representatives of the freemen of North Carolina, chosen and assembled in congress for the express purpose of framing constitution, under the authority of the people, most conducive to their happiness and prosperity, do declare that a government for this State shall be established in manner and form following, to wit:
Sect. 1. That the legislative authority shall be vested in two distinct branches, both dependent on the people, to wit: a senate and a house of commons.
Sect. 2. That the senate shall be composed of representatives annually by ballot, one from each county in this State.[1]
Sect. 3. That the house of commons shall be composed of representatives annually chosen by ballot, two for each county, and one for each of the towns of Edenton, Newbern, Wilmington, Salisbury, Hillsborough and Halifax.
Sect. 4. That the senate and house of commons, assembled for the purpose of legislation, shall be denominated the General Assembly.
Sect. 5. That each member of the senate shall have usually resided in the county in which he is chosen, for one year immediately preceding his election; and for the same time shall have possessed, and continue to possess, in the county which he represents, not less than three hundred acres of land in fee.
Sect. 6. That each member of the house of commons shall have usually resided in the county in which he is chosen, for one year immediately preceding his election, and for six months shall have possessed, and continue to possess, in the county which he represents, not less than one hundred acres of land in fee, or for the term of his own life.
Sect. 7. That all freemen of the age of twentyone years, who have been inhabitants of any county within the State twelve months immediately preceding the day of any election, and possessed of a freehold within the same county, of fifty acres of land for six months next before and at the day of election, shall be entitled to vote for a member of the senate.
Sect. 8. That all freemen of the age of twentyone years, who have been inhabitants of any county within the State twelve months immediately preceding the day of any election, and shall have paid public taxes, shall be entitled to vote for the members of the house of commons for the county in which he resides.
- ↑ Those sections of the constitution in which material amendments have been made are printed in italics.
