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“Tile CONSTIT?U’§I’I-Gllifil
‘Of C07l77>3Ei53?t59 . I -
Aisfrflrndd the Goztftietltidn'd§sc1tti)léd_at Hort:
ford; '.f1iur. 25th," 1818-‘Q-’-dind 1_tow.qfl'
,3io1z._f_.,-- _,-.
,1 .'
, Tlie'pbople't;f Coiiiiecticut
-fwitlr gratitude,~5't:lte-good Providence of God,‘
in .1.-mugpet-niitteti-t1.e‘mrto enjoy a free. gov!-I
cI'ninl3i'1't,“(l”o;‘ in'_‘ordef ,mor‘e'cfl‘cct'u’ally to de-
fine, septum-f, and poi-petuate ’ the Jiberties,
I-ightsand privileges which they have deri-
,_:vett frtiiii thc_ir_-an‘_c01sto1'S. here-by,_ after a’
,_.¢arefttl.. q consitlcratioit and .revision‘,I ordain
*~.,,igfid ._es_talilis_h the following Con,stttt_ttton anti‘
.2: Civil‘Government;-I ._ _
- j .A=B'fIC!-J‘: jlst—.Ucclu_ration of Rights.
‘That the great fand e'ssential..principles- of lib-
erty. and free. government maybe" recognizedand
cstabli'shed,:°- ' F ' -
;;- we DECLARE, - _
_ § 1..-',l'hat--all men when they form a social
“compact;-are equal in rights ; and that no man, or
-sct -of men, arefentitled -to -exclusive public emol-
. . ;;m,‘¢nts or pmue,;e,s- f_rom_.the';cornniunitytn
.. _._ ']‘h-g;,'auV_pQ[i[j‘éal pqwttl“ is inherent the
ifpeoplie, and all free governments.are_, founded on
;.-..tlltei.r authority, andjinstituted ‘for their_. benefit ;
.'and\thfat th'ey h,a.ve_at all times an,un§leniable and
A
-' indefeasible right to alter theii‘_form of govern-
, «men: in suc,h.manner as..they may think~cxpcdi-
ent. ,' ' «
_ § 3. The exercise and enjoyment of religious
profession and worship, without discrimination,‘
shall forever be free to fall persons in this state,
_provided that tlieiright hereby declared and estab-
lishetl’,-_sl’iall not be so construed as to excuse acts‘
of licentiousness, onto justify practices inconsist-
ent with the peace and safety. of the state.
_ § 4. No preference shall be given by law, toany
chris_tian.sect or mode of worship. . ~. ‘ -
:: Every citizen may freely speak, write, and
‘publish his__ sentiments on all subjects, being re-
sponsible for the abuse of that liberty._
§ 6. No law shall ever be passed to curtail or
restrain the liberty -of speech, ortof the press.
_, § 7. In all prosecutions for libels, the truth may
be ‘given _i_n evidence and the jury shall-have the
riglit to determine the law and the facts, under
the direction of the court. . - -
§.8. The people shall be secure in their per-
sons, -houses, papers‘ and possessions from un-
reasonable search"es‘.-or sei'zures ,~ and no war-
rant to search any place,,or to seize any person
or thing, shallissue, without describing them as
nearly as may be, nor_ without probable cause
supported by oathor athrmation. _
, § 9. In all criminal prosecutions, the accused
shall have a right to be "heard by himself and
counsel“; to demand the nature and cause of the
accusation ; to be confronted by the witnesses a-
gainst him ;_to have compulsory process to ob-
tain \vitttcsSds in his favor ; and in all prosecu-
tions by indictment or,_information,. ,a speedy,
public trial by an.impartial jury.’ He shall not
be com'pel_led to give evidentze against himself,
nor be tlcprivedof life, libe_r_ty or‘ property, but
by ‘_d_ue course of law. And no person shall be
holtlcn to answer for any crime, the pt_:nishm’ent
of which may be death or imprisonment for life,
unless on a presentmcntor indictment of a grand
jury, except in the land or naval forces, or in
the.fniliti‘a when in actual scrvicein time of war,
or public danger: _
§ id. No person shall be arrested, detained or
punished, exceptiin cases clearly warranted. by
law. . . ' 7
-__ § 11. The property of no person shall be ta-
l-zen for public use, without just compensation
therefor. _ "
. §,l2‘. All courts shall be open, and every per-
son, for an injury done him in his person, proper-
ty, or reputation, shall have remedy by due course
of law, and right and jus'ti'ce 2-.‘dministered-wiilt-
out sale, denial, or (lelay'.'1 .
