The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1824-07-08
CONSTITUTION OF II. ISLAND.

ment thereof.
ARTICLE I.
OF THE DISTRIBUTION OF POWERS
The powers Of tho government shall bs
distributed into three distinct departments
The Legislative, Executive, and Judicial.
. No person or persons, belonging to one
Of these Departments, shall exercise any o
the powers properly belonging 10 either oi
the others, except in csses herein expressly
directed or pc mit,ed.
ARTICLE
OF THE LEGISLATIVE DEPART.
MENT.
Section /.
1 The Legislative power shsll I've vested IN
Two distinct Houses or branches the ono 10
be styled the Senate, The other tho House oi
Representatives, and both together, the Gen
oral Assembly. The style Of their laws shall
be, BE IL enacted by the General fsssoibiy ef
rbe Sfafe Of Rhode Island. and Providence
Plantations
II sny Senator or Representative, in tho
General Assembly of this State, shall be sp-
pciDted 10 any office under inc governmen,
OF tho United States, and shall accept OF the
same, sker his election az such Senator or
Representative, his scat shall thereby become
vacated +: And any person, who holds an OF.
flee under the government OF tho Uni'ed
States, may be elected meTlbe' OF the
General Assembly, and may hold his seat
therein, II, al the ,ime Of taking his scat, he
shall have resigned said Office, and shall de
clare the same, on oath, if required. No
xnc mbor of the General Assembly shall, dur.
ing the time for which he shall nave been O.
iected, be appointed to any civil nffice. under
,his State, which shall have been crcated, o.
The emolumen,s Of which shali have been in
cfessed, during the time lo' which he was G.
looted No member of the Geoeral Assem-
bly, shall take any fees, be of counsel, or act az
an advocate before either branch OF tho Leg
isiature, under penalty Of fo1fei,ing his seat,
Gpon due proof thereof.
3 There shalI 10 ono session OF the General
Assembly holden annually q, Newport, on
the GrA Tuesday of May; and one other ses.
sion, holden alternately OF Providence and
South Kngsown, on the sccond Monday Of
.I,nusry, IN each yea aud The adjoufnments
from said sessions 'especively, shall be hold.
en- al Es. Greenwich and Bristol, al,afnateIy.
= The Senators ard Representatives, shah,
10 ~ cases of civil process, be privileged
from arrest, during the session OF the Conceal
Assembly, and for two days before tho com
uenStmGul, ouu wv OhJS ol'Ci VIC NS'miho'
ion of any session thereof: And for any
speech in debate, In enher House, they sha'i
not he cue STONED IN any othe' place.
Each House shall be the judge OF the e
lecIions and qualifications OF iu own mem
brss; end msjoriIy shall constitute quo
rum 10 DO business; but o smaller numbe;
may adjourn, from dsy day, and may com
pei the attendance OF absen' members, IN such
manner, and undet such penalties, as each
House may prescribe.
6 Each house may determine 'he rules OF
proceedings, punish It's members for diso''
derly behavior, and with the concurrence oi
two thirds Of tho members elected, expel
member, but not q second' time tor the same
cause.
Each House sha,l Ieep q journal Of ns
proceedings, and publish the same, when re
quscd by ooe filth OF i,s members. The yeas
and nays Of tho members OF either House
shall, at The desire of one. fifth OF those pros.
ent, be entered on the joutnsI
Every bill, which shall have passed both
Houses Of the Genetal Assembly, shall be
presented TO The Governor. fhe approvo OF
il, he shn!l sign aud transmit 1t TO the Seere.
tory but ifnot, he shall return 1t TO the House,
in which II shall have originated, with his OBJ
lection thereto, which shall be entered on their
journal at large. The House shall then pro-
coed to recons der the bill and il, elites sucr
rcconsiderstioo, tha, House shall again pass
il, It shall be sent, with the objections, to thu
othet House, which shall aIso reconsider H. |;
and, is approved by tbs, House, it shsll be.
como law. But 10 such cases, the votes Of
both Houses shall be dsles mined by yeas and
nays end the names Of the members, vos,ng
for and against the bill. shall be entered on
the Journal Of each House respectively. II
the bill shall no, be returned by 'he Cove no,,
within ,wo dsys Sundays excep.ed,l sfter II
shall have been presen,ed 10 hirn, The same
shalt become law, IN Lille manner - u hs
had signed IL, unless tho General Assembly
by their sdjournment, pfeventfrs return ) 10
which case, II shall no, be . law.
9 The civil aud military officers, heretofore
elected in Gland Committee, shall hereafte'
be elected annually ty,he General Assembly
IN ioin, com m IN ~ IN ed uf th0 TWO Hou.