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SEC. 25. Each House may punish, by imprisonment, during
the session of the General Assembly, any person not a members
for disrespectful or disorderly behaviour in its presence, or for ob
structing any of its proceedings or any of its officers in the execu
tiou of their duties; provided, such imprisonment shall not, at any
one time, exceed ten days.
SEc. 26. The members of each House shall, in all cases, except
treason, felony or other criminal oflènce, 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. No senator or delegate shall be liable, in any civil
action or criminal prosecution whatever, for words spoken in de
bate.
SEC. 28. The House of Delegates may enquire, 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 reve
nue, 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
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.
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 cho
sen 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 Sen
ate, 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
snaking 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 in the same manner that the said Speaker or Presi
dent might have done during the session of the Legislature; pro
vided, however, that unless a meeting of the General Assembly
may intervene, the election thus ordered to fill such vacancy shall
he held on the day of the ensuing election for delegates and sena
tors.
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

 
 
 
 
 
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