..§ 13. Excessive bail shall not be required, nor
excessive lines imposed. I " ;
q §- I4. All prisoners shall, before conviction, be
bailable by sufficient sureties, except for capital
offences, where the proof is evident, or the pre-
sumpt.ion,gt'eat ; and the privilege of the writ of;
I.'q6ca.9 corjzus‘ shall not be suspended, unless’ when
in case of rebellion or invasion’, tliepublic safety
may require it ; nor, in any case, but by the Le-
gislature. " " ' '
.§;l5. No person shall beattain-ted oftreason, ,
' ‘ ‘ licexcept -on such'occas_ions_'as in the opinion pl
or felony, b'y the legislature.’
. § 16. -The citizens have a right in a peaceable
manner, to assemble for their common" go‘od,.a‘ntl ’
to apply to those invested with the powers of‘
government, for redress of .grievance_s, or other
p'rop'et" purposes, by ‘petition, address, or remort-
strance.; t . _ , _ _ ‘ '
§ l7." Every citizen has right to bear arms
in defence of hirnsclfand the state. ., .
§vl8‘. The military iilflli, in all cases, and at
all times, be in’ strict suborclination to the civil
power. ' ‘ '
.§ 19. No solcliershall, time of peace, be ‘.
quartered in‘ any house, vvithotjflthe consent of
the owner; norin time of '.‘var,'bht in a manner
to be prescribed by-law. ' j . 4 _
‘ §2O. No hereditary emoluments, privileges
or honours, shall ever be granted, or conferred in
this state. 4 if . - - , , . .
§‘2l. The right of trial by jury, shall remain
inviolable..- , H . ,
An'rzcI.E 2d--Dz'.s-m'bzz‘tz'o7‘t of Pom-rs._
1.’ The powers of government shall be (livi-
/
(led into three distinct departments,'and each of
them confided to a separate magistracy, to wit-‘-
j.hose._ which are I'.cgislati'v'e, to one ;'those which
are Ex-'e'cutive, to another, and those which are
Judicial‘, to another. ' * ' 1 -A ‘ -
Azt'rxcLi; Stl.--Legislative Dr/iartmentl
§ .1. The ‘Legislativepower of this state _shall
be vcstedin two distinct houses or branches; one
:0 ht; styled The Senate, the other .'l'l2e House q/'
Tie/tree-cn(ativca, and both together, The GL’?2£’I"0l
-'.:.;..'.;»;.‘..-51,. The style oftheir lawfs shallbé, Be
‘it enacizéc! 5;/« 1/2: Senate and House 42/‘ Re/i§'csé7zt-
d_Iz'ves,ir1iGcv2'er'zz,l gzmmozy’ convened. . .
2? There sliali lie:oi1e'statec[‘s‘essitiii of the
Ge_net'al Assembly, to be holden in‘-‘each year, al-
, , ._ . V _ _ _ _ I aeiriédito» ~t“erna’tely at l-lar'rEord and New-Haven, on the first
ville.1’6li1flt:fol“flI.81.l‘.C0nSItlC7‘(lt10'll; and adop-
Vfednesday of l‘v’I_'.'iy,—j tifitl'_:if§ucli' othcr’.times- as
" ._tlie'General Asse.rubly.§l_t§ll judge necessary 3;
firstisession to be holdeii. in Hartford: bu“
person adiniiiistcring the bilice of Gjovernor,
on speci:-.1-etnAe‘rgencie_’s,convene the General As-
sembly at either_ofsaid places, at any other time.
