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Concerning the Militia.
Section 1. The militia of this Commonwealth shall consist of all free able-bodied male persons (negroes, mulattoes, and Indians excepted), resident in the same, between the ages of eighteen and forty-five years, except such persons as now are, or hereafter may be, exempted by the laws of the United States or of this State; but those who belong to religious societies, whose tenets forbid them to carry arms, shall not be compelled to do so, but shall pay an equivalent for personal services.
Section 2. The Governor shall appoint the Adjutant-General and his other staff officers; the major-generals, brigadier generals, and commandants of regiment shall respectively appoint their staff officers; and commandants of companies shall appoint their noncommissioned officers.
Section 3. All militia officers whose appointment is not herein otherwise provided for shall be elected by persons subject to military duty within their respective companies, battalions, regiments, brigades, and divisions, under such rules and regulations, and for such terms, not exceeding six years, as the General Assembly may, from time to time, direct and establish.
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