# The Federal and State Constitutions/Constitution of North Carolina—1776

* related portals: North Carolina
* sister projects: Wikidata item
CONSTITUTION OF NORTH CAROLINA—1776
a declaration of rights, &c.
I. That all political power is vested in and derived from the people only.
II. That the people of this State ought to have the sole and exclusive right of regulating the internal government and police thereof.
III. That no man or set of men are entitled to exclusive or separate emoluments or privileges from the community, but in consideration of public services.
IV. That the legislative, executive, and supreme judicial powers of government, ought to be forever separate and distinct from each other.
V. That all powers of suspending laws, or the execution of laws, by any authority, without consent of the Representatives of the people, is injurious to their rights, and ought not to be exercised.
VI. That elections of members, to serve as Representatives in General Assembly, ought to be free.
VII. That, in all criminal prosecutions, every man has a right to be informed of the accusation against him, and to confront the accusers and witnesses with other testimony, and shall not be compelled to give evidence against himself.
VIII. That no freeman shall be put to answer any criminal charge, but by indictment, presentment, or impeachment.
IX. That no freeman shall be convicted of any crime, but by the unanimous verdict of a jury of good and lawful men, in open court, as heretofore used.
​X. That excessive bail should not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel or unusual punishments inflicted.
XI. That general warrants—whereby an officer or messenger may be commanded to search suspected places, without evidence of the fact committed, or to seize any person or persons, not named, whose offences are not particularly described, and supported by evidence—are dangerous to liberty, and ought not to be granted.
XII. That no freeman ought to be taken, imprisoned, or disseized of his freehold, liberties or privileges, or outlawed, or exiled, or in any manner destroyed, or deprived of his life, liberty, or property, but by the law of the land.
XIII. That every freeman, restrained of his liberty, is entitled to a remedy, to inquire into the lawfulness thereof, and to remove the same, if unlawful; and that such remedy ought not to be denied or delayed.
XIV. That in all controversies at law, respecting property, the ancient mode of trial, by jury, is one of the best securities of the rights of the people, and ought to remain sacred and inviolable.
XV. That the freedom of the press is one of the great bulwarks of liberty, and therefore ought never to be restrained.
XVI. That the people of this State ought not to be taxed, or made subject to the payment of any impost or duty, without the consent of themselves, or their Representatives in General Assembly, freely given.
XVII. That the people have a right to bear arms, for the defence of the State; and, as standing armies, in time of peace, are dangerous to liberty, they ought not to be kept up; and that the military should be kept under strict subordination to, and governed by, the civil power.
XVIII. That the people have a right to assemble together, to consult for their common good, to instruct their Representatives, and to apply to the Legislature, for redress of grievances.
XIX. That all men have a natural and unalienable right to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their own consciences.
XX. That, for redress of grievances, and for amending and strengthening the laws, elections ought to be often held.
XXI. That a frequent recurrence to fundamental principles is absolutely necessary, to preserve the blessing of liberty.
XXII. That no hereditary emoluments, privileges or honors ought to be granted or conferred in this State.
XXIII. That perpetuities and monopolies are contrary to the genius of a free State, and ought not to be allowed.
XXIV. That retrospective laws, punishing facts committed before the existence of such laws, and by them only declared criminal, are oppressive, unjust, and incompatible with liberty; wherefore no ex post facto law ought to be made.
XXV. The property of the soil, in a free government, being one of the essential rights of the collective body of the people, it is necessary, in order to avoid future disputes, that the limits of the State should be ascertained with precision; and as the former temporary line between North and South Carolina, was confirmed, and extended by Commissioners, appointed by the Legislatures of the two States, agreeable to the order of the late King George the Second, in Council, that line, and that only, should be esteemed the southern boundary ​of this State as follows: that is to say, beginning on the sea side, at a cedar stake, at or near the mouth of Little River (being the southern extremity of Brunswick county,) and running from thence a northwest course, through the boundary house, which stands in thirty-three degrees fifty-six minutes, to thirty-five degrees north latitude; and from thence a west course so far as is mentioned in the Charter of King Charles the Second, to the late Proprietors of Carolina. Therefore all the territories, seas, waters, and harbours, with their appurtenances, lying between the line above described, and the southern line of the State of Virginia, which begins on the sea shore, in thirty-six degrees thirty minutes, north latitude, and from thence runs west, agreeable to the said Charter of King Charles, are the right and property of the people of this State, to be held by them in sovereignty; any partial line, without the consent of the Legislature of this State, at any time thereafter directed, or laid out, in anywise notwithstanding: — Provided always, That this Declaration of Rights shall not prejudice any nation or nations of Indians, from enjoying such hunting-grounds as may have been, or hereafter shall be, secured to them by any former or future Legislature of this State: — And provided also, That it shall not be construed so as to prevent the establishment of one or more governments westward of this State, by consent of the Legislature: — And provided further, That nothing herein contained shall affect the titles or possessions of individuals holding or claiming under the laws heretofore in force, or grants heretofore made by the late King George the Second, or his predecessors, or the late lords proprietors, or any of them.
