Of special elec

SEC. 7. Whenever a writ of election shall issue to supply any tions. vacancy which shall happen in the representation of this state in congress, as contemplated in the second section, of the first article, of the constitution of the United States, the candidate having a plurality elect; Plurality to of the legal votes given at such election shall be declared elected, and votes, how the votes shall be sealed up and certified as the ballots for general returned, &c. officers of the state are by law required to be, and shall, within ten days after such election, be returned to the governor.

SEC. 8. The governor, in the presence of the secretary of state, shall examine and count the same, and give a certificate to the person elected.

Votes in, how counted.

Certificate.

CHAPTER 11.

OF THE ELECTION OF ELECTORS OF PRESIDENT AND VICE-
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.

SECTION 1. The people of this state qualified by law to vote in the election of general officers, shall choose so many electors for the election of a president and vice-president of the United States as the state is or shall be entitled to.

SEC. 2. Such election shall be holden in the several towns on the Tuesday next after the first Monday in November, in every fourth year next after the election of president and vice-president of the United States which was had in the year one thousand eight hundred and fifty-six; and the several candidates having a plurality of the legal votes given in at such election shall be electors.

SEC. 3. The votes given in at such elections shall be sealed up and certified as votes for general state officers are by law required to be, and shall, within ten days after such election, be returned to the

governor.

SEC. 4. The governor, in the presence of the secretary of state, shall examine and count the same, and give notice to the electors of

their election.

SEC. 5. If, by reason of the votes being equally divided among any of the candidates, or otherwise, there shall not be an election of the number of electors to which the state may be entitled, the governor shall forthwith convene the general assembly at Providence, for the choice of electors to fill such vacancy by an election in grand committee.

to meet and

vote.

SEC. 6. Electors, chosen pursuant to this chapter, shall meet at Electors, where Bristol, in the county of Bristol, there to vote for a president and vice-president of the United States, agreeably to the act of congress. SEC. 7. If any electors, chosen as aforesaid, shall, after their said Vacancies, how election, decline the said office, or be prevented by any cause from

filled.

serving therein, the other electors, when met in Bristol in pursuance of this chapter, shall fill such vacancies, and shall file a certificate in the secretary's office, of the person or persons by them appointed.

Of exemption of voters from arrest, when.

Penalty for

ing.

SECTION 1. All persons entitled to vote shall be protected from arrest in civil cases, on the days of election for the choice of city or town officers, and the election for state officers, representatives to congress, or the electors of president and vice-president of the United States; and on the day preceding and day following such election.

SEC. 2. If any person in any election shall fraudulently vote, not fraudulent vot- being qualified; or having voted in one town, or ward, or district, shall vote in another town, or ward, or district; or shall vote twice at the same election for the same candidate; or for different candidates for the same office; or twice in different places at the same election; he shall be fined one hundred dollars; and no person, after conviction of such offence, shall ever after be permitted to exercise the privilege of voting for any civil or military officer.

Penalty for bribing voters.

Limitation of prosecutions.

SEC. 3. If any person shall directly or indirectly give, or offer, or agree to give to any elector, or to any person for the benefit of any elector, any sum of money or other valuable consideration, for the purpose of inducing such elector to give in or withhold his vote at any election in this state, or by way of reward for having voted or withheld his vote, or if he shall use any threat, or employ any means of intimidation, for the purpose of influencing such elector to vote or withhold his vote, such person so offending shall be fined the sum of five hundred dollars, or be imprisoned not exceeding three months, either or both, at the discretion of the court; and no person convicted of such offence shall ever thereafter be permitted to exercise the privilege of voting for any civil or military officer, and no evidence given by any witness testifying upon the trial of any charge of bribery shall be used against the party giving such evidence.

SEC. 4. All offences against the provision of this chapter shall be prosecuted within one year after the same shall have been incurred, and not afterwards.

SECTION 1. Petitions for pardon, under article second of the Petitions for amendments to the constitution, shall be presented to the governor, pardon. and the petitioners shall comply with such rules and regulations, respecting the filing and hearing of the same, as he may, from time to time, prescribe.

SEC. 2. In the exercise of the power of pardon, the persons who receive the benefit of such pardon shall comply with, and be subject to, such terms and conditions as may be imposed by the governor, at the time of the exercise of such power.

SEC. 3. Whenever any murder, attempt at murder, robbery, or any other high crime shall be committed in the state, and the perpetrator thereof shall escape detection, or shall escape from custody or imprisonment, either before or after conviction, the governor may issue his proclamation offering a suitable reward, not exceeding one thousand dollars, for the apprehension of the offender.

Persons parply with conditions imposed.

doned, to com

Reward for apprehension of criminals.

SEC. 4. The governor shall annually appoint a day of public Thanksgiving. thanksgiving, and shall announce the same, by proclamation, to the people of the state.