And -in case of danger from the prevalence of
contagious diseases, in either of said places,’ or
other cireu'msta'n'ces, the_‘pet_'son’ admihlstet'ing
_,tlie'_oli‘ic'e of Governor may,ib'y pfoclamation; con-
vene said Assembly at any other-place in Fthis‘
state, . 4 - ' ' - ‘_ ' A‘
. § 3-The House ‘of. Repres”entaii‘vés;-Jshall' con.
sis: of electors residing in towns from \vhich't.h_e§‘ ‘
be entitled to one Representative only; and if
such new town shall be made from "one. or more’
towns, the town or‘ towns, from vvhich,the _same
shall beimade, shall be e_n'titl_ed to the same outn-
-ber of Representatives as at pI‘esent‘allovved,‘i|h--
less the number shall‘ be reduced -by the consent
of such towifor towns.” ' " 1 ‘ ‘ jl
'. §-4.f’.'l‘_h'e Senate shall consist of twelve mem-
bers, to be chosen annually by-the electors.»
5. At the meetings of the zeiectors, held‘ in.
the several towns in- this state,=in'A,pr'iI annually,
_ after the e‘lect__ion qf_Representati_ves, the electors.
present shall be called upon to bring in their writ-.
ten, ballots for Senators. The presitling oili-
cei",sl,1al_l_receive the votes ,of the electors, and
count and declare them in open meeting. The
presiding oliicer shall also make duplicate lists of
the persons voted for, andofthe number of votes
for each, which shall be"certilied by the presit_ling
officer ; ‘one of which lists shall’ be delivered to‘
the Toivn Clerk, and the other within ten days
after said meeting shall be delivered under seal,
‘t:il.llt:!“l0 the'secret‘ary, or to the sheriff of the
county in which said town is situated ; which list
shall be directed to the secretary,.wi_th a super-
sci-iption expressing the purport of the contents
thereof. And each sheriff who shall receive such
votes, shall within fifteen days after said meeting,
deli_ver, or cause them to be deliveretl,4to the se-
cretary. _ .
§ 6. The Treasurer, Secretary, and Controller,
forihc time being, shall canvass the votes public-
ly. [The twelve persons having the greatest num-
ber of votes for Senators shall be declared to be
elected.‘ But in cases where no choice is made
by the electors in consequence of an equality of
votes, the House of Representatives shall desig-
nate by ballot which of-the candidates have such
equal number of votes, shall be declaredelectcd.
The return of votes and the result of the canvass.
tives, and also to the Senate, on the first day of
the session of the General Assembly, and each
House shall be the finaljudge of the election re-
turns and qualifications of its own members.
. sembled, shall" choose a Speaker, Clerk‘, and oth-
er ofiicers. The Senate shall choose’ its Clerk
and other ofiicers except the President.‘ A ma-
jori'y of each House shall constitute aquorum
to do business: but a smaller number may atl-
journ from day to day, and compel the attend-
ance of absent members in such manner and un-
der such penalties as each House may prescribe.
§ 8. Each I-louse" shall determine the rules of
its own proceedings, [)lllll.Slli.'n'l€IIll)8l‘S for disor-
derly conduct, and with the consent of. two thirds
expel a member,‘ but not a second time for the
same cause, and shall have all other powers ne-
cessary for a branch of the Legislature of a free
and independent State. ‘ .‘
. §9. "Each House shall keep ajournal ofits pro-
ceedings and publish -the same when required
‘ by one fifth of its members, exceptsuch parts as-
crecy. The yeas and nays of the members of
either House shall at the desire of one- fifth of
those present, tbeentered on the journals.
