CHAPTER V. SECTION II. The Encouragement of Literature, etc. trates in all For further pro. public schools, XVIII. 503. Wisdom and knowledge, as well as virtue, diffused gen- Duty of legisla erally among the body of the people, being necessary for tures and magisthe preservation of their rights and liberties; and as these future periods. depend on spreading the opportunities and advantages of visions as to education in the various parts of the country, and among see amend the different orders of the people, it shall be the duty of ments, Art. legislatures and magistrates, in all future periods of this 12 Allen, 500– commonwealth, to cherish the interests of literature and 103 Mass. 94, 97. the sciences, and all seminaries of them; especially the university at Cambridge, public schools and grammar schools in the towns; to encourage private societies and public institutions, rewards and immunities, for the promotion of agriculture, arts, sciences, commerce, trades, manufactures, and a natural history of the country; to countenance and inculcate the principles of humanity and general benevolence, public and private charity, industry and frugality, honesty and punctuality in their dealings; sincerity, good humor, and all social affections, and generous sentiments, among the people. CHAPTER VI. OATHS AND SUBSCRIPTIONS; INCOMPATIBILITY OF AND EXCLU- ARTICLE I. [Any person chosen governor, lieutenant- Oaths, etc. governor, councillor, senator, or representative, and accepting the trust, shall, before he proceed to execute the duties of his place or office, make and subscribe the following declaration, viz. : amendments, "I, A. B., do declare, that I believe the Christian reli- Abolished. See gion, and have a firm persuasion of its truth; and that I Art. VII. am seised and possessed, in my own right, of the property required by the constitution, as one qualification for the office or place to which I am elected." And the governor, lieutenant-governor, and councillors, shall make and subscribe the said declaration, in the pres Declaration and oaths of all officers. For new oath of allegiance, see amend. ments, Art. VI. Oath of office. Proviso. See amend. ence of the two houses of assembly; and the senators and representatives, first elected under this constitution, before the president and five of the council of the former constitution; and forever afterwards before the governor and council for the time being.] And every person chosen to either of the places or offices aforesaid, as also any person appointed or commissioned to any judicial, executive, military, or other office under the government, shall, before he enters on the discharge of the business of his place or office, take and subscribe the following declaration, and oaths or affirmations, viz.: ["I, A. B., do truly and sincerely acknowledge, profess, testify, and declare, that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is, and of right ought to be, a free, sovereign, and independent state; and I do swear, that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the said commonwealth, and that I will defend the same against traitorous conspiracies and all hostile attempts whatsoever; and that I do renounce and abjure all allegiance, subjection, and obedience to the king, queen, or government of Great Britain (as the case may be), and every other foreign power whatsoever; and that no foreign prince, person, prelate, state, or potentate, hath, or ought to have, any jurisdiction, superiority, pre-eminence, authority, dispensing or other power, in any matter, civil, ecclesiastical, or spiritual, within this commonwealth, except the authority and power which is or may be vested by their constituents in the congress of the United States: and I do further testify and declare, that no man or body of men hath or can have any right to absolve or discharge me from the obligation of this oath, declaration, or affirmation; and that I do make this acknowledgment, profession, testimony, declaration, denial, renunciation, and abjuration, heartily and truly, according to the common meaning and acceptation of the foregoing words, without any equivocation, mental evasion, or secret reservation whatsoever. So help me, GOD."] "I, A. B., do solemnly swear and affirm, that I will faithfully and impartially discharge and perform all the duties incumbent on me as , according to the best of my abilities and understanding, agreeably to the rules and regulations of the constitution and the laws of the commonwealth. So help me, GOD." Provided, always, that when any person chosen or apments, Art. VI. pointed as aforesaid, shall be of the denomination of the people called Quakers, and shall decline taking the said 66 swear affirmations, tered. otlices prohibit. etc., except, etc. VIII. And the said oaths or affirmations shall be taken and Oaths and subscribed by the governor, lieutenant-governor, and coun- how adminis cillors, before the president of the senate, in the presence of the two houses of assembly; and by the senators and representatives first elected under this constitution, before the president and five of the council of the former constitution; and forever afterwards before the governor and council for the time being; and by the residue of the officers aforesaid, before such persons and in such manner as from time to time shall be prescribed by the legislature. II. No governor, lieutenant-governor, or judge of the Plurality of supreme judicial court, shall hold any other office or place, ed to governor, under the authority of this commonwealth, except such as see amend by this constitution they are admitted to hold, saving that ments, Art. the judges of the said court may hold the offices of justices of the peace through the state; nor shall they hold any other place or office, or receive any pension or salary from any other state or government or power whatever. No person shall be capable of holding or exercising at Same subject. the same time, within this state, more than one of the following offices, viz. : judge of probate — sheriff — regis-*. ter of probate or register of deeds; and never more than any two offices, which are to be held by appointment of the governor, or the governor and council, or the senate, or the house' of representatives, or