall be attached to Iowa, the county of Chippewa to the county of Crawford, and the county of La Pointe to the county of St. Croix for judicial purposes until otherwise provided by the Legislature.

SECTION 6. The Legislature may alter the limits, or increase the number of circuits, making them as compact and convenient as practicable, and bounding them by county lines; but no such alteration or increase shall have the effect to remove a judge from office. In case of an increase of circuits, the judge or Judges shall be elected as provided in this Constitution and receive a salary not less than that herein provided for the judges of the circuit court.

[Section 7. For each circuit there shall be a judge chosen by the qualified electors therein, who shall hold his office as is provided in this Constitution, and until nis successor shall be chosen and qualified; and after he shall have been elected, he shall reside in the circuit for which he was elected. One of said judges shall be designated as chief justice in such manner as the Legislature shall provide. And the Legislature shall at its first session provide by law as well for the election of, as for classifying the judges of the circiut court to be elected under this Constitution, in such manner that one of said judges shall go out of office in two years, one in three years, one in four years, one in five years and one in six years, and thereafter the judge elected to fill the office shall hold the same for six years.]

[Section 7, as amended by a vote of the people at an election he'd April 6, 1897.]

SECTION 7. For each circuit there shall be chosen by the qualified electors thereof, one circuit judge, except that in any circuit composed of one county only, which county shall contain a population according to the last state or United States census, of one hundred thousand inhabitants or over, the Legislature may, from time to time, authorize additional circuit judges to be chosen. Every circuit judge shall reside in the circuit from which he is elected, and shall hold his office for such term and receive such compensation as the Legislature shall prescribe.

SECTION 8. The circuit courts shall have original jurisdiction in all matters civil and criminal within this State, not excepted in this Constitution, and not hereafter prohibited by law; and appellate jurisdiction from all inferior courts and tribunals and a supervisory control over the same. They shall also have the power to issue writs of habeas corpus, mandamus. injunction, quo warranto, certiorari, and all other writs neccssary to carry into effect their orders, judg ments and decrees, and give them a general control over inferior courts and jurisdictions.

SECTION 9. When a vacancy shall happen in the office of judge of the Supreme or circuit courts, such vacancy shall be filled by an appointment of the Governor, which shall continue until a successor is elected and qualified; and when elected such successor shall hold his office the residue of the unexpired term. There shall be no election for a judge or judges at any general election for State or county officers, nor within thirty days either before or after such election.

SECTION 10. Each of the judges of the Supreme and circuit courts shall receive a salary, payable quarterly, of not less than one thousand five hundred dollars annually; they shall receive no fees of office, or other compensation than their salaries; they shall hold no office cf public trust, except a judicial office, during the term for which they are respectively elected, and all votes for either of them for any office, except a judicial office, given by the Legislature or the people, shall be void. No person shall be eligible to the office cf judge, who shall not, at the time of his election, be a citizen of the United States, and have attained the age of twenty-five years, and be a qualified elector within the jurisdiction for which he may be chosen.

SECTION 11. The Supreme Court shall hold at least one term, annually, at the seat of government of the State, at such time as shall be provided by law. And the Legislature may provide for holding other terms, and at other places when they may deem it necessary. A Circuit Court shall be held, at least twice in each year, in each county of this State organized for judicial purposes. judzes of the circuit court may hold courts for each other, and shall do so when required by law.

The

[SECTION 12. There shall be a clerk of the circuit court chosen in each county organized for judicial purposes, by the qualified electors thereof, who shall hold his office for two years, subject to removal, as shall be provided by law.

In case

of a vacancy, the judge of the circuit court shall have the power to appoint a clerk until the vacancy shall be filled by an election. The clerk thus elected or appointed shall give such security as the Legis'ature may require; and when elected shall hold his office for a full term. The Supreme court shall appoint its own clerk, and the clerk of a circuit court may be appointed clerk of the Supreme court.]

[Section 12, as amended by a vote of the people at the General Election, November 7, 1882.]

SECTION 12. There shall be a clerk of the circuit court chosen in each county organized for judicial purposes by the qualified electors thereof, who shall hold his office for two years, subject to removal as shall be provided by law; in case of a vacancy the judge of the circuit court shall have power to appoint a clerk until the vacancy shall be filled by an election; the clerk thus elected or appointed shall give such security as the Legislature may require. The supreme court shall appoint its own clerk; and a clerk of the circuit court may be appointed a clerk of the supreme court.

SECTION 13. Any judge of the Supreme or circuit court may be removed from office, by address of both houses of the Legislature, if two-thirds of all the members elected to each house concur therein, but no removal shall be made by. virtue of this section, unless the judge complained of shal! have been served with a copy of the charges against him, as the ground of address, and shall have had an opportunity of being heard in his defence. On the question of removal, the ayes and noes shall be entered on the journals.