§ 10. The Senators and Representatives shall,
in all‘ cases ofcivil process be privileged from ar-
rest during the session of the General Assembly,
;. and for four days before the commencement, and
- afterthe terininatioli of any session thei'e'of._ .And
3for any ‘speech"ot"debate in‘ "either Housethcy
shall not be" questioned in any other place. _ 1
_ .§ ll. The debates of eachjl-_lo’tTse shall_be;pub'-
the House, may require secrecy.‘
' § I.’ The supreme executive power of " the
State shall be vested i'n a‘Gove’rn_or,- who shall
be chosen l1y,the'electors"oftlr.e State," ahdishall
L hold his ollice for one year, from the first XV ed-
nesday of May next succeeding his election and
’ until his successor be duly tjualified. {No per-
son who is notianelector‘ of this State and who
has not arrived at the age of thirty years’, shall be
eligible. » _ -r ‘ ‘ ' _ _ ‘
§ 2. At the meetings of the electorsin the re-
spective Towns in the month of April in each
year, immediately after the election of senators
the presiding oflicens shall call upon the»ele'cto'rs'
to bring in their ballots for him" whom they would
elect to be Governor, with his_-name fairly writ;
‘ ten. VVhen such ballots shall have been receiv-
- ed and counted in the presence of, the electors,
gdtiplicate lists , of the persons voted for, .-and‘ of
the number of votes given for each, shall be
riiazle and certified by the presiding...o_liicer,~ one.
of which lists;sha_ll be deposited in the office of
the Town Clerk within three days, and the. oth-
er within ten clays after said -election, shall be
transmitted to the secretary, or to the sheriff of
~ the County in which such election shallhave been
held. ~ The sheriff receiving said votes shall de-
‘liver, or cause them to,b‘e delivered to the secre-
tary within fifteen days next after said election.
The votes so returned shall be'counted_by'the
'1’reasut'et', Secrctatfy, and Controller,_within the
are elected. ~ The ,nu«_mber' of Rep,t'esen't'ttti,i;_, ‘Q’
fromicach town-_sha1l be. the same as at,pr,t3s’_eitf"
practised and allowed. _In case a’ new town shall 7'_ ;'_
hereafter be incorporated, such‘ new town:shal_l"' "
shall be submitted to the House of Representa- -
§‘7.‘ The House ‘of Representatives when as- .
‘in the judgement of. a -majority may rcquire,se‘- ,
Alt'rICEE 4th—'-Of ‘the"Executz've Drjztzrtyneizt. .
"ii" ‘ ’dnth”iUf' l. fair‘ listicfc the persnns"‘ai1d"
number of votes," given for each,‘_together_wi_th
the returns of .‘the presiding ofiicers. shall be__b'y
-.ind.la‘itl before the General Assembly, then next
to‘ be holden, on the first day-of the session there-’
of ;' and said" Assembly sha‘l_l,‘after e.\“:'ar‘nina‘tion
of the same, declare the person whom they shall
‘ has.a“major'ity of the votes returned as a‘fore-
, ‘id, tolbe legally choose, and give liini notice ac-
cordinglyf If no person shall‘ have a majority
0f ‘N5 ‘.\'vlu'>l‘e.nuniber of said. votes, or if two
or more‘. shall have an equal and the greatest
numbcr"t_)f said, -votes, then said Assembly, on
the second day of their session, by joint ballot ‘of
both houses, ,shall proceed, —_witltout debate, to
-choose a Governor from a list of. the names of
the two persons having the greatest -number of
votes, or if the names of the persons having an
The General Ass‘en’ibly shall by‘
he manner in which all questions-
ction of a ,Govern'or or-Lieu-
‘til meetings of the electors,
” election of-Governor, there
, the same manner as is,
’- for the ‘election of Gov-
ernor, who shall contin-
' time, -and possessthc
herein befoije_ 1‘ pl:
ernor, a Lieutgn
uc _in'o{iice for..‘t'h_
sam.s'9va1ificafiatiis!.
