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cers,) shall at the same time have a seat in the senate or house of representatives; but, their being chosen or appointed to, and accepting the same, shall operate as a resignation of their seat in the senate or house of representatives; and the places so vacated shall be filled up.

And the same rule shall take place in case any judge of the said supreme judicial court, or judge of probate, shall accept a seat in council: or any counsellor shall accept of either of those offices or places.

And no person shall ever be admttted to hold a seat in the legislature, or any office of trust or importance under the government of this commonwealth, who shall, in the due course of law, have been convicted of bribery or corruption, in obtaining an election or appointment.

3. In all cases where sums of money are mentioned in this constitution, the value thereof shall be computed in silver, at six shillings and eight pence per ounce; and it shall be in the power of the legislature, from time to time, to increase such qualifications, as to property, of the persons to be elected into offices, as the circumstances of the commonwealth shall require.

4. All commissions shall be in the name of the commonwealth of Massachusetts, signed by the governor, and attested by the secretary or his deputy, and have the great seal of the commonwealth affixed thereto.

5. All writs issuing out of the clerk's office, in any of the courts of law, shall be in the name of the commonwealth of Massachusetts; they shall be under the seal of the court from whence they issue; they shall bear test of the first justice of the court to which they shall be returnable, (who is not a party,) and be signed by the clerk of such court.

6. All the laws which have heretofore been adopted, used, and approved of in the province, colony, or state of Massachusetts Bay, and usually practised on in the courts of law, shall still remain and be in full force, until altered or repealed by the legislature: such parts only excepted as are repugnant to the rights and liberties contained in this constitution.

7. The privilege and benefit of the writ of habeas corpus shall be enjoyed in this commonwealth in the most free, easy, cheap, expeditious, and ample manner; and shall not be suspended by the legislature, except on the most urgent and pressing occasions, and for a limited time, not exceeding twelve months.

8. The enacting style, in making and passing all acts

statutes, and laws, shall be, Be it enacted by the senate and house of representatives, in general court assembled, and by the authority of the same.'

9. To the end there may be no failure of justice, or danger arise to the commonwealth, from a change of the form of government, all officers, civil and military, holding commissions under the government and people of Massachusetts Bay, in New England, and all other officers of said government and people, at the time this constitution shall take effect, shall have, hold, use, exercise, and enjoy, all the powers and authority to them granted or committed, until other persons shall be appointed in their stead: and all courts of law shall proceed in the execution of the business of their respective departments: and all the executive and legislative officers, bodies, and powers, shall continue in full force in the enjoyment and exercise of all their trusts, employment, and authority, until the general court, and the supreme and executive officers, under this constitution, are designated and invested with their respective trusts, powers, and authority.

10. In order the more effectually to adhere to the principles of the constitution, and correct those violations which by any means may be made therein, as well as to form such alterations as from experience shall be found necessary, the general court which shall be in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety-five, shall issue precepts to the selectmen of the several towns, and to the assessors of the unincorporated plantations, directing them to convene the qualified voters of their respective towns and plantations, for the purpose of collecting their sentiments on the necessity or expediency of revising the constitution, in order to amendments.

And if it shall appear, by the returns made, that twothirds of the qualified voters throughout the state, who shall assemble and vote in consequence of the said precepts, are in favour of such revision or amendment, the general court shall issue precepts, or direct them to be issued from the secretary's office, to the several towns, to elect delegates to meet in convention, for the purpose aforesaid.

The said delegates to be chosen in the same manner and proportion, as their representatives in the second branch of the legislature are by this constitution to be chosen.

11. This form of government shall be enrolled on parchnt, and deposited in the secretary's office, and be a part

of the laws of the land: and printed copies thereof shall be prefixed to the book containing the laws of this commonwealth, in all future editions of the said laws.

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JAMES BOWDOIN, President.

Attest, SAMUEL BARRET, Secretary.

AMENDMENTS.

Proclamation of governor Brooks, of Massachusetts, announcing to the public the amendments lately made by the convention to the constitution of that state, and which, being ratified by the people, now form a part of the constitution of the said state

Whereas sundry resolutions passed the legislature on the fifth day of June, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty-one, in the words following, viz:

"Whereas the convention of the delegates of the people, assembled at Boston on the third Wednesday of November, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty, for the purpose of revising and amending the constitution of the commonwealth, pursuant to an act of the general court: passed on the sixteenth day of June, in the year aforesaid, submitted certain articles of amendment of the constitution to the people, for their ratification and adoption; and whereas it appears by a certificate of the committee of the said convention, that the following articles of amendment, so submitted, as aforesaid, have been ratified and adopted by the people, in the manner directed by the said convention, and have thereby become a part of the constitution of this commonwealth, to wit.

