Cities, may be chartered by the general court, if containing twelve
thousand inhabitants and consented to by a majority
thereof,

Civil officers, meeting for election to be held annually on the Tues-
day next after the first Monday in November,
whose election is provided for by the constitution to be
elected by a plurality of votes,

Page

34

41

41

Clerks of courts, elected by the people of the several counties,
Clerks of towns, to make records and returns of elections,
Colonial laws, not repugnant to the constitution, continued in

44

13

force,

22238

20

29

Commander-in-chief, governor to be,

Commerce, agriculture and the arts, to be encouraged,

Commissary-general, appointed and commissioned as fixed by law, . 25, 35
Commission officers, tenure of office to be expressed in commissions, 26
Commissioners of insolvency, elected by the people of the several

Commissions, to be in the name of the Commonwealth, signed by
governor, attested by the secretary, and have the great
seal affixed,.

Congress, delegates to,

32

27

36

members of, may not hold certain state offices,
Constitution, amendment to, proposed in the general court, agreed
to by a majority of senators and two-thirds of the house
present and voting thereon by yeas and nays; entered
upon the journals of both houses, and referred to the next
general court; if the next general court agrees to the
proposition in the same manner and to the same effect, it
shall be submitted to the people, and, if approved by them
by a majority vote, becomes a part of the constitution, . 36, 37
Constitution, provisions for revising, .
. 33, 36

to be enrolled on parchment, deposited in secretary's office,
and printed in all additions of the laws,

Coroners,
Corruption or bribery used in procuring any appointment or elec-
tion, to disqualify from holding any office of trust, etc.,

election to be determined by rule required in that of gover-

34

21

32

24

. 24, 42

to take oath of office before the president of the senate in
presence of both houses of assembly,

to rank next after the lieutenant-governor,

resolutions and advice to be recorded in a register, and signed

register of council may be called for by either house,

to exercise the power of governor when office of governor
and lieutenant-governor is vacant,

Page

Council, no property qualification required,

41

eight districts to be formed, each composed of five contiguous*
senatorial districts,

42

eligible to election if an inhabitant of state for five years pre-
ceding election,

42

37

term of office,
vacancy to be filled by election of a resident of the district by
concurrent vote of the senate and house; if legislature is
not in session, to be filled by governor with advice of
council,

Court, superior, judges not to hold certain other offices,
Court, supreme judicial, judges to have honorable salaries fixed
by standing laws, and to hold office during good be-
havior,

judges not to hold certain other offices,

9, 23

36

to give opinions upon important questions of law, etc., when
required by either branch of the legislature or by the
governor and council,

Courts, clerks of, elected by the people of the several counties,
Courts, probate, provisions for holding,

registers elected by the people of the several counties,
Courts and judicatories may be established by the general court,
may administer oaths or affirmations,

Crimes and offences, prosecutions for, regulated,
Crimes to be proved in the vicinity of where they happen,

Departments, legislative, executive and judicial, to be kept separate,
District attorneys, elected by the people of the several districts,
Districts, councillor, eight, each to be composed of five contiguous
senatorial districts,
Districts, senatorial, forty, to be of adjacent territory, and to con-
tain as near as may be an equal number of voters,
Districts, representative, to be established by commissioners in the
several counties, .

Divorce, alimony, etc.,

Elections, by the people, of civil officers provided for by the consti-

tution, to be by plurality of votes,

41

Election of civil officers, meeting to be held annually on the first
Tuesday next after the first Monday in November,

in case of failure to elect representative, meeting to be held
on fourth Monday in November,

Equality and natural rights of all men,

Estates, valuation to be taken anew once at least every ten years,
Executive department, not to exercise legislative or judicial powers,
Ex post facto laws, declared unjust and oppressive, .

.

Page

41

41

4

12

9

9

F.

Felony and treason, no subject to be declared guilty of, by the legis-

Freehold, possession of, not required as qualification for seat in the
general court or council,

41

Fundamental principles of the constitution, a frequent recurrence to,
recommended,

8

G.

General court, to assemble frequently for redress of grievances, and

not to declare any subject to be guilty of treason or felony
formed by two branches, a senate and house of representa-
tives, each having a negative on the other.

