Liberian constitutional referendum, 1849

Last updated April 17, 2019

A constitutional referendum was held in Liberia on 1 May 1849, alongside general elections.^[1] The constitutional changes would increase the number of members of the House of Representatives for Sinoe County from one to three.^[1] The proposals were approved by voters.^[1]

Liberia, officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country on the West African coast. It is bordered by Sierra Leone to its northwest, Guinea to its north, Ivory Coast to its east, and the Atlantic Ocean to its south-southwest. It covers an area of 111,369 square kilometers (43,000 sq mi) and has a population of around 4,700,000 people. English is the official language and over 20 indigenous languages are spoken, representing the numerous ethnic groups who make up more than 95% of the population. The country's capital and largest city is Monrovia.

Sinoe is one of Liberia's 15 counties and it has 17 districts. Greenville is the county's capital. As of the 2008 Census, it had a population of 104,932, making it one of the least populous counties in Liberia. Sinoe has the third-largest area of all Liberia's counties; it has the second least-dense population after Gbarpolu County. The County was originally a colony in the name Mississippi-in-Africa, under auspices of a chapter of the American Colonization Society as it was created with slaves from Mississippi to Liberia.

Constitutional changes

Section	Original text	Proposed text
Chapter II, Article 2, Section 1	The representatives shall be elected by, and for the inhabitants of the several counties of Liberia, and shall be apportioned among the several counties of Liberia as follows: The County of Montserrado shall have four representatives, the County of Grand Bassa shall have three, and the County of Sinoe shall have one; and all counties that shall hereafter be admitted in the Republic shall have one representative; and for every ten thousand inhabitants one representative shall be added.	The representatives shall be elected by, and for the inhabitants of the several counties of Liberia, and shall be apportioned among the several counties of Liberia as follows: The County of Montserrado shall have four representatives, the County of Grand Bassa shall have three, and the County of Sinoe shall have three; and all counties that shall hereafter be admitted in the Republic shall have one representative; and for every ten thousand inhabitants one representative shall be added.

Related Research Articles

Greenville is the capital of Sinoe County in southeastern Liberia and lies on a lagoon near the Sinoe River and the Atlantic Ocean. It is located about 150 miles southeast of Monrovia. As of the 2008 national census, the population stood at 16,434.

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Dugbe River District is one of 16 districts of Sinoe County, Liberia. As of 2008, the population was 9,083.

Jaedae District is one of 16 districts located in Sinoe County, Liberia. As of 2008, it had a population of 3,617.

Kpayan District is one of 16 districts of Sinoe County, Liberia. As of 2008, the population was 10,043.

Pynes Town District is one of 16 districts of Sinoe County, Liberia. As of 2008, it had a population of 4,167.

Joseph J. Ross served as the 14th Vice President of Liberia from 1898 to 1899. He also served as Attorney General of Liberia under three separate administrations and was thrice-elected to the Senate of Liberia as a senator from Sinoe County, serving as President pro tempore of the Senate from 1892 to 1896.

Johnnie N. Lewis was a Liberian lawyer and politician. A native of Sinoe County, Lewis was educated at the University of Liberia in Monrovia and at Yale Law School in the United States. He was the 18th Chief Justice of Liberia, serving from 2006 to 2012. Before his appointment to the Supreme Court, he served as a judge in Liberia's circuit court system.

Greenville/Sinoe Airport is an airport serving Greenville, the capital of Sinoe County in southeastern Liberia.

Bodae District is one of 16 districts of Sinoe County, Liberia. As of 2008, the population was 3,030.

Kulu Shaw Boe District is one of 17 districts of Sinoe County, Liberia. As of 2008, the population was 8,555.

Seekon District is one of 16 districts of Sinoe County, Liberia. As of 2008, the population was 7,184.

Sanquin District 3 is one of 16 districts of Sinoe County, Liberia. As of 2008, the population was 3,174.

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A constitutional referendum was held in Liberia on 27 September 1847. The new constitution would create a President with executive powers and a bicameral Legislature. It would also restrict voting rights to those of African descent and landowners. It was approved by 79% of voters. In Monrovia, Millsburg, Bassa Cove and Bexley 100% of voters supported the constitution, whilst 100% voted against it in Sinoe. In Edina opponents of the constitution prevented the polling station opening, and a fist-fight broke out between Amos Herrnig and Ephraim Titler, two of the Declaration of Independence signatories. Opponents of the constitution in Bassa Cove and Bexley chose not to vote.

General elections were held in Liberia on 1 May 1849, alongside a constitutional referendum. The result was a victory for incumbent President Joseph Jenkins Roberts.

Richard Magnus Franz Morris was a Liberian business and civic leader.

References

1 2 3 Liberia, 1 May 1849: More MPs for Sinoe Direct Democracy (in German)

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[DD-1] 1 2 3 Liberia, 1 May 1849: More MPs for Sinoe Direct Democracy (in German)

v t e Elections and referendums in Liberia
Presidential elections	1847 1849 1851 1853 1855 1857 1859 1861 1863 1865 1867 1869 1871 1873 1875 1877 1879 1881 1883 1885 1887 1889 1891 1893 1895 1897 1899 1901 1903 1905 1907 1911 1915 1919 1923 1927 1931 1939 1943 1951 1955 1959 1963 1967 1971 1975 1985 1997 2005 2011 2017
Legislative elections	1840 1847 1849 1851 1853 1855 1857 1859 1861 1863 1865 1867 1869 1871 1873 1875 1877 1879 1881 1883 1885 1887 1889 1891 1893 1895 1897 1899 1901 1903 1905 1907 1911 1915 1919 1923 1927 1931 1935 1939 1943 1951 1955 1959 1963 1967 1971 1975 1985 1997 2005 2011 2014 2017
Referendums	1846 1847 1849 1861 1869 1870 1907 1927 1935 1943 1945 1946 1949 1955 1972 1975 1984 2011
See also: Elections and referendums in the Republic of Maryland