Sections fifteen, sixteen, and seventeen contain the usual provisions for regulation of the conduct of the members, by the two houses, publication of proceedings, and open sessions.
Bills may originate in either house and he amend ed or rejected in the other ; and every bill must be read on three different days, in each house, un less two-thirds of the house dispense with the rule. Every bill, having passed both houses, must be signed by the president of the senate and speaker of the house of representatives.
Elections by the joint or concurrent vote of both houses, or the separate vote of either house, must be viva vote, and the vote entered on the journal.
6. Senators and representatives are privileged from arrest, except in cases of treason, felony, or breach of the peace, during the session of the gene ral assembly, and for fifteen days before the com mecteemeot and after the termination thereof; and for soy speech or debate in either house they are not to be questioned in any other place. They are to receive compensation from the public treasury for their servioes, which may be increased or di minished; but no alteration thereof shall tales effect during the session at which it is made.
The general assembly must direct, by law, in what courts and in what manner suits may be brought against the state. They can pass no bill of divorce, but may direct the manner in which divorces may be obtained in the courts.
7. They may prohibit the introduction ixito the state of slaves guilty of high crimes in other states or territories,—also, the introduction of slaves for speculation, or as trade or merchandise,—but shall have no power to prevent emigrants to the state from bringing with them such persons as are deemed slaves by the laws of any one of the United States. They have power to oblige the owners of slaves to treat them with humanity ; and in the prosecution of slaves for crime, they are not to be deprived of an impartial jury, and, when convicted •of a capital offence, must suffer the same degree of punishment as would be inflicted on a free white person, and no other; and the courts before -whom slaves are tried shall assign them counsel for their defence. The general assembly has no power to pass laws for the emancipation of slaves without the consent of the owners, but may pass laws to permit the owners to emancipate them, saving the rights of creditors and preventing them from be coming a public charge.
8. The principal executive officers, the judges of all of the courts, and prosecuting attorneys, are sub ject to impeachment for misdemeanor io office. Impeachments are to be preferred by the house and tried by the senate. When the governor is tried, the chief justice of the supreme court is to preside. The appointment of officers not otherwise di rected by the constitution is to be made in such manner as may be prescribed by law ; and all officers must take an oath or affirmation to support the constitution of the United States, and of the state, and to demean themselves faithfully in office. The territory of existing counties is not to be re duced by the establishment of new ones to less than nine hundred square miles, nor the' population to less than the ratio of representation in the house; and no new county is to be formed with less than that quantity of territory or number of population.
9. It is provided that the style of the laws shall be, "Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Arkansas." Amendments to the constitution may be proposed by a vote of two-thirds of each house, at one SEW sion, published in all the newspapers of the state three times, twelve months before the nexegeneral election, and ratified at the next session by a like vote of each house. The amendments, when pre pared and when ratified, must be read in each house on three several days, and the vote taken by yeas and nays. But the bill of rights cannot be thus amended.
The Executive Power.
10. The Governor is elected, nt the time and places of voting for representatives, for four years from installation, and holds his office until his suc cessor is qualified, but is not eligible for more then eight years in any term of twelve. He must be thirty years of age, a native-horn citizen of the state or of the United States, or a resident of Arkansas ten years previous to the adoption of the constitution, if not a native of the United States, and must have been a resident of the some nt least four years next before his election. The person receiving the highest number of votes is to be gov ernor; and if two or more receive the same number, the general assembly is to elect one by joint vote.