New Jersey

The name of one of the original thirteen states of tho United States of America. The territory of which the state is composed was Included within the patent granted by Charles II. to his brother James, duke of York, bearing date on the 12th of March, 1663-4. This grant comprised all the lands lying between the western side of Connecticut river and the east side of Delaware bay, and conferred powers of government over the granted territory. At this time the province was in the possession and under the government of Holland. Before the close of the year the inhabitants of the province submitted to the government of England, on the 23d and 24th of June, 1664. Tho duke of York, by deeds of lease and release, conveyed to John Lord Berkeley and Sir George Carteret, their heirs and assigns forever, “all that tract of land adjacent to New England and lying and being to the westward of Long Island and Manhitas Island, and bounded on the east part by the main sea, and part by Hudson river, and hath upon the west Delaware bay or river, and extondeth southward to the main ocean as far as Capo May at the mouth of Delaware bay, and to tho northward as far as the northernmost branch of the said bay or river of Delaware, which is in 41 degrees and 40 minutes of latitude, and crosseth over thence in a Rtraight line to Hudson’s river in forty-one degrees of latitude; which said tract of land is hereafter to be called Nova Capsaria, or New Jersey.” This grant first defined the boundaries and gave the name of the province. It conferred upon the grantees, with the territory, powers of government in as full aud ample manner as they were conferred by the crown upon the duke of York. Lord Berkeley and Sir George Carteret, being by virtue of this conveyance the sole proprietors of New Jersey, on the 10th of February, 1664-5, signed a constitution which they published under the title of “The concessions and agreement of the lords proprietors of the province of Nova Caesaria, or New Jersey, to and with all and eveiy of tho adventurers, and all such as shall settlo or plant there.” This document, under the title of “The Concessions,” was regarded as the first constitution of New Jersey, and continued in force until the division of the provinco in 1676. The instrument was considered as irrevocable, and therefore of higher authority than the acts of assembly, which wore subject to alteration and repeal. War having been declared by England against Holland in 1673, tho Dutch were again in possession of tho country, and the inhabitants submitted to their authority. By the treaty of peace between England and Holland on tho 9th of February, 1674, the country was restored to the possession of the English. On the conclusion of peace, in order to remove all grounds of objection to his title on account of the recapture of the country by the Dutch, the duko of York obtained from tho crown a new patent, similar to the first, and dated on the 29th of June, 1674. On the 20th of July in the same year, the duke of York made a second grant of a pqrtion of the province to Sir George Carteret Individually. The partition which this patent was intondod to secure, in addition to tho confirmation of Carteret’s grant, was accomplished by deeds of partition executed July 1, 1676, between Carteret and the trustees of Byllinge In 1702, the proprietors of the two provinces, called respectively East New Jersey and West New Jersey, surrendered their powers of government to and council appointed by the crown, and an assembly of the representatives of the people chosen by the freeholders. This form of government continued till the American revolution. Tho first constitution of the state of New Jersey was adopted by the provisional -congress on the second day of July, 1776. This body was composed of representatives from all the counties of the state, who were elec ted on the fourth Monday of May, and convened at Burlington on the tenth day of June, 1770. It was finally adopted on the second day of July, but was never submitted to a popular vote. This constitution continued in force until the first day of September, 1841, when it was superseded by the existing constitution. The new constitution was adopted May 14, 1841, by a convention composed of delegates elected by tho people In pursuance of au act passed by the legislature. The constitution thus framed, having been submitted to and adopted by the people at an election held on the thirteenth day of August, took effect and went into operation, pursuant to one of its provisions, on the twentysecond of September, 1844. This constitution was amended at a special election held September 7, 1875.

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.