thirds of both houses according to the rules and limitations prescribed in case of a bill.

25. No corporate body shall be hereafter created, renewed or extended with banking or discounting privileges, without six months' previous public notice of the intended application for the same in such manner as shall be prescribed by law. Nor shall any charter for the purposes aforesaid, be granted for a longer period than twenty years, and every such charter shall contain a clause reserving to the Legislature the power to alter, revoke or annul the same, whenever in their opinion it may be injurious to the citizens of the commonwealth, in such manner, however, that no injustice shall be done to the corporators. No law hereafter enacted, shall create, renew, or extend the charter of more than one corporation.

ARTICLE II.

SEC. 1. The supreme executive power of this commonwealth shali be vested in a Governor.

2. The Governor shall be chosen on the second Tuesday of October, by the citizens of the commonwealth, at the places where they shall respectively vote for representatives. The returns of every election for Governor shall be sealed up and transmitted to the seat of government, directed to the speaker of the Senate, who shall open and publish them in the presence of the members of both houses of the Legislature. The person having the highest number of votes shall be Governor. But if two or more shall be equal and highest in votes, one of them shall be chosen Governor by the joint vote of the members of both houses. Contested elections shall be determined by a committee to be selected from both houses of the Legislature, and formed and regulated in such manner as shall be directed by law.

3. The Governor shall hold his office during three years from the third Tuesday of January next ensuing his election, and shall not be capable of holding it longer than six in any term of nine years.

4. He shall be at least thirty years of age, and have been a citizen and an inhabitant of this State seven years next before his election; unless he shall have been absent on the public business of the United States, or of this State.

5. No member of Congress or person holding any office under the United States, or this State, shall exercise the office of Governor.

6. The Governor shall at stated times receive for his services a compensation, which shall be neither increased nor diminished during the period for which he shall have been elected.

7. He shall be commander-in-chief of the army and navy of this commonwealth, and of the militia, except when they shall be called into the actual service of the United States.

8. He shall appoint a Secretary of the commonwealth during pleasure, and he shall nominate, and by and with the advice and

consent of the Senate, appoint all judicial officers of courts of record, unless otherwise provided for in this Constitution. He shall have power to fill all vacancies that may happen in such judicial offices during the recess of the Senate, by granting commissions which shall expire at the end of their next session. Provided, that in acting on executive nominations the Senate shall sit with open doors, and in confirming or rejecting the nominations of the Governor, the vote shall be taken by yeas and nays.

9. He shall have power to remit fines and forfeitures, and grant reprieves and pardons, except in cases of impeachment.

10. He may require information in writing, from the officers in the executive department, on any subject relating to the duties of their respective offices.

11. He shall, from time to time, give to the General Assembly information of the state of the commonwealth, and recommend to their consideration such measures as he shall judge expedient.

12. He may, on extraordinary occasions, convene the General Assembly; and in case of disagreement between the two houses, with respect to the time of adjournment, adjourn them to such time as he shall think proper, not exceeding four months.

13. He shall take care that the laws be faithfully executed.

14. In case of the death or resignation of the Governor, or his removal from office, the Speaker of the Senate shall exercise the office of governor, or until another governor shall be duly qualified; but in such case another Governor shall be chosen at the next annual election of representatives, unless such death, resignation, or removal, shall occur within three calendar months immediately preceding such next annual election, in which case a Governor shall be chosen at the second succeeding annual election of representatives. And if the trial of a contested election shall continue longer than until the third Monday of January next ensuing the election of Governor, the Governor of the last year, or the Speaker of the Senate who may be in the exercise of the executive authority, shall continue therein until the determination of such contested election, and until a Governor shall be duly qualified as aforesaid.

15. The Secretary of the commonwealth shall keep a fair register of all the official acts and proceedings of the Governor, and shall, when required, lay the same, and all papers, minutes and vouchers relative thereto, before either branch of the Legislature, and shall perform such other duties as shall be enjoined him by law.

ARTICLE III.

SEC. 1. In elections by the citizens, every white freeman of the age of twenty-one years, having resided in this State one year, and in the election district where he offers to vote, ten days immediately preceding such election, and within two years paid a State or county tax, which shall have been assessed at least ten days before the elec

tion, shall enjoy the rights of an elector. But a citizen of the United States, who had previously been a qualified voter of this State, and removed therefrom and returned, and who shall have resided in the election district, and paid taxes as aforesaid, shall be entitled to vote, after residing in the State six months: Provided, that white freemen, citizens of the United States, between the ages of twentyone and twenty-two years, and having resided in the State one year, and in the clection district ten days as aforesaid, shall be entitled to vote, although they shall not have paid taxes.

2. All elections shall be by ballot, except those by persons in their representative capacities, who shall vote viva voce.

3. Electors shall in all cases, except treason, felony, and breach of surety of the peace, be privileged from arrest during their attendance on elections, and in going to and returning from them.

ARTICLE IV.

SEC. 1. The House of Representatives shall have the sole power of impeaching.

2. All impeachments shall be tried by the Senate; when sitting for that purpose, the senators shall be upon oath or affirmation. No person shall be convicted, without the concurrence of two-thirds of the members present.

