New Jersey
A Law Dictionary, Adapted to the Constitution and Laws of the United States · John Bouvier · 1839
A Law Dictionary, Adapted to the Constitution and Laws of the United States
The name of one of the original states of the United States of America. This state, when it was first settled, was divided into two provinces, which bore the names of East Jersey and West Jersey. They were granted to different proprietaries. Serious dissentions having arisen between them, and between them and New York, which induced the proprietors of both provinces to make a formal surrender of all their powers of government, but not of their lands, to Queen Anne, in April, 1702, they were immediately re-united in one province, and governed by a governor appointed by the crown, assisted by a council, and an assembly of the representatives of the people, chosen by the freeholders. This form of government continued till the American revolution.
July, 1776.
The powers of the government are divided into three great branches, the executive, the legislative and the judicial.
1.
The governor is invested with the supreme executive power, sect. 8; is president of the council, has a casting vote in their proceedings. He is elected by the joint vote of the council and general assembly, at their first meeting after the annual election and shall continue in office for one year, sect.
7.
The council are required to elect a vice-president of their own body, who, in the absence of the governor is to exercise his powers. sect.
7 and 8. 2.
The legislature is composed of two houses—1st. The legislative council, which consists of one member from each county, to be elected yearly on the second Tuesday of October.—2. The assembly, which consists of three members from each county, to be elected by the council. These two houses are required to meet separately, and their consent is necessary to the passage of any law, and there must be a majority of all the representatives of each body personally present and agreeing thereto.
Sect. 3. 3.
The judiciary is to consist, 1st. of a chancellor. The governor of the state is ex-officio, chancellor; 2d. of a court of appeals in the last resort in all causes of law, composed of "the governor and council, seven whereof shall be a quorum;" 3d, of a supreme court, the judges of which shall continue in office for seven years; 4th, of inferior courts of common pleas, in the several counties, the judges to continue in office for five years; 5th, of courts of quarter sessions; 6th, of justices of the peace. The judges are appointed by the legislature.