Sec. 16. If the Lieutenant-Governor shall be required to administer the government, and shall, while in such administration, die or resign during the recess of the General Assembly, it shall be the duty of the Secretary, for the time being, to convene the Senate for the purpose of choosing a President pro tempore. Sec. 17. A Treasurer shall annually be chosen by the electors at their meeting in April (altered by amendments of 1836 and 1875); and the votes shall be returned, counted, canvassed, and declared in the same manner as is provided for the election of Governor and Lieutenant-Governor, but the votes for Treasurer shall be canvassed by the Secretary and Comptroller only. He shall receive all moneys belonging to the State, and disburse the same only as he may be directed by law. He shall pay no warrant or order for the disbursement of public money, until the same has been registered in the office of the Comptroller.

Sec. 18. A Secretary shall be chosen next after the Treasurer, and in the same manner (altered by amendment of 1838); and the votes for Secretary shall be returned to, and counted, canvassed and declared by the Treasurer and Comptroller. He shall have the safe-keeping and custody of the public records and documents, and particularly of the acts, resolutions and orders of the General Assembly, and record the same; and perform all such duties as shall be prescribed by law. He shall be the keeper of the seal of the State, which shall not be altered.

Sec. 19. A Comptroller of the Public Accounts shall be annually appointed by the General Assembly (altered by amendment of 1838). He shall adjust and settle all public accounts and demands, except grants and orders of the General Assembly. He shall prescribe the mode of keeping and rendering all public accounts. He shall ex-officio be one of the auditors of the accounts of the Treasurer. The General Assembly may assign to him other duties in relation to his office, and to that of the Treasurer, and shall prescribe the manner in which his duties shall be performed.

Sec. 20. A sheriff shall be appointed in each county by the General Assembly (altered by amendment of 1838), who shall hold his office for three years (altered by amendment of 1886), removable by said Assembly, and shall become bound, with sufficient sureties to the Treasurer of the State, for the faithful discharge of the duties of his office, in such manner as shall be prescribed by law. In case the sheriff of any county shall die or

resign, the Governor may fill the vacancy occasioned thereby, until the same shall be filled by the General Assembly.

Sec. 21. A satement of all receipts, payments, funds and debts of the State shall be published from time to time, in such manner and at such periods as shall be prescribed by law.

ARTICLE FIFTH.

Of the Judicial Department.

Section 1. The judicial power of the State shall be vested in a Supreme Court of Errors, a Superior Court and such inferior courts as the General Assembly shall, from time to time, ordain and establish; the powers and jurisdiction of which courts shall be defined by law.

Sec. 2. There shall be appointed in each county a sufficient number of justices of the peace, with such jurisdiction in civil and criminal cases as the General Assembly may prescribe.

Sec. 3. The Judges of the Supreme Court of Errors, of the Superior and Inferior courts, and all justices of the peace, shall be appointed by the General Assembly, in such manner as shall by law be prescribed. (Altered by amendments.) The Judges of the Supreme Court and the Superior Court shall hold their offices during good behavior (altered by amendments), but may be removed by impeachment; and the Governor shall also remove them on the address of two-thirds of the members of each house of the General Assembly; all other judges and justices of the peace shall be appointed annually. (Altered by amendment of 1876.) No judge or justice of the peace shall be capable of holding his office after he shall arrive at the age of seventy years.

ARTICLE SIXTH.

Of the Qualifications of Electors.

Section 1. All persons who have been, or shall hereafter, previous to the ratification of this Constitution, be admitted freemen, according to the existing laws of this State, shall be electors.

Sec. 2. Every white (altered by amendments) male citizen of the United States, who shall have gained a settlement in this State, attained the age of twenty-one years and resided in the town in which he may offer himself to be admitted to the privi lege of an elector, at least six months preceding; and have a freehold estate of the yearly value of seven dollars in this State;

or, having been enrolled in the militia, shall have performed military duty therein for the term of one year next preceding the time he shall offer himself for admission (altered by amendments), or being liable thereto shall have been, by authority of law, excused therefrom; or shall have paid a State tax within the year next preceding the time he shall present himself for such admission; and shall sustain a good moral character, shall, on his taking such oath as may be prescribed by law, be an elector.

Sec. 3. The privileges of an elector shall be forfeited by a conviction of bribery, forgery, perjury, duelling, fraudulent bankruptcy, theft or other offense for which an infamous punishment is inflicted (may be restored, amendment Article XVII).