the constitution, or form of government, &c
WHEREAS allegiance and protection are, in their nature, reciprocal, and the one should of right be refused when the other is withdrawn:
And whereas George the Third, King of Great Britain, and late Sovereign of the British American Colonies, hath not only withdrawn from them his protection, but, by an act of the British Legislature, declared the inhabitants of these States out of the protection of the British crown, and all their property, found upon the high seas, liable to be seized and confiscated to the uses mentioned in the said act; and the said George the Third has also sent fleets and armies to prosecute a cruel war against them, for the purpose of reducing the inhabitants of the said Colonies to a state of abject slavery; in consequence whereof, all government under the said King, within the said Colonies, hath ceased, and a total dissolution of government in many of them hath taken place.
And whereas the Continental Congress, having considered the premises, and other previous violations of the rights of the good people of America, have therefore declared, that the Thirteen United Colonies are, of right, wholly absolved from all allegiance to the British crown, or any other foreign jurisdiction whatsoever: and that the said Colonies now are, and forever shall be, free and independent States.
Wherefore, in our present state, in order to prevent anarchy and confusion, it becomes necessary, that government should be established in this State; therefore we, the Representatives of the freemen ​of North-Carolina, chosen and assembled in Congress, for the express purpose of framing a Constitution, under the authority of the people, most conducive to their happiness and prosperity, do declare, that a government for this State shall be established, in manner and form following, to wit:
I. That the legislative authority shall be vested in two distinct branches, both dependent on the people, to wit, a Senate and House of Commons.
II. That the Senate shall be composed of Representatives, annually chosen by ballot, one for each county in the State.
III. That the House of Commons shall be composed of Representatives annually chosen by ballot, two for each county, and one for each of the towns of Edenton, Newbern, Wilmington, Salisbury, Hillsborough and Halifax.
IV. That the Senate and House of Commons, assembled for the purpose of legislation, shall be denominated, The General Assembly.
V. That each member of the Senate shall have usually resided in the county in which he is chosen for one year immediately preceding his election, and for the same time shall have possessed, and continue to possess, in the county which he represents, not less than three hundred acres of land in fee.
VI. That each member of the House of Commons shall have usually resided in the county in which he is chosen for one year immediately preceding his election, and for six months shall have possessed, and continue to possess, in the county which he represents, not less than one hundred acres of land in fee, or for the term of his own life.
VII. That all freemen, of the age of twenty-one years, who have been inhabitants of any one county within the State twelve months immediately preceding the day of any election, and possessed of a freehold within the same county of fifty acres of land, for six months next before, and at the day of election, shall be entitled to vote for a member of the Senate.
VIII. That all freemen of the age of twenty-one years, who have been inhabitants of any one county within this State twelve months immediately preceding the day of any election, and shall have paid public taxes, shall be entitled to vote for members of the House of Commons for the county in which he resides.
IX. That all persons possessed of a freehold in any town in this State, having a right of representation, and also all freemen, who have been inhabitants of any such town twelve months next before, and at the day of election, and shall have paid public taxes, shall be entitled to vote for a member to represent such town in the House of Commons: — Provided always, That this section shall not entitle any inhabitant of such town to vote for members of the House of Commons, for the county in which he may reside, nor any freeholder in such county, who resides without or beyond the limits of such town, to vote for a member for said town.
X. That the Senate and House of Commons, when met, shall each have power to choose a speaker, and other their officers; be judges of the qualifications and elections of their members; sit upon their own adjournments from day to day; and prepare bills, to be passed into ​laws. The two Houses shall direct writs of election for supplying intermediate vacancies; and shall also jointly, by ballot, adjourn themselves to any future day and place.
