The Pennsylvania evening post — Philadelphia, Pa., 1776-09-10 00:00:00, page 2

minals, and shall have all other powers necessary for the le
gislature of a free Rate or commonwealth : But they shall
have no power to add to, alter, abolish, or infringe any part
of this constitution.
Sect. io. A quorum of the House of Representatives
shall consist of two thirds of the whole number of members
ele&ed ; and, having met and chosen their Speakers, shall
each of them, before they proceed to business, take and sub
scribe, as well the oath or affirmation of fidelity and alle
giance herein after directed, as the following oath or affirma
tion, viz.
" I do swear (or affirm) that, as a member of
'' this Assembly, I will not propole, or assent to, any bill,
" vote or resolution, which shall appear to be injurious to
" the people, nor do or consent to any ad or thing what
'' ever that shall have a tendency to lessen or abridge their
'' rights and privileges as declared in the constitution of this
" Rate, but will, in all things; conduct myfelf as a faithful,
" honett Representative and Guardian of the people, and
'' according to the belt of my judgment and abilities."
And each member, before he takes his feat, shall make
and fubferibe the following declaration, viz.
" I do believe in one God, the Creator and Governor of
" the universe."
Sect, ii. Delegates, to represent this date in Congress,
shall be chosen by ballot by the future House of Representa
tives at their firft meeting, and annually forever after. Any
Delegate may be fuperceded at any time, by the General
Assembly appointing another in his dead. No man shall fit
in Congress longer than two years successively, nor be capable
of re-election for three years afterwards.
Sect. 12. If any county or counties shall negle& or refufe
to eled and fend Representatives to the General Assembly,
the Representatives of the other counties, provided they are
two thirds of the members from the counties that do fend,
shall have all the powers of the House of Representatives as
fully and amply as if the whole were present.
Sect. 13. The doors of the House, in which the Represen
tatives of the freemen of this state shall fit in General Assem
bly, shall be and remain open for the admission of all persons
who behave decently, except only when the welfare of the
state may require, the doors to be fb.ut.
Sect. 14. The votes and proceedings of the House of Re
presentatives shall be printed weekly, during their fitting,
with the yeas and nays on each ad, question, vote or resolu
tion, where any two members require it, except when the
, vote is taken by ballot.
Sect. 15. All bills of a public nature shall be read three
times on three different days, in the Hcufe of Representatives ;
and, after the third reading, shall be printed and published for
public consideration, at leak seven days before they are read
a fourth time ; and shall then be again fubjeft to debate and,
amendment, before they are enabled into laws; and, except
on occasion of sudden necefiity, shall not be enabled till the
then next fitting of the House.
Sect. 16. The stile of the laws of this commonwealth shall
be, " Be it enabled, and it is hereby enabled, by the Reprefenta
" lives of the ft eemen of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in
" General Assembly met, and by the authority of the fame."
And the General Assembly shall affix their seal to every bill,
as soon as it is enacted into a law ; which seal shall be kept
by the Assembly, and shall be called, she seal of the laws of
Pennsylvania, and shall not be used for any other purpose.
Sect. 17. [Not drawn up in form ; but after considerable
debate, it was on motion, Resolved, That the freemen of
the counties may vote in diftrigs ; and alfb, that at those
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diftrid eledions, they shall vote for all the members for
the Assembly in one general ticket, out of the county at
large.]
Sect. 18. The Supreme Executive Council shall consist of
nine members, to be chosen in the following manner, viz.
Nine Counfellors shall be chosen by the House of Represen
tatives, within one week after a quorum is met and qualified,,
which said Counfellors are all to serve for the firft year,, one
third of them to serve for that year only, one third for two
years, and one third for three years ; whole places respec
tively shall be supplied by new elections, to be made in the
House of Representatives, of one third annually for ever. No
member of the House of Representatives shall be chosen a
member of the Council; vacancies by death, or otherwise,
shall be filled by the House of Representatives, at their next
fitting. The President and Vice-President shall be chosen
annually by thejoint ballot of the House of Representatives
and Council, out of the members of the Council. No per
son shall be President for a longer space of time than three
years together ; and any person, having served in that Ration
for three successive yeaas, shall be incapable of that office for
the space of four years afterwards.
Sect. 19. The President, and in his absence the Vice-
President, and members shall be a quorum, and
have power to appoint and commiffionate Judges, Naval Offi
cers, judge of the Admiralty, Attorney General, and all
other officers civil and military, other than such as are to be
chosen by the House of Representatives, or the people, agree
able to this frame of government,, and the laws that may be
made hereafter ; and shall supply all vacancies occasioned by
death, resignation, removal or disqualification, ontil the of
fice can be filled in the time and manner directed by law or
this constitution.—They are to correspond with other states,
and traniaft business with the officers of government civil and
military; and to prepare such business as may be necessary to
lay before the General Assembly.—They shall fit as Judges to
hear and determine on impeachments, and shall have power
to grant pardons and remit fines in all cases whatsoever, ex
cept in cases of impeachment, treason and murder; and in
cases of treason and murder, shall have power to grant re
prieves until the end of the next sessions of Assembly, and no
longer: But there shall be no remission or mitigation of pu
nishment on impeachments, or for high treason or murder,
except by act of the legislature. They are also to take care
that the laws be faithfully executed; they are to expedite
the. execution of such measures as may be resolved upon by
the House of Representatives, and they may draw upon the
Treasury for such sums as shall be appropriated' by the House.
They raay also lay embargoes, or prohibit the exportation of
any commodity, for any time not exceeding thirty days, in the
recess of the House only: And shall have power to call to
gether the House of Representatives, when necessary, before
the day to which they shall fland adjourned. The President
shall be Commander in Ch';f of the forces of the Rate, but
shall not command in person, except advised thereto by the
Council, and then only so long as they shall approve thereof,
1 he President and Council shall have a Secretary, and keep
fair books of their proceedings, wherein any Counfellor may
enter his dissent, with his reasons in support of it.
Sect. 20. All commissions shall be in the name, and by the
authority of the freemen of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania,
sealed with the state seal, and attested by the Secretary. The
said leal to be kept by the Council.
Sect. 21. Every officer of state, whether judicial or exe
cutive, shall be liable to be impeached bv the House of Re
prefeutatives, either when id office or after his removal, for