SEC. 5. He may draw orders upon the general treasurer for the payment of any particular services of a public nature, to the amount of twenty dollars at any one time.

Governor may

draw orders on general treas

urer.

Secretary to keep state seal.

Acts and resolves to be kept in his office.

To affix state

SECTION 1. The secretary of state shall be the keeper of the seal of the state.

SEC. 2. He shall keep and preserve in his office all acts and resolves passed by the general assembly, and all original papers relating to the proceedings thereof.

SEC. 3. He shall affix the seal of the state to acts, commissions, seal, and give certificates, and other papers in his office, in all cases required by law; and shall give copies, duly authenticated, of any official ever required and paid therefor.

certified copies of papers.

paper,

when

SEC. 4. He shall not issue a commission to the state auditor, the clerk of any court, the sheriff of any county, or to any other officer holding or controlling the public moneys, until the bond required by law of such officer has been executed, approved, and lodged with the officer required to receive the same, the certificate of such officer, other than the secretary of state himself, being evidence of the fact. SEC. 5. He shall, from time to time as he shall deem proper, contract for the printing of all acts and resolves, digests, reports, records, and other documents, which shall by general law, or by the general assembly, or by either house thereof, be required to be printed at the expense of the state.

SEC. 6. Before making any such contract, he shall decide upon the style of printing and binding, and the quality of paper to be used for the acts and resolves, digests, reports, records, and documents referred to, and shall advertise for sealed proposals for the same. He shall then make the contract with the person or persons who shall agree to perform the work required on the lowest terms, and in the most prompt and satisfactory manner; and who shall give satisfactory security for the performance of the contract.

SEC. 7. He shall, immediately after the acts, resolves, and other proceedings of each session of the general assembly are printed as required by law, carefully examine at least six printed copies thereof, and shall certify and authenticate the same under his hand and the

seal of the state, and when so certified and authenticated, the same shall be the record of the acts, resolves, and proceedings of such session, and the secretary shall keep and preserve the same in his office, and shall from time to time cause the same to be bound, for more convenient use.

to be filed.

SEC. 8. He shall keep a copy of all official letters sent by him, Official letters and shall preserve in book form all public letters received by him. SEC. 9. He shall, at the May session, annually, furnish the gen- To report list eral assembly with a list of all civil commissions returned to him; and with the names of all justices of the peace, who refused or neglected to take their commissions.

SEC. 10. He shall, immediately after the passage of any act or resolution by the general assembly making an appropriation out of the state treasury, transmit a copy of the same to the state auditor. SEC. 11. He shall, at least ten days previous to the day of election of general officers, representatives to congress, or electors of president and vice-president of the United States, furnish each town or ward clerk with printed forms of returns, certificates, and directions, together with any advice he may deem necessary to secure proper returns.

SEC. 12. He shall, within thirty days after any default in the return of votes, certify the same to the attorney-general, and his certificate shall be primâ facie evidence of such default, and the attorney-general shall prosecute every person guilty thereof.

SEC. 13. He shall subscribe for and take, for the use of the state, three hundred copies of each number or volume, of the Rhode Island Reports which may be published, and shall distribute the same as follows: three copies to the librarian of the congressional library for the use of the United States; one copy to the secretary of each of the states and territories of the United States for the use of the states and territories; one copy to each of the justices of the supreme court; one copy to the judge of the supreme court of the United States assigned to the first circuit; one copy to the judge of the circuit court of the United States for the first circuit; one copy to the district judge of the United States for the Rhode Island district, said justices and judges as newly appointed in succession, to receive all back numbers and volumes of reports so far as the secretary can supply them; three copies to each of the clerks of the courts of this state and of the courts of the United States held in this district; one copy to the governor; one copy to the lieutenant-governor; one copy to the attorney-general; one copy to the speaker of the house of representatives of this state; one copy to each of the sheriffs of this state; one copy to the marshal of the United States for this district; one copy to each of the town clerks of this state, said copies to said clerks of courts, sheriffs, marshal, and town clerks, to be kept as appendages to their said offices; ten copies to be kept in the State Library in the state house in Providence; and ten copies to be kept by the clerk of the supreme court in the state house at Newport, for the use of the general assembly; two copies to the State Law Library; one copy to the library of Brown University; one copy to the Redwood Library, Newport; one copy to the Providence Athenæum ; one copy to the Rhode Island Historical Society; and one copy to the People's Library in Newport.

SEC. 14. He may appoint an assistant, to aid him in discharging the duties of his office.

SEC. 15. He may, by writing, appoint a deputy under him, who shall be engaged for the faithful discharge of the duties of his office.

of commissions returned.

To transmit to auditor acts, &c., making appropriations. To furnish forms of elec

tion returns.

To certify default in return

of votes.

To subscribe for and distrib

ute Rhode

Island Reports.

May appoint

assistant.

May appoint a deputy.