GEORGIA..
WE the underwritten Delegates from the People in Conven
vention met, do declare that the following Articles (hall
form the Constitution for the Government of this State, and, by
virtue of the powers in us veiled for that purpose, do hereby rati
fy and confirm the fame.
The CONSTITUTION of the STATE of GEORGIA.
ARTICLE I.
S,ttion I. r | Legifiative Power (hall be veiled in two fe
-1 parateand diftintt Branches, to wit: a Senate
and House of Representatives, to be flyled, " The General As
sembly."
Sett. 11. The Senate shall be eletted on the firft Monday in
October in every third year, until such day of elettion be altered
by law, and shall be compoled of one member from each county,
chosen by the elettors thereof, and (ball continue for the term of
three years.
Sett. 111. No person shall be a member of the Senate who
shall not have attained to the age of twenty eight years, and who
shall not have been nine years an inhabitant ot the United States,
and three years a citizen of this State, and shall be an inhabitant
bf that county for which he shall be eletted, and have resided
therein fix months immediately preceding his elettion, and shall
be possessed in his own right of two hundred and fifty acres of
land, or iome property to the amount of two hundred and fifty
pounds.
Sett. IV. The Senate shall elett, by ballot, a President out of
their own body,
Sett. V. The Senate shall have solely the power to try all im
peachments.
Sett. VI. The elettion of members for theHoufeof Represent
atives lhall be annual, on the firft Monday in Ottober, until such
day of elettion be altered by law, and (hall be composed of mem
bers from each county in the following proportions: Camden,
two; Glynn, two; Liberty, fourj Chatham, five; Effingham,
two; Burke, four; Richmond, four ; Wilkes, five; Waflimgton,
two; Green, two; and Franklin, two.
Sett. VII. No person shall be a member of the House of Repre
sentatives who shall not have attained to the age of twenty one
years, and have been seven years a citizen of the United States,
and two years an inhabitant of this State; and (hall be an inhabi
tant of that county for which he shall be elettcd, and have resided
therein three months immediately preceding his elettion; and
(hall be pofTelTed in his own right of two hundred acres of land,
or other property to the amount of one hundred and fifty pounds.
Sett. VIII. The House of Representatives lhall choose their
Speaker and other officers.
Sett. IX. They shall have solely the power to impeach all per
sons who have been or may be in office.
Sett. X. No person holding a military coramiflion or office of
profit under this or the United States, or either of them, (except
justices of the peace and officers of the militia) shall be allowed
to take his feat as a member of either branch of the General As
sembly : Nor lhall any Senator or Representative be eletted to any
office of profit which shall be created during his appointment.
Sett. XI. The meeting of the General A(Tcmbly lhall be annu
al, on the firft Monday in November until such day of meeting
be altered by law.
Sett. XII. One third of the members of each branch (hall have
power to proceed to buftnefs ; but a fmailer number may adjourn
from day to day, and compel the attendance of their members
in luch manner as each House may prescribe.
Sett. XIII. Each House lh|ll be j'idges of the elettions, re
turns, and qualifications, of its own members ; with powers to
expel or punish for disorderly behaviour.
Sett. XIV. No Senator or Representative shall be liable to be
a rrefted during his attendance on the General Assembly, or for a
reasonable time in going thereto or returning home, except it be
for treason, felony, or breach of the peace: Nor shall any mem
ber be liable to answer for any thing spoken in debate in cither
House, in any Court or place elsewhere.
Sett. XV. The members of the Senate and House of Represent
atives shall take the following oath or affirmation : " I, A. B. do
solemnly swear, (or affirm as the cafe may be) that I have not ob
tained my elettion by bribery or other unlawful means; and that
I will give my vote, on all queftionsthat may come before me, as
a Senator, 01 Keprefentative, in such manner as in my judgment
will best promote the good of this State ; and that I (hall beartrue
faith and allegiance to the fame, and to the utmost of my power,
observe, support, and defend, the Constitution thereof."
Sett. XVI. The General AlTembly shall have power to make
all laws and ordinances which they lhall deem nccelTary and pro
per for the good of the State, which lhall not be repugnant to this
Constitution.
