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are concerned, and which, by the Constitution, they have authority to try and determine, by committees of their own members, or in such other way as they may respectively think best.

CHAPTER II.

SECTION 1.-EXECUTIVE POWER.

Governor.

Article 1. There shall be a supreme executive magistrate, who shall be styled the Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts; and whose title shall be, His Excellency.

2. The Governor shall be chosen annually: and no person shall be eligible to this office, unless at the time of his election he shall have been an inhabitant of this commonwealth for seven years next preceding; and unless he shall, at the same time, be seized, in his own right, of a freehold within the commonwealth of the value of one thousand pounds; and unless he shall declare himself to be of the Christian religion.

3. Those persons who shall be qualified to vote for senators and representatives, within the several towns of this commonwealth, shall, at a meeting to be called for that purpose, on the first Monday of April, annually, give in their votes for a Governor to the selectmen, who shall preside at such meetings; and the town clerk, in the presence, and with the assistance of the selectmen, shall, in open town meeting, sort and count the votes, and form a list of the persons voted for, with the number of votes for each person, against his name: and shall make a fair record of the same in the town books, and a public declaration thereof in the said meeting; and shall, in the presence of the inhabitants, seal up copies of the said lists, attested by him and the selectmen, and transmit the same to the sheriff of the county, thirty days at least before the last Wednesday in May and the sheriff shall transmit the same to the secretary's office seventeen days at least before the said last Wednesday in May; or the selectmen

may cause returns of the same to be made to the office of the secretary of the commonwealth, seventeen days at least before the said day; and the secretary shall lay the same before the Senate and House of Representatives on the last Wednesday in May, to be by them examined: and in case of an election by a majority of all the votes returned, the choice shall be by them declared and published. But if no person shall have a majority of votes, the House of Representatives shall, by ballot, elect two out of four persons, who had the highest number of votes, if so many shall have been voted for: but, if otherwise, out of the number voted for; and make return to the Senate of the persons so elected; on which the Senate shall, by ballot, elect one who shall be declared Governor.

4. The Governor shall have authority from time to time, at his discretion, to assemble and call together the counsellors of this commonwealth for the time being; and the Governor, with the said counsellors, or five of them at least, shall, and may from time to time, hold and keep a council, for the ordering and directing the affairs of the commonwealth, agreeably to the Constitution and laws of the land.

5. The Governor, with the advice of council, shall have full power and authority, during the session of the general court, to adjourn or prorogue the same, to any time the two Houses shall desire; and to dissolve the same on the day next preceding the last Wednesday in May, and in the recess of the said court to prorogue the same, from time to time, not exceeding ninety days in any one recess and to call it together sooner than the time to which it may be adjourned or prorogued, if the welfare of the commonwealth shall require the same. And in case of any infectious distemper prevailing in the place where the said court is next, at any time, to convene, or any cause happening, whereby danger may arise to the health or lives of the members from their attendance, he may direct the session to be held at some other of the most convenient places within the State.

And the Governor shall dissolve the said general court on the day next preceding the last Wednesday in May

6. In cases of disagreement between the two Houses with regard to the necessity, expediency, or time of adjournment, or prorogation, the Governor, with advice of the council, shall have a right to adjourn or prorogue the general court, not exceeding ninety days, as he shall determine, and the public good shall require.

7. The Governor of this commonwealth, for the time being, shall be commander-in-chief of the army and navy, and of all the military forces of the State, by sea and land; and shall have full power, by himself, or by any commander, or other officer or officers, from time to time, to train, instruct, exercise, and govern the militia and navy; and, for the special defence and safety of the commonwealth, to assemble in martial array, and put in warlike posture, the inhabitants thereof; and to lead and conduct them, and with them to encounter, repel, resist, expel, and pursue, by force of arms, as well by sea as by land, within or without the limits of this commonwealth; and also to kill, slay, and destroy, if necessary, and conquer, by all fitting ways, enterprises, and means whatsoever, all and every such person or persons, as shall at any time hereafter, in a hostile manner, attempt or enterprise the destruction, invasion, detriment, or annoyance of this commonwealth; and to use and exercise over the army and navy, and over the militia in actual service, the law martial, in time of war or invasion, and also in time of rebellion, (declared by the legislature to exist,) as occasion shall necessarily require; and to take and surprise, by all ways and means whatsoever, all and every such person or persons (with their ships, arms, ammunition, and goods) as shall, in a hostile manner, invade, or attempt the invading, conquering, or annoying this commonwealth and that the Governor be intrusted with all these and other powers incident to the offices of captaingeneral, and commander-in-chief, and admiral, to be exercised agreeably to the rules and regulations of the Constitution, and the laws of the land, and not otherwise.

