The Text

The commissioned and non-commissioned officers of companies shall be chosen by the written votes of the members, and field officers of regiments and separate battalions, by the written votes of the commissioned officers of their respective regiments or separate battalions, and brigadier-generals, by the field officers of their respective brigades; but whenever the militia shall be in active service, such right of election shall be suspended, and all commissioned officers shall be appointed by the governor, and non-commissioned officers by the regimental or separate battalion commanders on the recommendation of their company commanders. Regimental and separate battalion commanders shall appoint their staff officers. All officers not specified in this article shall be appointed as prescribed by law ; and in case the election and appointment of militia officers, in the manner directed by this article, shall not be found conducive to the improvement of the militia, the Legislature may change the same by law, provided two-thirds of the members elected to each house shall concur therein.