punish a member for disorderly behavior, and, with the concurrence of two-thirds, expel a member; but not a second time for the same offense.

SEC. 9. Each branch of the National Council, when assembled, shall choose its own officers; a majority of each shall constitute a quorum to do business, but a smaller number may adjourn from day to day, and compel the attendance of absent members, in such manner and under such penalty as each branch may prescribe.

SEC. 10. The members of the National Committee shall each receive from the public treasury a compensation for their services, which shall be three dollars per day during their attendance at the National Council; and the members of the Council shall each receive three dollars per day for their services during their attendance at the National Council; provided, that the same may be increased or diminished by law; but no alteration shall take effect during the period of service of the members of the National Council by whom such alteration may have been made.

SEC. 11. The National Council shall regulate by law, by whom and in what manner, writs of elections shall be issued to fill the vacancies which may happen in either branch thereof.

SEC. 12. Each member of the National Council, before he takes his seat, shall take the following oath or af firmation:

I, A. B., do solemnly swear (or affirm, as the case may be,) that I have not obtained my election by

bribery, treats, or any undue and unlawful means, used by myself or others, by my desire or approbation for that purpose: that I consider myself constitutionally qualified as a member of and that on all ques

tions and measures which may come before me, I will so give my vote, and so conduct myself, as in my judgment shall appear most conducive to the interest and prosperity of this Nation, and that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same, and to the utmost of my ability and power, observe, conform to, support and defend, the constitution thereof.

SEC. 13. No person who may be convicted of felony shall be eligible to any office or appointment of honor, profit, or trust, within this Nation.

SEC. 14. The National Council shall have power to make all laws and regulations which they shall deem necessary and proper for the good of the Nation, which shall not be contrary to this constitution.

SEC. 15. It shall be the duty of the National Council to pass such laws as may be necessary and proper to decide differences by arbitration, to be appointed by the parties who may choose that summary mode of adjustment.

SEC. 16. No power of suspending the laws of this Nation shall be exercised, unless by the National Council or its authority.

SEC. 17. No retrospective law, nor any law impairing the obligation of contracts, shall be passed.

SEC. 18. The National Council shall have power to make laws for laying and collecting taxes for the purpose of raising a revenue.

SEC. 19. All bills making appropriations shall originate in the National Committee, but the Council may propose amendments or reject the same. All other

bills may originate in either branch, subject to the concurrence or rejection of the other.

SEC. 20. All acknowledged treaties shall be the supreme law of the land, and the National Council shall have the sole power of deciding on the construction of all treaty stipulations.

SEC. 21. The Council shall have the sole power of impeaching. All impeachments shall be tried by the National Committee. When sitting for that purpose, the member shall be upon oath or affirmation, and no person shall be convicted without the concurrence of two-thirds of the members present.

SEC. 22. The Principal Chief, Assistant Principal Chief, and all civil officers, shall be liable to impeachment for misdemeanor in office, but judgment in such cases shall not extend further than removal from office, and disqualification to hold any office of honor, trust or profit, under the government of this Nation.

The party, whether convicted or acquitted, shall, nevertheless, be liable to indictment, trial, judgment, and punishment, according to law.

ARTICLE IV.

SEC. 1. The supreme executive power of this Nation shall be vested in a Principal Chief, who shall be styled "The Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation."

The Principal Chief shall hold his office for the term of four years, and shall be elected by the qualified electors, on the same day, and at the places where they

shall respectively vote for members to the National Council.

The returns of the election for Principal Chief shall be sealed up and directed to the President of the National Committee, who shall open and publish them in the presence of the National Council assembled. The person having the highest number of votes shall be Principal Chief, but if two or more shall be equal and highest in votes, one of them shall be chosen by joint vote of both branches of the Council. The manner of determining contested elections shall be directed by law.

SEC. 2. No person, except a natural born citizen, shall be eligible to the office of Principal Chief; neither shall any person be eligible to that office who shall not have attained to the age of thirty-five years.

SEC. 3. There shall also be chosen at the same time by the qualified electors in the same manner for four years, an Assistant Principal Chief, who shall have attained to the age of thirty-five years.

SEC. 4. In case of the removal of the Principal Chief from office, or of his death or resignation, or inability to discharge the powers and duties of the said office, the same shall devolve on the Assistant Principal Chief, until the disability be removed, or the vacancy filled by the National Council.

SEC. 5. The National Council may, by law, provide for the case of removal, death, resignation, or disability of both the Principal and Assistant Principal Chiefs, declaring what officer shall then act as Principal Chief

until the disability be removed, or a Principal Chief shall be elected.

SEC. 6. The Principal and Assistant Principal Chief shall, at stated times, receive for their services a compensation which shall neither be increased or diminished during the period for which they shall have been elected; and they shall not receive, within that period, any other emolument from the Cherokee Nation or any other government.

SEC. 7. Before the Principal Chief enters on the execution of his office, he shall take the following oath or affirmation:

I do solemnly swear or affirm that I will faithfully execute the duties of Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation, and will, to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the constitution of the Cherokee Nation.

SEC. 8. He may, on extraordinary occasions, convene the National Council at the seat of government.

SEC. 9. He shall, from time to time, give to the National Council information of the state of the government, and recommend to their consideration

measures as he may deem expedient.

such

SEC. 10. He shall take care that the laws be faithfully executed.

SEC. 11. It shall be his duty to visit the different districts at least once in two years, to inform himself of the general condition of the country.

SEC. 12. The Assistant Principal Chief shall, by virtue of his office, aid and advise the Principal Chief