SECTION 1
That no inconvenience may arise from a change of the Constitution, it is declared that the Governor of the State, the members of the General Assembly and all officers elected at or after the general election of March one thousand eight hundred and seventy, shall hold their offices for the terms prescribed in this Constitution.
Officers appointed by the courts shall be filled by appointment, to be made and to take effect during the first term of the court held by Judges elected under this Constitution.
All other officers shall vacate their places thirty days after the day fixed for the election of their successors under this Constitution.
The Secretary of State, Comptroller and Treasurer shall hold their offices until the first session of the present General Assembly occurring after the ratification of this Constitution and until their successors are elected and qualified.
The officers then elected shall hold their offices until the fifteenth day of January one thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.
SECTION 2
At the first election of Judges under this Constitution there shall be elected six Judges of the Supreme Court, two from each grand division of the State who shall hold their offices for the term herein prescribed.
In the event any vacancy shall occur in the office of either of said Judges at any time after the first day of January one thousand eight hundred and seventy-three it shall remain unfilled and the Court shall from that time be constituted of five Judges. While the Court shall consist of six Judges they may sit in two sections, and may hear and determine causes in each at the same time, but not in different grand divisions at the same time.
When so sitting, the concurrence of two Judges shall be necessary to a decision.
The Attorney General and Reporter for the State shall be appointed after the election and qualification of the Judges of the Supreme Court herein provided for.
SECTION 3
Every Judge and every officer of the executive department of this State and every Sheriff holding over under this Constitution, shall, within twenty days after the ratification of this Constitution is proclaimed, take an oath to support the same, and the failure of any officer to take such oath shall vacate his office.
SECTION 4
The time which has elapsed from the sixth day of May one thousand eight hundred and sixty one until the first day of January one thousand eight hundred and sixty seven shall not be computed, in any case affected by the statutes of limitation, nor shall any writ of error be affected by such lapse of time.
Signatures Done in Convention at Nashville the twenty-third day of February in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and seventy, and of the Independence of the United States, the ninety fourth.
In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our names.
JNO. C. BROWN, President John Allen
Jno. W. Burton W. F. Doherty
Jesse Ar ledge Wm. Berny
J. E. Droomgoole Humphrey R. Bate
Alex. W. Campbell James Fen tress
Jno. Baxter Wm. Blunt
Carter A.T. Fielder A. Blizard
Z.R. Chowning P.G. Fulkerson
Nathan Brandon James A. Coffin
Jno. A. Gardner R. P. Brooks
Warren Cummings John E. Garner
James Britton Robt. P. Cypert
S. P. Gaut Neill S. Brown
W. V. Deaderick Chas. N. Gibbs
James S. Brown Thomas D. Davenport
B. Gordon T. M. Burkett
G. D. Dibrell J. B. Heiskell
R. Henderson Jos. A. Mabry
Samuel G. Shepard H. L. W. Hill
A. G. McDougal E. H. Shelton
Sp'l. Hill Malcolm McNabb
W. H. Stephens Sam. S. House
Matt. Martin Jno. M. Taylor
Jno. F. House John H. Meeks
J. C. Thompson T. B. Ivie
Thos. C. Morris W. Vance Thompson
Thomas M. Jones J. Netherland
James J. Turner David N. Kennedy
A. O. P. Nicholson Geo. W. Walters
D. M. Key Geo. C. Porter
Richard Warner, Jr. Sam J. Kirkpatrick
Jas. D. Porter, Jr. Wm. H. Williamson
A. A. Kyle George E. Seay
W. M. Wright
Attest: T. E. S. Russwurm, Secretary Thomas W. Jones, Assistant Secretary W. S. Kyle, 2nd Assistant Secretary.
