Declaration. cause them to be delivered to the secretary, within fifteen days next after said election. The votes so returned shall be counted, by the treasurer, secretary and Canvass of comptroller, within the month of April. A fair list of votes. the persons, and number of votes given for each, together with the returns of the presiding officers, shall be, by the treasurer, secretary and comptroller, made and laid before the general assembly, then next to be holden, on the first day of the session thereof; and said assembly shall, after examination of the same, declare the person whom they shall find to be legally chosen, and give him notice accordingly. If no person shall have a majority of the whole number of said votes, or if two or more shall have an equal and the greatest number of said votes, then said assembly, on the second day of general as Choice by their session, by joint ballot of both houses, shall pro- sembly, in ceed, without debate, to choose a governor from a list what case, of the names of the two persons having the greatest be made. number of votes, or of the names of the persons having an equal and highest number of votes, so returned as aforesaid. The general assembly shall, by law, prescribe the manner in which all questions concerning the election of a governor, or lieutenant-governor, shall be determined. SECT. 3. At the annual meetings of the electors, immediately after the election of governor, there shall also be chosen, in the same manner as is herein before provided for the election of governor, a lieutenantgovernor, who shall continue in office for the same time, and possess the same qualifications. and how, to Lieutenant governor. SECT. 4. The compensations of the governor, lieu- Compensation tenant-governor, senators, and representatives, shall to governor, be established by law, and shall not be varied so as to &c. take effect until after an election, which shall next succeed the passage of the law establishing said compensations. SECT. 5. The governor shall be captain-general of Captain-genthe militia of the state, except when called into the eral. service of the United States. SECT. 6. He may require information in writing from Governor may the officers in the executive department, on any sub- require information, &c. ject relating to the duties of their respective offices. SECT. 7. The governor, in case of a disagreement Power as to between the two houses of the general assembly, re- adjournment specting the time of adjournment, may adjourn them to of general assembly. such time as he shall think proper, not beyond the day of the next stated session. SECT. 8. He shall, from time to time, give to the Duty of govgeneral assembly, information of the state of the governor. Power to grant reprieves. Exception. Commissions. Power and du in relation to bills. Proceedings on bills return ed by the gov ernor. ernment, and recommend to their consideration such measures as he shall deem expedient. SECT. 9. He shall take care that the laws be faithfully executed. SECT. 10. The governor shall have power to grant reprieves after conviction, in all cases, except those of impeachment, until the end of the next session of the general assembly, and no longer. SECT. 11. All commissions shall be in the name, and by authority of, the State of Connecticut; shall be sealed with the state seal, signed by the governor, and attested by the secretary. SECT. 12. Every bill, which shall have passed both ty of governor houses of the general assembly, shall be presented to the governor. If he approves, he shall sign and transmit it to the secretary; but if not, he shall return it to the house in which it originated, with his objections, which shall be entered on the journals of the house; who shall proceed to reconsider the bill. If, after such reconsideration, that house shall again pass it, it shall be sent, with the objections, to the other house, which shall also reconsider it. If approved, it shall become a law. But in such cases, the votes of both houses shall be determined by yeas and nays; and the names of the members voting for and against the bill, shall be entered on the journals of each house respectively. If the bill shall not be returned, by the governor, within three days, (Sundays excepted) after it shall have been presented to him, the same shall be a law, in like manner as if he had signed it; unless the general assembly, by their adjournment, prevents its return, in which case it shall not be a law. President of the senate. SECT. 13. The lieutenant-governor shall, by virtue of his office, be president of the senate, and have, when in committee of the whole, a right to debate, and when the senate is equally divided, to give the casting vote. SECT. 14. In case of the death, resignation, refusal to In what cases, the powers of serve, or removal from office of the governor, or of his the governor impeachment, or absence from the state, the lieutenantgovernor shall exercise the powers and authority appertaining to the office of governor, until another be chosen at the next periodical election for governor, and be duly qualified; or until the governor impeached or absent, shall be acquitted or return. shall devolve on the lieuten ant-governor. President of tempore. SECT. 15. When the government shall be administerthe senate pro ed by the lieutenant-governor, or he shall be unable to attend as president of the senate, the senate shall elect one of their members, as president pro tempore. And if, during the vacancy of the office of governor, the lieutenant-governor shall die, resign, refuse to serve, or be removed from office, or if he shall be impeached, or absent from the state, the president of the senate pro tempore, shall, in like manner, administer the government, until he be superseded, by a governor, or lieutenant-governor. convened, to SECT. 16. If the lieutenant-governor shall be re- In what case, quired to administer the government, and shall, while in senate to be such administration, die or resign, during the recess of choose a presithe general assembly, it shall be the duty of the secre- dent pro temtary, for the time being, to convene the senate, for the pore. purpose of choosing a president pro tempore. SECT. 17. A treasurer shall annually be chosen, by Treasurer. the electors, at their meeting in April; and the votes shall be returned, counted, canvassed, and declared, in Canvass of the same manner as is provided for the election of votes. governor and lieutenant-governor; but the votes for treasurer shall be canvassed by the secretary and comptroller only. He shall receive all monies belonging urer to the state, and disburse the same only as he may be Duty of treasdirected by law. He shall pay no warrant or