XIX. The Legislative Council and Affembly fhall have the power of making the Great Seal of this State, which shall be kept by the Prefident, or in his abfence by the Vice-prefident, to be used by them as occafion may require. It fhall be called, The Great Seal of the Delaware State, and fhall be affixed to all laws and commiffions.

XX. Commiffions fhall run in the name of The Delaware State, and bear teft by the Prefident. Writs fhall run in the fame manner, and bear teft in the name of the Chief Juftice, or Juftice first named in the commiffions for the feveral Courts, and be fealed with the public feals of fuch Courts. Indictments fhall conclude, Against the peace and dignity of the State.

XXI. In cafe of vacancy of the offices above directed to be filled by the Prefident and General Affembly, the Prefident and Privy-council may appoint others in their ftead, until there fhall be a new election.

XXII. Every perfon who fhall be chofen a Member of either Houfe, or appointed to any office or place of truft, before taking his feat, or entering upon the execution of his office, shall take the following oath, or affirmation, if conscientiously fcrupulous of taking an oath, to wit,

"I,

"I, A. B. will bear true allegiance to the Delaware State, fubmit to its conftitution and laws, and do no act wittingly whereby the freedom thereof may be prejudiced."

And alfo make and fubfcribe the following declaration, to wit,

"I, A. B. do profess faith in God the Father, and in Jesus Christ his only Son, and the Holy Ghost, one God, bleffed for evermore; and I do acknowledge the holy fcriptures of the Old and New Testament to be given by divine infpiration."

And all officers fhall also take an oath of office.

XXIII. The Prefident when he is out of office, and within eighteen months after, and all others, offending against the State, either by mal-administration, corruption, or other means, by which the fafety of the Commonwealth may be endangered, within eighteen months after the offence committed, fhall be impeachable by the House of Assembly before the Legiflative Council; fuch impeachment to be profecuted by the Attorney-General, or fuch other perfon or perfons as the House of Affembly may appoint, according to the laws of the land. If found guilty, he or they shall be either forQ3

ever

ever disabled to hold any office under government, or removed from office pro tempore, or subjected to such pains and penalties as the laws fhall direct. And all officers fhall be removed on conviction of misbehaviour at common law, or on impeachment, or upon the addrefs of the General Affembly.

XXIV. All Acts of Affembly in force in this State on the fifteenth day of May laft (and not hereby altered, or contrary to the refolutions of Congress, or of the late House of Affembly of this State), fhall fo continue until altered or repealed by the legiflature of this State, unless where they are temporary, in which cafe they shall expire at the times refpectively limited for their duration.

XXV. The common law of England, as well as fo much of the ftatute law as have been heretofore adopted in practice in this State, fhall remain in force, unless they shall be altered by a future law of the legislature; fuch parts only excepted as are repugnant to the rights and privileges contained in this Conftitution, and the Declaration of Rights, &c. agreed to by this Convention.

XXVI. No perfon hereafter imported into this State from Africa ought to be held in flavery

flavery under any pretence whatever; and no negro, Indian, or mulatto flave, ought to be brought into this State for fale from any part of the world.

XXVII. The first election for the General

Affembly of this State fhall be held on the twenty-first day of October next, at the Court Houses in the feveral counties, in the manner heretofore used in the election of the Affembly, except as to choice of Infpectors and Affeffors, where Affeffors have not been chofen on the fixteenth day of September inftant, which shall be made on the morning of the day of election, by the electors, inhabitants of the respective hundreds in each county; at which time the Sheriffs and Coroners for the faid counties refpectively are to be elected; and the prefent Sheriffs of the counties of Newcastle and Kent be re-chofen to that office until the first day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and feventy-nine, and the prefent Sheriff for the county of Suffex may be re-chofen to that office until the first day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand feven hundred and feventyeight, provided the freemen think proper to re-elect them at every general election;

may

and the present Sheriffs and Coroners refpectively shall continue to exercise their offices as heretofore, until the Sheriffs and Coroners to be elected on the faid twenty-first day of October shall be commiffioned and fworn into office. The Members of the Legislative Council and Affembly shall meet for tranfacting the business of the State on the twenty-eighth day of October next, and continue in office until the first day of October which will be in the year one thousand seven hundred and feventy-feven; on which day, and on the first day of October in each year forever after, the Legislative Council, Affembly, Sheriffs, and Coroners, shall be chosen by ballot in manner directed by the feveral laws of this State for regulating elections of Members of Affembly, and Sheriffs and Coroners; and the General Affembly shall meet on the twentieth day of the fame month, for tranfacting the business of the State; and if any of the said first and twentieth days of October fhould be Sunday, then, and in fuch cafe, the elections fhall be held and the General Affembly meet the next day following.

XXVIII. To prevent any violence or force being