220
America’s First Constitutions and Declarations of Rights
Lieutenant-Governor, for the time being, shall, during such vacancy, perform all the duties incumbent upon the Governor, and shall have and exercise all the powers and authorities, which by this Constitution the Governor is vested with, when personally present.
chapter ii
section iii
Council, and the Manner of Settling Elections by the Legislature
Art. i.—there shall be a Council for advising the Governor in the
executive part of government, to consist of nine persons besides the
Lieutenant-Governor, whom the Governor, for the time being, shall
have full power and authority, from time to time, at his discretion, to assemble and call together. And the Governor, with the said Counsellors,
or five of them at least, shall and may, from time to time, hold and keep
a council, for the ordering and directing the affairs of the Commonwealth, according to the laws of the land.
ii.—nine Counsellors shall be annually chosen from among the persons returned for Counsellors and Senators, on the last Wednesday in
May, by the joint ballot of the Senators and Representatives assembled in
one room: And in case there shall not be found, upon the first choice, the
whole number of nine persons who will accept a seat in the Council, the
deficienc