Sett. XVII. They (hall have power to alter the boundaries of
the present counties and to lay oft new ones, as well out the coun
ties already laid off as out of the other territory belonging to the
State. When a new county or counties (hall be laid off, out efany
of the present county or counties, (uch new county or counties
lhall have their representation apportioned out of the number of
the Representatives of the county or counties out of which it or
they (hall be laid out; and when any new county lhall be laid off in
the vacant territory belonging to the State, such county (hall have a
number of Representatives, not exceeding three, to be regulated
and determined by the General AlTembly. And no money shall
be drawn out of the Treasury, or from the public funds of this
State, except by appropriations made by law.
Se6l. XVIII. No Ciergyinan of any denomination shall be a
member of the General Alfembly.
ARTICLE 11.
Se£L I. The Executive Power lhall be vested in a Governor,
who lhall hold his office during the term of two years, anu lhall
be elected in the following manner :
Sett. 11. Ihe House of Representatives shall, onthefecond day
of their making a House, in the firft, and in every second year
thereafter, vote by ballot for three persons; and lhall make a lift
containing the names of the persons voted for, and of the number
of votes tor each person, which lift the Speaker shall lign in the
prelenceof the Houle; and deliver it in person to the Senate; and
the Senate (hall, on the fame day, proceed by ballot to elett one
of the three persons having the highest number of votes, and the
person hav ing a majority of the votes of the Senatots prelent lhall
be the Governor.
Sett. 111. No person shall be eligible to the office of Gover
nor who (hall not have been a citizen of the United States twelve
years, and an inhabitant of this State fix years, and who hath not
attained tp the age of thirty years, and who does not pofTefs five
hundred of land in his own right within this State, and
other species of property to the amount of one thoufund pounds
ifterling.
Sett. I\ In cafe of death, resignation, or disability of the
Governor, the President of the Senate Hull exercise the Execu
tive Powers of Government until such disability be removed, or
until the next meeting;of the General Aifembly.
Settl V. The Governor lhall, at dated times, receive for his
krvice, a compensation which (hall neither be increafcd nor di
minished during the period for which he lhall be eletted, nei
ther shall he receive, within that period, any other emolument
from the United States, or any of them, or from any foreign pow
er. Before he enters on the execution of his office, he shall take
the following oath or affirmation : " I do solemnly swear, (or
affirm, as the cafe may be) tint I will faithfully execute the office
of Governor of the State of Georgia, and will, to the bed of my
abilities, preserve, protett. and defend the said State, and cause
justice to be executed with mercy therein, according to the con
stitution and laws of the fame.
Sett. VI. He (hall be Commander in Chief in and over the
State of Georgia, and of the militia thereof*
Sttt. VII. He (hall have powers to grant reprieves for ©Acnces
againii the State, except in cases of impeachment, and to grant
pardons, in all cases after convittion, except for treason or mur
der, in which cases he may rei'pke the execution, and make a re
port thereof to the next General Aflembly, by whom a pardon
may be granted.
Sett. VIII. He shall ifiue writs of elettion to fill up all vacan
cies that happen in the Senate or House of Representatives, and
shall have poWer to convene the General Aflembly on extraordi
nary occasions, and shall give them from time totime information
ot theftateof the Republic, and recommend to their considerati
on such measures as he may deem neceflary and expedient.
Sett. IX. In cafe of disagreement between the Senate and House
of Representatives, with refpett to the time to which the General
Aflembly shall adjourn, he may adjourn thein to such time as he
may think proper.
Sett. X. He shall have the revision of all bills pafled by both
Houses before the fame shall become laws ; but two thirds of both
Houses maypafsalaw notwithstanding his difl'ent, and, if any
bill should not be returned by the Governor within five days af
ter it hath been presented to him, the fame shall be a law, unless
the General Aflembly, by their adjournment, shall prevent its
return.
Sett. XI. The Great Seal of the State shall be deposited in the
officc oi the Secretary, and it shall not be affixed to any inftn
ment of writing without it be by order of the Governor, or Ge
neral AfTembly, and the General Aflembly may dirett the Great
Seal to be altered.
ARTICLE 111. '
Sett. I. A Superior Court shall be held in each County twice
in every year, in which shall be tried, and brought to final deci
sion, all causes civil and criminal, except such as may be fubjett
to a Federal Court, and such as may by law be inferred to infe
rior jurifdittion.
Sett. 11. The General AfTembly shall point out the modes of
correcting errors and appeals, which shall extend so far as to em
power the Judges to dirett a new trial by jury within the County
where the attion originated, and which shall be final.
