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churches or church-wardens in a district or parish, the House of Representatives, at some convenient time before their expiration, fhall appoint places of election, and perfons to receive votes and make returns. The qualifica tion of electors fhall be, that every free white man, and no other perfon, who acknowledges the being of a God, and believes in a future ftate of rewards and punishments, and who has attained to the age of oneand-twenty years, and hath been a refident and an inhabitant in this State for the space of one whole year, before the day appointed for the election he offers to give his vote at, and hath a freehold at least of fifty acres of land, or a town lot, and hath been legally seized and poffeffed of the fame at least fix months previous to fuch election, or hath paid a tax the preceding year, or was taxable the present year at least fix months previous to the faid election, in a fum equal to the tax on fifty acres of land, to the fupport of this Government, shall be deemed a perfon qualified to vote for, and shall be capable of electing a Reprefentative or Representatives, to ferve as a Member or Members in the Senate and House of Representatives

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tives, for the parish or district where he actually is a refident, or in any other parish or district, in this State, where he hath the like freehold. Electors fhall take an oath or affirmation of qualification, if required by the returning officer. No perfon shall be eligible to fit in the House of Representatives, unless he be of the Proteftant religion, and hath been a refident in this State for three years previous to his election. The qualification of the elected, if residents in the parish or district for which they shall be returned, fhall be the fame as mentioned in the Election Act, and conftrued to mean clear of debt. But no non-refident shall be eligible to a feat in the House of Representatives, unless he is owner of a settled eftate and freehold, in his own right, of the value of three thousand and five hundred pounds currency at least, clear of debt, in the parish or district for which he is elected.

XIV. That if any parish or district neglects or refuses to elect Members; or if the Members chofen do not meet in General Affembly; those who do meet shall have the powers of the General Affembly. Not lefs than fixty-nine Members shall make a House of Representa

tives to do bufinefs; but the Speaker, or any seven Members may adjourn from day to day.

XV. That at the expiration of seven years after the paffing of this Conftitution, and at the end of every every fourteen years thereafter, the Representation of the whole State shall be proportioned in the most equal and juft manner, according to the particular and comparative strength, and taxable property, of the different parts of the fame; regard being always had to the number of white inhabitants, and fuch taxable property.

XVI. That all money-bills for the fupport. of Government shall originate in the House of Representatives; and shall not be altered or amended by the Senate, but may be rejected by them; and that no money be drawn out of the public treasury, but by the legislative authority of the State. All other bills and ordinances may take rife in the Senate or House of Representatives, and be altered, amended, or rejected by either. Acts and ordinances having paffed the General Affembly, shall have the Great Seal affixed to them by a joint Committee of both Houses, who fhall wait the Governor to receive and return the upon

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Seal;

Seal; and fhall then be figned by the President of the Senate, and Speaker of the Houfe of Representatives, in the Senate-Houfe, and fhall thenceforth have the force and validity of a law, and be lodged in the Secretary's office. And the Senate and Houfe of Representatives respectively, shall enjoy all other privileges which have at any time been claimed or exercifed by the Commons Houfe of Affembly.

XVII. That neither the Senate nor Houfe of Representatives fhall have power to adjourn themselves for any longer time than three days, without the mutual confent of both. The Governor and Commander in Chief fhall have no power to adjourn, prorogue, or diffolve them, but may, if neceffary, by and with the advice and confent of the Privy-council, cọnvene them before the time to which they fhall ftand adjourned. And where a bill hath been. rejected by either Houfe, it shall not be brought in again that feffion, without leave of the House, and a notice of fix days being previously given.

XVIII. That the Senate and House of Reprefentatives fhall each chufe their respective officers by ballot, without controul. And that,

during a recefs, the Prefident of the Senate, and Speaker of the House of Representatives, shall iffue writs for filling up vacancies occafioned by death in their respective Houses, giving at least three weeks, and not more than thirty-five days previous notice of the time appointed for the election.

XIX. That if any parish or district shall neglect to elect a Member or Members, on the day of election; or in cafe any person chofen a Member of either House, shall refuse to qualify and take his feat as fuch, or die, or depart the State; the Senate or Houfe of Representatives, as the cafe may be, fhall appoint proper days for electing a Member or Members, in fuch cafes refpectively.

XX. That if any Member of the Senate or House of Representatives fhall accept any place of emolument, or any commiffion (except in the militia, or the commission of the peace), and except as is excepted in the Tenth Article, he shall vacate his feat, and there fhall thereupon be a new election; but he shall not be difqualified from ferving upon being reelected, unless he is appointed Secretary of the State, a Commiffioner of the Treasury, an

Officer

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