4. The Governor, and all other civil officers under this commonwealth, shall be liable to impeachment for any misdemeanor in office; but judgment, in such cases, shall not extend further than to removal from office and disqualification to hold any office of honor, trust or profit, under this commonwealth: the party, whether convicted or acquitted, shall, nevertheless, be liable to indictment, trial, judgment and punishment according to law.

ARTICLE V.

SEC. 1. The judicial power of this commonwealth shall be vested in a Supreme Court, in courts of oyer and terminer and general jail delivery, in a court of common pleas, orphans' court, register's court, and a court of quarter sessions of the peace for each county; in justices of the peace, and in such other courts as the Legislature may, from time to time establish.

2. The judges of the Supreme Court, of the several courts of common pleas, and of such other courts of record as are or shall be established by law, shall be nominated by the Governor, and by and with the consent of the Senate appointed and commissioned by him. The judges of the Supreme Court shall hold their offices for the term of fifteen years, if they shall so long behave themselves well. The president judges of the several courts of common pleas, and of such other courts of record as are or shall be established by law, and all other judges required to be learned in the law, shall hold their offices for the term of ten years, if they shall so long behave them

selves well. The associate judges of the courts of common pleas shall hold their offices for the term of five years, if they shall so long behave themselves well. But for any reasonable cause, which shall not be sufficient ground of impeachment, the Governor may remove any of them on the address of two thirds of each branch of the Legislature. The judges of the Supreme Court, and the presidents of the several courts of common pleas, shall at stated times reccive for their services an adequate compensation, to be fixed by law, which shall not be diminished during their continuance in office; but they shall receive no fees or perquisites of office, nor hold any other office of profit under this commonwealth.

3. Until otherwise directed by law, the courts of common pleas shall continue as at present established. Not more than five counties shall at any time be included in one judicial district organized for said courts.

4. The jurisdiction of the Supreme Court shall extend over the State; and the judges thereof shall, by virtue of their office, be justices of oyer and terminer and general jail delivery, in the several counties.

5. The judges of the court of common pleas, in each county, shall, by virtue of their offices, be justices of oyer and terminer and general jail delivery, for the trial of capital and other offenders therein; any two of said judges, the president being one, shall be a quorum; but they shall not hold a court of oyer and terminer, or jail delivery in any county, when the judges of the Supreme Court, or any of them shall be sitting in the same county. The party accused, as well as the commonwealth, may, under such regulations as shall be prescribed by law, remove the indictment and proceedings, or a transcript thereof, into the Supreme Court.

6. The Supreme Court, and the several courts of common pleas, shall, beside the powers heretofore usually exercised by them, have the powers of a Court of Chancery, so far as relates to the perpetuating of testimony, the obtaining of evidence from places not within the State, and the care of the persons and estates of those who are non compos mentis. And the Legislature shall vest in the said courts such other powers to grant relief in equity, as shall be found necessary; and may, from time to time, enlarge or diminish those powers or vest them in such other courts as they shall judge proper, for the due administration of justice.

7. The judges of the court of common pleas of each county, any two of whom shall be a quorum, shall compose the court of quarter sessions of the peace, and orphans' court thereof; and the register of wills, together with the said judges, or any two of them, shall compose the register's court of each county.

8. The judges of the courts of common pleas shall, within their respective counties, have like powers with the judges of the Supreme Court, to issue writs of certiorari to the justices of the peace, and to

cause their proceedings to be brought before them, and the like right and justice to be done.

9. The president of the court in each circuit within such circuit, and the judges of the court of common pleas within their respective counties, shall be justices of the peace, so far as relates to criminal

matters.

10. A register's office, for the probate of wills and granting letters of administration, and an office for the recording of deeds, shall be kept in each county.

11. The style of all process shall be, "The commonwealth of Pennsylvania." All prosecutions shall be carried on in the name and by the authority of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and conclude, "against the peace and dignity of the same.""

ARTICLE VI.

SEC. 1. Sheriffs and coroners shall, at the times and places of election of representatives, be chosen by the citizens of each county. One person shall be chosen for each office, who shall be commissioned by the Governor. They shall hold their offices for three years, if they shall so long behave themselves well, and until a successor be duly qualified; but no person shall be twice chosen or appointed sheriff in any term of six years. Vacancies in either of the said offices shall be filled by an appointment, to be made by the Governor, to continue until the next general election, and until a successor shall be chosen and qualified as aforesaid.

2. The freemen of this commonwealth shall be armed, organized, and disciplined for its defense, when and in such manner as may be directed by law. Those who conscientiously scruple to bear arms, shall not be compelled to do so, but shall pay an equivalent for personal service.

3. Prothonotaries of the Supreme Court shall be appointed by the said court for the term of three years, if they so long behave themselves well. Prothonotaries and clerks of the several other courts, recorders of deeds, and registers of wills, shall at the times and places of election of representatives, be elected by the qualified electors of each county, or the districts over which the jurisdiction of said courts extends, and shall be commissioned by the Governor. They shall hold their offices for three years, if they shall so long behave themselves well, and until their successors shall be duly qualified. The Legislature shall provide by law the number of persons in each county who shall hold said offices, and how many and which of said offices shall be held by one person. Vacancies in any of the said offices shall be filled by appointments to be made by the Governor, to continue until the next general election, and until successors shall be elected and qualified as aforesaid.

4. Prothonotaries, clerks of the peace and orphans' courts, recorders of deeds, registers of wills, and sheriffs, shall keep their offices in