SECTION 14. There shall be chosen in each county, by the qualified electors thereof, a Judge of Probate, who shall hold his office for two years, and until his successors shall be elected and qualified, and whose jurisdiction, powers and duties shall be prescribed by law. Provided, however, that the Legislature shall have power to abolish the office of Judge of Probate in any county, and to confer Probate powers upon such inferior courts as may be established in said county. SECTION 15. The electors of the several towns, at their annual town meeting, and the electors of cities and villages, at their charter elections, shall in such manner as the Legislature may direct, elect justices of the peace, whose term of office shall be for two years, and until their successors in office shall be elected and qualified. In case of an election to fill a vacancy, occurring before the expiration of a full term, the justice elected shall hold for the residue of the unexpired term. Their number and classification shall be regulated by law. And the tenure of two years shall in no wise interfere with the classification in the first instance. The justices, thus ciected, shall have such civil and criminal jurisdiction as shall be prescribed by law.

SECTION 16. The legislature shall pass laws for the regulation of tribunals of conciliation, defining their powers and duties. Such tribuna's may be established in and for any township, and shall have power to render judgment to be obligatory on the parties, when they shall voluntarily submit their matter in difference to arbitration, and agree to abide the judgment, or assent thereto in writing.

SECTION 17. The style of all writs and process shall be, "The State of Wisconsin"; al criminal prosecutions shall be carried on the name and by the authority of the same; and all indictments shall conclude against the peace and dignity of the State.

SECTION 18. The Legislature shall impose a tax on all civil suits commenced, or prosecuted in the municipal, inferior, or circuit courts, which shall constitute a fund to be applied toward the payment of the salary of judges.

SECTION 19. The testimony in causes in equity sha 1 be taken in like manner as in cases at law, and the office of master in chancery is hereby prohibited. SECTION 20. Any suitor, in any court of this State, shall have the right to prosecute or defend his suit either in his own proper person, or by an Attorney or agent of his choice.

SECTION 21. The Legislature shall provide by law for the speedy publication of all statute laws, and of such judicial decisions, made within the State, as may be deemed expedient. And no general law shall be in force until published.

SECTION 22. The Legis'ature at its first session, after the adoption of this Constitution, shall provide for the appointment of three commissioners, whose duty it shall be to inquire into, revise, and simplify the rules of practice, pleadings, forms and proceedings, and arrange a system, adapted to the courts of record of this State, and report the same to the Legislature, subject to the modtfication and adoption; and such commission shall terminate upon the rendering of the report, unless otherwise provided by law.

SECTION 23. The Legislature may provide for the appointment of one or more persons in each organized county, and may vest in such persons such judicial powers as sha'l be prescribed by law. Provided, that said power shall not ex ceed that of a judge of a circuit court at chambers.

ARTICLE VIII.

FINANCE.

SECTION 1. The rules of taxation shall be uniform, and taxes shall be levied apon such property as the Legislature shall prescribe.

[SECTION 2. No money shall be paid out of the treasury, except in pursu ance of an appropriation by law.]

[Section 2, as amended by a vote of the people at the General Election, November 6, 1877.]

SECTION 2. No money shall be paid out of the treasury, except in pursuance of an appropriation by law. No appropriation shall be made for the payment of any claim against the State, except c'aims of the United States, and judgments, unless filed within six years after the claim accrued.

SECTION 3. The credit of the State shall never be given, or loaned, in aid of any individual, association, or corporation.

SECTION 4. The State shall never contract any public debt, except in the cases and manner herein provided.

SECTION 5. The Legislature shall provide for an annual tax sufficient to defray the estimated expenses of the State for each year; and whenever the expenses of any year shall exceed the income, the Legislature shall provide for levying a tax for the ensuing year, sufficient, with other sources of income, to pay the deficiency as well as the estimated expenses of such ensuing year.

SECTION 6. For the purpose of defraying extraordinary expenditures, the State may contract public debts (but such debts shall never in the aggregate exceed one hundred thousand dollars). Every such debt shall be authorized by law. for some purpose or purposes to be distinctly specified therein; and the vote of a majority of all the members elected to each house, to be taken by yeas and nays, shall be necessary to the passage of such law; and every such law shall provide for levying an annual tax sufficient to pay the annual interest of such debt, and the principal within five years from the passage of such law, and shall specially appropriate the proceeds of such taxes to the payment of such principal and interest; and such appropriation shall not be repealed, nor the taxes be postponed, or diminished, until the principal and interest of such debt shall have been wholly paid.

SECTION 7. The Legislature may also borrow money to repel invasion, suppress insurrection, or defend the State in time of war; but the money thus raised shall be applied exclusively to the object for which the loan was authorized, or to the repayment of the debt thereby created.

SECTION 8. On the passage in either house of the Legislature, of any law which imposes, continues. or renews a tax, or creates a debt, or charge, or makes, continues, or renews an appropriation of public, or trust money, or releases, discharges, or commutes a claim, or demand of the State, the question shall be taken by yeas and nays, which shall be duly entered on the journal; and threefifths of all the members elected to such house shall in all such cases be required to constitute a quorum therein.

SECTION 9. No scrip, certificate or other evidence of State debt, whatsoever, shall be issued, except for such debts as are authorized by the sixth and seventh sections of this Article.

SECTION 10. The State shall never contract any debt for works of Internal Improvement, or be a party in carrying on such works, but whenever grants of land or other property shall have been made to the State, especially dedicated by the grant to particular works of Internal Improvement, the State may carry on such particular works, and shall devote thereto the avails of such grants, and may pledge or appropriate the revenues derived from such works in aid of their completion.