general assembly; and at the opening of the general assembly there shall be a committee appointed out of the council and assembly, who, after being duly sworn to the faithful discharge of their trust, shall proceed to receive, sort, and count the votes for the governor, and declare the person who has the major part of the votes to be governor for the year ensuing. And if there be no choice made, then the council and general assembly, by their joint ballot, shall make choice of a governor. The lieutenant-governor and treasurer shall be chosen in the manner above directed. And each freeman shall give in twelve votes, for twelve counsellors, in the same manner, and the twelve highest in nomination shall serve for the ensuing year as counsellors.

§ 11. The governor, and, in his absence, the lieutenant-governor, with the council, a major part of whom, including the governor, or lieutenantgovernor, shall be a quorum to transact business, shall have power to commission all officers, and also to appoint officers, except where provision is, or shall be otherwise made by law, or this frame of government; and shall supply every vacancy in any office, occasioned by death, or otherwise, until the office can be filled in the manner directed by law or this constitution.

And

They are to correspond with other states, transact business with officers of government, civil and military, and to prepare such business as may appear to them necessary to lay before the general assembly. They shall sit as judges to hear and determine on impeachments, taking to their assistance, for advice only, the judges of the supreme court. shall have power to grant pardons, and remit fines, in all cases whatsoever, except in treason and murder; in which they shall have power to grant reprieves, but not to pardon, until after the end of the next session of the assembly; and except in cases of impeachment, in which there shall be no remission or mitigation of punishment, but by act of legislation.

They are also to take care that the laws be faithfully executed. They are to expedite the execution of such measures as may be resolved upon by the general assembly. And they may draw upon the treasury for such sums as may be appropriated by the house of representatives. They may also lay embargoes, or prohibit the exportation of any commodity, for any time not exceeding thirty days, in the recess of the house only. They may grant such licenses as shall be directed by law and shall have power to call together the general assembly, when necessary, before the day to which they shall stand adjourned. The governor shall be captain-general and commander-in-chief of the forces of the state, but shall not command in person, except advised thereto by the council, and then only so long as they shall approve thereof. And the lieutenantgovernor shall, by virtue of his office, be lieutenant-general of all the forces of the state. The governor, or lieutenant-governor, and the council, shall meet at the time and place with the general assembly; the lieutenant-governor shall, during the presence of the commander-inchief, vote and act as one of the council: and the governor, and, in his absence, the lieutenant-governor, shall, by virtue of their offices, preside in council, and have a casting, but no other vote. Every member of the council shall be a justice of the peace, for the whole state, by virtue of his office. The governor and council shall have a secretary, and keep fair books of their proceedings, wherein any counsellor may enter his

dissent, with his reason to support it; and the governor may appoint a secretary for himself and his council.

§ 12. The representatives, having met and chosen their speaker and clerk, shall, each of them, before they proceed to business, take and subscribe, as well the oath or affirmation of allegiance hereinafter directed, except where they shall produce certificates of their having heretofore taken and subscribed the same, as the following oath or affirmation, viz. “You, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that, as a member of this assembly, you will not propose or assent to any bill, vote, or resolution, which shall appear to you injurious to the people, nor do or consent to any act or thing whatsoever that shall have a tendency to lessen or abridge their rights and privileges, as declared by the constitution of this state, but will, in all things, conduct yourself as a faithful, honest representative, and guardian of the people, according to the best of your judgment and abilities: (in case of an oath) so help you God. (And in case of an affirmation) under the pains and penalties of perjury."

§ 13. The doors of the house in which the general assembly of this commonwealth shall sit, shall be open for the admission of all persons who behave decently, except only when the welfare of the state may require them to be shut.

§14. The votes and proceedings of the general assembly shall be printed, when one-third of the members think it necessary, as soon as convenient after the end of each session, with the yeas and nays on any questions, when required by any member, except where the votes shall be taken by ballot, in which case every member shall have a right to insert the reasons of his vote upon the minutes.

§ 15. The style of the laws of this state, in future to be passed, shall be: It is hereby enacted by the general assembly of the state of Ver

mont.