Article 1 If any bill or resolve shall be objected to, and not approved of by the governor; and if the general court shall adjourn within five days after the same shall have been laid before the governor for his approbation, and thereby prevent his returning it, with his objections, as provided by the constitution; such bill or resolve shall not become a law, nor have force as such.

Art. 2. The general court shall have full power and authority to erect or constitute municipal or city governments in any corporate town or towns in this commonwealth, and to grant to the inhabitants thereof such powers, privileges, and immunities, not repugnant to the constitution, as the gene

ral court shall deem necessary or expedient, for the regula tion and government thereof, and to prescribe the manner of calling and holding public meetings of the inhabitants in wards, or otherwise, for the election of officers, under the constitution, and the manner of returning the votes given at such meetings: provided, that no such government shall be erected or constituted in any town not containing twelve thousand inhabitants, nor unless it be with the consent, and on the application of a majority of the inhabitants of such town, present and voting thereon, pursuant to a vote at a meeting duly warned and holden for that purpose: and provided, also, that all by-laws, made by such municipal or city government, shall be subject, at all times, to be an nulled by the general court.

Art. 3. Every male citizen of twenty-one years of age, and upwards, (excepting paupers and persons under guardianship,) who shall have resided within the commonwealth one year, and within the town or district, in which he may claim a right to vote, six callendar months, next preceding any election of governor, lieutenant governor, senators, or representatives, and who shall have paid, by himself or his parent, master or guardian, any state or county tax, which shall, within two years next preceding such election, have been assessed upon him, in any town or district of this com monwealth; and also every citizen, who shall be by law ex empted from taxation, and who shall be in all other respects qualified as above-mentioned, shall have a right to vote in such election of governor and lieutenant governor, senators, and representatives; and no other person shall be entitled to vote in such elections.

Art. 4. Notaries public shall be appointed by the gover nor, in the same manner as judicial officers are appointed, and shall hold their officers during seven years, unless sooner removed by the governor, with the consent of the council, and upon the address of both houses of the legisla

ture.

In case the office of secretary or treasurer of the common. wealth, shall become vacant from any cause, during the recess of the general court, the governor, with the consent of the council, shall nominate and appoint, under such regulations as may be prescribed by law, a competent and suitable person to such vacant office, who shall hold the same Until a successor shall be appointed by the general court.

? ! 'henever the exigencies of the commonwealth shall re

quire the appointment of a commissary general, he shall be nominated, appointed, and commissioned, in such manner as the legislature may by law, prescribe.

All officers commissioned to command in the militia, may be removed from office in such manner as the legislature may, by law, prescribe.

Art. 5. In the election of captains and subalterns of the militia, all the members of their respective companies, as well those under, as those above the age of twenty-one years, shall have a right to vote.

Art. 6. Instead of the oath of allegiance, prescribed by the constitution, the following oath shall be taken and subscribed by every person chosen or appointed to any office, civil or military, under the government of this commonwealth, before he shall enter on the duties of his office, to wit:

"I, A. B., do solemnly swear, that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the commonwealth of Massachusetts, and will support the constitution thereof. So help me God."

Provided, that when any person shall be of the denomination called quakers, and shall decline taking said oath, he shall make his affirmation in the foregoing form, omitting the word "swear," and inserting, instead thereof, the word "affirm," and omitting the words "so help me God," and subjoining, instead thereof, the words, " this I do under the pains and penalties of perjury."

Art. 7. No oath, declaration, or subscription, excepting the oath prescribed in the preceding article, and the oath of office, shall be required of the governor, lieutenant governor, counsellors, senators, or representatives, to qualify them to perform the duties of their respective offices.

Art. 8. No judge of any court of this commonwealth, (except the court of sessions,) and no person holding any office under the authority of the United States, (post masters excepted,) shall, at the same time, hold the office of governor, lieutenant governor, or counsellor, or have a seat in the senate or house of representatives of this commonwealth; and no judge of any court in this commonwealth, (except the court of sessions,) nor the attorney general, solicitor general, county attorney, clerk of any court, sheriff, treasurer and receiver general, register of probate, nor register of deeds, shall continue to hold his said office after being elected a member of the congress of the United States, and accepting that trust; but the acceptance of such

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