Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1862-01-14

spective Houses. and majority OF all the members
elected to each House shall be necessary TO give
force of law. t 49,. ~
81 The liability to the State of any incorporated
company institution, to redeem the principal and
pay the interest of any loan heretofore made which
may hereafter be made by the State such COMPANY
or institution shall not be released and the General
Assembly shall not pledge the faith of the State.
bind it in any FORM for the debts or obligations OF any
company or corporation. - =
49, There shall be set apart annually, from the &C
cruing revenue equal to seven per cent OF the
State debt existing the first day of January, IN the
year one thousand eight hundred and htty'tw0 The
fund thus apart snail be called the Sinking Fund,
and shall be applied to the payment OF the interest OF
the State debt and the principal of such part may be
redeemabe. If part be redeemable. then the res
due of the Sinking Fund. after the payment OF such
interest," shall be invested in the bonds Or certificates
OF debt OF this Commonwealth, or OF the Confederate
States, or of some of the States of this Confederacy
and applied the payment of the State debt, as
shall become redeemable. Whenever, sfter the said
first day of January, debt shall have been shall
be contracted by the Commonwealth, there shall be
set apart in like manner, annually for thirty four
years, sum exceeding by one per cent the aggregate
amount of the annual interest agreed be paid there
on at the time OF its contraction which sum shall be
part OF the Sinking Fund.- and shall be applied in the
manner before directed The General Assembly shall
not otherwise appropriate any part of the Sinking
Fund or its accruing interest," except in time of war;
instruction or invasion. ot + :. 3 j. g..s i u q
20. The General Assembly may, at any time, direct
sale OF stocks held by the Commonwealth in inter-
nal Improvement and other companies but the pro-
eeeds Of such sale if made before the payment of the
public debt, shall constitute part Of the Sinking
Fund. and be applied in like manner.
80. The General Assembly shall not contract loans
or cause to be Issued certificates of debt bonds OF
the State rredeemable for period greater than thr-
ty-four years. ~ ~.
llf ~ GENERAL PROVISIONS.
81. The General Assembly shall not grant charter
of incorporation to any church religious denomna-
tion but may secure the title tochnrch property to an
extent to be limited by law. US ~ -.
81. No1ottery shall hereafter be authorized by law,
and the buying, selling transferring OF tickets
chances IL lottery not now authorized by law OF
this State shall be prohibited. s:.-.,t ssg"i r 81
33. No new county shall be formed with an area OF
less than six hundred square miles, nor shall the
county or counties from which it is to be formed be
reduced below that area nor shall any county having
white population less than five thousand be depriv-
ed OF more An one-6fth of such population; nor
shall county having larger white population be
duced below four thousand. ~ - ..-,.,qs.. "
"a The General Assembly shall confer on the courts
the power 10 grant divorces, change the names OF
persons and direct the sale of estates belonging to
infants and other persons under legal dsabihes but
shall not by special legislation grant relief in such
cases. or in any other cases of which the courts
other tribunals may have jurisdiction .,r s.s.
35 The General Assembly shall provide for the Pc
riOdcal registration in tie several counties cities and
towns of the voters heren and for the annual regis
trauon OF the Births marriages, and deaths in the
white population, and of the births and deaths of the
colored population of the same, distinguishing be-
tween the number of the free colored persons and
slaves. VII 5+- e ---te'
es The manner of conducting and making returns
of elections, of determining contested elections and
OF hllng vacancies in Office in specially pro
v1ded tor by this Constitution shall be prescribed by
law And the General Assem- bly, nay declare the cases
IN which any office shall be deemed vacant, where no
provision is made for that purpose in this Constitu
ton. - i-i3>F
81. 1t shall be the duty of the General Assembly, to
provide by law adequate protection against all urac-
tn cifiya of
COmmonw ealth by the seventh eighth and tenth Sec
tons of the Bill of Rights of Virginia, and by the
fourteenth fifteenth sixteenth and seventeenth caH-
Of the ninth section of the first article of the Con-
stitution of the Confederate States. h.
