Forest lands, taxation of,

Frame of government,

Free public libraries, appropriations may be made for the maintenance of,
Freedom of speech and debate in the legislature,

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

Page

51

10

52

8

43

possession of, by governor, provision requiring, annulled,
Fundamental principles of the constitution, a frequent recurrence to, recom-

50

mended,

8

G.

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

freedom of speech and debate in,

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

.

to assemble every year on the first Wednesday of January, at such other
times as they shall judge necessary, and whenever called by the
governor, with the advice of council,

may constitute and erect judicatories and courts,

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

10, 19, 38

11

11

11

12, 51, 52

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

may impose taxes, etc., to be used for the public service,

to be dissolved on the day next preceding the first Wednesday of January, 20, 38
travelling expenses of members; provision annulled,

may be adjourned or prorogued, upon its request, by the governor with
advice of council,

20

session may be directed by governor, with advice of council, to be held in
other than the usual place in case of an infectious distemper prevailing, 19, 20
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,
certain officers not to have seats in,

.

may be prorogued by governor and council for ninety days, if houses dis-
agree, etc.,

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

35

19, 24, 43, 44

to determine election of governor, lieutenant governor and council-
lors,

to prescribe by law for election of sheriffs, registers of probate and com-
missioners 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,

powers of, relative to the taking of land, etc., for widening or relocating
highways or streets,

General court, provision for submission of bills and resolves of, to the people
on referendum, .

powers of, relative to the taking of land, etc., to relieve congestion of
population and to provide homes for citizens,

to determine manner in which the commonwealth, cities and towns may
provide food and shelter in time of war, etc.,

to provide by law for absentee voting,

Government, objects of,

Government by the people, as a free, sovereign and independent state,
Governor, the supreme executive magistrate, styled,

-

Commonwealth of Massachusetts; with the title of,- His Excellency;
elected annually,

qualifications,

term of office,

should have an honorable stated salary,

Page

51

51

53

52

3, 5, 6
5

The Governor of the

18

19, 37, 50

38

23

. 20, 21

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,

may call together the councillors at any time,

19

not to hold certain other offices,

32

to take oaths of office before president of the senate in presence of the
two houses of assembly,

to sign all commissions,

election determined by the legislature,

veto power,

vacancy in office of, powers to be exercised by the lieutenant governor,
vacancy in office of governor and lieutenant governor, powers to be exer-
cised by the council,

with advice of council, may adjourn or prorogue the legislature upon re-
quest, and convene the same,

19

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 infectious distemper prevailing, .
to appoint all judicial officers, notaries public and coroners; nominations
to be made at least seven days before appointment,

20

21, 36

to appoint officers of the continental army, .

may pardon offences, but not before conviction,

21

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, .

48

27

Governor and council, to examine election returns,

14, 44

may punish persons guilty of disrespect, etc., by imprisonment not exceed-
ing thirty days,.

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

Guardian, parent or, consent of, required to have minor in a publicly controlled
reformatory, etc., attend religious services, etc.,

20

26

53

H.

and

Habeas corpus, privilege of writ to be enjoyed in the most ample manner,
not to be suspended by legislature except upon most urgent occasions,
Harvard College, powers and privileges, gifts, grants and conveyances con-
firmed,

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,
Highways, etc., taking of land for widening or relocating, powers of the legis-
lature concerning,

.

Home, the Soldiers', in Massachusetts, appropriations may be made for the
support of,

Hospital, not publicly owned, etc., grant of public money forbidden to,
for the deaf, dumb or blind, privately controlled, may be compensated
for the care of such persons,

House of representatives, members may be instructed by the people,

Homes for citizens, general court given power to take land for relieving con-
gestion of population and providing,

51

52

53

8

16

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 govern-
ment; provision annulled,

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 election, and shall
cease to be a member when ceasing to be an inhabitant of the state, 46, 47
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

not to adjourn more than two days at a time,

quorum of,

17

17, 47, 50

to choose officers, establish its rules, etc.,

may punish by imprisonment, not exceeding thirty days, persons guilty
of disrespect, etc.; trial may be by committee,

