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shall, until otherwise altered by the legislature, be at the parish of Prince George, for the faid parish and the parish of All Saints, and at the parish of St. Matthew for that parish and the parish of Orange; to meet on the first Monday in January then next, at the feat of government, unless the casualties of war or contagious diforders should render it unsafe to meet there; in which case the governor and commander in chief for the time being, may, by proclamation, with the advice and confent of the privy-council, appoint a more fecure and convenient place of meeting; and to continue for two years, from the said last Monday in November; and that no person shall be eligible to a seat in the said senate, unless he be of the Protestant religion, and hath attained the age of thirty years, and hath been a resident in this state at leaft five years. Not less than thirteen members shall be a quorum to do business, but the president or any three members may adjourn from day to day. No person who refides in the parish or district for which he is elected, shall take his feat in the senate, unless he possesses a settled estate and freehold, in his own right, in the said parish or district, of the value of two thousand pounds currency at least, clear of debt; and no non-resident shall be eligible to a feat in the said senate, unless he is owner of a settled effate and free, hold, in his own right, in the parish or district where he is elected, of the value of seven thousand pounds currency at least, also clear of debt.

13. That on the last Monday in November next, and the day following, and on the same days of every fecond year thereafter, members of the house of representatives shall be chosen, to meet on the first Monday in January then next, at the feat of government, unless the casualties of war or contagious disorders should render it unsafe to meet there, in which cafe the governor and commander in chief for the time being may by proclamation, with the advice and confent of the privy council, appoint a more secure and convenient place of meeting; and to continue for two years from the faid last Monday in November. Each parish and district within this state, shall send members to the general assembly in the following proportions, that is to say,

The parish of St. Philip and St. Michael, Charlestown, thirty

members.

The parish of Christ-Church, fix members.

The parish of St. John, in Berkley county, fix members,
The parish of St. Andrew, fix members.

The parish of St. George, Dorchester, six members.
The parish of St. James, Goofe-creek, fix members.
The parish of St. Thomas and St. Dennis, fix members.

The parish of St. Paul, fix members.

The parish of St. Bartholomew, fix members,

The parish of St. Helena, fix members.

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The parish of St. James, Santee, fix members.

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The parish of Prince George, Winyah, four members.

The parish of All Saints, two members.

The parish of Prince Frederick, fix members.

The parish of St. John, in Colleton county, fix members.

The parish of St. Peter, fix members.

The parish of Prince William, fix members.

The parish of St. Stephen, fix members.

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The district to the eastward of Wateree river, ten members."

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The district of Ninety-Six, ten members.

The district of Saxe-Gotha, fix members.

The district between Broad and Saludy rivers, in three divisions,

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The Upper or Spartan district, four members.

The district between Broad and Catawba rivers, ten members....

The district called the New Acquisition, ten members.

The parish of St. Matthew, thrée members.

The parish of Orange, three members.

The parish of St. David, fix members.

The district between Savannah river, and the north fork of

Edisto, fix members.:

And the election of the said members shall be conducted, as near as may be, agreeable to the directions of the present or any future election act or acts. And where there are no churches or churchwardens in a district or parish, the house of representatives, at some convenient time before their expiration, shall appoint places of election, and persons to receive votes and make returns. The qualification of electors shall be, that every free white man, and no other person, who acknowledges the being of a God, and, be-. lieves in a future state of rewards and punishments, and who has attained to the age of one and twenty years, and hath been a refident and an inhabitant in this state for the space of one whole year, before the day appointed for the election he offers to give his vote at, and hath a freehold at least of fifty acres of land, or a town lot, and hath been legally feized and poffefsed of the fame, at least fix months previous to such election, or hath paid a tax the preceding year, or was taxable the present year, at least fix months previous to the faid election, in a fum equal to the tax on fifty acres of land, to the support of this government, shall be deemed a person qualified to vote for, and shall be capable of electing a representative or representatives, to ferve as a member or members in the senate, and house of representatives, for the parish or diftrict where he actually is a resident, or in any other parish or district, in this state, where he hath the like freehold. Electors shall take an oath or affirmation of qualification, if required by the returning officer. officer. No person shalt be eligible to fit in the house of reprefentatives, unless hebe of the Protestant religion, and hath been a refident in this ftate for three years, previous to his election. The qualification of the elected, if refidents in the parich or district for which they shall be returned, shall be the fame as mentioned in the election act, and conftrued to mean clear of debt. Butno nonrefident shall be eligible to a feat in the house of representatives, unless he is owner of a fettled estate and freehold, in his own right, of the value of three thousand and five hundred pounds currency at least, clear of debt, in the parish or district for which he is elected.

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14. That if any parish or district neglects or refuses to elect members; or if the members chosen do not meet in general afsembly; those who do meet shall have the powers of the general assembly. Not less than fixty-nine members thall make a house of representatives to do business; but the speaker, or any seven members, may adjourn from day to day.

15. That at the expiration of seven years after the paffing of this conftitution, and at the end of every fourteen years thereafter, the representation of the whole state shali be proportioned in the most equal and just manner, according to the particular and comparative ftrength, and taxable property, of the different parts of the fame; regard being always had to the number of white in habitants, and fuch taxable property.