order for the disbursement of public money, until the same has been registered in the office of the comptroller. SECT. 18. A secretary shall be chosen next after the Secretary. treasurer, and in the same manner; and the votes for secretary shall be returned to, and counted, canvassed Canvass of and declared by the treasurer and comptroller. He shall votes. Duty of secrehave the safe keeping and custody of the pulic records tary. and documents, and particularly, of the acts, resolutions and orders of the general assembly, and record the same; and perform all such duties as shall be prescribed by law. He shall be the keeper of the seal of Keeper of the the state, which shall not be altered. seal. SECT. 19. A comptroller of the public accounts shall Comptroller. be annually appointed, by the general assembly. He shall adjust and settle all public accounts and demands, ex- His duty. cept grants and orders of the general assembly. He shall prescribe the mode of keeping and rendering all public accounts. He shall, ex officio, be one of the auditors of the accounts of the treasurer. The general assembly may assign to him other duties in relation to his office, and to that of the treasurer, and shall prescribe the manner in which his duties shall be performed. SECT. 20. A sheriff shall be appointed in each county, Sheriff. by the general assembly, who shall hold his office for three years, removeable by said assembly, and shall be- Term of office come bound, with sufficient sureties, to the treasurer of Bond. the state, for the faithful discharge of the duties of his office, in such manner as shall be prescribed by law. In Vacancy, how case the sheriff of any county shall die or resign, the supplied. Statement of funds of the state. Courts. Justices of the peace. Mode of appointment. fice. Removeable gov ernor may fill the vacancy occasioned thereby, until the same shall be filled by the general assembly. SECT. 21. A statement of all receipts, payments, funds, and debts of the state, shall be published from time to time, in such manner and at such periods, as shall be prescribed by law. ARTICLE 5. OF THE JUDICIAL DEPARTMENT. SECT. 1. The judicial power of the state shall be vested in a supreme court of errors, a superior court, and such inferior courts as the general assembly shall, from time to time, ordain and establish: the powers and jurisdiction of which courts shall be defined by law. SECT. 2. There shall be appointed, in each county, a sufficient number of justices of the peace, with such jurisdiction in civil and criminal cases as the general assembly may prescribe. SECT. 3. The judges of the supreme court of errors, of the superior and inferior courts, and all justices of the peace, shall be appointed by the general assembly, in Tenure of of such manner as shall by law be prescribed. The judges of the supreme court, and of the superior court, shall hold their offices during good behavior; but may be in what man- removed by impeachment; and the governor shall also remove them, on the address of two thirds of the members of each house of the general assembly all other judges and justices of the peace shall be appointed annuLimitation of ally. No judge or justice of the peace shall be capable term of office. of holding his office, after he shall arrive at the age of seventy years. ner. ARTICLE 6. : OF THE QUALIFICATIONS OF ELECTORS. SECT. 1. All persons who have been, or shall hereafter, previous to the ratification of this constitution, be admitted freemen, according to the existing laws of this state, shall be electors. SECT. 2. Every white male citizen of the United States, who shall have gained a settlement in this state, attained the age of twenty-one years; and resided in the town in which he may offer himself to be admitted to the privilege of an elector, at least six months preceding; and have a freehold estate of the yearly value of seven dol ars in this state; or having been enrolled in the militia, shall have performed military duty therein, for the term of one year next preceding the time he shall offer himself for admission, or being liable thereto, shall have been, by authority of law, excused therefrom; or shall have paid a state tax within the year next preceding the time he shall present himself for such admission; and shall sustain a good moral character; shall, on his taking such oath as may be prescribed by law, be an elector. SECT. 3. The privileges of an elector shall be forfeitPrivileges of ed, by a conviction of bribery, forgery, perjury, duelling, an elector, fraudulent bankruptcy, theft, or other offence for which how forfeited. an infamous punishment is inflicted. SECT. 4. Every elector shall be eligible to any office Eligibility of in this state, except in cases provided for in this consti- electors. tution. Select-men and town clerk to decide on qualifications. Laws to be SECT. 5. The select men and town clerk of the several towns, shall decide on the qualifications of electors, at such times, and in such manner as may be prescribed by law. SECT. 6. Laws shall be made to support the privilege of free suffrage, prescribing the manner of regulating and made in supconducting meetings of the electors, and prohibiting, under port of free adequate penalties, all undue influence therein, from suffrage. power, bribery, tumult and other improper conduct. Votes to be SECT. 7. In all elections of officers of the state, or given by balmembers of the general assembly, the votes of the elect- fot. ors shall be by ballot. electors from Privilege of SECT. 8. At all elections of officers of the state, or members of the general assembly, the electors shall be arrest. privileged from arrest, during their attendance upon, and going to, and returning from the same, on any civil process. SECT. 9. The meetings of the electors for the election Annual meetof the several state officers, by law annually to be elect- ing of the ed, and members of the general assembly of this state, shall be holden on the first Monday of April in each year. ARTICLE 7. OF RELIGION. electors. Duty and right of wor shipping the Supreme SECT. 1. It being the duty of all men to worship the Supreme Being, the Great Creator and Preserver of the Universe, and their right to render that worship, in the mode most consistent with the dictates of their conscien- Being. ces; no person shall, by law, be compelled to join or sup- No legal com port, nor be classed with, or associated to, any congrega- pulsion. tion, church, or religious association. But every person now belonging to such congregation, church, or religious association, shall remain a member thereof, until he shall have separated himself therefrom, in the manner hereinafter provided. And each and every society or |