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ber, in the year eighteen hundred and sixty four, and on the
same day in every fourth year thereafter, who shall hold his
office for four years from the first Monday of January next
ensuing his election, and until his successor shall be elected
and qualified, and shall be re-elegible thereto, and shall be
subject to removal for incompetency, willful neglect of duty,
or misdemeanor in office, on conviction in a Court of Law.

Sec. 2. All elections for Attorney General shall be certified
to, and returns made thereof by the Clerks of the Circuit
Courts for the several counties, and the Clerk of the Superior
Court of Baltimore city, to the Governor of the State, whose
duty it shall be to decide upon the election and qualifications
of the person returned, and in case of a tie between two or
more persons to designate which of said persons shall qualify
as Attorney General and to administer the oath of office to
the person elected.

Sec. 3. It shall be the duty of the Attorney General to
prosecute and defend, on the part of the State, all cases which
at the time of his election and qualification, and which there-
after may be depending in the Court of Appeals, or in the
Supreme Court of the United States, by or against the State,
or wherein the State may be interested; and he shall give
his opinion in writing whenever required by the General As-
sembly, or either branch thereof; the Governor; the Comp-
troller; the Treasurer; or any State's Attorney on any mat-
ter or subject depending before them; or either of them, and
when required by the Governor or the General Assembly, he
shall aid any State's Attorney in prosecuting any suit, or
action brought by the State, in any Court of this State; and
and he shall commence and prosecute or defend any suit, or
action, in any of said Courts, on the part of the State, which
the General Assembly or the Governor acting according to
law, shall direct to be commenced, prosecuted, or defended,
and he shall receive for his services an annual salary of
twenty-five hundred dollars; but he shall not be entitled to
receive any fees, perquisites, ^ or rewards, whatever, in addi-
tion to the salary aforesaid, Cor the performance of any official
duty, nor have power to appoint any agent, representative,
or deputy, under any circumstances whatever.

Sec. 4. No person shall be elegible to office of Attorney
General, who has not resided and practiced law in this State
for at least seven years next preceding his election.

Sec. 5. In case of vacancy in the office of Attorney General,
occasioned by death, resignation, or his removal from the
State, or his conviction as hereinbefore specified, the said
vacancy shall be filled by the Governor for the residue of the
term thus made vacant.