318 PROCEEDINGS OF THE CONVENTION [1776.

days notice at least, excluding the day of notice and the day of
election, shall be given.

8. "That not less than a majority of the delegates, with their
speaker, (to be chosen by them by ballot) constitute an house for
the transacting any business, other than that of adjourning.

9. "That the house of delegates shall judge of the elections and
qualifications of delegates.

10. "That the house of delegates may originate all money bills,
propose bills to the senate or receive those offered by that body,
and assent, d.issent or propose amendments; that they may enquire,
on the oath of witnesses, into all complaints, grievances, and offen-
ces, as the grand inquest of this state, and may commit any person for
any crime to the public jail, there to remain till he be discharged by
due course of law; they may expel any member for a great misde-
meanor, but not a second time for the same cause; they may ex-
amine and pass all accounts of the state, relating either to the col-
lection or expenditure of the revenue, or appoint auditors to state
and adjust the same; they may call for all public or official papers
and records, and send for persons, whom they may judge necessa-
ry, in the course of their enquiries, concerning affairs relating to
the public interest, and may direct all office bonds (which shall be
made payable to the state) to be sued for any breach of duty.

11. "That the senate may be at full and perfect liberty to exer-
cise their judgment in passing laws, and that they may not be com-
pelled by the house of delegates and the public distress, either to re-
ject a money bill which the emergency of affairs may require, or to
assent to some other act of legislation, in their conscience and judg-
ment injurious to the public welfare; the house of delegates shall
not on any occasion, or under any pretence, annex to, or blend
with a money bill, any matter, clause, or thing, not immediately
relating to, and necessary for the imposing, assessing, levying or
applying the taxes or supplies, to be raised for the support of go-
vernment, or the current expenses of the state; and to prevent al-
tercation about such bills, it is declared, that no bill imposing du-
ties or customs for the mere regulating of commerce, or inflicting
fines for the reformation of morals, or to enforce the execution of
the laws, by which an incidental revenue may arise, shall be ac-
counted a money bill; but every bill assessing, levying or apply-
ing taxes or supplies for the support of government, or the current
expenses of the state, or appropriating money in the treasury, shall
be deemed a money bill.

12. "That the house of delegates may punish, by imprisonment,
any person who shall be guilty of a contempt in their view, by any