amendments, to first Wednes. by amend 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 decla- As to cities, see ration thereof in the said meeting; and shall, in the pres- Art. II. ence of the inhabitants, seal up copies of the said list, 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 Time changed the same to the secretary's office, seventeen days at least day of January before the said [last Wednesday in May]; or the select-ments, Art. X. men 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 the house of representatives on the [last Wednesday in May], to be by them Changed to examined; and in case of an election by a [majority] of all m amendments, the votes returned, the choice shall be by them declared Art. XIV. and published; but if no person shall have a [majority] of when no person votes, the house of representatives shall, by ballot, elect has a plurality. 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 two persons so elected; on which the senate shall proceed, by ballot, to elect one, who shall be declared governor. plurality by How chosen, IV. The governor shall have authority, from time to Power of gov. time, at his discretion, to assemble and call together the governor and councillors of this commonwealth for the time being; and council. the governor with the said councillors, 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 the laws of the land. prorogue the the same. tion, see amend. ments, Art. X. V. The governor, with advice of council, shall have May adjourn or full power and authority, during the session of the gen- general court eral court, to adjourn or prorogue the same to any time and convent 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 other cause As to dissolution, see amendments, Art. X. Governor and council may adjourn the gencases, etc., but eral court in not exceeding ninety days. Governor to be commander-in chief. Limitation. 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, the most convenient place within the state. [And the governor shall dissolve the said general court on the day next preceding the last Wednesday in May.] VI. 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 the public good shall require. VII. The governor of this commonwealth, for the time *being, shall be the 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 and 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 other 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 captain-general 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 commonwealth, 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 otherwise conveniently have access. council may VIII. The power of pardoning offences, except such Governor and as persons may be convicted of before the senate by an pardon offences, impeachment of the house, shall be in the governor, by except, etc. and with the advice of council; but no charter of par conviction. don, granted by the governor, with advice of the council before conviction, shall avail the party pleading the same, But not before notwithstanding any general or particular expressions 109 Mass. 323. contained therein, descriptive of the offence or offences intended to be pardoned. cers, how appointed. IX. All judicial officers, [the attorney-general,] the Judicial offisolicitor-general, [all sheriffs,] coroners, [and registers of nominated and probate,] shall be nominated and appointed by the gov-provisions ernor, by and with the advice and consent of the council; as to election and every such nomination shall be made by the governor, general, see and made at least seven days prior to such appointment. Art. XVII. For provision as to election of sheriffs, registers of probate, etc., see amendments, Art. XIX. For provision as to appointment of notaries public, see amendments, Art. IV. amendments, how elected. struck out X. The captains and subalterns of the militia shall be Militia officers, elected by the written votes of the train-band and alarm Limitation of list of their respective companies, [of twenty-one years by amend of age and upwards; the field officers of regiments shall ments, Art. V. 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 com- How commismissioned by the governor, who shall determine their rank. sioned. The legislature shall, by standing laws, direct the time Election of and manner of convening the electors, and of collect- officers. ing votes, and of certifying to the governor, the officers elected. how appointed The major-generals shall be appointed by the senate and Major-generals, house of representatives, each having a negative upon the and commisother; and be commissioned by the governor. For provisions as to appointment of a commissary-general, see amendments, Art. IV. sioned. And if the electors of brigadiers, field officers, captains Vacancies, how or subalterns, shall neglect or refuse to make such elec- etc. filled, in case, Officers duly commissioned, how removed. Superseded by amendments, Art. IV. Adjutants, etc., how appointed. Army officers, how appointed. tions, after being duly notified, according to the laws for 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 courtmartial, pursuant to the laws of the commonwealth for the time being.] The commanding officers of regiments shall appoint their adjutants and quartermasters; 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 confederation of the United States it is provided that this commonwealth shall appoint, as also all officers of forts and garrisons. Organization of The divisions of the militia into brigades, regiments, and militia. Money, how All public boards, etc., to 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. XI. No moneys shall be issued out of the treasury of this commonwealth, and 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 acts and resolves of the general court. XII. All public boards, the commissary-general, all make quarterly superintending officers of public magazines and stores, belonging to this commonwealth, and all commanding officers 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; distinguishing the quantity, number, quality and kind of each, as particularly as may be; together with the condition of such forts and garrisons; and the said commanding officer shall exhibit to the governor, when required by him, true and exact plans of such forts, and of the land and sea or harbor or harbors, adjacent. And the said boards, and all public officers, shall communicate to the governor, as soon as may be after receiving the same, all letters, despatches, and intelligences of a public nature, which shall be directed to them respectively. XIII. As the public good requires that the governor Salary of should not be under the undue influence of any of the governor. members of the general court by a dependence on them for his support, that he should in all cases act with freedom for the benefit of the public, that he should not have his attention necessarily diverted from that object to his private concerns, and that he should maintain the dignity of the commonwealth in the character of its chief magistrate, it is necessary that he should have an honorable stated salary, of a fixed and permanent value, amply sufficient for those purposes, and established by standing laws : and it shall be among the first acts of the general court, after the commencement of this constitution, to establish such salary by law accordingly. Permanent and honorable salaries shall also be estab- Salaries of justices of supreme lished by law for the justices of the supreme judicial court. judicial court. And if it shall be found that any of the salaries afore- Salaries to be so established, are insufficient, they shall, from time insufficient. said, to time, be enlarged, as the general court shall judge proper. enlarged if CHAPTER II. SECTION II. Lieutenant-Governor. governor; his See ARTICLE I. There shall be annually elected a lieu- Lieutenanttenant-governor of the commonwealth of Massachusetts, title and qualiwhose title shall be - His HONOR; and who shall be amendments, qualified, in point of [religion,] [property,] and residence AXIVII. and in the commonwealth, in the same manner with the governor; and the day and manner of his election, and the qualifications of the electors, shall be the same as are required in the election of a governor. The return of the How chosen. votes for this officer, and the declaration of his election, shall be in the same manner; [and if no one person shall Election br be found to have a majority of all the votes returned, the vided for by vacancy shall be filled by the senate and house of repre- Art. XIV. plurality proamendments, |