| the interest on such debt as it falls due, and also to
discharge the principal thereof, within fifteen years from the time of
contracting the same, and the taxes laid for this purpose shall not be
repeated or applied to any other object until the said debt and the interest
thereon shall be fully discharged, and the amount of debts so contracted
and remaining unpaid shall never exceed one hundred thousand dollars. The
credit of the State shall not, in any manner, be given or loaned to or
in aid of any individual, association or corporation, nor shall the General
Assembly have the power, in any mode, to involve the State in the construction
of works of Internal Improvement, or in any enterprise which shall involve
the faith or credit of the State, or make any appropriations therefor.
And they shall not use or appropriate the proceeds of the Internal Improvement
companies, or of the State tax now levied or which may hereafter be levied,
to pay off the public debt, to any other purpose, until the interest and
debt are fully paid, or the sinking fund shall he equal to the amount of
the outstanding debt, but the Legislature may, without laying a tax, borrow
an amount never, to exceed fifty thousand dollars, to meet temporary deficiencies
in the Treasury, and may contract debts to any amount that may be necessary
lor the defence of the State. Sec. 23. No extra compensation shall be granted
or allowed by the General Assembly to any public officer, agent, servant
or contractor after the services shall have been rendered or the contract
entered into. Nor shall the salary or compensation of any public officer
be increased or diminished during his term of office See. 24. No senator
or delegate, after qualifying as such, shall, during the term for which
he was elected, be eligible to any office which shall have been created,
or the salary or profits of which shall have been increased, during such
term, or shall, during said term, hold any office or receive the salary
or profits of any office, under the appointment of the Executive or Leg-islature.
Sec. 25. Each House may punish, by imprisonment, during the Session of
the General Assembly, any person not a member, for disrespectful
or disorderly behaviour in its presence, or for obstructing any of its
proceedings or any of its officers in the execution of their duties; provided,
such imprisonment shall not, at any one time, exceed ten days. Sec. 26.
The members of each House shall, jn all cases, except treason, felony or
other criminal offence, be privileged from arrest during their attendance
at the session of the General Assembly, and in going to and returning from
the same, allowing one day for every thirty miles such member may reside
from the |
place at which the General Assembly is convened. Sec.
27. No senator or delegate shall be liable, in any civil action or criminal
prosecution whatever, for words spoken ill debate. Sec. 28. The House of
Delegates may inquire, on the oath of witnesses, into all complaints, grievances
and offences, as the Grand Inquest of the State, and may commit any person
for any crime to the public jail, there to remain until discharged by due
course of law— they may examine and pass all accounts of the State,
relating either in the collection or expenditure of the revenue, and 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 necessary
in the course of their inquiries con-cerning 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. Sec. 29. In case of death,
disqualification, resignation, refusal to act, expulsion or removal from
the county or city for which he shall have been elected, of any person
who shall have been chosen as a delegate or senator, or in case of a tie
between two or more such qualified persons, a warrant of election shall
be issued by the Speaker of the House of Delegates or President of the
Senate. as the case may be, for the election of another person in his place,
of which election, not less than ten days' notice shall be given exclusive
of the day of the publication of the notice and of the day of election;:
and in case of such resignation or refusal to act, being communicated,
in writing, to the Governor, by the person making it, or if such death
occur during the legislative recess and more than ten days before its termination,
it shall be the duty of the Governor to issue a warrant of election to
supply the vacancy thus created ill the same manner that the said Speaker
or President, might have done during the session of the Legislature; provided,
however, that unless a meeting of the General Assembly may intervene, the
election thus ordered to fill such vacancy shall be held on the day (if
the ensuing election for delegates and senators. Sec. 30, The senators
and delegates shall receive a per diem of four dollars and such mileage
as may be allowed by law. and the presiding officer of each House shall
be allowed an addition of one dollar per day. No book or (other printed
matter not appertaining to the business of the session, shall be purchased
or subscribed for, for the use of the members, or be distributed among
them, at the public expense. Sec, 31. No law passed by the General As- |
