cancies that may happen in such judicial offices during the recess of the senate, by granting com. missions which shall expire at the end of their next session: Provided, that in acting on executive nominations, the senate shall sit with open doors, and in confirming or rejecting the nominations of the Governor, the vote shall be taken by yeas and nays.

Sec. IX. He shall have power to remit fines and forfeitures, and grant reprieves and pardons, except in cases of impeachment.

Sec. X. He may require information in writing from the officers in the executive department, up, on any subject relating to the duties of their res pective offices.

Sec. XI. He shall, from time to time, give to the General Assembly information of the state of the Commonwealth, and recommend to their consideration such measures as he shall judge expe. dient.

Sec. XII. He may, on extraordinary occasions, convene the General Assembly; and in case of disagreement between the two houses, with respect to the time of adjournment, adjourn them to such time as he shall think proper, not exceeding four months.

Sec. XIII. He shall take care that the laws be faithfully executed.

Sec. XIV. In case of the death or resignation of the Governor, or of his removal from office, the speaker of the senate shall exercise the office of Governor, until another Governor shall be duly qualified; but in such case another Governor shall be chosen at the next annual election of repres

sentatives, unless such death, resignation or removal, shall occur within three calendar months immediately preceding such next annular election, in which case a Governor shall be chosen at the next succeeding annular election of representatives. And if the trial of a contested election shall continue longer than until the third Monday of January next ensuing the election of Governor, the Governor of the last year, or the speaker of the senate who may be in the exercise of the executive authority, shall continue therein until the determination of such contested election, and until a Governor shall be duly qualified as aforesaid.

OF THE SECRETARY OF THE COMMONWEALTH.

Sec. XV. The Secretary of the Commonwealth shall keep a fair register of all the official acts and proceedings of the Governor, and shall, when required, lay the same, and all papers, minutes, and vouchers relative thereto, before either branch of the Legislature, and shall perform such other duties as shall be enjoined him by law.

ARTICLE III,

OF ELECTIONS.

Section I. In elections by the citizens, every white freeman of the age of twenty-one years, having resided in this State one year, and in the election district where he offers to vote ten days immediately preceding such election, and within two years paid a state or county tax, which shall have been assessed at least ten days before the clection, shall enjoy the rights of an elector. But

a citizen of the United States, who had previously been a qualified voter of this State, and removed therefrom and returned, and who shall have resided in the election district, and paid taxes as aforesaid, shall be entitled to vote, after residing in the State six months. Provided, that white freemen, citizens of the United States, between the ages of twenty-one and twenty-two years, and having resided in the State one year, and in the election district ten days as aforesaid, shall be entitled to vote, although they shall not have paid

taxes.

Sec. II. All elections shall be by ballot, except those by persons in their representative capacities, who shall vote viva voce.

Sec. III. Electors shall in all cases, except treason, felony, and breach or surety of the peace, be privileged from arrest during their attendance on elections, and in going to and returning from them.

ARTICLE IV.

OF IMPEACHMENT.

Section I. The House of Representatives shall have the sole power of impeaching.

Sec. II. All impeachments shall be tried by the senate; when sitting for that purpose, the senators shall be upon oath or affirmation. No person shall be convicted without the concurrence of two-thirds of the members present.

Sec. III. The Governor, and all other civil officers under this Commonwealth, shall be liable to impeachment for any misdemeanor in office; but

judgment, in such cases, shall not extend further than to removal from office, and disqualification to hold any office of honour trust or profit, under this Commonwealth: the party, whether convicted or acquitted, shall nevertheless be liable to indictment, trial, judgment, and punishment according to law.

ARTICLE V.

OF THE JUDICIARY.

Section I. The judicial power of this Common. wealth shall be vested in a Supreme Court, in courts of Oyer and Terminer and General Jail Delivery, in a Court of Common Pleas, Orphans' Court, Register's Court, and a Court of Quarter Sessions of the Peace, for each county; in justices of the peace, and such other courts as the legis lature may from time to time establish.

Sec. II. The judges of the Supreme Court, of the several Courts of Common Pleas, and of such other courts of record as are or shall be established by law, shall be nominated by the governor, and by and with the consent of the senate appointéd and commissioned by him. The judges of the Supreme Court shall hold their offices for the term of fifteen years, if they shall so long behave themselves well. The president judges of the several Courts of Common Pleas, and of such other courts of record as are or shall be established by law, and all other judges required to be learned in the law, shall hold their offices for the term of ten years, if they shall so long behave themselves well. The associate judges of the Courts of Com.

mon Pleas shall hold their offices for the term of five years, if they shall so long behave themselves well. But for any reasonable cause which shall not be sufficient ground of impeachment, the governor may remove any of them on the address of two-thirds of each branch of the legislature. The judges of the Supreme Court and the president of the several Courts of Common Pleas shall at stated times receive for their services an adequate compensation to be fixed by law, which shall not be diminished during their continuance in office, but they shall receive no fees or perquisites of office, nor hold any other office of profit. under this Commonwealth.

Sec. III. Until otherwise directed by law, the Courts of Common Pleas shall continue as at present established. Not more than five counties shall at any time be included in one judicial district organized for said courts.

Sec. IV. The jurisdiction of the Supreme Court shall extend over the State; and the judges thereof, shall by virtue of their offices, be justices of Oyer and Terminer and General Jail Delivery, in the several counties.

Sec. V. The judges of the Court of Common Pleas, in each county, shall by virtue of their offices, be justices of Oyer and Terminer and General Jail Delivery, for the trial of capital and other offenders therein; any two of the said judges, the president being one, shall be a quorum: but they shall not hold a Court of Oyer and Terminer, or Jail Delivery, in any county, when the judges of the Supreme Court, or any of them, shall be sitting in the same county. The party accused, as well C