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both houses shall be by yeas and nays, and the names of the members voting for or against the bill shall be entered on the journals of each house, respectively; and if any bill shall not be returned by the Governor within five days (Sundays excepted) after it shall have been presented to him, the same shall be a law in like manner as if he had signed it, unless the General Assembly, by their adjournment, prevent its return; in which case, it shall not be a law.

17. Every order, resolution, or vote, to which the concurrence of both houses may be necessary, except on questions of adjournment, shall be presented to the Governor; and, before it shall take effect, be approved by him, or, being disapproved, be repassed by both houses, according to the rules and limitations prescribed in case of a bill.

18. In case of the impeachment of the Governor, his removal from office, death, refusal to qualify, resignation, or absence from the State, the President of the Senate shall exercise all the power and authority appertaining to the office of Governor, during the term for which the Governor was elected; unless the General Assembly shall provide by law for the election of a Governor to fill such vacancy, or until the Governor so absent or impeached shall return or be acquitted.

19. If, during the vacancy of the office of Governor, the President of the Senate shall be impeached, removed from office, refuse to qualify, resign, die, or be absent from the State, the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall, in like manner, administer the government.

20. The President of the Senate, or Speaker of the House of Rep resentatives, during the time he administers the government, shall receive the same compensation which the Governor would have received.

21. The Governor shall always reside, during the sessions of the General Assembly, at the place where their sessions are held, and at all other times, wherever, in their opinion, the public good may require.

22. No person shall hold the office of Governor, and any other office or commission, civil or military, either in this State, or under any State, or the United States, or any other power, at one and the same time, except the President of the Senate, or the Speaker of the House of Representatives, when he shall hold the office, as aforesaid.

23. A State treasurer and comptroller of public accounts shall be elected by joint vote of both houses of the General Assembly, at each regular session thereof.

ARTICLE IV.-Legislative Department.

SEC. 1. The legislative power of this State shall be vested in two distinct branches-the one to be styled the Senate, the other the House of Representatives, and both together "the General Assembly of the State of Florida;" and the style of the laws shall be, "Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Florida in General Assembly convened."

2. The members of the House of Representatives shall be chosen by the qualified voters, and shall serve for the term of one year, from the day of the commencement of the general election, and no longer; and the sessions of the General Assembly shall be annual, and commence on the fourth Monday in November, in each year, or at such other times as may be prescribed by law.

3. The representatives shall be chosen every year, on the first Monday in the month of October, until otherwise directed by law.

4. No person shall be a representative unless he be a white man, a citizen of the United States, and shall have been an inhabitant of the State two years next preceding his election, and the last year thereof a resident of the county for which he shall be chosen, and shall have attained the age of twenty-one years.

5. The senators shall be chosen by the qualified electors for the term of two years, at the same time, in the same manner, and in the same places, where they vote for members of the House of Representatives; and no man shall be a senator unless he be a white man, a citizen of the United States, and shall have been an inhabitant of this State two years next preceding his election, and the last year thereof a resident of the district or county for which he shall be chosen, and shall have attained the age of twenty-five years.

6. The senators, after their first election, shall be divided by lot into two classes; and 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 forever thereafter, annually, for the term of two years.

7. The House of Representatives, when assembled, shall choose a Speaker and its other officers; and the Senate a President and its other officers; and each house shall be judge of the qualifications, elections, and returns of its members; but a contested election shall be determined in such manner as shall be directed by law.

8. A majority of each house shall constitute a quorum to do business, but a smaller number may adjourn from day to day, and may compel the attendance of absent members, in such manner and under such penalties as each house may prescribe.

9. Each house may determine the rules of its own proceedings, punish its members for disorderly behavior, and, with the consent of two-thirds, expel a member, but not a second time for the same

cause.

10. Each house during the session, may punish by imprisonment any person, not a member, for disrespectful or disorderly behavior in its presence, or for obstructing any of its proceedings, provided such imprisonment shall not extend beyond the end of the session.

11. Each house shall keep a journal of its proceedings, and cause the same to be published immediately after its adjournment; and the yeas and nays of the members of each house shall be taken and entered upon the journals, upon the final passage of every bill, and

may by any two members, be required upon any other question; and any member of either house shall have liberty to dissent from, or protest against, any act or resolution which he may think injurious to the public or an individual, and have the reasons of his dissent entered on the journal.

12. 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 or returning from the same, allowing one day for every twenty miles such member may reside from the place at which the General Assembly is convened; and for any speech or debate in either house, they shall not be questioned in any other place.

13. The General Assembly shall make provision by law for filling vacancies that may occur in either house, by the death, resignation, or otherwise, of any of its members.

14. The doors of each house shall be open, except on such occasions as, in the opinion of the house, the public safety may imperiously require secrecy.

15. Neither house shall, without the consent of the other, adjourn for more than three days, nor to any other place than that in which they may be sitting.

16. Bills may originate in either house of the General Assembly, and all bills passed by one house may be discussed, amended, or rejected by the other; but no bill shall have the force of law until, on three several days, it be read in each house, and free discussion be allowed thereon, unless, in cases of urgency, four-fifths of the house in which the same shall be depending, may deem it expedient to dispense with the rule; and every bill having passed both houses, shall be signed by the Speaker and President of their respective houses.