XI. That all bills shall be read three times in each House, before they pass into laws, and be signed by the Speakers of both Houses.
XII. That every person, who shall be chosen a member of the Senate or House of Commons, or appointed to any office or place of trust, before taking his seat, or entering upon the execution of his office, shall take an oath to the State; and all officers shall also take an oath of office.
XIII. That the General Assembly shall, by joint ballot of both houses, appoint Judges of the Supreme Courts of Law and Equity, Judges of Admiralty, and Attorney-General, who shall be commissioned by the Governor, and hold their offices during good behaviour.
XIV. That the Senate and House of Commons shall have power to appoint the generals and field-officers of the militia, and all officers of the regular army of this State.
XV. That the Senate and House of Commons, jointly at their first meeting after each annual election, shall by ballot elect a Governor for one year, who shall not be eligible to that office longer than three years, in six successive years. That no person, under thirty years of age, and who has not been a resident in this State above five years, and having, in the State, a freehold in lands and tenements above the value of one thousand pounds, shall be eligible as a Governor.
XIV. That the Senate and House of Commons, jointly, at their first meeting after each annual election, shall by ballot elect seven persons to be a Council of State for one year, who shall advise the Governor in the execution of his office; and that four members shall be a quorum; their advice and proceedings shall be entered in a journal, to be kept for that purpose only, and signed by the members present; to any part of which, any member present may enter his dissent. And such journal shall be laid before the General Assembly when called for by them.
XVII. That there shall be a seal of this State, which shall be kept by the Governor, and used by him, as occasion may require; and shall be called, The Great Seal of the State of North Carolina, and be affixed to all grants and commissions.
XVIII. The Governor, for the time being, shall be captain-general and commander in chief of the militia; and, in the recess of the General Assembly, shall have power, by and with the advice of the Council of State, to embody the militia for the public safety.
XIX. That the Governor, for the time being, shall have power to draw for and apply such sums of money as shall be voted by the general assembly, for the contingencies of government, and be accountable to them for the same. He also may, by and with the advice of the Council of State, lay embargoes, or prohibit the exportation of any commodity, for any term not exceeding thirty days, at any one time in the recess of the General Assembly; and shall have the power of granting pardons and reprieves, except where the prosecution shall be carried on by the General Assembly, or the law shall otherwise direct; in which case he may, in the recess, grant a reprieve until the next sitting of the General Assembly; and may exercise all ​the other executive powers of government, limited and restrained as by this Constitution is mentioned, and according to the laws of the State. And on his death, inability, or absence from the State, the Speaker of the Senate for the time being — (and in case of his death, inability, or absence from the State, the Speaker of the House of Commons) shall exercise the powers of government after such death, or during such absence or inability of the Governor (or Speaker of the Senate,) or until a new nomination is made by the General Assembly.
XX. That in every case where any officer, the right of whose appointment is by this Constitution vested in the General Assembly, shall, during their recess, die, or his office by other means become vacant, the Governor shall have power, with the advice of the Council of State, to fill up such vacancy, by granting a temporary commission, which shall expire at the end of the next session of the General Assembly.
XXI. That the Governor, Judges of the Supreme Court of Law and Equity, Judges of Admiralty, and Attorney-General, shall have adequate salaries during their continuance in office.
XXII. That the General Assembly shall, by joint ballot of both Houses, annually appoint a Treasurer or Treasurers for this State.
XXIII. That the Governor, and other officers, offending against the State, by violating any part of this Constitution, mal-administration, or corruption, may be prosecuted, on the impeachment of the General Assembly, or presentment of the Grand Jury of any court of supreme jurisdiction in this State.
XXIV. That the General Assembly shall, by joint ballot of both Houses, triennially appoint a Secretary for this State.
XXV. That no persons, who heretofore have been, or hereafter may be, receivers of public the monies, shall have a seat in either House of General Assembly, or be eligible to any office in this State, until such person shall have fully accounted for and paid into the treasury all sums for which they may be accountable and liable.
XXVI. That no Treasurer shall have a seat, either in the Senate, House of Commons, or Council of State, during his continuance in that office, or before he shall have finally settled his accounts with the public, for all the monies which may be in his hands at the expiration of his office belonging to the State, and hath paid the same into the hands of the succeeding Treasurer.