§4.- The co,ti1,péUt'i"s° e Governor, Lieu-
tetiant—Govet'nof,}§_Sii; atugsgfind Representatives,
shall be —¢stsb1,igtr“a;by,1aw, and shallnnot be va-
ried so as to take‘:effect until after an election,
which shall next succeed the,pa'ssage of the law
establishing said compensa,tion°s., '» _
§ 5.’ The Governor shall be Captain General
of,the Militia of the State, except when called
into the service ofthe United States.. T
§6. He may require information in writing
from the oflicers in the executive department on
any subject relating to the duties of their respec-
tive ofiices._ v .~ . - " “
§ 7. The Governor,in case of. adisagrcement be-
tween the two houses of the General Assembly,
respecting the time of adjournment, may adjourn
them to such time as he shall think proper, not
beyjondthe day of _the next stated session. -
§ 8. He shall- from time to time, give tothe
General Assembly, information of ,the,state of
the government, and recommend to their con-
‘sideration, such measures as he shall deem ex-
pedient. _
§ 9. He shall take care that the laws be faith-
fully executed. . j
' § 10. The Governor shall have power to grant
reprieves after conviction, in all cases except
those of impeachment, until the end of the next
~session of the General Assembly, and no longer.
§ 11. All Commissions -shall be in the name
and by authority of the State of Connecticut ;
shall be sealed with the State seal, signed. by the
.,Governnr, and attested by the secretary.
,§ 12. Every bill which shall have passed both
‘Houses of the General Assembly, shall be pre-
sented to the Governor. If he approves, he shall
sign and transmit _it.tothe,secr.etary, butifnot, he
shall return it to the House in which it originated
with his objections, which shall be entered on the
Joui-nalsof the house, who shall proceed to recon-
sider the bill. If after such reconsideqration, that
house shall again pass it,_ it shall be sent with the
-"objections to the other house, ‘which shall also re-
considet-it'.' If approved, it shall becomea law; but
in such-cases, the votes of both houses shall be
‘determined yeas and hays ; and the names of
the members voting for and against the’ bill, shall‘
be entered on the Journals of each house respect-
ively. If the bill shall not be iettlrtied by the
Governor within threettlays, (Sundays excepted)
after it shall have been presented to him, the
same shall be a law in like manner as if he had
signed it ; unless the "General Assembly, by. their
adjournment, prevents its return, in‘ which case
‘it shall not be a law.
” § 13. The Lieutenant Governor shall, by vir-
tue of his office, be president of the senate, and
have',jwhen in committee of the whole, a right to
‘debate, and when the senate is equally divided, to
give thecastiug vote. , ' .
§ I4. In case of the deatlnresignation, refusal
to serve, or.removal from oflice of the Governor,
or of ; his i’m‘peach_ment, or absence from the state,
the Lieutenant Governor shall exercise the pow-
ers and authority appertaining «to the .,oflice A of
Governor, t'1_nt'rl_another be chosen at the next ‘pe-
riodical election fo’_r Governor, and be duly quali-
fied ; or until the Goye’rnor_impeached or absent,
shall,_be.ai:‘q‘uitted' or return. _ - ; _
§ l‘§’.” \Vhen' thegovernmént shall be adminis-
tered by the Lieutenant Governor, or he shall be
unable to attend ‘as P_residen'tqof,the senate, the
senate shall elecl"one of their members as Pres-
-ident, /z_ro tori:/z_are. And if during the vacancy
of the office of Governor, the Lieutenant Gov G
ernor shalltlie, resign), refuse‘ to serve, or’ be re-
moved.l'r_om office, or if he shall’ be impeached,‘
or absent. from the state, the president _'of the sen-
ate, [ma t_emfzore, shall -in like manner administer
tbc,,go,_vernm,_nt, until he be superseded byta
Governor or Lieutenant Governor. '
_ . §l6. If the. Lieutenant Gover__nor_ shall be-re-.