by the election of the people of the state at large, or of the people of any county, military offices, and the offices of justices of the peace excepted, shall be held by one person. No person holding the office of judge of the supreme Incompatible judicial court secretary-attorney-general-solicitor- For further progeneral treasurer or receiver-general-judge of probate vision to -commissary-general-[president, professor, or instruct- offices, see or of Harvard College]-sheriff- clerk of the house of Art. VIII. representatives-register of probate-register of deeds vard College -clerk of the supreme judicial court- clerk of the infe- amendments, rior court of common pleas—or officer of the customs, Art. XXVII. including in this description naval officers - shall at the 1 Allen, 553. oflices. as incompatible amendments, Officers of Har. excepted by Incompatible offices. Bribery, etc., disqualify. Value of money ascertained. fications may be increased. same time have a seat in the senate or house of representatives; but their being chosen or appointed to, and accepting the same, shall operate as a resignation of their seat in the senate or house of representatives; and the place so vacated shall be filled up. And the same rule shall take place in case any judge of the said supreme judicial court, or judge of probate, shall accept a seat in council; or any councillor shall accept of either of those offices or places. And no person shall ever be admitted to hold a seat in the legislature, or any office of trust or importance under the government of this commonwealth, who shall, in the due course of law, have been convicted of bribery or corruption in obtaining an election or appointment. III. In all cases where sums of money are mentioned in this constitution, the value thereof shall be computed Property quali in silver, at six shillings and eight pence per ounce; and it shall be in the power of the legislature, from time to time, to increase such qualifications, as to property, of the persons to be elected to offices, as the circumstances of the commonwealth shall require. See amend. ments, Art. XIII. Provisions respecting commissions. Provisions respecting writs. 2 Pick. 592. 3 Met. 58. 13 Gray, 74. Continuation of former laws, except, etc. 1 Mass. 59. 2 Mass. 534. 8 Pick. 309, 316. IV. All commissions shall be in the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, signed by the governor and attested by the secretary or his deputy, and have the great seal of the commonwealth affixed thereto. V. All writs, issuing out of the clerk's office in of any the courts of law, shall be in the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts; they shall be under the seal of the court from whence they issue; they shall bear test of the first justice of the court to which they shall be returnable, who is not a party, and be signed by the clerk of such court. VI. All the laws which have heretofore been adopted, used, and approved in the Province, Colony, or State of Massachusetts Bay, and usually practised on in the courts 16 Pick. 107, 115. of law, shall still remain and be in full force, until altered or repealed by the legislature; such parts only excepted as are repugnant to the rights and liberties contained in this constitution. 2 Met. 118. Benefit of habeas corpus etc. VII. The privilege and benefit of the writ of habeas secured, except, corpus shall be enjoyed in this commonwealth, in the most free, easy, cheap, expeditious, and ample manner; and shall not be suspended by the legislature, except upon most urgent and pressing occasions, and for a limited time, not exceeding twelve months. the style. VIII. The enacting style, in making and passing all The enacting acts, statutes, and laws, shall be Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives, in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same." former govern. IX. To the end there may be no failure of justice, or Officers of danger arise to the commonwealth from a change of the ment continued form of government, all officers, civil and military, hold- until, etc. ing commissions under the government and people of Massachusetts Bay in New England, and all other officers of the said government and people, at the time this constitution shall take effect, shall have, hold, use, exercise, and enjoy, all the powers and authority to them granted or committed, until other persons shall be appointed in their stead; and all courts of law shall proceed in the execution of the business of their respective departments; and all the executive and legislative officers, lodies, and powers shall continue in full force, in the enjoyment and exercise of all their trusts, employments, and authority; until the general court, and the supreme and executive officers under this constitution, are designated and invested with their respective trusts, powers, and authority. stitution. provision as to see amend. X. In order the more effectually to adhere to the Provision for principles of the constitution, and to correct those viola- revising con tions which by any means may be made therein, as well For existing as to form such alterations as from experience shall be amendments, found necessary, the general court which shall be in the ments, Art. IX year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninetyfive, shall issue precepts to the selectmen of the several towns, and to the assessors of the unincorporated plantations, directing them to convene the qualified voters of their respective towns and plantations, for the purpose of collecting their sentiments on the necessity or expediency of revising the constitution, in order to amendments. revising con And if it shall appear, by the returns made, that two- Provision for thirds of the qualified voters throughout the state, who stitution. shall assemble and vote in consequence of the said precepts, are in favor of such revision or amendment, the general court shall issue precepts, or direct them to be issued from the secretary's office, to the several towns to elect delegates to meet in convention for the purpose aforesaid. The said delegates to be chosen in the same manner and proportion as their representatives in the second branch of the legislature are by this constitution to be chosen.] |