XXVII. That no officer in the regular army or navy, in the service and pay of the United States, of this or any other State, nor any contractor or agent for supplying such army or navy with clothing or provisions, shall have a seat either in the Senate, House of Commons, or Council of State, or be eligible thereto: and any member of the Senate, House of Commons, or Council of State, being appointed to and accepting of such office, shall thereby vacate his seat.
XXVIII. That no member of the Council of State shall have a seat, either in the Senate, or House of Commons.
XXIX. That no Judge of the Supreme Court of Law or Equity, or Judge of Admiralty, shall have a seat in the Senate, House of Commons, or Council of State.
XXX. That no Secretary of this State, Attorney-General, or Clerk of any Court of record, shall have a seat in the Senate, House of Commons, or Council of State.
​XXXI. That no clergyman, or preacher of the gospel, of any denomination, shall be capable of being a member of either the Senate, House of Commons, or Council of State, while he continues in the exercise of the pastoral function.
XXXII. That no person, who shall deny the being of God or the truth of the Protestant religion, or the divine authority either of the Old or New Testaments, or who shall hold religious principles incompatible with the freedom and safety of the State, shall be Capable of holding any office or place of trust or profit in the civil department within this State.
XXXIII. That the Justices of the Peace, within their respective counties in this State, shall in future be recommended to the Governor for the time being, by the Representatives in General Assembly; and the Governor shall commission them accordingly: and the Justices, when so commissioned, shall hold their offices during good behaviour, and shall not be removed from office by the General Assembly, unless for misbehaviour, absence, or inability.
XXXIV. That there shall be no establishment of any one religious church or denomination in this State, in preference to any other; neither shall any person, on any pretence whatsoever, be compelled to attend any place of worship contrary to his own faith or judgment, nor be obliged to pay, for the purchase of any glebe, or the building of any house of worship, or for the maintenance of any minister or ministry, contrary to what he believes right, or has voluntarily and personally engaged to perform; but all persons shall be at liberty to exercise their own mode of worship: — Provided, That nothing herein contained shall be construed to exempt preachers of treasonable or seditious discourses, from legal trial and punishment.
XXXV. That no person in the State shall hold more than one lucrative office, at any one time: — Provided, That no appointment in the militia, or the office of a Justice of the Peace, shall be considered as a lucrative office.
XXXVI. That all commissions and grants shall run in the name of the State of North Carolina, and bear test, and be signed by the Governor. All writs shall run in the same manner, and bear test, and be signed by the Clerks of the respective Courts. Indictments shall conclude, Against the peace and dignity of the State.
XXXVII. That the Delegates for this State, to the Continental Congress while necessary, shall be chosen annually by the General Assembly, by ballot; but may be superseded, in the mean time, in the same manner; and no person shall be elected, to serve in that capacity, for more than three years successively.
XXXVIII. That there shall be a Sheriff, Coroner or Coroners, and Constables, in each county within this State.
XXXIX. That the person of a debtor, where there is not a strong presumption of fraud, shall not be continued in prison, after delivering up, bona fide, all his estate real and personal, for the use of his creditors, in such manner as shall be hereafter regulated by law. All prisoners shall be bailable by sufficient sureties, unless for capital offences, when the proof is evident, or the presumption great.
XL. That every foreigner, who comes to settle in this State, having first taken an oath of allegiance to the same, may purchase, or, by ​other means, acquire, hold, and transfer land, or other real estate; and after one year's residence, shall be deemed a free citizen.
XLI. That a school or schools shall be established by the Legislature, for the convenient instruction of youth, with such salaries to the masters, paid by the public, as may enable them to instruct at low prices; and all useful learning shall be duly encouraged, and promoted, in one or more universities.
XLII. That no purchase of lands shall be made of the Indian natives, but on behalf of the public, by authority of the General Assembly.
XLIII. That the future Legislature of this State shall regulate entails, in such a manner as to prevent perpetuities.
XLIV. That the Declaration of Rights is hereby declared to be part of the Constitution of this State, and ought never to be violated, on any pretence whatsoever.
XLV. That any member of either House of General Assembly shall have liberty to dissent from, and protest against any act or resolve, which he may think injurious to the public, or any individual, and have the reasons of his dissent entered on the journals.
XLVI. That neither House of the General Assembly shall proceed upon public business, unless a majority of all the members of such House are actually present: and that, upon a motion made and seconded, the yeas and nays, upon any question, shall be taken and entered on the journals; and that the journals of the proceedings of both Houses of the General Assembly shall be printed, and made public, immediately after their adjournment.
