Page:The Federal and state constitutions v5.djvu/304

2830 The officers mentioned in this article, shall, at stated periods, receive for their services a compensation to be established by law, which shall neither be increased nor diminished during the time for which they shall have been elected, and the said officers shall receive no other emolument or allowance whatever.

There shall be a seal of the State, which shall be kept by the Governor, and used by him as occasion may require, and shall be called "The Great Seal of the State of North Carolina." All grants and commissions shall be issued in the name and by the authority of the State of North Carolina, sealed with "The Great Seal of the State," signed by the Governor and countersigned by the Secretary of State.

The General Assembly shall establish a Department of Agriculture, Immigration and Statistics, under such regulations as may best promote the agricultural interests of th5 State, and shall enact laws for the adequate protection and encouragement of sheep husbandry.

The distinctions between actions at law and suits in equity, and the forms of all such actions and suits, shall be abolished; and there shall be in this State but one form of action for the enforcement or protection of private rights or the redress of private wrongs, which shall be denominated a civil action; and every action prosecuted by the people of the State as a party against a person charged with a public offense, for the punishment of the same, shall be termed a criminal action. Feigned issues shall also be abolished, and the fact at issue tried by order of Court before a jury.

The judicial power of the State shall be vested in a court for the trial of Impeachments, a Supreme Court, Superior Courts, Courts of Justice of the Peace, and such other Courts inferior to the Supreme Court as may be established by law.

The Court for the trial of Impeachments shall be the Senate. A majority of the members shall be necessary to a quorum, and the judgment shall not extend beyond removal from, and disqualification to hold, office in this State; but the party shall be liable to indictment and punishment according to law.

The House of Representatives solely shall have the power of impeaching. No person shall be convicted without the concurrence of two-thirds of the Senators present. When the Governor is impeached, the Chief Justice shall preside.

Treason against the State shall consist only in levying war against it, or adhering to its enemies, giving them aid and comfort. No person shall be convicted of treason unless on the testimony of two witnesses to the overt act, or on confession in open Court. No conviction of treason or attainder shall work corruption of blood or forfeiture.

The Supreme Court shall consist of a Chief Justice and four Associate Justices.

The terms of the Supreme Court shall be held m the city of Raleigh, as now, unless otherwise provided by the General Assembly.