LLOYD LOWNDES, ESQUIRE, GOVERNOR. 359

large, a person to be the President of the Second Branch of the
City Council, who shall possess the qualifications required and
hereinbefore defined, of the Mayor of the City of Baltimore.
His duty shall be to preside over the Second Branch of the City
Council, and vote on all questions, and perform such other
duties as may be prescribed by ordinances not inconsistent
with this Article. He shall be paid a salary of three thousand
dollars per annum, payable monthly. A joint convention of
the two Branches of the City Council, by a majority vote of
all the members elected to the City Council, may remove from
office the President of the Second Branch for incompetency,
wilful neglect of duty or misdemeanor in office, upon charges
preferred by the Mayor, and after notice of such charges is
given to the President of the Second Branch, and an oppor-
tunity afforded him to be heard.

215. The qualifications of electors of members of the City
Council shall be the same as those of electors of the Mayor.
All vacancies in the First Branch shall be filled without delay
by the First Branch from the ward in which the said vacancy
occurs, by an election of a person possessing the qualifications
hereinbefore prescribed, to fill the unexpired term of the former
incumbent. If a vacancy occurs in the Second Branch, then
said Branch shall forthwith fill said vacancy by the election of
a person possessing the qualifications hereinbefore prescribed
from the City at large or from the proper Councilmanic District,
if there be such District at that time.

216. The City Council shall meet on the Thursday next after
the third Monday in May, in the year eighteen hundred and
ninety-nine, and upon the same day in each year thereafter, and
may continue in session for one hundred and twenty days, and
no longer, in each year; provided, that they may, by ordinance
or resolution, so arrange their sittings that the same may be
held continuously or otherwise; and provided further, that the
Mayor may convene the City Council in extra session, as he
may now do by the fourth section of the eleventh Article of the
State Constitution.

217. Each Branch of the City Council may compel the at-
tendance of absent members, in such manner and under such