other articles of this Constitution, and to remit
fines and forfeitures for offences, against the
State; but shall not remit the principal or interest
of any debt due to the State except in cases
of fines and forfeitures; and before granting a
nolle prosequi, or pardon, he shall give notice in
one or more newspapers of the application made
for it, and of the day, on or after which his decision
will be given; and in every case in which
he exercises this power he shall report to either
branch of the Legislature, whenever required,
the petitions, recommendations and reasons
which influence his decision.
Sec. 20. The Governor shall reside at the seat
of government, and shall receive for Ins services
an annual salary of thirty six hundred dollars.
Sec. 21. When the public interest requires it,
he shall have power to employ counsel, who
shall be entitled to such compensation as the
Legislature may allow in each case after the
services of such counsel shall have been per
formed.
Sec. 22. A Secretary of State shall be ap-
pointed by the Governor, by and with the ad-
vice and content of the Senate, who shall con-
tinue in office, unless sooner removed by the
Governor, till the end of the official term of the
Governor from whom he received his appoint-
ment, and shall receive an annual salary of one
thousand dollars,
Sec 23 He shall carefully keep and preserve
a record of all official acts and proceedings,
(which may, at all times, be inspected by a
committee of either branch of the Legislature,)
and shall perform such other duties as may be
prescribed by law, or as may properly belung to
his office.
ARTICLE III.
Legislative Department.
Sec. 1. The legislature shall consist of two
distinct branches, a Senate and a House of Del-
egates, which shall be styled "The General
Assembly of Maryland."
Sec. 2. Every county of the State and the
city of Baltimore, shall be entitled to elect one
Senator, who shall be elected by the qualified.
Voters of the counties and city of Baltimore respectively,
and who shall serve fur four years
from the day of their election.
Sec. 3. The Legislature at its first session
after the returns of the National Census of
eighteen hundred and sixty are published, and
in like manner after each subsequent census,
shall apportion the members of the House of
Delegates among the several counties of the
State, according to the population of each, and
shall always allow to the city of Baltimore four
more delegates than are allowed to the must
populous county, but no county shall be entitled
to less than two members, nor shall the whole
number of delegates ever exceed eighty or be |
less than sixty-five; and until the apportionment
is made under the census of eighteen hundred
and sixty, St. Mary's county shall be entitled
to two delegates; Kent two; Anne Arundel three;
Calvert two; Charles two; Baltimore county six;
Talbot two; Somerset four; Dorchester three;
Cecil three, Prince George's three; Queen
Anne's two; Worcester three; Frederick six;
Harford three; Caroline two; Baltimore city ten;
Washington five; Montgomery two; Allegany
four; Carroll three and Howard two.
Sec. 4. The members of the House of Dele-
gates shall be elected by the qualified voters of
the counties and city of Baltimore respectively,
to serve for two years from the day of their
election.
Sec. 5. The first election for delegates shall
take place on the first Wednesday of Novem-
ber, eighteen hundred and fifty one; and the
elections for delegates, and for one half of the
senators as nearly as practicable, shall he held on
the same day in every second year thereafter,
but an election for senators shall be held in the
year eighteen hundred and fifty one in Howard
county and all those counties in which senators
were elected in the year eighteen hundred and
forty six.
Sec. 6. Immediately after the Senate shall
have convened after the first election under this
constitution, the senators shall be divided by lot,
into two classes, an nearly equal in number as
may be, the senators of the first class shall go
out of office at the expiration of two years, and
senators shall be elected on the first Wednesday
of November, eighteen hundred and fifty three,
for the term of four years, to supply their places;
so that, after the first election, one half of the
senators may be chosen every second year; pro-
vided, that in no case shall any senator be placed
in a class which shall entitle him to serve for a
longer term than that for which he was elected.
In case the number of senators be hereafter in-
creased, such classification of the additional sen-
ators shall be made as to preserve as nearly as
may be an equal number in each class
Sec. 7. The General Assembly shall meet on
the first Wednesday of January, eighteen hun-
dred and fifty two, on the same day in the year
eighteen hundred and fifty three, and on the
same day in the year eighteen hundred and fifty-
four, and on the same day in every second year
thereafter, and at no other time, unless convened
by the Proclamation of the Governor
Sec 8. The General Assembly may continue
their first two sessions after the adoption of this
constitution, as long as in the opinion of the two
Houses, the public interests may require it, but
all subsequent regular sessions of the General
Assembly shall be closed on the tenth day of
March next ensuing the time of their commencement,
unless the same shall be closed at an ear-
lier day by the agreement of the two Houses. |