Provided, that the said Governor shall not, at any time hereafter, by virtue of any power by this Constitution granted, or hereafter to be granted to him by the legislature, transport any of the inhabitants of this common

wealth, or oblige them to march out of the limits of the same, without their free and voluntary consent, or the consent of the general court; except so far as may be necessary to march or transport them by land or water, for the defence of such part of the State, to which they cannot conveniently have access.

8. The power of pardoning offences, except such as persons may be convicted of before the Senate by an impeachment of the House, shall be in the Governor, by and with the advice of council; but no charter of pardon, granted by the Governor, with advice of the council, before conviction, shall avail the party pleading the same, notwithstanding any general or particular expressions contained therein, descriptive of the offence or offences intended to be pardoned.

9. All judicial officers, the attorney-general, the solicitor-general, all sheriffs, coroners, and registers of probate, shall be nominated and appointed by the Governor, by and with the advice and consent of the council; and every such nomination shall be made by the Governor, and made at least seven days prior to such appointment.

10. The captains and subalterns of the militia shall be elected by the written votes of the train band and alarm list of their respective companies, of twenty-one years of age and upwards. The field officers of regiments shall be elected by the written votes of the captains and subalterns of their respective regiments. The brigadiers shall be elected, in like manner, by the field officers of their respective brigades. And such officers, so elected, shall be commissioned by the Governor, who shall determine their rank.

The legislature shall, by standing laws, direct the time and manner of convening the electors, and of collecting votes, and of certifying to the Governor the officers elected

The major-generals shall be appointed by the Senate and House of Representatives, each having a negative upon the other; and be commissioned by the Governor. And if the electors of brigadiers, field officers, captains, or subalterns, shall neglect or refuse to make such elections, after being duly notified according to the laws of the time being, then the Governor with advice of council shall appoint suitable persons to fill such offices

And no officer, duly commissioned to command in the militia, shall be removed from his office, but by the address of both Houses to the Governor, or by fair trial in court-martial, pursuant to the laws of the commonwealth for the time being.

The commanding officers of regiments shall appoint their adjutants and quarter-masters; the brigadiers their brigade-majors; and the major-generals their aids; and the Governor shall appoint the adjutant-general.

The Governor, with advice of council, shall appoint all officers of the continental army, whom (by the confedera tion of the United States) it is provided that this commonwealth shall appoint, as also all officers of forts and garrisons.

The divisions of the militia into brigades, regiments, and companies, made in pursuance of the militia laws now in force, shall be considered as the proper divisions of the militia of this commonwealth, until the same shall be altered in pursuance of some future law.

11. No moneys shall be issued out of the treasury of this commonwealth, and be disposed of (except such sums as may be appropriated for the redemption of bills of credit or treasurer's notes, or for the payment of interest arising thereon) but by warrant, under the hand of the Governor for the time being, with the advice and consent of the council, for the necessary defence and support of the commonwealth, and for the protection and preservation of the inhabitants thereof, agreeably to the act and resolves of the general court.

12. All public boards, the commissary-general, all superintending officers of public magazines and stores, be longing to this commonwealth, and all commanding offi cers of forts and garrisons within the same, shall, once in every three months, officially, and without requisition, and at other times, when required by the Governor, deliver to him an account of all goods, stores, provisions, ammunition, cannon, with their appendages, and small arms, with their accoutrements, and of all other public property whatever, under their care respectively; distin guishing the quantity, number, quality, and kind of each, as particular as may be; together with the condition of

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