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.
Orphan houses.
Sec. 8. There shall also, as soon as practicable, be measures devised by the State for the establishment of one or more orphan houses, where destitute orphans may be cared for, educated and taught some business or trade.
Inebriates and idiots.
Sec. 9. It shall be the duty of the Legislature, as soon as practicable, to devise means for the education of idiots and inebriates.
Deaf-mutes, blind and insane.
Sec. 10. The General Assembly may provide that the indigent, deaf-mute, blind and insane of the State shall be cared for at the charge of the State.
Self-supporting.
Sec. 11. It shall be steadily kept in view by the Legislature and the Board of Public Charities, that all penal and charitable institutions should be made as nearly self-supporting as is consistent with the purposes of their creation.