Sec. 4. Every elector shall be eligible to any office in this State, except in cases provided for in this Constitution.

Sec. 5. The selectmen and town clerk of the several towns shall decide on the qualifications of electors, at such times and in such manner as may be prescribed by law.

Sec. 6. Laws shall be made to support the privilege of free suffrage, prescribing the manner of regulating and conducting meetings of the electors, and prohibiting, under adequate penalties, all undue influence therein, from power, bribery, tumult and other improper conduct.

Sec. 7. In all elections of officers of the State, or members of the General Assembly, the votes of the electors shall be by ballot.

Sec. 8. At all elections of officers of the State, or members of the General Assembly, the electors shall be privileged from arrest during their attendance upon, and going to, and returning from the same, on any civil process.

Sec. 9. The meetings of the electors for the election of the several State officers by law annually to be elected, and members of the General Assembly of this State, shall be holden on the first Monday of April in each year (altered by amendments of 1875 and 1884).

ARTICLE SEVENTH.

Of Religion.

Section 1. It being the duty of all men to worship the Supreme Being, the Great Creator and Preserver of the Universe, and their right to render that worship in the mode most consistent with the dictates of their consciences, no person shall

by law be compelled to join or support, nor be classed with, or associated to, any congregation, church or religious association. But every person now belonging to such congregation, church or religious association, shall remain a member thereof until he shall have separated himself therefrom in the manner hereinafter provided. And each and every society or denomination of Christians in this State shall have and enjoy the same and equal powers, rights and privileges; and shall have power and authority to support and maintain the ministers or teachers of their respective denominations, and to build and repair houses for public worship by a tax on the members of any such society only, to be laid by a major vote of the legal voters assembled at any society meeting, warned and held according to law, or in any other manner.

Sec. 2. If any person shall choose to separate himself from the society or denomination of Christians to which he may belong, and shall leave a written notice thereof with the clerk of such society, he shall thereupon be no longer liable for any future expenses which may be incurred by said society.

ARTICLE EIGHTH.

Of Education.

Section 1. The charter of Yale College, as modified by agreement with the corporation thereof, in pursuance of an Act of the General Assembly, passed in May, 1792, is hereby confirmed.

Sec. 2. The fund called the School Fund shall remain a perpetual fund, the interest of which shall be inviolably appropriated to the support and encouragement of the public or common schools throughout the State, and for the equal benefit of all the people thereof. The value and amount of said fund shall, as soon as practicable, be ascertained in such manner as the General Assembly may prescribe, published and recorded in the Comptroller's office, and no law shall ever be made authorizing said fund to be diverted to any other use than the encouragement and support of public or common schools, among the several school societies, as justice and equity shall require.

ARTICLE NINTH.

Of Impeachments.

Section 1. The House of Representatives shall have the sole power of impeaching.

Sec. 2. All impeachments shall be tried by the Senate. When sitting for that purpose, they shall be on oath or affirmation. No person shall be convicted without the concurrence of twothirds of the members present. When the Governor is impeached the Chief Justice shall preside.

Sec. 3. The Governor, and all other executive and judicial officers, shall be liable to impeachment; but judgments in such cases shall not extend further than to removal from office and disqualification to hold any office of honor, trust or profit under this State. The party convicted shall, nevertheless, be liable and subject to indictment, trial and punishment according to law.

Sec. 4. Treason against the State shall consist only in levying war against it, or adhering to its enemies, giving them aid and comfort. No person shall be convicted of treason unless on the testimony of two witnesses to the same overt act, or on confession in open court. No conviction of treason or attainder shall work corruption of blood or forfeiture.

ARTICLE TENTH.

General Provisions.

Section 1. Members of the General Assembly, and all officers, executive and judicial, shall, before they enter on the duties of their respective offices, take the following oath or affirmation, to-wit:

You do solemnly swear, or affirm (as the case may be), that you will support the Constitution of the United States, and the Constitution of the State of Connecticut, so long as you continue a citizen thereof; and that you will faithfully discharge, according to law, the duties of the office of to the best of your

abilities. So help you God.

Sec. 2. Each town shall annually elect selectmen, and such officers of local police as the laws may prescribe.

Sec. 3. The rights and duties of all corporations shall remain as if this Constitution had not been adopted; with the exception of such regulations and restrictions as are contained in this