authority of the State of Tennessee, be sealed with the State seal, and signed by the Governor.

SEC. 7. A Secretary of State shall be appointed by joint vote of the General Assembly, and commissioned during the term of four years; he shi 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 the General Assembly; and shall perform such other duties as shall be enjoined by law.

SEC. 18. Every bill which may pass both houses of the General Assembly shall, before it becomes a law, be presented to the Governor for his signature If he approve it, he shall sign it, and the same shall become a law; but if he refuse to sign it, he shall return it, with his objections thereto in writing to the house in which it originated; and said house shall cause said objections to be entered at large upon its journal, and proceed to reconsider the b If, after such reconsideration, a majority of all the members elected to that house shall agree to pass the bill, notwithstanding the objections of the Executive, it shall be sent, with said objections, to the other house, by which it shall be likewise reconsidered. If approved by a majority of the who number elected to that house, it shall become a law. The votes of buil houses shall be determined by yeas and nays, and the names of all the mem bers voting for or against the bill shall be entered upon the journals of the respective houses. If the Governor shall fail to return any bill, with his objections, within five days (Sundays excepted) after it shall have been presented to him, the same shall become a law without his signature, unless the General Assembly, by its adjournment, prevents its return, in which case it shall not become a law. Every joint resolution or order (except on ques tions of adjournment) shall likewise be presented to the Governor for his signature, and before it shall take effect shall receive his signature; a on being disapproved by him, shall, in like manner, be returned,' with hiobjections; and the same, before it shall take effect, shall be repassed by a majority of all the members elected to both houses, in the manner an according to the rules prescribed in case of a bill.

ARTICLE IV.

ELECTIONS.

SECTION 1. Every male person of the age of twenty-one years, being a citizen of the United States, and a resident of this State for twelve mouths. and of the county wherein he may offer his vote for six months, next p ceding the day of election, shall be entitled to vote for members of the Gen eral Assembly, and other civil officers for the county or district in whit he resides; and there shall be no qualification attached to the right of suffrage. except that each voter shall give to the judges of election, where he offers to vote, satisfactory evidence that he has paid the poll taxes assessed agains him for such preceding period as the Legislature shall prescribe, and at such time as may be prescribed by law; without which his vote cannot be received. And all male citizens of the State shall be subject to the paymen of poll taxes and to the performance of military duty within such ages 25 may be prescribed by law. The General Assembly shall have power to ena laws requiring voters to vote in the election precincts in which they may reside, and laws to secure the freedom of election and the purity of the ballot box.

SEC. 3.

SEC. 2. Laws may be passed excluding from the right of suffrage per sons who may be convicted of infamous crimes. Electors shall, in all cases, except treason, felony, or breach of the peace, be privileged from arrest or summons, during their attendance st elections, and in going to and returning from them.

SEC. 4. In all elections to be made by the General Assembly, the mem bers thereof shall vote viva voce, and their votes shall be entered on the journal. All other elections shall be by ballot.

ARTICLE V.

IMPEACHMENT.

SECTION 1. The House of Representatives shall have the sole power of Pachment. SEC. 2. All impeachments shall be tried by the Senate. When sitting that purpose, the Senators shall be upon oath or affirmation, and the f Justice of the Supreme Court-or, if he be on trial, the senior assojudge-shall preside over them. No person shall be convicted without concurrence of two-thirds of the Senators sworn to try the officer im

hed.

SEC. 3. The House of Representatives shall elect from their own body e members, whose duty it shall be to prosecute impeachments. No imhment shall be tried until the Legislature shall have adjourned sine die, n the Senate shall proceed to try such impeachment.

SEC. 4. The Governor, judges of the Supreme Court, judges of the inferior ts, chancellors, attorneys for the State, Treasurer, Comptroller and Secreof State, shall be liable to impeachment whenever they may, in the tion of the House of Representatives, commit any crime in their official city which may require disqualification: but judgment shall only extend emoval from office, and disqualification to fill any office thereafter. The y shall, nevertheless, be liable to indictment, trial, judgment, and punisht according to law. The Legislature now has, and shall continue to e, power to relieve from the penalties imposed any person disqualified holding office by the judgment of a court of impeachment. SEC. 5. Justices of the peace, and other civil officers, not hereinbefore tioned, for crimes or misdemeanors in office, shall be liable to indictit in such courts as the Legislature may direct; and. upon conviction. I be removed from office by said court, as if found guilty on impeacht; and shall be subject to such other punishment as may be prescribed

aw.

ARTICLE VI.
JUDICIAL DEPARTMENT.

SECTION 1. The judicial power of this State shall be vested in one Sume Court, and in such Circuit, Chancery, and other inferior courts as Legislature shall, from time to time, ordain and establish; in the judges reof, and in justices of the peace. The Legislature may also vest such sliction in corporation courts as may be deemed necessary. Courts to be len by justices of the peace may also be established.