17. Each member of the General Assembly shall receive, from the public treasury, such compensation for his services as may be fixed by law; but no increase of compensation shall take effect during the term for which the representatives were elected when such law passed.

18. The number of members of the House of Representatives shall never exceed sixiy.

ARTICLE V.-Judicial Department.

SEC. 1. The judicial power of this State, both as to matters of law and equity, shall be vested in a Supreme Court, courts of chancery, circuit courts, and justices of the peace: provided the General Assembly may also vest such criminal jurisdiction as may be deemed necessary in corporation courts; but such jurisdiction shall not extend to capital offences.

2. The Supreme Court, except in cases otherwise directed in this Constitution, shall have aj pellate jurisdiction only, which shall be co-extensive with the State under such restrictions and regulations,

not repugnant to this Constitution, as may from time to time be prescribed by law; provided that the said Court shall always have power to issue writs of injunction, mandamus, quo warranto, habeas corpus, and such other remedial and original writs as may be necessary to give it a general superintendence and control of all other

courts.

3. For the term of five years, from the election of the judges of the circuit courts, and thereafter until the General Assembly shall otherwise provide, the powers of the Supreme Court shall be vested in, and its duties performed by, the judges of the several circuit courts within this State; and they or a majority of them, shall hold such sessions of the Supreme Court, and at such times, as may be directed by law.

4. The Supreme Court, when organized, shall be holden at such times and places as may be provided by law.

5. The State shall be divided into at least four convenient cir cuits; and until other circuits shall be provided for by the General Assembly, the arrangement of the circuits shall be the western, middle, eastern, and southern circuits; and for each circuit there shall be appointed a judge, who shall, after his appointment, reside in the circuit for which he has been appointed, and shall, at stated times, receive for his services a salary of not less than two thousand dollars per annum, which shall not be diminished during the continuance of such judge in office; but the judges shall receive no fees or perquisites of office, nor hold any other office of profit under this State, the United States, or any other power.

6. The circuit courts shall have original jurisdiction in all matters, civil and criminal, within this State, not otherwise excepted in this Constitution.

7. A circuit court shall be held in such counties, and at such times and places therein, as may be prescribed by law; and the judges of the several circuit courts may hold courts for each other, and shall do so when directed by law.

8. The General Assembly shall have power to establish and organize a separate Court or courts of original equity jurisdiction; but until such Court or courts shall be established and organized, the circuit courts shall exercise such jurisdiction.

9. The General Assembly shall provide by law for the appointment, in each county, of an officer to take probate of wills, to grant letters testamentary of administration and guardianship; to attend to the settlements of the estates of decedents and of minors, and to discharge the duties usually pertaining to courts of ordinary, subject to the direction and supervision of the courts of chancery, as may be provided by law.

10. A competent number of justices of the peace shall be from time to time appointed or elected in and for each county, in such mode and for such term of office as the General Assembly may direct, and shall possess such jurisdiction as may be prescribed by

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law; and in cases tried before a justice of the peace, the right of appeal shall be secured, under such rules and regulations as may be prescribed by law.

11. Justices of the Supreme Court, chancellors, and judges of the circuit courts, shall be elected by the concurrent vote of a majority of both houses of the General Assembly.

12. The judges of the Circuit Court shall, at the first session of the General Assembly to be holden under this Constitution, be elected for the term of five years, and shall hold their offices for that term, unless sooner removed under the provisions made in this Constitution for removal of judges by address or impeachment; and at the expiration of five years, the justices of the Supreme Court and the judges of the circuit courts shall be elected for the term of and during their good behavior; and for wilful neglect of duty, or other reasonable cause, which shall not be sufficient ground for impeachment, the Governor shall remove any of them, on the address of two-thirds of each house of the General Assembly; provided, however, that the cause or causes shall be stated at length in such address, and entered on the journals of each house; and provided, further, that the cause or causes shall be notified to the judge so intended to be removed, and he shall be admitted to a hearing in his own defense, before any vote for such address shall pass; and in such cases the vote shall be taken by yeas and nays, and entered on the journals of each house respectively.

13. The clerk of the Supreme Court, and the clerks of the courts of chancery, shall be elected by the General Assembly; and the clerks of the circuit courts shall be elected by the qualified electors, in such mode as may be prescribed by law.

14. The justices of the Supreme Court, chancellors, and judges of the circuit courts, shall, by virtue of their offices, be conservators of the peace throughout the State, and justices of the peace in their respective counties.

15. The style of all processes shall be, "the State of Florida;" and all criminal prosecutions shall be carried on in the name of the State of Florida, and all indictments shall conclude, "against the peace and dignity of the same."

16. There shall be an Attorney-General for the State, who shall reside at the seat of government. It shall be his duty to attend all sessions of the General Assembly, and, upon the passage of any act, to draught and submit to the General Assembly, at the same session, all necessary forms of proceedings under such laws, which, when approved, shall be published therewith; and he shall perform such other duties as may be prescribed by law. He shall be elected by joint vote of the two houses of the General Assembly, and shall hold his office for four years; but may be removed by the Governor, on the address of two-thirds of the two houses of the General Assembly; and shall receive for his services a compensation to be fixed by law.

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