idiotcy and lunacy, and of persons non compos mentis; the judge of said court shall be elected by the qualified electors of the respective counties, for the term of two years.

19. The clerk of the High Court of Errors and Appeals shall be appointed by said court for the term of four years, and the clerks of the circuit, probate, and other inferior courts, shall be elected by the qualified electors of the respective counties, and shall hold their offices for the term of two years.

20. The qualified electors of each county shall elect five persons for the term of two years, who shall constitute a board of police for each county, a majority of whom may transact business; which body shall have full jurisdiction over roads, highways, ferries, and bridges, and all other matters of county police, and shall order all county elections to fill vacancies that may occur in the offices of their respective counties: the clerk of the Court of Probate shall be the clerk of the board of county police.

21. No person shall be eligible as a member of said board, who shall not have resided one year in the county but this qualification shall not extend to such new counties as may hereafter be established until one year after their organization; and all vacancies that may occur in said board shall be supplied by election as aforesaid to fill the unexpired term.

22. The judges of all the courts of the State, and also the members of the board of county police, shall in virtue of their offices. be conservators of the peace, and shall be by law vested with ample powers in this respect.

23. A competent number of justices of the peace and constables shall be chosen in each county by the qualified electors thereof, by districts, who shall hold their offices for the term of two years. The jurisdiction of justices of the peace shall be limited to causes in which the principal of the amount in controversy shall not exceed fifty dollars. In all causes tried by a justice of the peace, the right of appeal shall be secured under such rules and regulations as shall be prescribed by law.

24. The Legislature may from time to time establish such other inferior courts as may be deemed necessary, and abolish the same whenever they shall deem it expedient.

25. There shall be an Attorney-General elected by the qualified electors of the State; and a competent number of district attorneys shall be elected by the qualified voters of their respective districts, whose compensation and term of service shall be prescribed by law.

26. The Legislature shall provide by law for determining contested elections of judges of the High Court of Errors and Appeals of the circuit and probate courts, and other officers.

27. The judges of the several courts of this State, for wilful neglect of duty or other reasonable cause, shall be removed by the Governor on the address of two-thirds of both houses of the Legislature; the address to be by joint vote of both houses. The cause

or causes for which such removal shall be required, shall be stated at length in such address, and on the journals of each house. The judge so intended to be removed, shall be notified and admitted to a hearing in his own defense before any vote for such address shall pass; the vote on such address shall be taken by yeas and nays, and entered on the journals of each house.

28. Judges of probate, clerks, sheriffs, and other county officers, for wilful neglect of duty, or misdemeanor in office, shall be liable to presentment or indictment by a grand jury, and trial by a petit jury, and upon conviction shall be removed from office.

ARTICLE V.-Executive Department.

SEC. 1. The chief executive power of this State shall be vested in a Governor; who shall hold his office for two years from the time of his installation.

2. The Governor shall be elected by the qualified electors of the State. The returns of every election for Governor, shall be sealed up and transmitted to the seat of government, directed to the Secretary of State, who shall deliver them to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, at the next ensuing session of the Legislature, during the first week of which session the Speaker shall open and publish them in the presence of both houses of the Legislature. The person having the highest number of votes shall be Governor but if two or more shall be equal and highest in votes, then one of them shall be chosen Governor by the joint ballot of both houses of the Legislature. Contested elections for Governor shall be determined by both houses of the Legislature, in such manner as shall be prescribed by law.

3. The Governor shall be at least thirty years of age, shall have been a citizen of the United States for twenty years, shall have resided in this State at least five years next preceding the day of his election, and shall not be capable of holding the office more than four years in term of six years.

any

4. He shall, at stated times, receive for his services a compensation which shall not be increased or diminished during the term for which he shall be elected.

5. He shall be commander-in-chief of the army and navy in this State, and of the militia, except when they shall be called into the service of the United States.

6. He may require information in writing, from the officers in the executive department, on any subject relating to the duties of their respective offices.

7. He may, in cases of emergency, convene the Legislature at the seat of government, or at a different place, if that shall have become, since their last adjournment, dangerous from an enemy or from disease; and in case of disagreement between the two houses with respect to the time of adjournment, adjourn them to such time as he

journment, shall be presented to the Governor, and before it shall take effect be approved by him, or being disapproved, shall be repassed by both houses according to the rules and limitations prescribed in the case of a bill.

