Page:Notes on the State of Virginia (1802).djvu/322

308 abated, from time to time, at the diſcretion of the legiſlature, provided ſuch increaſe or abatement ſhall not, by any ways or means, be made to affect, either then, or at any future time, any one of thoſe then actually in office. At the end of each quarter their ſalary ſhall be divided into equal portions by the number of days on which, during that quarter, their reſpective courts ſat, or ſhould have ſat, and one of theſe portions ſhall be withheld from each member for every of the ſaid days, which, without cauſe allowed good by his court, he failed to attend, or departed before adjournment without their leave. If no court ſhould have been held during the quarter, there ſhall be no deduction.

There ſhall moreover be a Court of Impeachments to conſiſt of three members of the council of ſtate, one of each of the ſuperior courts of chancery, common law, and admiralty, two members of the houſe of delegates and one of the ſenate, to be choſen by the body reſpectively of which they are. Before this court any member of the three branches of government, that is to ſay, the governor, any member of the council, of the two houſes of legiſlature, or of the ſuperior courts, may be impeached by the governor, the council, or either of the ſaid houſes or courts, and by no other, for ſuch miſbehaviour in office as would be ſufficient to remove him therefrom: and the only ſentence they ſhall have authority to paſs ſhall be that of deprivation and future incapacity of office. Seven members ſhall be requiſite to make a court, and two thirds, of thoſe preſent muſt concur in the ſentence. The offences cognizable by this court ſhall be