=Government.=--The Constitution of New Jersey divides the government
into three departments,--legislative, executive, and judicial. The
legislative department is vested in the legislature, which is composed
of the senate and the general assembly. The senate is composed of one
senator from each county, elected by the voters for three years. The
general assembly is composed of sixty assemblymen apportioned among
the counties according to population and elected by the voters for one
year. The executive power is vested in the governor, who is elected for
a term of three years. A person cannot be governor for two successive
terms. The judicial power is vested in many courts, of which the
principal are the court of errors and appeals, which is the highest
court, court of chancery, supreme court, circuit court, and courts of
common pleas or county courts. The judges are appointed by the governor
with the approval of the senate.
[Illustration: State Capitol, Trenton]
The principal state officers, besides the governor, are secretary of
state, state treasurer, state comptroller, and attorney-general.
The state is divided into twenty-one counties, which are again divided
into townships, cities, boroughs, and towns. Each of these has its
own government, which is administered in accordance with laws passed
by the legislature. The principal county officers besides the judge
are sheriff, county clerk, surrogate, coroner, county collector, and
members of the board of freeholders who are elected by vote of the
people.
The counties maintain courthouses, penitentiaries, farms or homes for
the aged poor, and may provide parental homes or detention homes for
juvenile delinquents or juvenile witnesses.
The state is represented in the United States Congress by two senators
and twelve representatives.
[Illustration: State Normal, Montclair