This Constitution is not intended to preclude the present Congress from making a temporary provision, for the well ordering of this State, until the General Assembly shall establish government, agreeable to the mode herein before described.
Richard Caswell, President.
December the eighteenth, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-six, read the third time, and ratified in open Congress.
By order,
James Green, jun. secretary.
AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION OF 1776
(Ratified 1835)
Article 1. Section 1. One. The senate of this State shall consist of fifty representatives, biennially chosen by ballot, and to be elected by districts; which districts shall be laid on by the general assembly, at its first session after the year one thousand eight hundred and forty-one; and afterwards, at its first session after the year one thousand eight hundred and fifty-one; and then every twenty years thereafter, in proportion to the public taxes paid into the treasury of the State, by the citizens thereof; and the average of the public taxes paid by ​each county into the treasury of the State, for the five years preceding the laying off of the districts, shall be considered as its proportion of the public taxes, and constitute the basis of apportionment: Provided, That no county shall be divided in the formation of a senatorial district. And when there are one or more counties having an excess of taxation above the ratio to form a senatorial district, adjoining a county or counties deficient in such ratio, the excess or excesses aforesaid shall be added to the taxation of the county or counties deficient; and if, with such addition, the county or counties receiving it shall have the requisite ratio, such county and counties each shall constitute a senatorial district.
Two. The house of commons shall be composed of one hundred and twenty representatives, biennially chosen by ballot, to be elected by counties according to their Federal population, that is, according to their respective numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole number of free persons, including those bound to service for a term of years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three-fifths of all other persons; and each county shall have at least one member in the house of commons, although it may not contain the requisite ratio of population.
Three. This apportionment shall be made by the general assembly, at the respective times and periods when the districts for the senate are hereinbefore directed to be laid off; and the said apportionment shall be made according to an enumeration to be ordered by the general assembly, or according to the census which may be taken by order of Congress, next preceding the making such apportionment.
Four. In making the apportionment in the house of commons, the ratio of representation shall be ascertained by dividing the amount of Federal population in the State, after deducting that comprehended within those counties which do not severally contain the one hundred and twentieth part of the entire Federal population aforesaid, by the number of representatives less than the number assigned to the said counties. To each county containing the said ratio, and not twice the said ratio, there shall be assigned one representative; to each county containing twice, but not three times the said ratio, there shall be assigned two representatives, and so on progressively; and then the remaining representatives shall be assigned severally to the counties having the largest fractions.
Sec. 2. One. Until the first session of the general assembly which shall be had after the year eighteen hundred and forty-one, the senate shall be composed of members to be elected from the several districts hereinafter named, that is to say, the first district shall consist of the counties of Perquimons and Pasquotank; the second district of Camden and Currituck; the third district, Gates and Chowan; the fourth district, Washington and Tyrrell; the fifth district, Northampton; the sixth district, Hertford; the seventh district, Bertie; the eighth district, Martin; the ninth district, Halifax; the tenth district, Nash; the eleventh district, Wake; the twelfth district, Franklin; the thirteenth district, Johnston; the fourteenth district, Warren; the fifteenth district, Edgecomb; the sixteenth district, Wayne; the seventeenth district, Green and Lenoir; the eighteenth district, Pitt; the nineteenth district, Beaufort and Hyde; the twentieth district, Carteret and Jones; the twenty-first district, ​Craven; the twenty-second district, Chatham; the twenty-third district, Granville; the twenty-fourth district, Person; the twenty-fifth district, Cumberland; the twenty-sixth district, Sampson; the twenty-seventh district, New Hanover; the twenty-eighth district, Duplin; the twenty-ninth district, Onslow; the thirtieth district, Brunswick, Bladen, and Columbus; the thirty-first district, Robeson and Richmond; the thirty-second district, Anson; the thirty-third district, Cabarrus; the thirty-fourth district, Moore and Montgomery; the thirty-fifth district, Caswell; the thirty-sixth district, Rockingham; the thirty-seventh district, Orange; the thirty-eighth district, Randolph; the thirty-ninth district, Guilford; the fortieth district, Stokes; the forty-first district, Rowan; the forty-second district, Davidson; the forty-third district, Surry; the forty-fourth district, Wilkes and Ashe; the forty-fifth district, Burke and Yancy; the forty-sixth district, Lincoln; the forty-seventh district, Iredell; the forty-eighth district, Rutherford; the forty-ninth district, Buncombe, Haywood, and Macon; the fiftieth district, Mecklenburg; each district to be entitled to one senator.
