“Members of the General Assembly, and _all officers_, executive and judicial, shall be bound by oath or affirmation to support the Constitution of this Commonwealth, and to perform the duties of their respective _offices_ with fidelity.”[299] Here members of the General Assembly are classed with those holding “offices.” The original Constitution of New York is more positive:-- “The chancellor and judges of the Supreme Court shall not at the same time hold _any other office_, excepting that of Delegate to the General Congress upon special occasions; and the first judges of the county courts in the several counties shall not at the same time hold any other _office_, excepting that of _Senator_ or Delegate to the General Congress.”[300] Here the post of Delegate to the General Congress, and also of “Senator,” is treated as an “office.” Surely this is enough. The post of Senator is an office of honor or profit, and a “Senator” is an “officer.” * * * * * 2. But, assuming that the post of Senator is an “office,” and that a Senator is an “officer,” the question occurs, To what “department of the public service” does he belong? Clearly he is not of the “military” or “naval” department. But if not “military” or “naval,” he must be “civil.” Here again consult the dictionary. I cite Webster. “_Civil._ It is distinguished from _ecclesiastical_, which respects the Church, and from _military_, which respects the army and navy.--This term is often employed in contrast with _military_: as, a _civil_ hospital, the _civil_ service, &c.” “_Civil List._ In England, formerly, a list of the entire expenses of the _civil_ government; hence the officers of _civil_ government, who are paid from the public treasury; also, the revenue appropriated to support the _civil_ government.” “_Civil State._ The whole body of the laity or citizens, not included under the military, maritime, and ecclesiastical states.” To say that a Senator is not included under this comprehensive, but distinctive term, is simply an absurdity. It is evident that Congress adopted the words of the statute because they were comprehensive and distinctive. They obviously comprehended all “officers” in the “public service,” whether “elected,” like a Senator, or “appointed,” like a judge. But, beyond their plainness, these words had this added advantage, that already for more than a generation they had received a practical interpretation from Congress. Here is the familiar Blue Book. Its title-page begins:-- “Register of _officers and agents_, _civil_, military, and naval, _in the service of the United States_.” Turning to the contents, we find in this list Members of Congress, including Senators and Representatives, with the “officers and agents” of the two Houses.