justices of the inferior courts should fail to make such appointments, or if there should not be a sufficient number of such justices in any county, then the justices of the peace, or any three of them, shall have and exercise like powers and authority respecting the said census; and if the census or enumeration of any county shall not be so taken and returned, then, and in that case, the general assembly shall apportion the representation of such county according to the best evidence in their power, relative to its population.

ARTICLE 2.

§ 1. The executive power shall be vested in a governor, who shall hold his office during the term of two years, and until such time as a successor shall be chosen and qualified. He shall have a competent salary, established by law, which shall not be increased or diminished during the period for which he shall have been elected; neither shall he receive, within that period, any other emolument from the United States, or either of them, or from any foreign power.

§2. The governor shall be elected by the general assembly, at their second annual session after the rising of this convention, and at every second annual session thereafter, on the second day after the two houses shall be organized and competent to proceed to business.

§3. No person shall be eligible to the office of governor who shall not have been a citizen of the United States twelve years, and an inhabitant of this state six years, and who hath not attained to the age of thirty years, and who does not possess five hundred acres of land, in his own right, within this state, and other property to the amount of four thousand dollars, and whose estate shall not, on a reasonable estimation, be competent to the discharge of his debts, over and above that sum.

§ 4. In case of the death, resignation, or disability of the governor, the president of the senate shall exercise the executive powers of government until such disability be removed, or until the next meeting of the general assembly.

§ 5. The governor shall, before he enters on the duties of his office, take the following oath or affirmation: "I do solemnly swear (or affirm, as the case may be) that I will faithfully execute the office of governor to the state of Georgia; and will, to the best of my abilities, preserve, protect, and defend the said state, and cause justice to be executed in mercy therein, according to the constitution and laws thereof."

6. He shall be commander in chief of the army and navy of this state, and of the militia thereof.

§7. He shall have power to grant reprieves for offences against the state, except in cases of impeachment, and to grant pardons or to remit any part of a sentence, in all cases after con

viction, except for treason or murder, in which cases he may respite the execution, and make report thereof to the next general assembly, by whom a pardon may be granted.

§ 8. He shall issue writs of election to fill up all vacancies that happen in the senate or house of representatives; and shall have power to convene the general assembly on extraordinary occasions; and shall give them, from time to time, information of the state of the republic, and recommend to their consideration such measures as he may deem necessary and expedient.

§ 9. When any office shall become vacant by death, resignation, or otherwise, the governor shall have the power to fill such vacancy; and persons so appointed shall continue in office until a successor is appointed, agreeably to the mode pointed out by this constitution or by the legislature.

§ 10. He shall have the revision of all bills passed by both houses, before the same shall become laws; but two-thirds of both houses may pass a law notwithstanding his dissent; and if any bill should not be returned by the governor within five days after it hath been presented to him, the same shall be a law, unless the general assembly, by their adjournment, shall prevent its return.

§ 11. Every vote, resolution, or order, to which the concurrence of both houses may be necessary, except on a question of adjournment, shall be presented to the governor; and, before it shall take effect, be approved by him; or, being disapproved, may be re-passed by two-thirds of both houses, according to the rules and limitations prescribed in case of a bill.

§ 12. There shall be a secretary of the state, a treasurer, and a surveyor general, appointed in the same manner and at the same session of the legislature, and they shall hold their offices for the like period as the governor, and shall have a competent salary, including such emoluments as may be established by law, which shall not be increased or diminished during the period for which they shall have been elected.

§ 13. The great seal of the state shall be deposited in the office of the secretary of state, and shall not be affixed to any instrument of writing, but by order of the governor or general assembly; and the general assembly shall, at their first session after the rising of this convention, cause the great seal to be altered by law.

§14. The governor shall have power to appoint his own secretaries.

ARTICLE 3.

1. The judicial powers of this state shall be vested in a superior court, and in such inferior jurisdictions as the legislature shall, from time to time, ordain and establish. The judges of the superior courts shall be elected for the term of three years,

removable by the governor, on the address of two-thirds of both houses for that purpose, or by impeachment and conviction thereon. The superior court shall have exclusive and final jurisdiction in all criminal cases which shall be tried in the county wherein the crime was committed, and in all cases respecting titles to land, which shall be tried in the county where the land lies; and shall have power to correct errors in inferior judicatories by writs of certiorari, as well as errors in the superior courts, and to order new trials on proper and legal grounds: Provided, That such new trials shall be determined, and such errors corrected, in the superior court of the county in which such action originated. And the said court shall also have appellative jurisdiction in such other cases as the legislature may by law direct, which shall in no case tend to remove the cause from the county in which the action originated; and the judges thereof, in all cases of application for new trials, or correction of error, shall enter their opinions on the minutes of the court. The inferior courts shall have cognizance of all other civil cases, which shall be tried in the county wherein the defendant resides, except in cases of joint obligors, residing in different counties, which may be commenced in either county: and a copy of the petition and process, served on the party or parties residing out of the county in which the suit may be commenced, shall be deemed sufficient service, under such rules and regulations as the legislature may direct; but the legislature may, by law, to which two-thirds of each branch shall concur, give concurrent jurisdiction to the superior courts. The superior and inferior courts shall sit in each county twice in every year, at such stated times as the legislature shall appoint.

