SECTION 1. The following punishments only shall be known to the laws of this State, viz., death, imprisonment with or without hard labor, fines, removal from office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust or profit under this State. The foregoing provision for imprisonment with hard labor shall be construed to authorize the employment of such convict labor on public works or highways, or other labor for public benefit, and the farming out thereof, where and in such manner as may be provided by law; but no convict shall be farmed out who has been sentenced on a charge of murder, manslaughter, rape, attempt to commit rape or arson: _Provided_, that no convict whose labor may be farmed out shall be punished for any failure of duty as a laborer except by a responsible officer of the State; but the convicts so farmed out shall be at all times under the supervision and control, as to their government and discipline, of the penitentiary board or some officer of the State. [Sidenote: Death punishment.] SEC. 2. The object of punishment being not only to satisfy justice, but also to reform the offender, and thus prevent crime, murder, arson, burglary and rape, and these only, may be punishable with death, if the General Assembly shall so enact. [Sidenote: Penitentiary.] SEC. 3. The General Assembly shall, at its first meeting, make provision for the erection and conduct of a State's Prison or penitentiary at some central and accessible point within the State. [Sidenote: House of correction.] SEC. 4. The General Assembly may provide for the erection of a house of correction, where vagrants and persons guilty of misdemeanors shall be restrained and usefully employed. [Sidenote: Houses of refuge.] SEC. 5. A house or houses of refuge may be established whenever the public interests may require it, for the correction and instruction of other classes of offenders. [Sidenote: The sexes to be separated.] SEC. 6. It shall be required by competent legislation that the structure and superintendence of penal institutions of the State, the county jails and city police prisons secure the health and comfort of the prisoners, and that male and female prisoners be never confined in the same room or cell. [Sidenote: Provision for the poor and orphans.] SEC. 7. Beneficent provisions for the poor, the unfortunate and orphan being one of the first duties of a civilized and Christian State, the General Assembly shall, at its first session, appoint and define the duties of a Board of Public Charities, to whom shall be entrusted the supervision of all charitable and penal State institutions, and who shall annually report to the Governor upon their condition, with suggestions for their improvement. [Sidenote: Orphan houses.]