branch of the legislature, and shall fully and freely enjoy every privilege and immunity enjoyed by others their fellow, subjects.

20. That the legislative department of this colony may, as much as possible, be preserved from all suspicion of corruption, none of the judges of the supreme or other court, sheriffs, nor any other person or persons, possessed of any post of profit under the Government, other than justices of the peace, shall be entitled to a seat in Assembly; but that, on his being elected, and taking his seat, his office or post shall be considered as vacant.

21. That all the laws of this province, contained in the edition lately published by Mr. Allison, shall be and remain in full force, until altered by the legislature of this colony, such only excepted as are incompatible with this charter, and shall be, according as heretofore, regarded in all respects, by all civil officers and others, the good people of this province.

22. That the common law of England, as well as so much of the statute law as has been heretofore practised in this colony, shall still remain in force, until they shall be altered by a future law of the legislature; such parts only excepted as are repugnant to the rights and privileges contained in this charter; and that the inestimable right of trial by jury shall remain confirmed, as a part of the law of this colony, without repeal, for ever.

23. That every person who shall be elected, as aforesaid, to be a member of the legislative Council or House of Assembly, shall, previous to his taking his seat in Council or Assembly, take the following oath or affirmation, viz.:

"I, A. B., do solemnly declare that, as a member of the legislative Council (or Assembly, as the case may be) of the colony of New Jersey, I will not assent to any law, vote, or proceeding, which shall appear to me injurious to the public welfare of said colony; nor that shall annul or repeal that part of the third section, in the charter of this colony, which establishes that the elections of members of the legislative Council and Assembly shall be annual; nor that part of the twenty-second section in said charter, respecting the trial by jury, nor that shall annul,

repeal, or alter, any part or parts of the eighteenth or nineteenth sections of the same."

And any person or persons who shall be elected as aforesaid, is hereby empowered to administer to the said members the said oath or affirmation.

Provided always, and it is the true intent and meaning of this Congress, that, if a reconciliation between Great Britain and these colonies should take place, and the latter be again taken under the protection and government of Great Britain, this charter shall be null and void, otherwise to remain firm and inviolable.

In Provincial Congress,

Burlington, July 2, 1776.

By order of Congress:

SAMUEL TUCKER, President.

Extract from the minutes.

WILLIAM PATTERSON, Secretary.

CONSTITUTION OF OHIO.

ARTICLE 1.

SEC. 1. The legislative authority of this state shall be vested in a general Assembly, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives, both to be elected by the people.

2. Within one year after the first meeting of the general Assembly, and within every subsequent term of four years, an enumeration of all the white male inhabitants above twenty-one years of age shall be made, in such manner as shall be directed by law. The number of representatives shall, at the several periods of making such enumeration, be fixed by the legislature, and apportioned among the several counties, according to the number of white male inhabitants of above twenty-one years of age in each; and shall never be less than twenty-four nor greater than thirty-six, until the number of white male inhabitants of above twenty-one years of age shall be twen

ty-two thousand; and after that event, at such ratio that the whole number of representatives shall never be less than thirty-six, nor exceed seventy-two.

3. The representatives shall be chosen annually, by the citizens of each county respectively, on the second Tuesday of October.

4. No person shall be a representative who shall not have attained the age of twenty-five years, and be a citizen of the United States, and an inhabitant of this State; shall also have resided within the limits of the county in which he shall be chosen, one year next preceding his election, unless he shall have been absent on the public business of the United States, or of this State, and shall have paid a state or county tax.

5. The senators shall be chosen biennially, by qualified voters for representatives; and, on their being convened in consequence of the first election, they shall be divided by lot from their respective counties or districts, as near as can be, into two classes; the seats of the senators of the first class shall be vacated at the expiration of the first year, and of the second class at the expiration of the second year; so that one-half thereof, as near as possible, may be chosen annually for ever thereafter.

6. The number of senators shall, at the several periods of making the enumeration before mentioned, be fixed by the legislature and apportioned among the several counties or districts to be established by law, according to the number of white male inhabitants of the age of twentyone years in each, and shall never be less than one-third nor more than one-half of the number of representatives.

7. No person shall be a senator who has not arrived at the age of thirty years, and is a citizen of the United States; shall have resided two years in the district or county immediately preceding the election, unless he shall have been absent on the public business of the United States, or of this State, and shall moreover have paid a state or county tax.

8. The Senate and House of Representatives, when assembled, shall each choose a speaker and its other officers, be judges of the qualifications and elections of its members, and sit upon its own adjournments; two-thirds

of each House shall constitute a quorum to do business, but a smaller number may adjourn from day to day, and compel the attendance of absent members.

9. Each House shall keep a journal of its proceedings, and publish them. The yeas and nays of the members, on any question, shall, at the desire of any two of them, be entered on the journals.

10. Any two members of either House shall have liberty to dissent from and protest against any act or resolution which they may think injurious to the public or any individual, and have the reasons of their dissent entered on the journals.

11. Each House may determine the rules of its proceedings, punish its members for disorderly behavior, and with the concurrence of two-thirds, expel a member, but not a second time for the same cause; and shall have all other powers necessary for a branch of the legislature of a free and independent State.

12. When vacancies happen in either House, the Governor or the person exercising the power of the Governor shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies.

13. Senators and representatives shall, in all cases, except treason, felony or breach of the peace, be privileged from arrest during the session of the General Assembly, and in going to and returning from the same; and for any speech or debate, in either House, they shall not be questioned in any other place.

14. Each House may punish, by imprisonment, during their session, any person, not a member, who shall be guilty of disrespect to the House, by any disorderly or contemptuous behavior in their presence: provided such imprisonment shall not, at any one time, exceed twentyfour hours.

15. The doors of each House, and of committees of the whole, shall be kept open, except in such cases as, in the opinion of the House, require secrecy. Neither House shall, without the consent of the other, adjourn for more than two days, nor to any other place than that in which the two Houses shall be sitting.

16. Bills may originate in either House, but may be altered, amended, or rejected by the other.

17. Every bill shall be read on three different days, in each House, unless, in case of urgency, three-fourths of the House where such bill is so depending shall deem it expedient to dispense with this rule; and every bill having passed both Houses, shall be signed by the speakers of their respective Houses.

18. The style of the laws of this State shall be, "Be it enacted by the general Assembly of the State of Ohio."

19. The legislature of this State shall not allow the following officers of government greater annual salaries than as follows, until the year one thousand eight hundred and eight, to wit; the Governor not more than one thousand dollars; the judges of the supreme court not more than one thousand dollars each; the presidents of the courts of common pleas not more than eight hundred dollars each; the secretary of state not more than five hundred dollars; the auditor of public accounts not more than seven hundred and fifty dollars; the treasurer not more than four hundred and fifty dollars; no member of the legislature shall receive more than two dollars per day during his attendance on the legislature, nor more for every twenty-five miles he shall travel in going to and returning from the general Assembly.

20. No senator or representative shall, during the time for which he shall have been elected, be appointed to any civil office under this State, which shall have been created, or the emoluments of which shall have been increased, during such time.

21. No money shall be drawn from the treasury but in consequence of appropriations made by law.

22. An accurate statement of the receipts and expenditures of the public moneys shall be attached to and published with the laws, annually.

23. The House of Representatives shall have the sole power of impeaching, but a majority of all the members. must concur in an impeachment. All impeachments shall be tried by the Senate, and when sitting for that purpose, they shall be on oath or affirmation to do justice according to law and evidence; no person shall be convicted without the concurrence of two-thirds of all the senators.