§2. The judges shall have salaries adequate to their ser vices, established by law, which shall not be increased or diminished during their continuance in office; but shall not receive any other perquisites or emoluments whatever, from parties or others, on account of any duty required of them.

§ 3. There shall be a state's attorney and solicitors appointed by the legislature, and commissioned by the governor, who shall hold their offices for the term of three years, unless removed by sentence on impeachment, or by the governor, on the address of two-thirds of each branch of the general assembly. They shall have salaries adequate to their services, established by law, which shall not be increased or diminished during their continuance in office.

§4. Justices of the inferior courts shall be appointed by the general assembly, and be commissioned by the governor, and shall hold their commissions during good behaviour, or as long as they respectively reside in the county for which they shall be appointed, unless removed by sentence on impeachment, or by the governor, on the address of two-thirds of each branch

of the general assembly. They may be compensated for their services in such manner as the legislature may by law direct.

§ 5. The justices of the peace shall be nominated by the inferior courts of the several counties, and commissioned by the governor, and there shall be two justices of the peace in each captain's district, either or both of whom shall have power to try all cases of a civil nature within their district, where the debt or litigated demand does not exceed thirty dollars, in such manner as the legislature may by law direct. They shall hold their appointments during good behaviour, or until they shall be removed by conviction, on indictment in the superior court, for mal-practice in office, or for any felonious or infamous crime, or by the governor, on the address of two-thirds of each branch of the legislature.

§ 6. The powers of a court of ordinary or register of probates shall be invested in the inferior courts of each county, from whose decision there may be an appeal to the superior court, under such restrictions and regulations as the general assembly may by law direct; but the inferior court shall have power to vest the care of the records, and other proceedings therein, in the clerk, or such other person as they may ap point, and any one or more justices of the said court; with such clerk or other person, may issue citations and grant temporary Jetters, in time of vacation, to hold until the next meeting of the said court; and such clerk or other person may grant marriage licenses.

7. The judges of the superior courts, or any one of them, shall have power to issue writs of mandamus, prohibition, scire facias, and all other writs which may be necessary for carrying their powers fully into effect.

8. Within five years after the adoption of this constitution, the body of our laws, civil and criminal, shall be revised, digested, and arranged under proper heads, and promulgated in such manner as the legislature may direct; and no person shall be debarred from advocating or defending his cause, before any court or tribunal, either by himself or counsel, or both.

§ 9. Divorces shall not be granted by the legislature, until the parties shall have had a fair trial before the superior court, and a verdict shall have been obtained, authorizing a divorce upon legal principles. And in such cases, two-thirds of each branch of the legislature may pass acts of divorce accordingly.

§ 10. The clerks of the superior and inferior courts shall be appointed in such manner as the legislature may by law direct, shall be commissioned by the governor, and shall continue in office during good behaviour.

§ 11. Sheriffs shall be appointed in such manner as the general assembly may by law direct, and shall hold their appointments for the term of two years, unless sooner removed by sentence on impeachment, or by the governor on the address

1

of two-thirds of the justices of the inferior court and of the peace in the county; but no person shall be twice elected sheriff within any term of four years; and no county officer after the next election shall be chosen at the time of electing a senator or representative.

ARTICLE 4.

§ 1. The electors of members of the general assembly shall be citizens and inhabitants of this state, and shall have attained the age of twenty-one years, and have paid all taxes which may have been required of them, and which they may have had an opportunity of paying, agreeably to law, for the year preceding the election, and shall have resided six months within the county: Provided, that, in case of invasion, and the inhabitants shall be driven from any county, so as to prevent an election therein, such refugee inhabitants, being a majority of the voters of such county, may meet under the direction of any three justices of the peace thereof, in the nearest county, not in a state of alarm, and proceed to an election, without having paid such tax so required of electors, and the persons elected thereat shall be entitled to their seats.

§ 2. All elections by the general assembly shall be by joint ballot of both branches of the legislature; and when the senate and house of representatives unite for the purpose of electing, they shall meet in the representative chamber, and the president of the senate shall in such case preside, receive the ballots, and declare the person or persons elected. In all elections by the people, the electors shall vote viva voce, until the legislature shall otherwise direct.

or.

§3. The general officers of the militia shall be elected by the general assembly, and shall be commissioned by the governAll other officers of the militia shall be elected in such manner as the legislature may direct, and shall be commissioned by the governor; and all militia officers now in commission, and those which may be hereafter commissioned, shall hold their commissions during their usual residence within the division, brigade, regiment, battalion, or company, to which they belong, unless removed by sentence of a court martial, or by the governor, on the address of two-thirds of each branch of the general assembly.

§ 4. All persons appointed by the legislature to fill vacancies shall continue in office only so long as to complete the time for which their predecessors were appointed.

§ 5. Freedom of the press, and trial by jury, as heretofore used in this state, shall remain inviolate; and no ex post facto law shall be passed.

§ 6. No person who heretofore hath been, or hereafter may be, a collector, or holder of public moneys, shall be eligible to