§ 16. To the end that laws, before they are enacted, may be more maturely considered, and the inconvenience of hasty determinations, as much as possible, prevented, all bills which originate in the assembly shall be laid before the governor and council for their revision and concurrence, or proposals of amendment; who shall return the same to the assembly, with their proposals of amendment, if any, in writing; and if the same are not agreed to by the assembly, it shall be in the power of the governor and council to suspend the passing of such bill until the next session of the legislature: Provided, that if the governor and council shall neglect or refuse to return any such bill to the assembly, with written proposals of amendment, within five days, or before the rising of the legislature, the same shall become a law.

§ 17. No money shall be drawn out of the treasury, unless first appropriated by act of legislation.

§ 18. No person shall be elected a representative until he has resided two years in this state; the last of which shall be in the town for which he is elected.

§ 19. No member of the council or house of representatives shall, directly or indirectly, receive any fee or reward to bring forward or advocate any bill, petition, or other business to be transacted in the legislature; or advocate any cause, as counsel, in either house of legislation, except when employed in behalf of the state.

§ 20. No person ought, in any case, or in any time, to he declared guilty of treason or felony by the legislature.

§ 21. Every man of the full age of twenty-one years, having resided in this state for the space of one whole year next before the election of representatives, and is of a quiet and peaceable behaviour, and will take the following oath or affirmation, shall be entitled to all the privileges of a freeman of this state.

"You solemnly swear (or affirm) that whenever you give your vote of suffrage touching any matter that concerns the state of Vermont, you will do it so as in your conscience you shall judge will most conduce to the best good of the same, as established by the constitution, without fear or favour of any man."

§ 22. The inhabitants of this state shall be trained and armed for its defence, under such regulations, restrictions, and exceptions, as congress, agreeably to the constitution of the United States, and the legislature of this state, shall direct. The several companies of militia shall, as often as vacancies happen, elect their captain and other officers, and the captains and subalterns shall nominate and recommend the field officers of their respective regiments, who shall appoint their staff officers.

§ 23. All commissions shall be in the name of the freemen of the state of Vermont, sealed with the state seal, signed by the governor, and in his absence the lieutenant-governor, and attested by the secretary which seal shall be kept by the governor.

§ 24. Every officer of state, whether judicial or executive, shall be liable to be impeached by the general assembly, either when in office or after his resignation or removal, for maladministration. All impeachments shall be before the governor, or lieutenant-governor, and council, who shall hear and determine the same, and may award costs; and no trial or impeachment shall be a bar to a prosecution at law.

§ 25. As every freeman, to preserve his independence, if without a sufficient estate, ought to have some profession, calling, trade, or farm, whereby he may honestly subsist, there can be no necessity for, nor use in establishing offices of profit, the usual effects of which are dependence and servility, unbecoming freemen, in the possessors or expectants, and faction, contention and discord among the people. But, if any man is called into public service, to the prejudice of his private affairs, he has a right to a reasonable compensation; and whenever an office, through increase of fees or otherwise, becomes so profitable as to occasion many to apply for it, the profits ought to be lessened by the legislature. And if any officer shall wittingly and wilfully take greater fees than the law allows him, it shall ever after disqualify him from holding any office in this state, until he shall be restored by act of legislation.

§ 26. No person in this state shall be capable of holding or exercising more than one of the following offices at the same time, viz: governor, lieutenant-governor, judge of the supreme court, treasurer of the state, member of the council, member of the general assembly, surveyor-general, or sheriff. Nor shall any person, holding any office of profit or trust under the authority of congress, be eligible to any appointment in the legislature, or of holding any executive or judiciary office under this state. § 27. The treasurer of the state shall, before the governor and coun

il, give sufficient security to the secretary of the state, in behalf of the general assembly; and each high sheriff, before the first judge of the county court to the treasurer of their respective counties, previous to their respectively entering upon the execution of their offices, in such manner, and in sums, as shall be directed by the legislature.

§ 28. The treasurer's accounts shall be annually audited, and a fair state thereof laid before the general assembly at their session in October.

$29. Every officer, whether judicial, executive, or military, in au thority under this state, before he enters upon the execution of hi office, shall take and subscribe the following oath or affirmation of allegiance to this state, unless he shall produce evidence that he has before taken the same; and also the following oath or affirmation of office, except military officers, and such as shall be exempted by the legislature.

The oath or affirmation of office.