Sett. 111. Courts Merchant shall be held as heretofore, fub
jett tofuch regulationsasthe General Aflembly may by law dirett.
Sett. IV. All causes shall be tried in the County where the de
fendent resides, except in cases of real eflate, which shall be tried
in the County where luch eflate lies, and in criminal cases, which
shall be tried in thecounty where the crime shall be committed.
Sett. V. The Judges of the Supreme Court and Attorney-Ge
neral, shall have a competent lalary eftablifhrd by law, which
shall not be increased nor diminished during their rontinuance in
office, and shall hold their com million during the term of three
years.
ARTICLE, IV.
Sett. I. The elettors of the members of both branches of the
General Aflembly shall be citizens and inhabitants of this State,
and shall have attained to the age of twenty one years, and have
paid tax for the year preceding the elettion, and shall have resi
ded fix months within the county.
Sett. 11. All elections shall be by ballot, and the House of
Representatives, in all appointments of state officers, shall vote
for three persons, and a lift ot the three persons having the high
est number of votes fliall be signed bv the Speaker, and sent to
the Senate, which shall from such lift determine, by a majority
ot their votes, the officer eletted, except militia officers and the
Secretaries of the Governor, who shall be appointed by the Go
vernor alone, under such regulations and reftrittions as the Ge
neral Aflembly may prekribe. The General Aflembly may vefl
the appointment of inferior officers in the Governor, the courts
ol justice, or in such other manner as they may by law establish.
Sett. 111. Freedom of the press, aftd trial by jury shall remain
inviolate.
Sett. IV. All persons shall be entitled to the benefit of the
writ Habeas Corpus.
Sett. V. All persons shall have the free exercise of religion,
without being obliged to contribute to the support of any religi
ous profeflion but their own.
Sett. VI. Estates shall not be entailed, and when a person dies
intestate, leaving a wife and children, the wife shall have a child's
share, or her dower, at her option; if there be no wife the cf
tate shall be equally divided among the children and their legal
Representatives of the firft degree. The distribution of all other
intestate eftatei may be regulated by law.
Sett. VII. At the general elettion for members of Aflembly,
in the year one thousand seven hundred and ninety-four, the elec
tors in each county shall clett three persons to represent them in a
convention, for the purpose of taking into consideration the alte
rations neceflary to be made in this constitution, who shall meet
at such time and place as the General Aflembly may appoint; and
a, tW ° th ' r< * s thc wh °k number shall meet and concur, they
shall proceed to agree on such alterations and amendments as they
may think proper. Provided, that after two thirds shall have con
curred to proceed to alterations and amendments, a majority shall
determine on the particulars of such alterations and amendments.
Sett. VIII. This Constitution shall take eflett, and be in full
force, on the firft Monday in Ottober next, after the adoption of
the fame; and the executive shall be authorised to alter the time
lor the fitting of the Superior Courts, so that the fame may not
interfere with the annual elections in the refpettive counties, or
the meeting of the firft General Aflembly.
Done at Augusta, in Convention, the sixth day of May, in
the year of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred and
eighty-nine, and in the year of the Jiovereignty and Inde
pendence of the United States, the thirteenth.
\Y ILLIAM GIBBONS, President and Delegate frvmChatham.
Asa Lmanuel, Justus H. Scheuber, Chatham.
Benjamin Lamer, John Green, N. Brownfon, i-ffnghim.
David Emanuel, Hugh Lawfon, William Little, Burke'
Abraham Marshal, W. F. Booker, Leonard Marbury Richmond.
John Talbot, Jeremiah Walker, IVUkes
Launchlan M'lntofh, Liheru
Alexander-Billet, C/y™.
Wood" Wa " 5 ' W fXn.
Jofepii Carmichael, Henry Karr, • Greene
D- LONGSTREET, Secretary.
lothe PRESIDENT ot the UNITED STATES.
The Address oj the Minijlers and Elders of the German Reformed Con
gregations m the United States at their General Meeting, held at Pkila.
dfiphia, on the 10 th day oj June 1789.
