Section

Section 6. Governor to have information 11. Members of the General Assemfrom officers in executive de

bly, when privileged from arpartment.

rest. 7. Commissions and grants to be 12. Apportionment of members to in the name of the common

House of Representatives. wealth of Virginia.

13. Division of the State into dis. 8. Certain requirements for every

tricts. resolution before it becomes

14. Privilege of writ of habeas cora law.

pus.-Bill of attainder. 9. Election of Lieutenant-Gover

15. No law shall embrace more than nor.

one subject. 10. When Lieutenant - Governor

16. Those who may be impeached. takes the Governor's place.

17. Charters not granted to relig. 11. Lieutenant - Governor' president

ious denominations. of the Senate.

18. Lotteries. 12. Secretary of the Commonwealth,

19. Formation of a new county. Treasurer and Auditor.-Elec

20. Divorces and change of names tion of the same.

of persons. 13. Duties of the Secretary.

21. Registration of births, mar14. Powers and duties of the Treas

riages and deaths.

22. Conducting elections and filling urer.

vacancies. 15. Bureau of statistics, agriculture,

23. Government of towns and cities chemistry and geology. 16. Bureau of immigration.

provided for by Legislature.

24. Removal of disabilities incurred 17. Board of public works, to consist of Governor, Auditor and

by duelling.
Treasurer.

ARTICLE VI.
ARTICLE V.

Judiciary Department.
Legislative Department.

1. Jurisdiction of Supreme Court 1. Legislative power vested in

Courts,

of Appeals, Circuit General Assembly.

and County Courts, to be regu2. Election of House of Dele

lated by law. gates.

2. Supreme Court of Appeals to 3. The Senate shall consist of not

consist of five judges. less than thirty-three nor 3. Special Courts of Appeals. more than forty members. 4. Reversal of judgment. Election of the same.

5. Choosing of judges and their 4. Appointment of Senators and

term of office. Delegates.

6. Duties and compensation de. 5. Qualifications of Senators and 1

scribed by law. Delegates.

7. Session of Supreme Court of 6. General Assembly to meet once

Appeals. in two years. In regard to 8. Election of Attorney-General. adjournment.

9. Judicial districts, how divided. 7. The speaker of the House of 10. Rearrangement of circuits.

Delegates.-Filling vacancies. 11. Term of office of Circuit Judge. 8. Salaries of members of General 12. Circuit Court to be held once a Assembly.

year. 9. Origin of bills and resolutions. 13. County Courts, term of office of 10. For a bill to become a law.

judges of the same.

PREAMBLE. Whereas, the delegates and representatives of the good people of Virginia, in convention assembled, on the twenty-ninth day of June, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy-six, reciting and declaring, that whereas George the Third, King of Great Britain and Ireland, and elector of Hanover, before that time intrusted with the exercise of the kingly office in the government of Virginia, had endeavored to pervert tlie same into a detestable and insupportable tyranny, by putting his negative on laws the most wholesome and necessary for the public good; by denying his governors permission to pass laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation for his assent, and when so suspended, neglecting to attend to them for many years; by refusing to pass certain other laws unless the persons to be benefited by them would relinquish the inalienable right of representation in the legislature; by dissolving legislative assemblies, repeatedly and continually, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions of the rights of the people; when dissolved by refusing to call others for a long space of time, thereby leaving the political system

without any legislative head; by endeavoring to prevent the population of our country, and for that purpose obstructing the laws for naturalization of foreigners; by keeping among us, in time of peace, standing armies and ships of war; by affecting to render the military independent of and superior to the civil power; by combining with others to subject us to a foreign jurisdiction, giving his assent to their pretended acts of legislation for quartering large bodies of armed troops among us; for cutting off our trade with all parts of the world; for imposing taxes on us without our consent; for depriving us of the benefit of trial by jury; for transporting us beyond the seas for trial for pretended offenses; for suspending our own legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever; by plundering our seas, ravaging our coasts, burning our towns, and destroying the lives of our people; by inciting insurrection of our fellow-subjects with the

lurements of forfeiture and confiscation; by prompting our negroes to rise in arms among us—those very negroes whom, by an inhuman use of his negative, he had refused us permission to (xclude by law; by endeavoring to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers the merciless Indian savages, whose known rule of warfare is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions of existence; by transporting hither a large army of foreign mercenaries to complete the work of death, desolation and tyranny, then already begun, with circumstances of cruelty and perfidy unworthy the head of a civilized nation; by answering our repeated petitions for redress with a repetition of our injuries; and finally, by abandoning the helm of government and declaring us out of his allegiance and protection -- by which several acts of misrule, the government of this country, as before exercised under the crown of Great Britain, was totally dissolved — did, therefore, having maturely considered the premises, and viewing with great concern the deplorable condition to which this once happy country would be reduced unless some regular, adequate mode of civil policy should be speedily adopted, and in compliance with the recommendations of the general congress, ordain and declare a form of government of Virginia.

And, whereas, a convention, held on the first Monday in Octotur, in the year one thousand eight hundred and twenty-nine, did propose to the people of this Commonwealth an amended constitution or form of government, which was ratified by them;

And, whereas, the General Assembly of Virginia, by an act passed on the fourth of March in the year one thousand eight hundred and fifty, did provide for the election, by the people, of delegates to meet in general convention, to consider, discuss and propose a new constitution, or alterations and amendments to the existing constitution of this Commonwealth; and by an act passed on the thirteenth of March, in the year one thousand eight hundred and fifty-one, did further provide for submitting the same to the people for ratification or rejection, and the same having been submitted accordingly was ratified by them;

And, whereas, the General Assembly of Virginia, by an act passed on the twenty-first day of December, in the year one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, did provide for the election, by the people, of delegates to meet in general convention, to consider, discuss and adopt alterations and amendments to the existing Constitution of this Commonwealth, the delegates so assembled, did, therefore, having maturely considered the premises, adopt a revised and amended Constitution as the form of government of Virginia;

And, whereas, the Congress of the United States did, by an act passed on the second day of March, in the year one thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, and entitled "An act to provide for the more efficient government of the rebel States," and by acts supplementary thereto passed on the twenty-third day of March and the nineteenth day of July, in the year one thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, provide for the election, by the people of Virginia, qualified to vote under the provisions of said acts, of delegates to meet in convention to frame a Constitution or form of government for Virginia in conformity with said acts; and by the same acts did further provide for the submitting of such Constitution to the qualified voters for ratification or rejection;

We, therefore, the delegates of the good people of Virginia, elected and in convention assembled, in pursuance of said act, invoking the favor and guidance of Almighty God, do propose to the people the following Constitution and form of government for this Commonwealth:

Bill of Rights.

ARTICLE I. A declaration of rights made by the representatives of the good people of Virginia, assembled in full and free convention; which