continue to be used until another shall have been adopted by the General Assembly. The said seal shall be called the "Great Seal of the State of Alabama."

21. The Secretary of State shall be the custodian of the seal of the State, and shall authenticate therewith all official acts of the Governor, his approval of laws and resolutions excepted. He shall keep a register of the official acts of the Governor, and when necessary shall attest them, and lay copies of the same together with copies of all papers relative thereto, before either house of the General Assembly, whenever required to do so, and shall perform such other duties as may be prescribed by law.

22. All grants and commissions shall be issued in the name and by the authority of the State of Alabama, sealed with the great seal, and signed by the Governor, and countersigned by the Secretary of State.

23. Should the office of Secretary of State, State Treasurer, State Auditor, Attorney-General, or Superintendent of Education, become vacant, for any of the causes specified in section fifteen of this article, the Governor shall fill the vacancy, until the disability is removed, or a successor elected and qualified.

24. The State Treasurer, State Auditor, and Attorney-General shall perform such duties as may be prescribed by law. The State Treasurer and State Auditor shall, every year, at a time the General Assembly may fix, make a full and complete report to the Governor, showing all receipts and disbursements of revenue, of every character, all claims audited and paid-by the State, by items, and all taxes and revenue collected and paid into the treasury and from what sources; and they shall make reports oftener in any matter pertaining to their office, if required by the Governor, or the General Assembly.

25. The Sate Auditor, State Treasurer, and Secretary of State, shall not after the expiration of the terms of those now in office, receive to their use any fees, costs, perquisites of office, or compensation, other than their salaries as prescribed by law; and all fees that may be payable by law, for any service performed by either of such officers, shall be paid in advance into the State Treasury.

26. A Sheriff shall be elected in each county, by the qualified dectors thereof, who shall hold his office for the term of four years, unless sooner removed, and shall be ineligible to such

office as his own successor: Provided, That Sheriffs electe on the first Monday in August, eighteen hundred and sevent seven, or at such other time as may be prescribed by law f the election in that year, shall hold their offices for the term three years, and until their successors shall be elected a qualified. In the year 1880, at the general election for me bers to the General Assembly, Sheriffs shall be elected for fo years, as herein provided. Vacancies in the office of Sher shall be filled by the Governor, as in other cases; and the p son appointed shall continue in office until the next gene election in the county for Sheriff, as provided by law.

ARTICLE VI.

Judicial Department.

1. The judicial power of the State shall be vested in Senate, sitting as a court of impeachment, a Supreme C Circuit Courts, Chancery Court, Courts of Probate, such inf courts of law and equity, to consist of not more than five bers, as the General Assembly may from time to time estal and such persons as may be by law invested with powers judicial nature.

2. Except in cases otherwise directed in this Constit the Supreme Court shall have appellate jurisdiction only, shall be co-extensive with the State, under such restri and regulations, not repugnant to this Constitution, as m from time to time prescribed by law. Provided, That said shall have power to issue writs of injunction, habeas c quo warranto, and such other remedial and original wi may be necessary to give it a general superintendence an trol of superior jurisdiction.

3. The Supreme Court shall be held at the seat of ment, but if that shall have become dangerous from any it may adjourn to a different place.

4. The State shall be divided by the General Assemb convenient circuits, not to exceed eight in number increased by a vote of two-thirds of the members of eac of the General Assembly, and no circuit shall contain le three nor more than twelve counties; and for each circu shall be chosen a judge, who shall, for one year next p his election and during his continuance in office, resid circuit for which he is elected.

5. The Circuit Court shall have original jurisdiction in all matters, civil and criminal, within the State, not otherwise excepted in this Constitution; but in civil cases only where the matter or sum in controversy exceeds fifty dollars.

6. A Circuit Court shall be held in each county in the State at least twice in every year, and the judges of the several circuits may hold courts for each other, when they deem it expedient, and shall do so when directed by law: Provided, That the judges of the several circuit courts shall have power to issue writs of injunction returnable into courts of chancery.

7. The General Assembly shall have power to establish a court or courts of chancery, with original and appellate jurisdiction. The State shall be divided by the General Assembly into convenient chancery divisions, not exceeding three in number, unless an increase shall be made by a vote of two-thirds of each house of the General Assembly taken by yeas and nays and entered upon the journals; and the division shall be divided into districts, and for each division there shall be a chancellor, who shall, at the time of his election or appointment, and during his continuance in office, reside in the division for which he shall have been elected or appointed.