Two. Until the first session of the general assembly after the year eighteen hundred and forty-one, the house of commons shall be composed of members elected from the counties in the following manner, viz:
The counties of Lincoln and Orange shall elect four members each. The counties of Burke, Chatham, Granville, Guilford, Halifax, Iredell, Mecklenburg, Rowan, Rutherford, Surry, Stokes, and Wake, shall elect three members each.
The counties of Anson, Beaufort, Bertie, Buncombe, Cumberland, Craven, Caswell, Davidson, Duplin, Edgecomb, Franklin, Johnston, Montgomery, New Hanover, Northampton, Person, Pitt, Randolph, Robeson, Richmond, Rockingham, Sampson, Warren, Wayne, and Wilkes shall elect two members each.
The counties of Ashe, Bladen, Brunswick, Camden, Columbus, Chowan, Currituck, Carteret, Cabarrus, Gates, Greene, Haywood, Hertford, Hyde, Jones, Lenoir, Macon, Moore, Martin, Nash, Onslow, Pasquotank, Perquimons, Tyrrell, Washington, and Yancy shall elect one member each.
Sec. 3. One. Each member of the senate shall have usually resided in the district for which he is chosen for one year immediately preceding his election, and for the same time shall have possessed and continue to possess in the district which he represents, not less than three hundred acres of land in fee.
Two. All free men of the age of twenty-one years, (except as is hereinafter declared,) who have been inhabitants of any one district within the State, twelve months immediately preceding the day of any election, and possessed of a freehold within the same district of fifty acres of land, for six months next before and at the day of election, shall be entitled to vote for a member of the senate.
Three. No free negro, free mulatto, or free person of mixed blood, descended from negro ancestors, to the fourth generation inclusive, (though one ancestor of each generation may have been a white person,) shall vote for members of the senate or house of commons.
​Sec. 4. One. In the election of all officers, whose appointment is conferred on the general assembly by the constitution, the vote shall be viva voce.
Two. The general assembly shall have power to pass laws regulating the mode of appointing and removing militia officers.
Three. The general assembly shall have power to pass general laws, regulating divorce and alimony, but shall not have power to grant a divorce or secure alimony in any individual case.
Four. The general assembly shall not have power to pass any private law to alter the name of any person, or to legitimate any persons not born in lawful wedlock, or to restore to the rights of citizenship, any person convicted of an infamous crime; but shall have power to pass general laws regulating the same.
Five. The general assembly shall not pass any private law, unless it shall be made to appear, that thirty days' notice of application to pass such law shall have been given, under such directions and in such manner as shall be provided by law.
Six. If vacancies shall occur by death, resignation, or otherwise, before the meeting of the general assembly, writs may be issued by the governor, under such regulations as may be prescribed by law.
Seven. The general assembly shall meet biennially, and at each biennial session shall elect by joint vote of the two houses a secretary of state, treasurer, and council of state, who shall continue in office for the term of two years.
Art. II. One. The governor shall be chosen by the qualified voters for the members of the house of commons, at such time and places as members of the general assembly are elected.
Two. He shall hold his office for the term of two years from the time of his installation, and until another shall be elected and qualified; but he shall not be eligible more than four years in any term of six years.
Three. The returns of every election for governor shall be sealed up and transmitted to the seat of government by the returning officers, directed to the speaker of the senate, who shall open and publish them in the presence of a majority of the members of both houses of the general assembly. 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 joint vote of both houses of the general assembly.
Four. Contested elections for governor shall be determined by both houses of the general assembly, in such manner as shall be prescribed by law.
Five. The governor-elect shall enter on the duties of the office on the first day of January next after his election, having previously taken the oaths of office in the presence of the members of both branches of the general assembly, or before the chief justice of the supreme court, who, in case the governor-elect should be prevented from attendance before the general assembly, by sickness or other unavoidable cause, is authorized to administer the same.
Art. III. Section 1. One. The governor, judges of the supreme court, and judges of the superior courts, and all other officers of this State, (except justices of the peace and militia officers,) may be impeached for wilfully violating any article of the constitution, maladministration, or corruption.
​Two. Judgment, in cases of impeachment, shall not extend further than to remove from office and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust, or profit under this State; but the party convicted may nevertheless be liable to indictment, trial, judgment, and punishment according to law.
