THE PRESENT CONSTITUTIOX. 131 



ARTICLE VI. 

 OF SHERIFFS AND CORONERS. 



Sect. I. Sheriffs and coroners shall, at the times and places of election 

 of representatives, be chosen by the citizens of each county. One person 

 shall be chosen for each office, who shall be commissioned by the Gov- 

 ernor. They shall hold their offices for three years, if they shall so long 

 behave themselves well, and until a successor be duly qualified; but no 

 person shall be twice chosen or appointed sheriff" in any term of six years. 

 Vacancies in either of the said offices shall be filled by an appointment, 

 to be made by the Governor, to continue until the next general election, 

 and until a successor shall be chosen and qualified as aforesaid. 



OF THE MILITIA. 



Sect. II. The freemen of this Commonwealth shall be armed, organ- 

 ized and disciplined for its defence, when, and in such manner as may be 

 directed by law. Those who conscientiously scruple to bear arms, shall 

 not be compelled to do so, but shall pay an equivalent for personal 

 service. 



OF PUBLIC OFFICERS. 



Sect. III. Prothonotaries of the supreme court shall be appointed by 

 the said court for the term of three years, if they so long behave them- 

 selves well. Prothonotaries and clerks of the several other courts, record- 

 ers of deeds and registers of wills, shall at the times and places of election 

 of representatives, be elected by the qualified electors of each county, or 

 the districts over which the jurisdiction of said courts extends, and shall be 

 commissioned by the Governor. They shall hold their offices for three 

 years if they shall so long behave themselves well, and until their suc- 

 cessors shall be duly qualified. The legislature shall provide by law the 

 number of persons in each county who shall hold said offices, and how 

 many and which of said offices shall be held by one person. Vacancies 

 in any of the said offices shall be filled by appointments to be made by 

 the Governor, to continue until the next general election, and until suc- 

 cessors shall be elected and qualified as aforesaid. 



Sect. IV. Prothonotaries, clerks of the peace and orphans' court.s, 

 recorders of deeds, registers of wills and sherifis, shall keep their offices 

 in the county town of the county in which they respectively shall be 

 officers, unless when the Governor shall, for special reasons, dispense 

 therewith, for any term not exceeding five years after the county shall 

 have been erected. 



OF COMMISSIONS. 



Sect. V. All commissions shall be in the name and by the authority 



