VII. The Houfe of Affembly shall have power to make fuch laws and regulations as may be conducive to the good order and wellbeing of the State; provided fuch laws and regulations be not repugnant to the true intent and meaning of any rule or regulation contained in this Conftitution.

The House of Affembly shall also have power to repeal all laws and ordinances they find in jurious to the people and the Houfe hall chufe its own Speaker, appoint its own officers, fettle its own rules of proceeding, and direct writs of election for fupplying intermediate vacancies; and shall have power of adjournment to any time or times within the year.

* VIII. All laws and ordinances fhall be three times read, and each reading fhall be on different and feparate days, except in cafes of great neceffity and danger; and all laws and ordinances fhall be fent to the Executive Council, after the fecond reading, for their perusal and advice.

IX. Every male white inhabitant, of the age of twenty-one years, and poffeffed, in his own right, of ten pounds value, and liable to pay tax in this State, or being of any mechanic trade, and who fhall have been a refident fix months in this

State,

State, shall have a right to vote at all elections for Representatives, or any other officers herein agreed to be chofen by the people at large; and. every person having a right to vote at any election, fhall vote by ballot perfonally.

X. No officer whatever shall serve any process, or give any other hindrance to any perfon entitled to vote, either in going to the place of election, or during the time of the faid election, or on their returning home from fuch election; nor fhall any military officer or foldier appear at any election in a military character, to the intent that all elections may be free and open.

XI. No perfon fhall be entitled to more than one vote, which fhall be given in the county where fuch perfon refides, except as before excepted; nor fhall any person who holds any title of nobility, be entitled to a vote, or be capable of ferving as a Representative, or hold any post of honour, profit, or truft, in this State, whilft fuch perfon claims his title of nobility; but if the perfon fhall give up fuch distinction, in the manner as may be directed by any future legislature, then, and in such case, he fhall be entitled to a vote, and reprefent; as before

before directed, and enjoy all the other benefits of a free citizen.

XII. Every person absenting himself from an election, and who fhall neglect to give in his or their ballot at fuch election, fhall be fubject to a penalty not exceeding five pounds; the mode of recovery, and also the appropriation thereof, to be pointed out and directed by Act of the legislature provided nevertheless, that a reafonable excuse shall be admitted.

XIII. The manner of electing Reprefentatives fhall be by ballot, and fhall be taken by two or more Juftices of the Peace, in each county, who shall provide a convenient box for receiving the said ballots; and on closing the poll, the ballots fhall be compared in public with the lifts of voters that have been taken, and the majority immediately declared; a certificate of the fame being given to the perfons elected, and also a certificate returned to the House of Representatives.

XIV. Every perfon entitled to vote shall take the following oath or affirmation, if required, viz.

"I, A. B. do voluntarily and folemnly swear, or affirm (as the cafe may be), that I do owe

true

true allegiance to this State, and will support the Conftitution thereof. So help me, God."

XV. Any five of the Reprefentatives elected, as before directed, being met, shall have power to adminifter the following oath to each other; and they or any other Member, being fo fworn, fhall in the House administer the oath to all other Members that attend, in order to qualify them to take their seats, viz. los

"I, A. B. do folemnly fwear, that I will bear true allegiance to the State of Georgia, and will truly perform the truft repofed in me; and, that I will execute the fame to the best of my knowledge, for the benefit of this State, and the fupport of the Conftitution thereof; and that I have obtained my election without fraud or bribe whatever. So help me, God."

XVI. The Continental Delegates fhall be appointed annually by ballot, and hall have a right to fit, debate, and vote, in the House of Affembly, and be deemed a part thereof; fubject, however, to the regulations contained in the twelfth article of the Confederation of the United States.

XVII. No person bearing any post of profit under this State, or any perfon bearing any military commiffion under this or any other State, or States,

A a

States, except Officers of the Militia, fhall be elected a Representative. And if any Representative fhall be appointed to any place of profit, or military commiffion, which he shall accept, his feat fhall immediately become va-. cant, and he fhall be incapable of re-election, whilft holding fuch office.

By this article it is not to be understood, that the office of a Juftice of the Peace is a poft of profit.

XVIII. No perfon fhall hold more than one office of profit under this State, at one and the fame time.

XIX. The Governor fhall, with the advice of the Executive Council, exercise the executive powers of government, according to the laws of this State, and the Conftitution therelaws

of; fave only in the cafe of pardons and remiffion of fines, which he shall in no instance grant ; but he may reprieve a criminal, or fufpend a fine, until the meeting of the Affembly, who may determine therein as they fhall judge ft, mobilnoɔ o

fit.

XX. The Governor, with the advice of the Executive Council, fhall have power to call the

Houfe of Affembly together, upon any emero'yas to 393 TOBŘE NO

& A

gency,