quired to administer the ‘government, and shall,
while in such administration, die or resign uring
J the‘recess of the General Assembly, it shall be
' the duty of the secretary, for the time being, to
convene the" senate for the purpose of choosing a
tpresiilent jzro tam/tore. . _
§ 17. A; Treasurer shall annually be chosen by
Lthe electors at their meetingvin April, and the
votes shall be returned, counted, canvassed, and
declared, in the same manner as is providetl for
tlte ‘election of Governor and Lieutenant Gov-
ernor, but_the votes for treasurer shall be canvas-
sed by the secretary and controller only. ‘He shall
receive all monies belonging.to_ the state, and dis-
bursa the same only as he may be directed by
"law. He shall pay no warrant or order for the
disbursement of public money, until the same has
been reg,istered in the office ofithe ‘Controller.
§-18. A secretary shall be chosen next after
the treasurer, and in’ the same marine‘; and the
,».
tlie, 'i‘réasurer,‘ _Sécretary and -Controller, made.
ghost number of votes so returned’
‘(..
,,...c‘ ,_, ., -_
votes for'secreta'ry‘ shall be returned to‘, and <':'6’iifi=
‘Cd; can vassed and.decl§i'_ed by the/jTl?j§ii‘s,urer‘an
Controller. He ahall;fiave',-the. safeiltnééping an
.rCtt_stody of the-publicirécords and documents, an ,
_particularly of the Acts, ‘resolutions and ordersof h. ‘
the General ‘Assembly, ‘aha recsra:he'saine‘;-and
per-forrit all such duties asshall be prescribed» by‘
law.: - I-I.e.shallbe the keeper of the sealof 'the"
State; Which’ Shall not be altered. ‘ 2 I
§ 19. A Controller» of Public Accounts— shall
be annually'.a!ppointe.d by the General'aAssembly.
He shall adjust and settle all public accounts, and
demands, except grants and otders of the Gener-
al Assembly.‘ ‘ ‘He'shall.prescI'ibe- the“r‘node of
keeping and rendering all publicaccounts. MI-It:
shall ex qflii-io be one of the’ ‘auditors of the‘ ac.-
counts of the 'l‘reasu‘rer; v The Ge_n'eral Assem-4
bly may assign toliim other duties in relation 10'
his office, and to that of the Treasurer, a_nd‘shall
pres'crib_e tlxe-manual‘ in which his duties‘ shall be
perforrncd.‘ ' i I
§ 20.‘ A shex-ill‘ shall be appointed in each coun-
‘ty, by the General Assembly, and shall-become,
. l)OllIl(l'Wlll1 -sufficient=surcti'es,to th‘e:treasu'rer of
thestate, for the faithful discharge of the ‘duties
of his ofiice, in such manner as shall beipreslcri-‘
bed by law ; who shall hold -his ofiice for’ 3three
years, removeable by said Assembly. in casetho
Slleliii" of any county shall die or resign, the Gov-
ernor may fill the vacancy occasioned thereby,
until the same shall be filled by the General As-
sembly. ‘ ‘ * ' “ '
§2t. A statement of all receipts, payments,-
fuucls and debts of the state, shall be published
from time to time, in suchflmanner, and at such‘
periods as shall be prescribed by law.
ARTICLE 5th—-Of z/ze’Jud_z'cial Dejzartment.‘
= § 1 TheJudicialpower of the‘state shall be vested
in asupreme court of ‘errors, a superior court, and
such ; inferior courts as the General Assembly
shall, from time to -time, ordain and establish.-
The ‘’ powers and jurisdiction of which Courts
shall be defined by law. A _ . .
§2'. There shall be appointed in each‘ county
a sufficient number of Justices ofthc Peace, with
such jurisdiction in civil and criminal cases as the
General Assembly may prescribe. ' i '"
'§ 3. The Judges of the supreme court of er-
rors; of the superior and inferior courts, and all
Justices of the Peace, shall be appointed by the
General Assembly, in such inannetf as shall by
law be prescribed. The Judges of the supreme
court, and of the superior court, shall holdtlicir’
oliices during good behaviour ; but may beirenio-A
ved by impeachment; and the‘Governo_tj shall;
also remove them on the address of two, thirds of,
each house of the General Assembly ;_‘ alliother
Judges and Justices of the Peace shall be ap-
pointed annually. No Judge or Justice of the
peace shall be capable of holding his'oflice, after
he shall have arrivetl‘ at the age of seventy years...
