Women, for example, only gained their right of suffrage in 1920 and Article VI of the Constitution of 1876 only gives "male persons" over the age of 21 who have "resided in Texas for at least one year" the right to vote.
Compact Theory: The compact theory holds that the formation of the Union of the United States was through a "compact" of all the States individually and the creation of the national government was believed to be a creation of the states. Hence the states were the final judge of whether the national government had overstepped the boundaries of the "compact." One of the versions of the compact theory (the unilateral compact theory) was used by the Confederate secessionists to declare their secession from the Union, which signaled the start of the Civil War (Lind, para 11). In the Texas Constitution of 1876, the compact theory is used to emphasize the rights of the state and its people while remaining within the ambit of the U.S. Constitution. Section 3 of Article I of the Constitution also talks about a "social compact" of all free men to emphasize their equal rights.
Limited Government: The concept of limited government is that all power rests in the people, and the power of a government is limited to the extent the people have chosen to share their power with it. Since the primary motivation for the framing of the 1876 Constitution were the perceived and/or real excesses of the state government, the framers of the Constitution attempted to minimize governmental excesses by carefully defining what governments could and could not do in the document. Large parts of the Constitution (Sections II through V) are devoted to prescribing specific limitations on the powers of different sections of the government. For example, Section 48 of Article II states the specific purposes for which the Legislature may levy taxes; Section 49 of the same Article limits the state debt to a limit of $200,000 only. ("Article III-Legislative Department")
Separation of Powers: The concept of "Separation of Powers" into three distinct branches of the government, i.e., the Legislature, the Executive, and the Judiciary was incorporated in the federal Constitution by the founding fathers in order to prevent abuse of powers and to prevent the majority from ruling with an iron fist. The principle was applied in the Texas Constitution of 1876 with even greater emphasis since a whole section (Article II) is devoted to the concept. Article II specifically requires the...
Texas Constitution The fundamental law of the State of Texas is clearly stated out in the Constitution of the State of Texas. This document was officially adopted by the voters of the State in 1876 and has since them been amended in several occasions. In addition, under this constitution, the principles for the operation of state government and legal system have been outlined. The principle of separation of powers has given
Texas Department of Insurance illustrates why and when the Texas Department of Insurance was formed and how much it has accomplished since the time it was established. This paper highlights the number of people employed by the TDI, their annual budget and their board of governors. The Texas Department Of Insurance The prime purpose of the Texas Department of Insurance is to efficiently manage files on all the insurance carriers in
The Texas Constitution: An Examination and Discussion On the most fundamental level, a constitution is a plan or contract between the government and the people governed. A constitution details the agreed-upon powers, responsibilities and limitations upon all involved parties, while asserting the proper procedure for action. The constitution is the foundation for all basic laws upon which the legal system rests. In the history of the existence of the state of
" For most this is generally seen as a reference to the Federal Judiciary. One thinks of the Warren Court, and the great number of decisions concerning civil rights, voting rights, etc. It is often not realized, however, to what an extent state judges play ar ole in shaping these issues. In many state court systems, the state system was actually more liberal than the Federal: First and foremost, state constitutions
In the event that the amendment is approved, the amendment will take effect when the official vote canvass confirms that the proposal has received majority approval unless the terms of the amendment specify a later effective date. The canvassing procedure is required to be completed within 15 to 30 days following the election date. If the amendment is rejected by the voters the legislature has the option of resubmitting the
Regional Characteristics of Texas Among the fifty states which comprise the American Union as it stands today, it is perhaps Texas which has experienced the most tumultuous transition from unsettled frontier to the home of modern metropolises. While most neighboring states cling fiercely to identities forged during the Revolution, or even the Civil War, the state of Texas proudly proclaims its own superiority by flying six flags over its skies; honoring
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