Seal; and fhall then be figned by the Prefident of the Senate, and Speaker of the House of Reprefentatives, in the Senate-Houfe, and shall 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 House of Assembly.

XVII, That neither the Senate nor House of Representatives fhall have power to adjourn themfelves 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, convene them before the time to which they shall ftand adjourned. And where a bill hath been rejected by either Houfe, it fhall 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 Houfe of Reprefentatives fhall each chufe their respective officers by ballot, without controul.

And that,

during

during a recefs, the Prefident of the Senate, and Speaker of the Houfe of Representatives, fhall 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 chosen a Member of either House, fhall refufe to qualify and take his feat as fuch, or die, or depart the State; the Senate or House of Representatives, as the cafe may be, fhall appoint proper days for electing a Member or Members, in fuch cafes respectively.

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 commiffion 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 Treafury, an

Officer

Officer of the Cuftoms, Register of mefne conveyances, a Clerk of either of the Courts of Juftice, Sheriff, Powder-receiver, Clerk of the Senate, Houfe of Reprefentatives, or Privy-council, Surveyor-general or Commiffary of military ftores; which officers are hereby declared difqualified from being Members either of the Senate or House of Reprefentatives.

XXI. And whereas the Minifters of the Gospel are, by their profeffion, dedicated to the fervice of God and the cure of fouls, and duties ought not to be diverted from the great of their function; therefore, no Minister of the Gofpel, or public preacher, of any religious perfuafion, while he continues in the exercise of his paftoral function, and for two years after, fhall be eligible either as Governor, Lieutenant-governor, a Member of the Senate, House of Reprefentatives, or Privycouncil in this State.

XXII. That the Delegates to represent this State in the Congrefs of the United States, be chofen annually, by the Senate and House of Representatives, jointly, by ballot, in the House of Reprefentatives. And nothing contained

in

in this Conftitution fhall be conftrued to extend to vacate the feat of any Member who is or may be a Delegate from this State to Congrefs, as fuch.

XXIII. That the form of impeaching all officers of the State, for mal and corrupt conduct in their respective offices, not amenable to any other jurifdiction, be vefted in the House of Representatives: but, that it shall always be neceffary, that two-third parts of the Members prefent do confent to, and agree in, fuch impeachment. That the Senators and fuch of the Judges of this State as are not Members of the House of Reprefentatives, be a Court for the trial of impeachments, under fuch regulations as the legislature shall establish; and that, previous to the trial of every impeachment, the Members of the faid Court fhall refpectively be fworn, truly and impartially to try and determine the charge in question, according to evidence. And no judgment of the faid Court, except judgment of acquittal, shall be valid, unless it shall be affented to by two-third parts of the Members then prefent. And on every trial, as well on impeachments as others, the party accused shall be allowed Counsel.

XXIV. That

XXIV. That the Lieutenant-governor of the State, and a majority of the Privy-council, for the time being, fhall, until otherwise altered by the legislature, exercise the powers of a Court of Chancery. And there fhall be Ordinaries appointed in the feveral diftricts in this State, to be chofen by the Senate and House of Representatives, jointly, by ballot, in the House of Representatives, who fhall, within their respective districts, exercise the powers heretofore exercised by the Ordinary: and until fuch appointment is made, the prefent Ordinary, in Charlestown, fhall continue to exercife that office as heretofore.

XXV. That the jurifdiction of the Court of Admiralty be confined to maritime caufes.

XXVI. That Juftices of the Peace fhall be nominated by the Senate and House of Reprefentatives, jointly, and commiffioned by the Governor and Commander in Chief during pleasure. They fhall be intitled to receive the fees heretofore established by law; and not acting in the magiftracy, they fhall not be intitled to the privileges allowed to them by law.

XXVII. That all other judicial officers fhall be chofen by ballot, jointly, by the Senate and

House