ART. 7. A president or chief magistrate shall be chosen by joint ballot of both houses, to be taken
in the house of assembly, and the box examined by the speakers of each house in the presence of
the other members, and in case the numbers for the two highest in votes should be equal, then the
speaker of the council shall have an additional casting voice, and the appointment of the person
who has the majority of votes shall be entered at large on the minutes and journals of each house,
and a copy thereof on parchment, certified and signed by the speakers respectively, and sealed
with the great seal of the State, which they are hereby authorized to affix, shall be delivered to
the
person so chosen president, who shall continue in that office three years, and until the sitting of
the next general assembly and no longer, nor be eligible until the expiration of three years after
he
shall have been out of that office. An adequate but moderate salary shall be settled on him during
his continuance in office. He may draw for such sums of money as shall be appropriated by the
General assembly, and be accountable to them for the same; he may, by and with the advice of
the
privy council, lay embargoes or prohibit the exportation of any commodity for any time not
exceeding thirty days in the recess of the general assembly; he shall have the power of granting
pardons or reprieves, except where the prosecution shall be carried on by the house of assembly,
or the law shall otherwise direct, in which cases no pardon or reprieve shall be granted, but by a
resolve of the house of assembly, and may exercise all the other executive powers of government,
limited and restrained as by this constitution is mentioned, and according to the laws of the State.
And on his death, inability, or absence from the State, the speaker of the legislative council for
the
time being shall be vice-president, and in case of his death, inability, or absence from the State,
the
speaker of the house of assembly shall have the powers of a president, until a new nomination is
made by the general assembly.
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