CONSTITUTION OF NEW-HAMPSHIRE.    621

of the country being highly conducive to promote this end, it shall be
the duty of the legislators and magistrates, in all future periods of this
government, to cherish the interest of literature and the sciences, and all
seminaries and public schools; to encourage private and public institu-
tions, rewards and immunities for the promotion of agriculture, arts,
sciences, commerce, trades, manufactures and natural history of the
country; to countenance and inculcate the principles of humanity.and

general benevolence, public and private charity, industry and economy,
onesty and punctuality, sincerity, and all social affections and gener-
ous sentiments among the people.

OATH AND SUBSCRIPTIONS; EXCLUSION FROM OFFICES; COMMISSIONS;
WRITS; CONFIRMATION OF LAWS; HABEAS CORPUS; THE ENACTING
STYLE; CONTINUANCE OF OFFICERS; PROVISION FOR A FUTURE REV IS
ION OF THE CONSTITUTION, &C.    '

84. Any person chosen governor, councilor, senator or representa-
tive, military or civil officer (town officers excepted), accepting the
trust, shall, before he proceeds to execute the duties of his office make
and subscribe the following declaration; namely.

I, A, B., do solemnly swear that I will bear faith and true allegiance
to the State of New-Hampshire, and will support the constitution there
of. So help me God.

I, A. B., do solemnly and sincerely swear and affirm that I will faith-
fully and impartially discharge and perform all the duties incumbent
on me as    according    to    the    best    of    my    abilities; agreeably to

the rules and regulations of this constitution and the laws of the State
of New-Hampshire. So help me God.

Any person having taken and subscribed the oath of allegiance, and
the same being filed in the Secretary’s office lie shall not be obliged to
take said oath again.

Provided, always, When any person, chosen or appointed as aforesaid
shall be of the denomination called Quakers, or shall be scrupulous of
swearing, and shall decline taking the said oaths such person shall take
and subscribe them, omitting the word “ swear, ” and likewise the
words, “ So help me God.” subjoining instead thereof, “ This I do under
the pains arid penalties of perjuryf

85. And the oaths of affirmation shall be taken and subscribed by the
Governor, before the President of the Senate, in presence of both houses of
the Legislature, and by the senators and representaves first elected under
this constitution, as altered and amended, before the President of the
State and a majority of the Council then in office, and for ever afterward
before the Governor and Council for the time being; and by all other
officers, before such persons and in such manner as the Legislature
shall from time to time appoint.

86. All commissions shall be in the name of The State of New-
Hampshire, signed by the Governor, and attested by the Secretary, or
his deputy, and shall have the great seal of the State affixed thereto.

87. All writs issuing out of the clerk’s office in any of the courts of
law, shall be in the name of The State of New-Hampshire; shall be
under the seal of the court whence they issue, and bear teste of the
chief, first or senior justice of the court; but when such justice shall be
interested, then the writ shall bear teste of some other justice of the
court, to which the same shall be returnable; and be signed by the clerk
of such court.

88. All indictments, presentments and informations shall conclude,
Against the peace and dignity of the State.

89. The estate of such persons as may destroy their own lives shall
not for that offense be forfeited, but descend or ascend in the same man-
ner as if such person had died in a natural way. Nor shall any article
which shall accidentally occasion the death of any person be henceforth