Графични страници
PDF файл
ePub

comprehend the counties of Dutchefs, Ulfter, and Orange; the western district, the city and county of Albany, and Tryon county; and the eastern district, the counties of Charlotte, Cumberland, and Gloucefter. That the Senators shall be elected by the freeholders of the faid diftricts, qualified as aforefaid, in the proportions following, to wit, in the fouthern district nine, in the middle diftrict fix, in the western district fix, and in the eastern district three. And be it ordained, that a cenfus fhall be taken as foon as may be, after the expiration of feven years from the termination of the prefent war, under the direction of the legislature: and if on fuch cenfus it fhall appear that the number of Senators is not justly proportioned to the feveral diftricts, that the legislature adjust the proportion as near as may be, to the number of freeholders qualified as aforefaid, in each district. That when the number of electors within any of the faid diftricts fhall have increased one twenty-fourth part of the whole number of electors, which, by the faid cenfus, fhall be found to be in this State, an additional Senator fhall be chofen by the electors of such district. That a majority of the number of Senators to be chosen as aforefaid fhall be neceffary to conflitute

L 2

stitute a Senate sufficient to proceed upon bufiness, and that the Senate fhall, in like manner with the Affembly, be the judges of its own Members. And be it ordained, that it fhall be in the power of the future legiflatures of this State, for the convenience and advantage of the good people thereof, to divide the fame into fuch further and other counties and districts, as shall to them appear neceffary.

XIII. And this Convention doth further, in the name and by the authority of the good people of this State, ordain, determine, and declare, that no Member of this State fhall be disfranchifed, or deprived of any of the rights or privi leges fecured to the fubjects of this State by this Conftitution, unless by the law of the land or the judgment of his peers.

XIV. That neither the Affembly nor the Senate shall have power to adjourn themselves for any longer time than two days, without the mutual confent of both.

XV. That whenever the Affembly and Senate difagree, a conference fhall be held in the prefence of both, and be managed by Committees to be by them refpectively chofen by ballot. That the doors both of the Senate and Affembly shall at all times be kept open to all persons,

except when the welfare of the State fhall require their debates to be kept fecret. And the journals of all their proceedings fhall be kept in the manner heretofore accustomed by the General Affembly of the Colony of New York, and except fuch parts as they fhall, as aforesaid, refpectively determine not to make public, be from day to day (if the bufinefs of the legislature will permit) published.

XVI. It is nevertheless provided, that the number of Senators fhall never exceed one hundred, nor the number of Affembly three hundred ; but that whenever the number of Senators hall amount to one hundred, or of the Affembly to three hundred, then, and in such case, the legiflature fhall from time to time thereafter, by laws for that purpose, apportion and distribute the faid one hundred Senators, and three

hundred Representatives, among the great diftricts and counties of this State, in proportion to the number of their respective electors; so that the Representation of the good people of this State, both in the Senate and Affembly, shall for ever remain proportionate and adequate.

XVII. And this Convention doth further, in the name and by the authority of the good people of this State, ordain, determine, and declare,

13

clare, that the fupreme executive power and authority of this State fhall be vested in a Governor; and that ftatedly once in every three years, and as often as the feat of government fhall become vacant, a wife and difcreet freeholder of this State fhall be by ballot elected Governor by the freeholders of this State qualified as before defcribed to elect Senators ; which elections shall be always held at the times and places of choofing Representatives in Affembly for each respective county; and that the person who hath the greatest number of votes within the faid State, fhall be Governor thereof,

XVIII. That the Governor fhall continue in office three years; and fhall, by virtue of his office, be General and Commander in Chief of all the Militia, and Admiral of the Navy of this State; that he fhall have power to convene the Affembly and Senate on extraordinary occafions, to prorogue them from time to time, provided fuch prorogations fhall not exceed fixty days in the space of any one year; and at his difcretion to grant reprieves and pardons to perfons convicted of crimes, other than treafon or murder, in which he may fufpend the execution of the fentence, until it fhall be reported to the legiflature at their fub

fequent

fequent meeting; and they fhall either pardon or direct the execution of the criminal, or grant a farther reprieve.

XIX. That it shall be the duty of the Governor to inform the legislature, at every feffions, of the condition of the State, so far as may respect his department; to recommend fuch matters to their confideration as shall appear to him to concern its good government, welfare and profperity; to correspond with the Continental Congrefs, and other States; to tranfact all neceffary bufinefs with the officers of Government, civil and military; to take care that the laws are faithfully executed to the best of his ability; and to expedite all fuch measures as may be refolved upon by the legiflature.

XX. That a Lieutenant-Governor fhall, at every election of a Governor, and as often as the Lieutenant-Governor fhall die, refign, or be removed from office, be elected in the fame manner with the Governor, to continue in office until the next election of a Governor; and fuch Lieutenant-Governor fhall, by virtue of his office, be Prefident of the Senate, and, upon an equal divifion, have a casting voice in their

L4

« ПредишнаНапред »