8

10

to assemble every year on the first Wednesday of January, at
such other times as they shall judge necessary, and when-
ever called by the governor with the advice of council, 10, 19, 37

may make wholesome and reasonable laws and ordinances not
repugnant to the constitution,

may provide for the election or appointment of officers, and
prescribe their duties, .

11

may impose taxes, etc., to be used for the public service,
to be dissolved on the day next preceding the first Wednes-
day of January,

12

20, 37

travelling expenses of members,

16

may be adjourned or prorogued, upon its request, by the gov-
ernor with advice of council,

19

session may be directed by governor, with advice of council,
to be held in other than the usual place in case of an infec-
tious distemper prevailing,

Page

General court, judicial officers may be removed upon address of,
person convicted of bribery, not to hold seat in,

may increase property qualifications of persons to be elected
to office,

may be prorogued by governor and council for ninety days, if
houses disagree, etc.,

to elect major-generals by concurrent vote,
empowered to charter cities,

to determine election of governor, lieutenant-governor and
councillors,.

to prescribe by law for election of sheriffs, registers of probate
and commissioners of insolvency by the people of the
counties, and district attorneys by the people of the
districts,

quorum, to consist of a majority of members, .

Government, objects of,

Government by the people, as a free, sovereign and independent

32

31

21

34

. 41, 42

Governor, the supreme executive magistrate, styled, - The Gover-
nor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts; with the
title of, — His Excellency; elected annually,

qualifications,

to have been an inhabitant of the state for
seven years, and have freehold of £1,000 value,

term of office,

should have an honorable stated salary,

44

48

3, 5, 6

the commander-in-chief, of the army and navy, but may not

oblige them to go out of the limits of the state,

to appoint the adjutant-general,

to take oaths of office before president of the senate in pres-

not to hold certain other offices,

ence of the two houses of assembly, .

to sign all commissions,

veto power,

election determined by the legislature,

vacancy in office of, powers to be exercised by the lieutenant-

42, 43

vacancy in office of governor and lieutenant-governor, powers
to be exercised by the council, .
with advice of council, may adjourn or prorogue the legisla-
ture upon request, and convene the same,
may adjourn or prorogue the legislature for not exceeding
ninety days when houses disagree, or may direct session
to be held in other than the usual place in case of an in-
fectious distemper prevailing,

to appoint all judicial officers, notaries public and coroners;
nominations to be made at least seven days before appoint-

Governor, to appoint officers of the continental army,

may pardon offences, but not before conviction,

may fill vacancy in council occurring when legislature is not
in session,

with consent of council, may remove judicial officers, upon
the address of both houses of the legislature,

Governor and council, to examine election returns,

Page

22

21

47

26

19

may punish persons guilty of disrespect, etc., by imprison-
ment not exceeding thirty days, .

quorum to consist of governor and at least five members of
the council, .
may require the attendance of the secretary of the common-
wealth in person or by deputy,

H.

Habeas corpus, privilege of writ to be enjoyed in the most ample
manner, and not to be suspended by legislature except
upon most urgent occasions,

Harvard College, powers and privileges, gifts, grants and convey-
ances confirmed, .

26

32

. 27, 28

board of overseers established, but the government of the
college may be altered by legislature,

officers may be elected members of the general court,
Hereditary offices and privileges, absurd and unnatural,
House of Representatives, members may be instructed by the people,
a representation of the people annually elected and founded
upon the principle of equality,

may impose fines upon towns not choosing members,

expense of travel once every session each way, to be paid by
the government,
to enter objections made by governor to a bill or resolve at
large upon records,

qualifications of members,

must be an inhabitant of district for one year preceding elec-
tion, and shall cease to be a member when ceasing to be
an inhabitant of the state,
members not to be arrested on mesne process during going to,
return from, or attending the general assembly,

to originate all money bills, but the senate may propose or
concur with amendments,

18

17

17

17

to choose officers, establish its rules, etc.,

17, 45, 48
17

sons guilty of disrespect, etc.; trial may be by committee, 17, 18

not to adjourn more than two days at a time,
quorum of,.

may punish by imprisonment, not exceeding thirty days, per-