ARTICLE 6th‘.—-0ft/re Qualf/itatims o_f1i'lcctors.
§ 1. All persons who have been, or shall here-‘
after previous -to the rati'fic‘ation ‘of this constitu-
tion, be admitted Freemen, according to the ex-‘
isting lawsof this state, shall-‘be electors.‘
§ 2. Every white male citizen of the United
States, who shall have gained a settlementin this
state, attained t_he___age, of, twenty—one years,‘ and
_residec_l inthe townpin which be may offer-hitn-'
self to be admitted to the privilege of an‘ elector,
at least six months preceding, -.intl_ have a freehold
estate of .the.yearly value otflseven dollars in this
_state ; or having been enrolled in the militia, shall
have perform'ed..niilita«1'y thtty therein for the term‘
of one year nextpreceeding the time-be shall
offer himself for admission. or being liablethere-'1
to, shall havebeen by authority of‘ law excused
therefrom; or shall have paid a state tax within?
the year next‘ preceding the ' time he shall pre-
sent_ himself for "such ad mission,'and»shall" sustain
a good moral character, shall, on his taking such
oath as_may be prescribed by law, be anvelector.
§ 4-. The privileges of an elector -shall - be for-
feited up conviction of bribery, forgery, perjury,
duelling, fraudulent bankruptcy, theft_oi' other of-
fence for, which an infamous punisliment is:in-
flicted. ' , : ‘ '
,§ 5. Every elector shall be eligible to any oflice
in this state, except in cases provided for in‘ this
Constitution. - .- _ - ~ V
§,6. The select m'en.an'd‘ town clerk of the-
several towns, shall decide on the qualifications of
electors, at such times and in such manner. as‘
mayzbe prescribed by law. - __ -. '
' § ,7. Lptwsshall be_m'at_le to support theprivilege.
of free sul’frage, prescribing the manner of"regu-
zlating and. conducting meetings of the electors,
and proltibiting, under adequate penalties, all_.un-:
d_ue influence therei'n_,' from power‘, bribery, tu-
rnultand other improper conduct. ’. 1'-'
Ԥ8. In all elections of oflicers of the state, or"
members ofithe General Assembly, the votes of.
the electors shall be by ballot. , " ' ‘ _
§'9. At all elections of officers of the state,-’ or
members of "the General Assembly, the electors‘
shall be priv_i—le_ged from arrest, during their at-
tendance up9n,and going to, and returning from
the same, t-mjany CiVl[])l.‘OCt‘SSs. . " . ‘ »
§ 10. The meetings of the electors for. the ’e-X
lection of the several state _ofiicet:s, by law -an-nu-v
allyptobe 'clectc-id_, and members of. the General“
Assembly of this state, shall be holden‘ on the
first Monday in April in each year. ._, .
; ARTICLE 7th.--Of Ituigion. . ..
§ 1.‘ It being the duty of all men to worship th
S'uprem‘e"Being, the Great Creator and Preserv-
-er of the universe, and their right to render that ‘
worship, in the mode most consistent with the
dictates of. their consciences ; no person shall by.
law be compelled to join or support, nor be class- «-
ed with or associated to any congregation, Church
or religious association. . Every person. now be-
longing to the Congregation, Church, or religious -
association, shall remain a member thereof until
he shall have separated himself tberefr_om,in the
manner hereinafter provided ; and each and ev-
ery' society or‘ denomination of christians in this
state,_.sh‘all have and enjoy the same and equal
powers, rights and privileges; and shall have‘
power and authority to support and maintain the
ministers or teachers of their respective denom-
inations, and to build and repair houses for pub» ,
Norwalk Chronicler