SEC. 2. The Supreme Court shall consist of five judges, of whom not more n two shall reside in any one of the grand divisions of the State. The ges shall designate one of their own number who shall preside as Chief tice. The concurrence of three of the judges shall, in every case, be essary to a decision. The jurisdiction of this court shall be appellate only, der such restrictions and regulations as may, from time to time, be prehed by law: but it may possess such other jurisdiction as is now conferred law on the present Supreme Court. Said Court shall be held at Knoxe. Nashville. and Jackson.

SEC. 3. The Judges of the Supreme Court shall be elected by the qualified ers of the State. The Legislature shall have power to prescribe such rules may be necessary to carry out the provisions of Section 2 of this article. ery judge of the Supreme Court shall be thirty-five years of age, and 11. before his election, have been a resident of the State for five years. s term of service shall be eight years.

SEC. 4. The judges of the Circuit and Chancery Courts, and of other erior courts, shall be elected by the qualified voters of the district or cir ts to which they are to be assigned. Every judge of such courts shall thirty years of age, and shall, before his election, have been a resident the State for five years, and of the circuit or district one year. m of service shall be eight years.

His

SEC. 5. An Attorney-general and Reporter for the State shall be g pointed by the judges of the Supreme Court, and shall hold his office for term of eight years. An attorney for the State for any circuit or distr.for which a judge having criminal jurisdiction shall be provided by law shal elected by the qualified voters of such circuit or district, and shall hold his o for a term of eight years, and shal! have been a resident of the State five yea and of the circuit or district one year. In all cases where the attorney for a district fails or refuses to attend and prosecute according to law, the court sh have power to appoint an attorney pro tempore.

SEC. 6. Judges and attorneys for the State may be removed from ofby a concurrent vote of both houses of the General Assembly, each house voting separately: but two-thirds of the members to which each house may entitled must concur in such vote. The vote shall be determined by ayes a. noes, and the names of the members voting for or against the judge or an torney for the State, together with the cause or causes of removal, shall e entered on the journal of each house, respectively. The judge or attor for the State, against whom the Legislature may be about to proceed. receive notice thereof, accompanied with a copy of the causes alleged his removal, at least ten days before the day on which either house of General Assembly shall act thereupon.

SEC. 7. The judges of the Supreme Court or inferior courts shall. stated times, receive a compensation for their services, to be ascertained! law, which shall not be increased or diminished during the time for wi they are elected. They shall not be allowed any fees or perquisites of obs nor hold any office of trust or profit under this State or the United States. SEC. 8. The jurisdiction of the Circuit, Chancery, and other inferior e shall be as now established by law, until changed by the Legislature.

SEC. 9. Judges shall not charge juries with respect to matters of f but may state the testimony and declare the law.

SEC. 10. The judges or justices of inferior courts of law and er shall have power in all civil cases [cases] to issue writs of certiorari. remove any cause or the transcript of the record thereof, from any infer jurisdiction into such court of law, on sufficient cause, supported by oat affirmation.

SEC. 11. No judge of the Supreme or inferior courts shall preside the trial of any cause in the event of which he may be interested, or wher either of the parties shall be connected with him by affinity or consanguini, within such degrees as may be prescribed by law, or in which he may b been of counsel, or in which he may have presided in any inferior . except by consent of all the parties. In case all or any of the judges the Supreme Court shall thus be disqualified from presiding on the trial any cause or causes, the court, or the judges thereof, shall certify the s to the Governor of the State, and he shall forthwith specially commission requisite number of men, of law knowledge, for the trial and determinat thereof. The Legislature may, by general laws, make provision that speci judges may be appointed to hold any courts the judge of which shall be uns or fail to attend or sit, or to hear any in which the judge may be incompete SEC. 12. All writs and other process shall run in the name of the St of Tennessee, and bear teste and be signed by the respective clerks. dictments shall conclude, "against the peace and dignity of the State."

SEC. 13. Judges of the Supreme Court shall appoint their clerks, vi shall hold their offices for six years. Chancellors shall appoint their es and masters, who shall hold their offices for six years. Clerks of iufer courts, holden in the respetive counties or districts, shall be elected by the qualified voters thereof, for the term of four years. Any clerk may le moved from office for malfeasance, incompetency, or neglect of duty, in < manner as may be prescribed by law.

SEC. 14. No fine shall be laid on any citizen of this State that st exceed fifty dollars, unless it shall be assessed by a jury of his peers, wh shall assess the fine at the time they find the fact, if they think the fre should be more than fifty dollars.

SEC. 15. The different counties of this State shall be laid off, as the eral Assembly may direct, into districts of convenient size, so that the le number in each county shall not be more than twenty-five, or four for y one hundred square miles. There shall be two justices of the peace one constable elected in each district, by the qualified voters therein, pt districts including county towns, which shall elect three justices and constables. The jurisdiction of said officers shall be co-extensive with county. Justices of the peace shall be elected for the term of six, and tables for the term of two, years. Upon removal of either of said officers the district in which he was elected, his office shall become vacant from time of such removal. Justices of the peace shall be commissioned by Governor. The Legislature shall have power to provide for the appointt of an additional number of justices of the peace in incorporated towns.

ARTICLE VII.

STATE AND COUNTY OFFICER.

