The St. Landry whig., 1844-11-28

sec. II The existing laws in this territory, whsS
this constitution goes into effect, shall continue faEs
in force until altered or abolished by the ID, III stN4 ss
provided, however, that the legislature shall never
any system or code of laws by a general References
the said system or code, but in all cases shall sboo;ss
the several provisions Of the laws it may enact
sec. IL. Tine Judges of all courts within This t. y
shall, as often as it maybe possible 80 to. de ~ 49,
defnitive Judgment, refert to the particular law in y,rt1s
of which such judgment may have been rendered. MI
in cases adduce the reasons on Which their jgdgniOnl
is founded.
ART1oLE v.
Concerning Impeachment.
sec, i. The powersof impeachment shah b. vestad
in the house of representatives alone.
sec. 9 All impeachments shall be tried nv ~
senate. When sitting for that purpose, The senator
shall be upon oath or affirmation and no person sshSIls
be convicted without the concurrence of two-thirds II
1.-THE members present. &@
sec. 8 The governor and all the civil officers sfSiIS
be liable to impeachment for any Misdeneapof in o6ice;
but Judgment, in such cases, shall not extend furtbss
than to removal from Office and disqualification to hold
any Office of honor, trust or profit under this state but
the parties convicted shall nevertheless be liable aad
subject to indictment, trial and punishment, according
to law.
ARTICLE VI
General provisions.
sec. /. Members of the general assembly, and an
officers executive and judicial, before they enter upon
the execution Of their respective offices, shall take thss
following oath or affirmation 81 IA. b. do solemnET
swear Tor affirm that | will faithfully and impartialy
discharge and perform all the duties incumbent on ND
as according to the best of my
abilities and understanding, agreeably to the rules and
regulations of the constitution, and the laws of the state,
SO help me God !"
sec. 2. Treason against the state shall consist only
in leyying war against it or in adherlng to its enemies
giving them aid and comfort, No person shall be con
Ivictcd of treason, unless on the testimony of two Wit
Inesses to the same overt act, or his own confession In
open court. h Tx
sec 8. Every person shalt be disqualified from, SEW
ing as governor, senator or representative, for the term
for which he shall have been elected, who shall have
been convicted of having given or offered any briba
procure his election.
sec. A.. Laws shall be made to. exclude from office
and from suffrage those who shall thereafter be conyc.
ted Of bribery, perjury, forgery Or other high crimes or
misdcmeanors the privilege of free suffrage shall III
supported by laws regulating elections. and prohibiting,
under adequate penalties. all undue influence thereon
from power, bribery, tumult, or other improper practices
sec. 5. No money shall be drawn from the treasury but
in pursuance of appropriations made by law, nor shall
any appropriation of money for the support of an army
be made for a longer term than one year and a regular X
statement and account of the receipts and expenditures
of all public money, shall be published annually.
sec. 6. 1t shall be the duty OF the general assembly,
to pass such laws as may be necessary and properte
decide differences by abtrators, to. be appointed by til
parties who may choose that summary mode of adjust
ment.
sec. 4. All civil officers orthe state at large shall re-
side within the state, and all district or county officers
within thier respective districts or counties, and shall
keep their respective offices at such places therein as
may be required by law.
sec. 8. The legislature shall determine the time oil
duration of the several public offices when such time
shall not have been fixed by this constitution, and all
civil officers except the governor, and judges of the SUI
Iperior and inferior courts shall be removable by an adj
dress of two thirds of the members of both houses, ex-
|cept those, the removal Of whom has been otherwise
provided forby this constitution.
sec 9. Absence on the business of this state or Of
the United States, shall not forfeit a residence once OBJ
tanned, SO as to deprive any one of the right OF suffrage,
or OF being elected or appointed to any Office under this
state, under the exceptions contained in hisconstituiion.
sec. TO- 1t shall be the duty of the general assembly
to regulate by law IN what cases, and what deduction
from the salaries of public officers shall be made for me-
elect ofduty in their official capacity.
sec. IL. Returns of all elections for the Members of
the general assembly, shall be made TO the secretary OF
state for the time being.
sec. 70. The Legislature shall point out the manner
in which a man coming into the country shall declare
sec. -. In all elections by the people, and also by the
senate and house of representatives jointly or separately,
the vote shall be given by ballot.
sec. ID. No member ofeongress nor person holding
or exercising any office of trust or profit under the Unit
ed States, or either of them, or under any foreign powers
shall be eligible as a member Of the general assembly Oh
this state, or hold or exercise any Office of trust or profit
sec. Is. All laws that may be passed by the legisia-
llature, and the public records of this state, and the iu-
dicial and legislative written proceedings of the same,
shall be promulgated, preserved and conducted in the
language IN which the constitution Of the United States
Iis written.
sec. IL. The general assembly shall direct by law
how persons who are now or may hereafter become Sc
currles for public officers. may be relieved or discharged
on account ofsuch securitiship.
sec. IL No power of suspending the laws OF this
stale shall be exercised, unless by the Legislature or its
E%authority.
sec. IS. In criminal prosecutions, the accused has
THE right of being heard by himself or counsel, of deman-
ding the nature and cause of the accusation against
him, OF meeting the witnesses face to face, of having
compulsory process for obtaining witnessesin his favor,
and prosecutions by indictment or information, a speedy
public trial by an impartial jury of the vicinage, nor
shall he be compelled to give evidence against himself
sec. 10 All prisoners shall be held bailable by sufi.
Iclent securities, unless for capital offences, where the
proof is evident or presumption great, and the privilege
ofthe writ Of ha6eds corpus shall.not be suspended, I'M
less when IN cascsaof rebellion or invasion the public
safety may require it.
sec. ~. No er post Jactol law nor any law ~impairing
the obligation of contracts shall be passed.
sec, IL fE1ntingPresscs shall be free to every person
VINO undertakes to examine the proceedings of the leg
Elslature, OF any branch of the governments, and no law
shall ever be made to restrain the right thereof. The
free communications of Thoughts and opinions is one Of
me invaluable rights of man, and every citizen may
freely speak, write and print on any subject, being res
Eponslble for the abuse of that liberty. a
hibited.
sec. 90. The citizens of the town of New Orleans
shall have the right of appointing the several public Off
GERS necessary for the administration and the police of
the said city, pursuant to the mode of election which
shall be prescribed by the legislature provided that the
mayor and recorder be ineligible to a seat in the general
assembly.
sec. "a. The seat of government shall continue al
New Orleans until removed by law.
sec; rs. All laws contrary to this constitution shall
be null and void.
ARTICLE VII.
Node Of REFUSING the constitution
sec l. Whenexperience shall point out the necessity
Of amending this constitution, and a majority of all the
members elected to each house of the general assemble
shall within the first twenty days of their stated annual