The Frame of Government.
5. The name of the state is the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
, No property qualification is required for voting or for eligibility to any office, except those of gov ernor or lieutenant-governor. Collat. Amend. iii., xiii. Every male citizen, twenty-one years or more of age, who has resided within the common wealth twelve months, and in the town where he claitns to vote six months, preceding an election, who has, unless exempt from taxation, paid a tax within two years (Amend. iii.), who can, unless physically disabled, read the constitution in the English language, and write his name (Amend. xx.), and who, if a naturalized foreigner, has resided in the United States two years subsequent to his naturalization (Amend. xxiii.), may vote ut any election. The last two amendments, adopted respectively in 1857 and H59, do not disqualify persons who had a legal right to vote at the time of their adoption.
Oaths of Office.
Every person chosen or appointed to any office is obliged to fake an oath or affirmation faithfully to discharge the duties of his office (c. 6, a. 1), and to support the constitution of the commonwealth. Amend. vi. An oath to support the constitution pf the United States is required by the laws of the United States of every member of a state legisla ture, and of all judicial and executive officers in the states. St. 1789, c. 1, 3 3; 1 U. S. Stat. ut Large, 22.
Amendments.
Specific amendments may be proposed by the general court, and, if adopted in both houses, by a vote of two-thirds of the members present, taken by yeas and nays, in two successive legislatures, and afterwards approved and ratified by a majority of the voters at a popular election, they become a part of the constitution. Amend. ix.
The Legislative Potver.
6. The Senate is composed of forty members, elected from single senatorial districts, each con taining as nearly as possible the same number of legal voters. A senator must be an inhabitant of the district for which he is chosen, and must have been an inhabitant of the state for Eve years next preceding his election, and ceases to be a senator on leaving the commonwealth. Amend. xxii. Any vacancy in the senate may be filled by vote of tha people of the unrepresented district, upon the order of a majority of senators elected. Amend. xxiv.
. The House of Representatives consists of two hun dred and forty metnlyers, chosen in each of the representative districts into which the counties are divided for the purpos-. The number of represent
atives sent by any district depends on the number of legal voters in it; but no district csn send more than three represcntatives. A representative must have been an inhabitant of the district for which he is chosen for at least one year next preceding his election, and ceases to represent his distriot on leaving the commonwealth.
The two houses together constitute the -‘ General Court of Massachusetts." The members of both houses are elected annually, at the stato elections, on Tuesday after the first Monday in November. Amend. xv. If the people of any representative district fail to elect a representative on the day of the annual election, they may hold a second meet ing for this purpose on the fourth Monday of No vember. Auiend. xv. The general court meets on the first Wednesday in January, and is dissolved on the day before the session of the next general court. Amend. x. It may be prorogued by the governor st aoy time, at the request of both houses, or, without their request, by the advice of the coun cil, for period noi exceeding ninety days (c. 2, 3 1, art. 6); and he may call' them together sooner than the time to which they were adjourned, if the interests of the commonwealth require. The legis lature has power to create courts (c. 1, 3 l, art. 3); to make all reasonable laws for the state; to pro vide for the election of officers, and to prescribe their duties; to impose taxes and duties (e. 1, 3 1, a. 4); and, upon the application and with the con sent of the inhabitants, to create cities, in town° of not less than twelve thousand inhabitants. Amend. v. That taxes may be equal, there shall be a new valuation of estates every ten years. C.1, 3 1, a. 4. The two houses are quite distinct, and have each the usual privileges in regard to judging of the qualifications, election, etc. of members, regultition of their conduct, etc. The members of the house are exempt from arrest on mesne process in going to, attending, or returning from the assem bly. C. 0 3, a. 10, 11. Sixteen members of the senate and one hundred members of the house con stitute a quorum for the transaction of business; but a less number may orgunize temporarily, ad journ from day to day, and compel the attendance of ahsent members. Amends. xxi., xxii.