ARTICLE Y.
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT. 81.
Go0ernor.
/. The chief executive power of this Commonwealth
shall be vested in the Governor. He shall hold the
office for a term of four years. to commence on the
first day of January next succeeding his election and
be Ineligible to the office for the next sue
ceeding that for which he was elected, and to any
other office during his term of service.
2. The Governor shall be elected by the voters at
the times and places of choosing members of the Gen
eral Assembly, Returns of the election shall be
mitted under SEAL by the proper officers to the Sec
rotary of the Commonwealth who shall deliver them
to the Speaker of the House of Delegates on the first
day of the next session of the General Assembly
The Speaker of the House of Delegates SHALL within
one week thereafter, In the presence of majority of
|
turns and the votes shall then be counted. The per-
son having the highest number of votes shall be de-
clared elected, if such number be majority of the
whole number of votes cast and if no person have
such majority, then from the persons having the high
est number Of votes, not exceeding three the General
Assembly shall, by joint vote of the two Houses,
shall be decided by like vote, and the mode of pro-
ceeding IN such shall be prescribed by law
g. No person shall be eligible to the office of Gov
ernor unless he has attained the age of thirty years,
y,nfn Of c,Io
and has been citizen of Virginia for five years next
4. The Governor shall reside at the seat of Govern
msnt shall receive FIVE thousand dollars for each
year of his service, and, while in Office shall receive
no other emOlument from this any other Govern
ment. .ll.t.s 4=.'.---
5. He shall take care that the the laws be faith
fully executed; communicate to the General As
semby at every session the condition of the Common
wealth recommend to their consideration such meas
ures AZ he may deem sxpedientj and convene the
General Assembly on application Of a majority of the
opinion the interest of the Com monweath may re-
qulre it. He shall be COMMANDMENTS Chief of the
land and naval forces of the State have power to
body the militia to reel INVASION to suppress insur
rectlon and enforce the execution of the laws
duct either in person or in such other manner shall
be prescribed by law, all intercourse with other and
foreign States and during the recess of the General
Assembly fill, pro tenpore all vacance sin those offices
for which the Constitution and laws make no pI0vI-
sion but his appointments to such vacancies shall be
by commissioner expire at the end OF thirty days after
the commencement Of the next session of the General
Assembly. He shall have power to remit fines aud
penalties in such cases and under such rules and reg
ulations as may be prescribed by law and except
when the prosecution has been carried by the
House of Delegates, the law shall otherwise par
cularly Direct grant reprieves and pardons after
conviction and to commute capital punishment; but
he shall communicate to the General Assembly, at
each session, the particulars of every case of fine
penalty RENTED, of reprieve or pardon granted and
of punishment committed, with his reasons for remit.
ting, granting, or committing the same.
g. He may require information In writing from the
officers in the Executive Department upon any sub
ect relating to the duties of their respective Offices
and may also require the opinion in writing, of the
Attorney General upon any question of law Connected
with his official duties tel s. aat
7. Commissions and grants shall run in the name of
the Commonwealth of Virginia, and be attested by
the Governor, with the seal of the Commonwealth
nexed.
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR.
s. Lieutenant Governor shall be elected at the same
time, and for the same term as the Governor and his
qualification and the of his election in all re-
spects shall be the same 11s
8. In Of the removal of the Governor from of.
fee, or of his death, failure to qualify resignation,
removal from the State inability discharge the
powers and duties of the office the said Office with its
compensation shall devolve upon the Lieutenant Gov
lernor; and the General Assembly shall provide by
law for the discharge of the Executive functions in
other necessary cases.
10. The Lieutenant Governor shall be President of
the Senate, but shall have vote; and while acting
as such sshaH receive compensation equal to that al
lowed to the Speaker of the House of Delegates
SECRETARY OF THE COMMONWEALTH, TREASURER AND
AUDITOR.
II, Secretary of the Commonwealth Treasurer
and an Auditor OF Public Accounts, shall be elected
by the JOINT vote OF the two Houses of the General
SemDig. and continue office for the of two