Three. The house of commons shall have the sole power of impeachment. The senate shall have the sole power to try all impeachments. No person shall be convicted upon any impeachment unless two-thirds of the senators present shall concur in such conviction; and before the trial of any impeachment, the members of the senate shall take an oath or affirmation truly and impartially to try and determine the charge in question according to evidence.
Sec. 2. Any judge of the supreme court or of the superior courts may be removed from office for mental or physical inability, upon a concurrent resolution of two-thirds of both branches of the general assembly. The judge against whom the legislature may be about to proceed shall receive notice thereof, accompanied by a copy of the causes alleged for his removal, at least twenty days before the day on which either branch of the general assembly shall act thereon.
The salaries of the judges of the supreme court, or of the superior courts, shall not be diminished during their continuance in office.
Sec. 3. Upon the conviction of any justice of the peace of any infamous crime, or of corruption or malpractice in office, the commission of such justice shall be thereby vacated, and he shall be forever disqualified from holding such appointment.
Sec. 4. The general assembly, at its first session after the year one thousand eight hundred and thirty-nine, and from time to time thereafter, shall appoint an attorney-general, who shall be commissioned by the governor, and shall hold his office for the term of four years; but if the general assembly should hereafter extend the term during which solicitors of the State shall hold their offices, then they shall have power to extend the term of office of the attorney-general to the same period.
Art. IV. Section 1. One. No convention of the people shall be called by the general assembly, unless by the concurrence of two-thirds of all the members of each house of the general assembly.
Two. No part of the constitution of this State shall be altered, unless a bill to alter the same shall have been read three times in each house of the general assembly, and agreed to by three-fifths of the whole number of members of each house respectively; nor shall any alteration take place until the bill so agreed to shall have been published six months previous to a new election of members to the general assembly. If, after such publication, the alteration proposed by the preceding general assembly shall be agreed to in the first session thereafter, by two-thirds of the whole representation in each house of the general assembly, after the same shall have been read three times on three several days in each house, then the said general assembly shall prescribe a mode by which the amendment or amendments may be submitted to the qualified voters of the house of commons throughout the State; and if, upon comparing the votes given in the whole State, it shall appear that a majority of the voters have approved thereof, then, and not otherwise, the same shall become a part of the constitution.
Sec. 2. The thirty-second section of the constitution shall be ​amended to read as follows: No person who shall deny the being of God, or the truth of the Christian religion, or the divine authority of the Old or New Testament, or who shall hold religious principles incompatible with the freedom or safety of the State, shall be capable of holding any office or place of trust or profit in the civil department within this State.
Sec. 3. One. Capitation-tax shall be equal throughout the State, upon all individuals subject to the same.
Two. All free males over the age of twenty-one years and under the age of forty-five years, and all slaves over the age of twelve years and under the age of fifty years, shall be subject to capitation-tax, and no other person shall be subject to such tax: Provided, That nothing herein contained shall prevent exemptions of taxable polls, as heretofore prescribed by law in cases of bodily infirmity.
Sec. 4. No person who shall hold any office or place of trust or profit under the United States, or any department thereof, or under this State, or any other State or government, shall hold or exercise any other office or place of trust or profit under the authority of this State, or be eligible to a seat in either house of the general assembly: Provided, That nothing herein contained shall extend to officers in the militia or justices of the peace.
Nathaniel Macon, President.
Edward B. Kneeman, Secretary. Joseph D. Ward, Assistant Secretary.
* ↑ Verified from "The Proceedings and Debates of the Convention of North-Carolina, called to amend the Constitution of the State, which assembled at Raleigh, June 4, 1835. To which are subjoined the Convention act and the Amendments to the Constitution together with the votes of the People. Raleigh: Printed by Joseph Gales and Son, 1836." Appendix, pp. 409-24.
* ↑ This constitution was framed by a "Congress," "elected and chosen for that particular purpose," which assembled at Halifax November 12, 1770, and completed its labors December 18, 1776. It was not submitted to the people for ratification.
* ↑ See amendments.
* ↑ See amendment.
* ↑ These amendments were framed by a convention which met at Raleigh June 4, 1835, and completed its labors July 11, 1835. They were submitted to the people and ratified by 26,771 votes against 21,606 votes.
* ↑ Amended, Dec. 11, 1856.