8. A chancery court shall be held in each district, at a place to be fixed by law, at least once in each year, and the chancellors may hold courts for each other, when they deem it

Decessary.

9. The General Assembly shall have power to establish in each county within the State a Court of Probate, with general jurisdiction for the granting of letters testamentary and of administration, and for orphans' business.

10. The judges of the Supreme Court, Circuit Courts, and chancellors shall, at stated times, receive for their services a compensation, which shall not be diminished during their official terms, but they shall receive no fees or perquisites, nor hold any office (except judicial offices) of profit or trust under this State or the United States, or any other power, during the term for which they have been elected.

11. The Supreme Court shall consist of one Chief Justice and such number of Associate Justices as may be prescribed by law. 12. The Chief Justice and Associate Justices of the Supreme Court, judges of the Circuit Courts, Probate Courts, and chancellors, shall be elected by the qualified electors of the State, cir

cuits, counties and chancery divisions for which such court may be established, at such times as may be prescribed by law.

13. The judges of such inferior courts of law and equity may be by law established, shall be appointed in such mode the General Assembly may prescribe.

14. The Judges of the Supreme Court, Circuit Courts, cha cellors, and the judges of the city courts, shall have been ci zens of the United States and of this State five years next p ceding their election or appointment, and shall not be 1 than twenty-five years of age, and learned in the law.

15. The Chief Justice and Associate Justices of the Supre Court, circuit judges, chancellors and probate judges shall b office for the term of six years and until their successors elected or appointed and qualified; and the right of such jud and chancellors to hold their office for the full time hereby scribed, shall not be affected by any change hereafter made law in any circuit, division or county in the mode or tim election.

16. The Judges of the Supreme Court shall, by virtue of offices, be conservators of the peace throughout the State judges of the circuit courts within their respective circuits the judges of the inferior courts within their respective dictions, shall in like manner be conservators of the peace.

17. Vacancies in the office of any of the judges or cellors of this State shall be filled by appointment by the C nor, and such appointee shall hold his office for the unex term and until his successor is elected or appointed and qua

18. If in any case, civil or criminal, pending in any c chancery or city court in this State, the presiding judge or cellor shall, for any legal cause be incompetent to try, h render judgment in such cause, the parties or their att of record, if it be a civil case, or the solicitor or other pros officer, and the defendant or defendants, if it be a crimina may agree upon some disinterested person, practicing court and learned in the law, to act as special judge or c lor, to sit as a court to hear, decide and render judgment same manner and to the same effect as a judge of the ci city court, or chancellor, sitting as a court might do in su If the case be a civil one and the parties, or their attor record do not agree, or if the case be a criminal one prosecuting officer and the defendant or defendants do n

upon a special judge or chancellor, or if either party in a special cause is not represented in court, the clerk of the circuit or city court, or register in chancery of the court in which said cause is pending, shall appoint the special judge or chancellor, who shall preside, try and render judgments as in this section provided.

19. The General Assembly shall have power to provide for the holding of circuit and chancery courts in this State, when the judges or chancellors thereof fail to attend regular terms.

20. No judge of any court of record in this State, shall practice law in any of the courts of this State or of the United States.

21. Registers in chancery shall be appointed by the chancellors of the divisions, and shall hold office during the term of the chancellor making such appointment; and such registers shall receive as compensation for their services only such fees and commissions as may be specifically prescribed by law

22. A clerk of the Supreme Court shall be appointed by the judges thereof and shall hold office during the term of the judges making the appointment, and clerks of such inferior courts as may be established by law shall be appointed by the judges thereof, and shall hold office during the term of the judge making such appointment.

23. Clerks of the Circuit Court shall be elected by the qualifed electors in each county, for the term of six years. Vacan cies in such office shall be filled by the Governor for the unexpired term.

24. The clerk of the Supreme Court and registers in chancery may be removed from office by the judges of the Supreme Court and chancellors respectively, for cause, to be entered at length apon the records of the court.

25. A solicitor for each judicial circuit shall be elected by joint ballot of the General Assembly, who shall be learned in the law, and who shall, at the time of his election, and during his continuance in office, reside in the circuit for which he is hosen, and whose term of office shall be for six years: Prorided. That the General Assembly, at the first session thereof After the ratification of this Constitution shall, by joint ballot, elect a solicitor for each judicial circuit of the State, whose term office shall begin on Tuesday after the first Monday in Novemer. 1876, and continue for four years: And provided, That the