"You do solemnly swear (or affirm) that you will be true and faithful to the state of Vermont, and that you will not, directly or indirectly, do any act or thing injurious to the constitution or government thereof, as established by convention: (If an oath) so help you God. (If an affirmation) under the pains and penalties of perjury.

'You,

The oath or affirmation of office.

for the

of

do solemnly swear (or affirm) that you will faithfully execute the office of ; and will therein do equal right and justice to all men, to the best of your judgment and abilities, according to law: (If an oath) so help you God. (If an affirmation) under the pains and penalties of perjury."

§30. No person shall be eligible to the office of governor or lieutenantgovernor, until he shall have resided in this state four years next preceding the day of his election.

§ 31. Trials of issues, proper for the cognizance of a jury, in the supreme and county courts, shall be by jury, except where parties otherwise agree; and great care ought to be taken to prevent corruption or partiality in the choice and return or appointment of juries.

§ 32. All prosecutions shall commence, by the authority of the state of Vermont; all indictments shall conclude with these words: against the peace and dignity of the state. And all fines shall be proportioned to the offences.

§ 33. The person of a debtor, where there is not strong presumption of fraud, shall not be continued in prison after delivering up and assigning over, bona fide, all his estate, real and personal, in possession, reversion, or remainder, for the use of his creditors, in such manner as shall be hereafter regulated by law. And all prisoners, unless in execu'on or committed for capital offences, when the proof is evident or presumption great, shall be bailable by sufficient sureties; nor shall excessive bail be exacted for bailable offences.

§ 34. All elections, whether by the people or the legislature, shall be free and voluntary; and any elector, who shall receive any gift or re

ward for his vote, in meat, drink, moneys, or otherwise, shall forfeit his right to elect at that time, and suffer such other penalty as the law shall direct; and any person who shall, directly or indirectly, give, promise, or bestow, any such rewards, to be elected, shall thereby be rendered incapable to serve for the ensuing year, and be subject to such further punishment as a future legislature shall direct.

§ 35. All deeds and conveyances of land shall be recorded in the town clerk's office, in their respective towns; and for want thereof, in the county clerk's office of the same county.

§ 36. The legislature shall regulate entails in such manner as to prevent perpetuities.

§ 37. To deter more effectually from the commission of crimes, by continued visible punishments of long duration, and to make sanguinary punishments less necessary, means ought to be provided for punishing by hard labour those who shall be convicted of crimes not capital, whereby the criminal shall be employed for the benefit of the pub lic, or for the reparation of injuries done to private persons: and all persons, at proper times, ought to be permitted to see them at their labour.

§ 38. The estates of such persons as may destroy their own lives shall not for that offence be forfeited, but descend or ascend in the same manner as if such persons had died in a natural way. Nor shall any article, which shall accidentally occasion the death of any person, be henceforth deemed a deodand, or in any wise forfeited, on account of such misfortune.

§ 39. Every person of good character, who comes to settle in this state, having first taken an oath or affirmation of allegiance to the same, may purchase, or by other just means acquire, hold, and transfer land or other real estate; and, after one year's residence, shall be deemed a free denizen thereof, and entitled to all rights of a natural born subject of this state, except that he shall not be capable of being elected governor, lieutenant-governor, treasurer, counsellor, or representative in as. sembly until after two years' residence.

§ 40. The inhabitants of this state shall have liberty, in seasonable times, to hunt and fowl on the lands they hold, and on other lands not enclosed; and in like manner to fish in all boatable and other waters, not private property, under proper regulations, to be hereafter made and provided by the general assembly.

§ 41. Laws for the encouragement of virtue and prevention of vice and immorality, ought to be constantly kept in force, and duly executed : and a competent number of schools ought to be maintained in each town, for the convenient instruction of youth; and one or more grammar schools be incorporated, and properly supported, in each county in this state. And all religious societies or bodies of men, that may be hereafter united or incorporated for the advancement of religion and learning, or for other pious and charitable purposes, shall be encouraged and protected in the enjoyment of the privileges, immunities, and estates, which they in justice ought to enjoy, under such regulations as the general assembly of this state shall direct.

§ 42. The declaration of the political rights and privileges of the in habitants of this state, is hereby declared to be a part of the constitu