17. Whenever the office of Governor shall become vacant by death, resignation, removal from office, or otherwise, the President of the Senate shall exercise the office of Governor until another Governor shall be duly qualified; and in case of the death, resignation, removal from office, or other disqualification of the President of the Senate so exercising the office of Governor, the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall exercise the office, until the President of the Senate shall have been chosen; and when the office of Governor, President of the Senate, and Speaker of the House shall become vacant, in the recess of the Senate, the person acting as Secretary of State for the time being, shall by proclamation convene the Senate, that a President may be chosen to exercise the office of Governor.

18. When either the President or Speaker of the House of Representatives shall so exercise said office, he shall receive the compensation of Governor only, and his duties as President or Speaker shall be suspended, and the Senate or House of Representatives, as the case may be, shall fill the vacancy until his duties as Governor shall cease.

19. A sheriff, and one or more coroners, a Treasurer, Surveyor, and ranger shall be elected in each county by the qualified electors thereof, who shall hold their office, for two years, unless sooner removed; except that the coroner shall hold his office until his successor be duly qualified.

20. A State Treasurer and auditor of public accounts shall be elected by the qualified electors of the State, who shall hold their offices for the term of two years, unless sooner removed.

Militia.

SEC. 1. The Legislature shall provide by law for organizing and disciplining the militia of this State, in such manner as they shall deem expedient, not incompatible with the Constitution and laws of the United States in relation thereto.

2. Commissioned officers of the militia (staff-officers and the officers of volunteer companies excepted) shall be elected by the persons liable to perform military duty, and the qualified electors within their respective commands, and shall be commissioned by the Governor.

3. The Governor shall have power to call forth the militia to execute the laws of the State, to suppress insurrection, and repel invasion. ARTICLE VI.-Impeachments.

SEC. 1. The House of Representatives shall have the sole power of impeaching.

2. All impeachments shall be tried by the Senate. When sitting for that purpose, the senators shall be on oath or affirmation. No

person shall be convicted without the concurrence of two-thirds of the members present.

3. The Governor, and all civil officers, shall be liable to impeachment for any misdemeanor in office, but judgment in such cases shall not extend further than to removal from office, and disqualification to hold any office of honor, trust, or profit under the State; but the party convicted shall, nevertheless, be liable and subject to indictment, trial, and punishment, according to law, as in other cases.

ARTICLE VII.-General Provisions.

SEC. 1. Members of the Legislature, and all officers, executive and judicial, before they enter upon the duties of their respective offices, shall take the following oath or affirmation, to wit: "I solemnly swear (or affirm, as the case may be) that I will support the Constitution of the United States, and the Constitution of the State of Mississippi, so long as I continue a citizen thereof, and that I will faithfully discharge to the best of my abilities the duties of the office of , according to law. So help me God."

2. The Legislature shall pass such laws to prevent the evil practice of duelling as they may deem necessary, and may require all officers, before they enter on the duties of their respective offices, to take the following oath or affirmation: "I do solemnly swear (or affirm, as the case may be) that I have not been engaged in a duel, by sending or accepting a challenge to fight a duel, or by fighting a duel since the first day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty-three, nor will I be so engaged during my continuance in office. So help me God."

3. Treason against the State shall consist only in levying war against it, or in adhering to its enemies, giving them aid and comfort. No person shall be convicted of treason, unless on the testimony of two witnesses to the same overt act, or his own confession open court.

in

4. Every person shall be disqualified from holding an office or place of honor or profit under the authority of this State, who shall be convicted of having given or offered any bribe to procure his election. Laws shall be made to exclude from office and from suffrage those who shall thereafter be convicted of bribery, perjury, forgery, or other high crimes or misdemeanors. The privilege of free suffrage shall be supported by laws regulating elections, and prohibiting, under adequate penalties, all undue influence therein from power, bribery, tumult, or other improper conduct.

5. No person who denies the being of a God, or a future state of rewards and punishments, shall hold any office in the civil department of this State.

6. No law of a general nature, unless otherwise provided for, shall be enforced until sixty days after the passage thereof.

7. No money shall be drawn from the treasury but in consequence of an appropriation made by law, nor shall any appropriation of money