A secretary of state shall be elected by joint vote of the general assembly, and commissioned for a term of four (4) years.
Code 1858, §§ 194, 812 (deriv. Const. 1834, art. 3, § 17); Shan., §§ 242, 1136; Code 1932, §§ 188, 1903; T.C.A. (orig. ed.), § 8-301.