WHILST the infinite goodness ot Almighty God in his gra
cious Providence over the people of the United States of America
calls for our fincercft and rnoft cordial gratitudeto him that ruletl'i
iupremely, and ordereth all things in Heaven and on earth in
imerrmg wisdom and rigteoufnefs ; the happy, the peaceable ef
tablilhment of the new government, over which you so deservedly
prelide, cannot fail, but inspire our fouls with new and the molt
lively emotions of adoration, praise and thanksgiving untohis holv
name.
As it is our noil firm purpose to support in our perfins a
government founded in justice and equity, so it shall be our con
itant duty to impreis the m.nds of the people entrusted to our
care, with a due lenfe of the necclfity of uniting reverence to such
a government and obedience to its laws, with the duties and exer
cile of religion. Thus we hope by the bleflingof God, to be in
lome measure mflrumental of alleviating the burthen of that weighty
and important charge, to which you have been called by the un
animous voice of your fellow-citizens, and,which your love to voui
country has constrained you to take upon you.
Deeplv possessed of a sense of the goodness of God in the ap
pointment of your person tothe high station in the national govern,
raent. we shall continue in our public worfltip and all our devotions
before :\e thrortc of grar,. to pray that it may r odto
you in your perfon,your family and you, government, I
temporal and lpiritual blefliags in Christ Jesus.
Signed bv order of the meetin-.
W. HEN'DiL. p. t. p'a.r e ,.
F - DELLIKHR, p. t .
The President's Answer.
To the MiniJlers and Elders of the German Rejormed Correlation! U
the United States. ° J
Gentlemen,
I AM happy in concurring with you in the sentiments of -n
titude and piety toward. Almighty God, which are erfprdftil
with luch fervcncy of devotion in your address ; and in believm
that I (hall always find in you and the German Reformed .Con"
gr.gations in the United States, a condutf correfpondmt to (ucC
worthy and pious expreflions.
At thr fame time I return you my thanks for the manifeftation
of your firm purpose to support in your persons a govctnmcne
founded in juilice and equity ; and fur the promise that it will be
yourconftantftudy to impress the minds of the people intruded
to your care with a due sense of the neceflity of uniting reverence
to such a government, and obedience to its laws, with the duties
and exercises of religion. Be assured gentlemen, it is by such con.
du&, very much in the power of the virtuous members ofthe com
munity to alleviate the burden of the important office which J
have accepted, and to give meoccafion to rejoice in this woild to
having followed therein the di&ates of my conscience.
Be plea fed also to accept my acknowledgments for the interest
you so kindly take in,the prosperity of my person, family, and
administration. May your devotions before the throne of'grate
be prevalent in calling down the Median of heaven upon voun
selves and your country. GEORGE WASHINGTON. "
Authentic injlance ofthe horrible barbarity oj Religious Persecution.
MARGARET Valois, Queen of Henry IV. of France, writes
in her memoirs concerning the maflacre of Paris :
" When in a found Ileep, fays lhe, I was very suddenly awak
ened by a knocking at the door, and calling out,' Navarre! Na
varre ! My nurse, thinking it was the King my husband, hasten
ed to the door; it was a gentleman named De Trajan, bleeding
very much, being wounded in two places, and with four yeoman
ofthe guard at his heels, who forctd their way after him into my
room ; he ran to my as a fan&uary, I leaped out, and he
after me, clasping m'e round the body by the bed fide. We both
cried out, one being no less frightened than the other. At length
the Captain of the guards came in, and finding me in such a con
dition, though there was more call for pity, fell a laughing, as at
foinething droll. In the Louvre, in the King's filler's chamber
even on her very bed, gentlemen were butchered, contrary to
oaths and treaties! and Niniac, who had the charattcr of one of
the worthiell men at court, laughs at the fight! He laughs in tlus
horrible juncture I Oh ! this so execrable day he couH laugh!
" Having fliifted my linen, (adds the Princess) because I was
all over bloody, and throwing a night gown over me, Iwcnt to
the appartment of Madaine de Lorraine, I was no sooner in her
anti-chamber, than a gentleman flying from the yeoman of ths
gujrd, was ltruck dead with a ha Inert close by me,"
THE NATIONAL MONITOR. —No. XIIL
[The fubjett of the lait No. continued.]