16. That all money-bills for the support of government, shall originate in the house of representatives, and shall not be altered or amended by the senate, but may be rejected by them: And that no money be drawn out of the public treasury, but by the legif lative authority of the state. All other bills and ordinances may take rise in the fenate or house of representatives, and be altered, amended, or rejected by either. Acts and ordinances having paffed the general affembly, shall have the great feal affixed to them, by a joint committee of both houses, who shall wait upon the governor to receive and return the feal; and shall then be figned by the president of the senate, and speaker of the house of representatives, in the senate house, and shall thenceforth have the force and validity of a law, and be lodged in the fecretary's office. And the fenate and house of representatives refpectively, shalizen joy all other privileges which have at any time been claimed, or exercised by the commons house of affembly.ly

17. That neither the fenate nor house of representatives shall have power to adjourn themselves for any longer time than three days, without the mutual consent of both. The governor and commander in chief shall have no power to adjourn, prorogue, or diffolve them, but may, if neceffary, by and with the advice and confent of the privy-council-convene them, before the time to which they shall stand adjourned. And where a bill hath been rejected

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rejected by either house, it shall not be brought in again that feffion, without leave of the house, and a notice of fix days being previously given.

18. That the fenate and house of representatives shall each chuse their respective officers by ballot, without controul. And that, during a recess, the prefident of the fenate, and speaker of the house of reprefentatives, shall issue writs for filling up vacancies, occafioned by death in their respective houses, giving at least three weeks, and not more than thirty-five days previous notice, of the time appointed for the election.

19. That if any parish or district shall neglect to elect a member or members, on the day of election; or in case any perfon chosen a member of either house, shall refuse to qualify and take his feat as such, or die, or depart the state; the senate or house of representatives, as the cafe may be, shall appoint proper days for ❤electing a member or members, in such cases respectively.

20. That if any member of the senate or house of representatives, shall accept any place of emolument, or any commission (except in the militia, or commission of the peace), and except as is excepted in the tenth article, he shall vacate his feat, and there shall thereupon be a new election; but he shall not be disqualified from serving, upon being re-elected, unless he is appointed secretary of the state, a commiffioner of the treasury, an officer of the customs, register of mesne conveyances, a clerk of either of the courts of justice, sheriff, powder-receiver, clerk of the senate, house of representatives, or privy council, furveyor-general, or commissary of military stores; which officers are hereby declared disqualified from being members either of the fenate or house of representatives. 21. And whereas the ministers of the gospel are, by their profeffion, dedicated to the service of God, and the cure of fouls, and ought not to be diverted from the great duties of their function; therefore, no minifter of the gospel, or public preacher, of any religious perfuafion, while he continues in the exercise of his pastoral function, and for two years after, shall be eligible either as governor, lieutenant-governor, a member of the senate, house of reprefentatives, or privy council in this state.

22. That the delegates to represent this state in the congrefs of the united states, be chosen annually, by the fenate and nouse of representatives, jointly by ballot, in the house of reprefentatives. And nothing contained in this constitution, shall be construed to extend to vacate the feat of any member, who is or may be a delegate from this state to congress, as such.

23. That the form of impeaching all officers of the state, for mal and corrupt conduct in their respective offices, nop amenable to any other jurisdiction, be vested in the house of representatives: But, that it shall always be necessary, that twothird parts of the members prefent do confent to, and agree in, fuch

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such impeachment. That the fenators and such of the judges of this state, as are not members of the house of representatives, be a court urt for the trial of impeachments, under such regulations as the legislature shall establish: And that, previous to the trial of every impeachment, the members of the faid court shall respectively be fworn, truly and impartially to try and determine the charge in question, according to evidence. And no judgment of the faid court, except judgment of acquittal, shall be valid, unless it shall be assented to by two-third parts of the members then present. And on every trial, as well on impeachments as others, the party accused shall be allowed counsel.

24. That the lieutenant-governor of the state, and a majority of the privy-council, for the time being, shall, until otherwife altered by the legislature, exercise the powers of a court of chancery. And there ihall be ordinaries appointed in the several districts in this state, to be chosen by the fenate and house of representatives jointly, by ballot, in the house of representatives, who shall, within their respective districts, exercise the powers heretofore exercised by the ordinary: And until such appointment is made, the present ordinary, in Charlestown, shall continue to exercise that office as heretofore.

25, That the jurifdiction of the court of admiralty be confined to maritime causes.

26. That justices of the peace shall be nominated by the senate and house of representatives, jointly, and commissioned by the governor and commander in chief, during pleasure. They shall be intitled to receive the fees heretofore established by law; and not acting in the magiftracy, they shall not be intitled to the privileges allowed to them by law.

27. That all other judicial officers shall be chosen by ballot, jointly, by the senate and house of representatives, and, except the judges of the court of chancery, commissioned by the governor and commander in chief during good behaviour; but fhall be removed on address of the senate and house of representatives.

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28. That the sheriffs, qualified as by law directed, shall be chosen in like manner, by the fenate and house of representatives, when the governor, lieutenant governor, and privy council are chosen, and commiffioned by the governor and commander in chief for two years, and shall give security, as required by law, before they enter on the execution of their office. No sheriff who shall have served for two years, shall be eligible to serve in the said office, after the expiration of the said term, until the full end and term of four years, but shall continue in office until such choice be made: Nor shall any perfon be eligible as sheriff, in any district, unless he shall have refided therein for two years, previous to the election.

29. That two commissioners of the treasury, the secretary of

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