to the Assessors of the unincorporated plantations, directing them to convene the qualified voters of their respective towns and plantations, for the purpose of collecting their sentiments on the necessity or expediency of revising the Constitution, in order to amendments.

And if it shall appear, by the returns made, that two thirds of the qualified voters throughout the State, who shall assemble and vote in consequence of the said precepts, are in favor of such revision or amendment, the General Court shall issue precepts, or direct them to be issued from the Secretary's office to the several towns, to elect Delegates to meet in Convention for the purpose aforesaid.

The said Delegates to be chosen in the same manner and proportion as their Representatives in the second branch of the Legislature are by this Constitution to be chosen.(1)

XI.—This form of government shall be enrolled on parchment, and deposited in the Secretary's office, and be a part of the laws of the land—and printed copies thereof shall be prefixed to the book containing the laws of this Commonwealth, in all future editions of the said laws.

(1) See Amendment, Art. 9.

ART. 1.—If any bill or resolve shall be objected to, and not approved by the Governor; and if the General Court shall adjourn within five days after the same shall have been laid before the Governor for his approbation, and thereby prevent his returning it, with his objections, as provided by the Constitution; such bill or resolve shall not become a law, nor have force as such.

ART. 2.-The General Court shall have full power and authority to erect and constitute municipal or city governments in any corporate town or towns in this Commonwealth, and to grant to the inhabitants thereof such powers, privileges and immunities, not repugnant to the Constitution, as the General Court shall deem necessary or expedient for the regulation and government thereof, and to prescribe the manner of calling and holding public meetings of the inhabitants in wards, or otherwise, for the election of officers under the Constitution, and the manner of returning the votes given at such meetings: Pro

The first nine articles of Amendment were recommended by the Convention of 1820,-ratified by the people April 9, 1921, and became part of the Constitution, May 30, 1821; the tenth was proposed by the Legislatures of 1829 and 1830,-ratified by the people May 11, 1831, promulgated June 15, 1831, and went into operation October 1, 1831; the eleventh was proposed by the Legislatures of 1832 and 1833,-ratified by the people November 11, 1833, and promulgated February 12, 1934; the twelfth was proposed by the Legislatures of 1835 and 1836,-ratified by the people November 11, 1836, and promulgated March 24, 1837; and the thirteenth was proposed by the Legislatures of 1839 and 1840,-ratified by the people, April 6, 1840, and promulgated April 17, 1840

vided, that no such government shall be erected or constituted in any town not containing twelve thousand inhabitants; nor unless it be with the consent and on the application of a majority of the inhabitants of such town, present and voting thereon, pursuant to a vote at a meeting duly warned and holden for that purpose: And provided also, that all by. laws, made by such municipal or city government, shall be subject, at all times, to be annulled by the General Court.

ART. 3.-Every male citizen of twenty-one years of age and upwards, (excepting paupers and persons under guardianship,) who shall have resided within the Commonwealth one year, and within the town or district, in which he may claim a right to vote, six calendar months next preceding any election of Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Senators, or Representatives, and who shall have paid, by himself or his parent, master or guardian, any State or county tax, which shall, within two years next preceding such election, have been assessed upon him, in any town or district of this Commonwealth; and also every citizen who shall be by law exempted from taxation, and who shall be in all other respects qualified as above mentioned, shall have a right to vote in such election of Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Senators and Representatives; and no other person shall be entitled to vote in such election.

ART. 4.-Notaries Public shall be appointed by the Governor, in the same manner as judicial officers are appointed, and shall hold their offices during seven years, unless sooner removed by the Governor with the consent of the Council, upon the address of both houses of the Legislature.

In case the office of Secretary or Treasurer of the Commonwealth shall become vacant from any cause,

during the recess of the General Court, the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Council, shall nominate and appoint, under such regulations as may be prescribed by law, a competent and suitable person to such vacant office, who shall hold the same until a successor shall be appointed by the General Court.

Whenever the exigencies of the Commonwealth shall require the appointment of a Commissary General, he shall be nominated, appointed and commissioned, in such manner as the Legislature may, by law, prescribe.

All officers commissioned to command in the Militia, may be removed from office in such manner as the Legislature may, by law, prescribe.

ART. 5.-In the elections of Captains and Sub. alterns of the Militia, all the members of their respective companies, as well those under as those. above the age of twenty-one years, shall have a right to vote.

ART. 6. Instead of the oath of allegiance prescribed by the Constitution, the following oath shall be taken and subscribed by every person chosen or appointed to any office, civil or military, under the Government of this Commonwealth, before he shall enter on the duties of his office, to wit:

"I, A. B. do solemnly swear, that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and will support the Constitution thereof. So help me God."

Provided, That when any person shall be of the denomination called Quakers, and shall decline taking said oath, he shall make his affirmation in the foregoing form, omitting the word "swear," and inserting, instead thereof, the word "affirm," and omitting the words, "So help me God," and sub

joining, instead thereof, the words, "this I do under the pains and penalties of perjury."

ART. 7.-No oath, declaration or subscription, excepting the oath prescribed in the preceding article, and the oath of office, shall be required of the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Counsellors, Senators or Representatives, to qualify them to perform the duties of their respective offices.

ART. 8.-No Judge of any Court of this Commonwealth, (except the Court of Sessions,) and no person holding any office under the authority of the United States, (Postmasters excepted,) shall, at the same time, hold the office of Governor, Lieutenant Governor or Counsellor, or have a seat in the Senate or House of Representatives of this Commonwealth; and no Judge of any Court in this Commonwealth, (except the Court of Sessions,) nor the Attorney General, Solicitor General, County Attorney, Clerk of any Court, Sheriff, Treasurer, and Receiver General, Register of Probate, nor Register of Deeds, shall continue to hold his said office after being elected a member of the Congress of the United States, and accepting that trust; but the acceptance of such trust, by any of the officers aforesaid, shall be deemed and taken to be a resignation of his said office; and Judges of the Courts of Common Pleas shall hold no other office under the government of this Commonwealth, the office of Justice of the Peace and Militia offices excepted.

ART. 9.-If, at any time hereafter, any specific and particular amendment or amendments to the Constitution, be proposed in the General Court, and agreed to by a majority of the Senators and twothirds of the Members of the House of Representatives present and voting thereon, such proposed