The offences cognizable by this court fliall be cognizable by no other, and they fhall be triei-s of the fa£t as well as judges of the law.
The juftices or judges of the inferior courts already erefted, or hereafter to be erefted, fhall be appointed by the governor, on advice of the council of ftate, and fhall hold their offices during good behaviour, or the exiftence of their court. For breach of the good behaviour, they fhall be tried according to the laws of the land, before the Court of Appeals, who fhall be judges of the faft as well as of the law. The only fentence they fhall have authority to pafs, Ihall be that of deprivation and future in- capacity of office, and two thirds of the members prefent muft concur in this fen- tence.
All courts fhall appoint their own clerics, who fhall hold their offices during good behaviour, or the exiftence of their court:
they fhall alfo appoint all other their attending officers to continue during their plea- fure. Clerks appointed by the fupreme or thefuperior courts fliall be removeable by their refpeftive courts. Thofe to be appointed by other courts fhall have been previ- oufly examined, and certified to be duly qualified, by fome two meiabers of the general court, and fhall be removeable for breach of the good behaviour by the Court of Appeals only, who fhall be judges of the fadl as well as of the law. Two *liirds of the members prefent mufl concur in the fentence.
[ 423 1 The juftices or judges of the inferior courts may be members of the legiflature.
The judgment of no inferior court fhall be final, in any civil cafe, of greater value than 50 bufhels of wheat, as laft rated in the general court for fettling the allowance to the members of the general aflembJy, nor in any cafe of treafon, felony, or other crime which fhould fubjecl the party to in- famous punifliment.