SECTION 1. There shall be elected in each county, by the qualified voters ein, one sheriff, one trustee, one register; the sheriff and trustee for two s, and the register for four years. But no person shall be eligible to

office of sheriff more than six years in any term of eight years. There 1 be elected for each county, by the justices of the peace, one coroner one ranger, who shall hold their offices for two years; said officers shall removed for malfeasance, or neglect of duty, in such manner as may be scribed by law.

SEC. 2. Should a vacancy occur, subsequent to an election, in the office sheriff, trustee, or register, it shall be filled by the justices; if in that the clerks to be elected by the people, it shall be filled by the courts: the person so appointed shall continue in office until his successor shall elected and qualified; and such office shall be filled by the qualified voters the first election for any of the county officers.

SEC. 3. There shall be a Treasurer, or Treasurers, and a Comptroller the Treasury, appointed for the State, by the joint vote of both houses of General Assembly, who shall hold their offices for two years.

SEC. 4. The election of all officers and the filling of all vacancies not erwise directed or provided by this Constitution shall be made in such ner as the Legislature shall direct.

SEC. 5. Elections for judicial and other civil officers shall be held on the t Thursday in August, one thousand eight hundred and seventy, and forever reafter on the first Thursday in August next preceding the expiration of ir respective terms of service.

The term of each officer so elected shall be computed from the first day September next succeeding his election. The term of office of the Govor and of other executive officers shall be computed from the fifteenth of uary next after election of the Governor. No appointment or election fill a vacancy shall be made for a period extending beyond the unexpired m. Every officer shall hold his office until his successor is elected or apnted and qualified. No special election shall be held to fill a vacancy in office of judge or district attorney, but at the time herein fixed for the unial election of civil officers; and such vacancy shall be filled at the xt biennial election occurring more than thirty days after the vacancy

-urs.

ARTICLE VIII.

MILITIA.

SECTION 1. All militia officers shall be elected by persons subject to miliy duty, within the bounds of their several companies, battalions, regi-nts, brigades, and divisions, under such rules and regulations as the Legisure may, from time to time. direct and establish.

SEC. 2. The Governor shall appoint the adjutant general and his other

staff officers; the major generals, brigadier generals, and commanding officers of regiments shail, respectively, appoint their staff officers.

SEC. 3. The Legislature shall pass laws exempting citizens belonging t any sect or denomination of religion, the tenets of which are known to be opposed to the bearing of arms, from attending private and general muster.

ARTICLE IX.
DISQUALIFICATION.

SECTION 1. Whereas ministers of the gospel are, by their profession, dedi cated to God and the care of souls, and ought not to be diverted from the great duties of their functions; therefore no minister of the gospel, or pries of any denomination whatever, shall be eligible to a seat in either house of the Legislature.

SEC. 2. No person who denies the being of God, or a future state of re wards and punishments, shall hold any office in the civil department of this State.

SEC. 3. Any person who shall, after the adoption of this Constitutio fight a duel, or knowingly be the bearer of a challenge to fight a duel. send or accept a challenge for that purpose, or be an aider or abettor in figir ing a duel, shall be deprived of the right to hold any office of honor or prot in this State, and shall be punished otherwise, in such manner as the Legis á lature may prescribe.

ARTICLE X.

OATHS, BRIBERY OF ELECTORS, NEW COUNTIES.

SECTION 1. Every person who shall be chosen or appointed to any of of trust or profit under this Constitution, or any law made in pursuin thereof, shall, before entering upon the duties thereof, take an oath to suport the Constitution of this State, and of the United States, and an o of office.

SEC. 2. Each member of the Senate and House of Representatives sh before they proceed to business, take an oath or affirmation to support t) Constitution of this State, and of the United States, and also the followoath: "I do solemnly swear [or affirm] that, as a member the General Assembly. I will, in all appointments, vote without favor, affetion, partiality, or prejudice; and that I will not propose or assent to z bill, vote, or, resolution, which shall appear to me injurious to the peop or consent to any act or thing whatever that shall have a tendency to lesser or abridge their rights and privileges, as declared by the Constitution f this State."

SEC. 3. Any elector who shall receive any gift or reward for his vete in meat, drink, money, or otherwise, shall suffer such punishment as t laws shall direct; and any person who shall directly or indirectly it promise, or bestow any such reward to be elected shall thereby be render incapable, for six years, to serve in the office for which he was elected, 2o be subject to such further punishment as the Legislature shall direct.

SEC. 4. New counties may be established by the Legislature, to consist of not less than two hundred and seventy-five square miles, and which st contain a population of seven hundred qualified voters. No line of such com shall approach the courthouse of any old county from which it may be take nearer than eleven miles, nor shall such old county be reduced to less th five hundred square miles. But the following exceptions are made to the foregoing provisions, viz. : New counties may be established by the present or any succeeding Legislature out of the following territory-to wit: 1 IT of that portion of Obion County which lies west of low-water mark of Re foot Lake; out of fractions of Sumner, Macon, and Smith Counties: but 51 line of such new county shall approach the courthouse of Sumner or Swi Counties nearer than ten miles, nor include any part of Macon County lyi within nine and a half miles of the courthouse of said county; nor sta