Massachusetts Constitution of 1780
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ber of the Council may insert his opinion contrary to the resolution of the
majority.
vi.—whenever the office of the Governor and Lieutenant-Governor
shall be vacant, by reason of death, absence, or otherwise, then the Council or the major part of them, shall, during such vacancy, have full power
and authority, to do, and execute, all and every such acts, matters and
things, as the Governor or the Lieutenant-Governor might or could, by
virtue of this Constitution, do or execute, if they, or either of them, were
personally present.
vii.—and whereas the elections appointed to be made by this Constitution, on the last Wednesday in May annually, by the two Houses of the
Legislature, may not be completed on that day, the said elections may be
adjourned from day to day until the same shall be completed. And the order of elections shall be as follows; the vacancies in the Senate, if any, shall
first be filled up; the Governor and Lieutenant-Governor shall then be
elected, provided there should be no choice of them by the people: And
afterwards the two Houses shall proceed to the election of the Council.
chapter ii
section iv
Secretary, Treasurer, Commissary, etc.
Art. i.—the Secretary, Treasurer and Receiver-General, and the
Commissary-General, Notaries-Public, and Naval-Officers, shall be chosen annually, by joint ballot of the Senators and Representatives in one
room. And that the citizens of this Commonwealth may be assured, from
time to time, that the monies remaining in the public Treasury, upon the
settlement and liquidation of the public accounts, are their property, no
man shall be eligible as Treasurer and Receiver-General more than five
years successively.
ii.—the records of the Commonwealth shall be kept in the office of
the Secretary, who may appoint his Deputies, for whose conduct he shall
be accountable, and he shall attend the Governor and Council, the Senate