18

18

privileges of members,

18

may require the attendance of secretary of the commonwealth in person
or by deputy,

26

may require the opinions of the justices of the supreme judicial court upon
important questions of law, and upon solemn occasions,

meeting for election to be held on the Tuesday next after the first Monday
of November,

43

House of representatives, in case of failure to elect, meeting to be held on
the fourth Monday of November,

.

to consist of two hundred and forty members, apportioned to the
several counties equally, according to relative number of legal
voters,
commissioners to divide counties into representative districts of contigu-
ous territory, but no town or ward of a city to be divided,
no district entitled to elect more than three representatives, .
board authorized to divide county into districts, to be certified to by the
secretary, the number of representatives to which the county is en-
titled,

I.

Impeachments, by the house of representatives, to be tried by the senate;
limitation of sentence; party convicted liable to indictment,

Income, tax on, general court may impose and levy, etc.,

Incompatible offices,

Infirmary, not publicly owned, etc., grant of public money forbidden to,
for the deaf, dumb or blind, privately controlled, may be compensated
for the care actually rendered such persons,

"Inhabitant," the word defined,

46, 47

16

51

32, 37

52

53

13

40, 41, 45, 46, 47

53

Inhabitants, census to be taken in 1865, and every tenth year there-

may be provided with food and shelter during time of war, exigency, etc.,
Inmate, of publicly controlled reformatory, etc., not to be deprived of oppor-
tunity of religious exercises of his own faith, etc.,
Insolvency, commissioners of, elected by the people of the several counties;

annulled,.

Institution, not publicly owned, etc., grant of public money forbidden,

for the deaf, dumb or blind, privately controlled, may be compensated
for the care actually rendered such persons,

reformatory, penal or charitable, publicly controlled, not to deprive in-
mate of the opportunity of religious exercises of his own faith, etc.,
of learning, wherein any denominational doctrine is inculcated, not to be
aided, etc., by grant of public money or credit,

Instruction of representatives, .

J.

Judges of courts may not hold certain other offices,

Judges of the supreme judicial court, to hold office during good behavior, and

to have honorable salaries established by standing laws,
to give opinions upon important questions of law, etc., when required by
the governor and council, or either branch of legislature,
not to hold certain other offices,

Judicatories and courts, may be established by the general court,
may administer oaths or affirmations,

9, 23, 24, 27

27

32

11

11

Judicial department, not to exercise legislative or executive powers,
Judicial officers, appointed by the governor with consent of council; nomina-
tions to be made seven days prior to appointment,

to hold office during good behavior, except when otherwise provided by
the constitution,

.

may be removed from office by the governor, upon the address of both
houses of the legislature,

27

Jury, trial by, right secured,

Justices of the peace, commissions to expire in seven years from date of ap-
pointment, but may be renewed, .

7

27

removal of, from office,

50

L.

Land, etc., taking of, for widening or relocating highways, etc.,

for relieving congestion of population and providing homes for citizens,
Law, prohibiting free exercise of religion not to be passed,
Law-martial, only those employed in the army and navy, and the militia in

.

actual service, subject to, except by authority of the legislature,
Laws, every person to have remedy in, for injury to person or property,
power of suspension or execution of, only in the legislature,

ex post facto, prohibited as unjust and inconsistent with free government,
of province, colony and state, not repugnant to the constitution, con-
tinued in force, .
Learning, school or institution of, wherein any denominational doctrine is
inculcated, not to be aided, etc., by grant of public money or credit,
Legal obligations, grant of public money or credit permitted to carry out cer-
tain,

Legislative power,

Legislative department, not to exercise executive or judicial powers,
Legislature (see General Court).

Liberty of the press, essential to the security of freedom,

Libraries, free public, appropriations may be made for maintenance of,
Lieutenant governor, to be annually elected in November,

Honor; who shall be qualified same as governor,

-

-title of, His

24, 38, 43, 50

in the absence of governor, to be president of the council,
to be acting governor when the chair of the governor is vacant,
to take oath of office before president of the senate in presence of both
houses,

24

Magistrates and courts, not to demand excessive bail, impose excessive fines,

or inflict cruel punishments,

9