IT mttjl be conceded on all hands that the equality of circumflances
which prevails in jome oj the United States, is more f riendly to general
liberty, than thedifparity which is apparent in others. This idea fuggefs
an obvious advantage, which will result to the Southern traveller, who
may make»' he Northern and Eajlern tour : Born with high ideas of birth,
and educated in principles ofjuperiority to the numerous herd of Jlavet
which continually surround him, the opulent planter can fcaruly conceive
oj government, obedience, and good order, among a race oj freemen : But
when he quits his extensive acres, cultivated by the hand of the de pre [fed,
and toil-worn /lave, and traverjes the highly cultivated jelds of the Eajl
ern States—when he mingles with the hardy yeomanry oj the North—the
indujlrious, free jpirited mechanicks, the evterprizing traders and mer
chants of the New-England States—When he objerves their variousfocial
injlrtution-s jor the promotion of harmony, mutual ajjijlance, arts, manu
failures, and literature—the equal opportunities enjoyed by all rank [ for
the acquisition oj knowledge, and improvement oj the human faculties,
and a variety oj other objetls which might be mentioned, and which will
always jlrihe the ingenious and attentive objerver: Ifay, an opportuni
ty to reflefl upon theje things, will have a powerful tendency to enlarge
the mind, liberalize the views, and reFiijy the afjeflions oj the Southern
traveller : he will, in all probability, return a more generousfriend to the
Tights of human nature than he jut out.
On the other hand, a variety oj prejudices will be eradicated from the
mind oj the Eajlern traveller, by exploring the regions of the South: I.e
will there find muny things worthy oj notice, ojimit-jtion and admiration:
He willjce indujlry crowned with affluence, independence, hofpita'ity,
and liberality of manners ; and notwith(landing the prevalence of doitiej
ticflavery, he will jnd the noblefl sentiments of freedom and independence
to predominate—auguring the final triumph of reajor., humanity, and
univerjal liberty ! He will behold the highly cultivated plantations e x ten
sive as the horizontal landjcape : He will extol the enterprize, the art,
and ingenuity, which are co-operating with nature to unite extensive
regions by the friendly connexion oj noble rivers, that meander through,
md frufiify the bpun'dlefs intervals : He will jee that nature here com
benjateS for intenjerjolar lays, by a joil that yields to eajier cultivation,
'han subdues the glebe which forms the jurface oj his native clime • g
vill compare—he will balance—he will rrfleft, that nature is wife, end
'hat providence, in the dijlribution oj its javors, is not capricious, or
iujl. C. _
This Day is publJjhed > (Price 2/6) ,
And to be fold by Berry & Rogers, Hanover- Square, Dy
Robert Hodce, Cornerof King and Queen-Street, an y
the Editor hereof;
TWENTY-SIX
L E T T E R s >
upon INTERESTING SUBJECTS,
respecting the REVOLUTION of AMERI ca *
Written in Holland in the Year M,DCC,LXXX.
By his Excellency JOHN ADAMS,
WHILE HE WAS SOLE MINISTER PLENIPOTENTIARY PRO.-
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
FOR NEGOCIATING A PEACE, AND A TREATY OF COMMIRC £ »
WITH GREAT-BRITAIN.
Never bejore publijhed.
ADVERTISEMENT.
Prefixed to the Letters. , ,
DR.CALKOEN an eminent Civilian at Amflerdam, to whorn t f J c
letters were written, compojed,bythe means oj them, a comparison oet ™"?
the revolt oj the Low Countries from Spain, and the revolution oj K
United States of America; in which he concluded, upon the whole,
" as it was a kind of miracle that thejorrnerjuceceded, it wnuldbeagteat
" miracle jlill ij the latter jhouli not."—This composition was read
him to a jociety oj gentlemen oj letters, about jort\ in number,
sometimes at Amflerdam ; and by its means jus fentim nts of Ame r } cd ,
affairs began to jpread in that country, and to prevail over the
m \J "representations oj certain gazettes and emiffaries —The pubnea 1?
oj General Howe and Bu rgoy n e, in vindication of thcrnjc'.ies, 111
procured to be translated into Frcnch,and propogated, together wit
other pamphlets, which afjijlcd in the jame design, and contributed 0
cite the citizens to thoje applications, by petition to the rcgenctes oj -
several cities, which finally procured the acknowledgement of Anew-
Independency, the Treaty oj Commerce, and a Loan 5
Publiflied by JOHN FENNO, M aidE ' ; '
Lani, near the (Jfaiego-Marliet, New-York.—[_^doi prtn-i