traced by the legislature, unless such deb
shall be authorized by a law providing for the
collection of an annual tax or taxes sufficient
to pay the interest on such debt as it falls due
and also to discharge the principal thereof
within fifteen years from the time of contract-
ing the same, and the taxes laid for this pur-
pose shall not he repealed or applied to any
other object until the said debt and the inter-
est thereon shall be fully discharged, and the
amount of debts so contracted and remaining
unpaid shall never exceed one hundred thou-
sand dollars. The credit of the State shall
not, in any manner, be given or loaned to or
in aid of any individual, association or cor-
poration, nor shall the general assembly have
the power, in any mode, to involve the State
in the construction of works of internal im-
provement, 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 tire public debt, to any
other purpose, and the interest and debt are
fully paid, or the sinking fund shall be equal
to the amount of tire outstanding debt; but
the legislature may, without laying a tax,
borrow an amount never to exceed fifty thou-
sand dollars, to meet temporary deficiencies in
the treasury, and may contract debts to any
amount that may be necessary for 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 con-
tractor, after the services »ball have been ren-
dered or the contract entered into. Nor shall
the salary or compensation of any public offi-
cer be increased or diminished during his
term of office.
SEC. 24. No senator or delegate, after qual-
ifying 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 legislature.
Sue. 25. Each house may punish by im-
prisonment, during the session of the general
assembly, any person not a member, tor dis-
respectful or disorderly behavior in its pres-
ence, 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.
Sue. 26. The members of each house shall,
in 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 return-
ing from the same, allowing one day for every
thirty miles such member may reside from the |
place at which the general assembly is con-
vened.
SEC. 27. No senator or delegate shall be
liable, in any civil action or criminal prosecu-
tion whatever, for words spoken in 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 ex-
penditure of the revenue, and appoint audi-
tors to state and adjust the same—they may
call for all public or official papers, and re-
cords, and send for persona whom they may
judge necessary in the course of their inquiries
concerning affairs relating to the public inter-
est, 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, disquaification,
resignation, refusal to act, expulsion or remo-
val 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 dele-
gates or president of the senate, as the ease
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 resigna-
tion or refusal to act, being communicated in
writing, to the Governor) by the person ma-
king it, or if such death occur during the
legislative recess and more than ten days be-
fore 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 president
night have done during the session of the
legislature; provided, however, that unlegs a
meeting of the general assembly may inter-
vene, the election thus ordered to fill such va-
cancy shall be held on the day of 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 allow-
ed an addition of one dollar per day. No
book or other printed matter not appertain-
ing 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-
sembly shall take effect until the first day of
June next after the session at which it may
be passed, unless it be otherwise expressly de-
clared therein. |
