day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty two.

SECT. 3. All laws now in force in this state, and not repugnant to this constitution, shall remain, and be in force until altered or repealed by the legislature, or shall expire by their own limitation.

SECT. 4. The legislature, whenever two thirds of both houses shall deem it necessary, may propose amendments to this constitution; and when any amendments shall be so agreed upon, a resolution shall be passed and sent to the selectmen of the several towns, and the assessors of the several plantations, empowering and directing them to notify the inhabitants of their respective towns and plantations, in the manner prescribed by law, at their next annual meetings in the month of September, to give in their votes on the question, whether such amendment shall be made; and if it shall appear that a majority of the inhabitants voting on the question are in favor of such amendment, it shall become a part of this constitution.

"an

SECT. 5. All officers provided for in the sixth section of an act of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, passed on the nineteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and nineteen, entitled “ act relating to the separation of the district of Maine from Massachusetts proper, and forming the same into a separate and independent state," shall continue in office as therein provided; and the following provisions of said act shall be a part of this constitution, subject however to be modified or annulled as therein is prescribed, and not otherwise, to wit:

"Sect. 1. Whereas it has been represented to this legislature, that a majority of the people of the district of Maine are desirous of establishing a separate and independent government within said district: therefore,

"Be it enacted by the senate and house of representatives in general court assembled, and by the authority of the same, That the consent of this commonwealth be, and

the same is hereby given, that the district of Maine may be formed and erected into a separate and independent state, if the people of the said district shall in the manner, and by the majority hereinafter mentioned, express their consent and agreement thereto, upon the following terms and conditions: and provided the congress of the United States shall give its consent thereto, before the fourth day of March next: which terms and conditions are as follows, viz.

"First. All the lands and buildings belonging to the commonwealth, within Massachusetts proper, shall continue to belong to said commonwealth, and all the lands belonging to the commonwealth, within the district of Maine, shall belong, the one half thereof to the said commonwealth, and the other half thereof, to the state to be formed within the said district, to be divided as is hereinafter mentioned; and the lands within the said district, which shall belong to the said commonwealth, shall be free from taxation, while the title to the said lands remains in the commonwealth; and the rights of the commonwealth to their lands, within said district, and the remedies for the recovery thereof, shall continue the same, within the proposed state, and in the courts thereof, as they now are within the said commonwealth, and in the courts thereof; for which purposes, and for the maintenance of its rights, and recovery of its lands, the said commonwealth shall be entitled to all other proper and legal remedies, and may appear in the courts of the proposed state and in the courts of the United States, holden therein; and all rights of action for, or entry into lands, and of actions upon bonds, for the breach of the performance of the condition of settling duties, so called, which have accrued or may accrue, shall remain in this commonwealth, to be enforced, commuted, released, or otherwise disposed of, in such manner as this commonwealth may hereafter determine: provided however, that whatever this commonwealth may hereafter receive

or obtain on account thereof, if any thing, shall, after deducting all reasonable charges relating thereto, be divided, one third part thereof to the new state, and two third parts thereof to this commonwealth.

"Second. All the arms which have been received by this commonwealth from the United States, under the law of congress, entitled, "an act making provisions for arming and equipping the whole body of militia of the United States, passed April the twenty third, one thousand eight hundred and eight, shall, as soon as the said district shall become a separate state, be divided between the two states, in proportion to the returns of the militia, according to which, the said arms have been received from the United States, as aforesaid.

"Third. All money, stock or other proceeds, hereafter derived from the United States, on account of the claim of this commonwealth, for disbursements made, and expenses incurred, for the defence of the state, during the late war with Great Britain, shall be received by this commonwealth, and when received, shall be divided between the two states, in the proportion of two thirds to this commonwealth, and one third to the new state.

"Fourth. All other property, of every description, belonging to the commonwealth, shall be holden and receivable by the same as a fund and security, for all debts, annuities, and Indian subsidies, or claims due by said commonwealth; and within two years after the said district shall have become a separate state, the commissioners to be appointed, as hereinafter provided, if the said states cannot otherwise agree, shall assign a just portion of the productive property, so held by said commonwealth, as an equivalent and indemnification to said commonwealth, for all such debts, annuities or Indian subsidies or claims, which may then remain due, or unsatisfied and all the surplus of the said property, so holden as aforesaid, shall be divided between the said commonwealth and the said district of Maine, in the

proportion of two thirds to the said commonwealth, and one third to the said district-and if, in the judgment of the said commissioners, the whole of said property, so held, as a fund and security, shall not be sufficient indemnification for the purpose, the said district shall be liable for and shall pay to said commonwealth one third of the deficiency.

"Fifth. The new state shall, as soon as the necessary arrangements can be made for that purpose, assume and perform all the duties and obligations of this commonwealth, towards the Indians within said district of Maine, whether the same arise from treaties, or otherwise; and for this purpose shall obtain the assent of said Indians, and their release to this commonwealth of claims and stipulations arising under the treaty at present existing between the said commonwealth and said Indians; and as an indemnification to such new state, therefor, this commonwealth when such arrangements shall be completed, and the said duties and obligations assumed, shall pay to said new state, the value of thirty thousand dollars, in manner following, viz: the said commissioners shall set off by metes and bounds, so much of any part of the land within the said district, falling to this commonwealth, in the division of the public lands, hereinafter provided for, as in their estimation shall be of the value of thirty thousand dollars; and this commonwealth shall, thereupon, assign the same to the said new state, or in lieu thereof, may pay the sum of thirty thousand dollars at its election; which election of the said commonwealth, shall be made within one year from the time that notice of the doings of the commissioners, on this subject, shall be made known to the governor and council; and if not made within that time, the election shall be with the new state.

"Sixth. Commissioners, with the powers and for the purposes mentioned in this act, shall be appointed in manner following: the executive authority of each state

shall appoint two; and the four so appointed or the major part of them, shall appoint two more: but if they cannot agree in the appointment, the executive of each state shall appoint one in addition; not however, in that case, to be a citizen of its own state. And any vacancy happening with respect to the commissioners shall be supplied in the manner provided for their original appointment; and, in addition to the powers herein before given to said commissioners, they shall have full power and authority to divide all the public lands within the district, between the respective states, in equal shares, or moieties, in severalty, having regard to quantity, situation and quality; they shall determine what lands shall be surveyed and divided, from time to time, the expense of which surveys, and of the commissioners, shall be borne equally by the two states. They shall keep fair records of their doings, and of the surveys made by their direction, copies of which records, authenticated by them, shall be deposited from time to time in the archives of the respective states; transcripts of which, properly certified, may be admitted in evidence, in all questions touching the subject to which they relate. The executive authority of each state may revoke the power of either or both its commissioners: having, however, first appointed a substitute, or substitutes, and may fill any vacancy happening with respect to its own commissioners; four of said commissioners shall constitute a quorum, for the transaction of business; their decision shall be final upon all subjects within their cognizance. In case said commission shall expire, the same not having been completed, and either state shall request the renewal or filling up of the same, it shall be renewed or filled up in the same manner, as is herein provided for filling the same, in the first instance, and with the like powers; and if either state shall, after six months' notice, neglect or refuse to appoint its commissioners, the other may fill up the whole commission.