therewith for any term, not exceeding five years after the county shall have been erected.

SECTION IV. All commissions shall be in the name and by the authority of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and be sealed wich the State seal, and signed by the Governor.

SECTION V. The State Treasurer shall be appointed, annually, by the joint vote of the members of both Houses. All other officers in the Treasury department, attornies at law, election officers, officers relating to taxes, to the poor and highways, constables, and other Township officers, shall be appointed in such manner as is or shall be directed by law.

ARTICLE VII.

SECTION 1. The legislature shall, as soon as conveniently may be, provide, by law, for the establishment of Schools throughout the State, in such manner that the poor may be taught gratis.

SECTION II. The arts and sciences shall be promoted in one or more seminaries of learning.

SECTION III. The rights, privileges, immunities and estates of religious societies and corporate bodies shall remain, as if the constitution of this State had not been altered or amended.

ARTICLE VII.

Members of the General Assembly and all officers Executive and Judicial, shall be bound, by oath or affirination, to support the constitution of this Commonwealth, and to perform the duties of their respective offices with fidelity.

ARTICLE IX.

That the general, great and essential Principles of Liberty and free Government may be recognized and unalterably established,

WE DECLARE.

SECTION I. That all men are born equally free and independent, and have certain inherent and indefeasible rights, among which are those of enjoying and defending life and liberty, of acquiring, possessing, and protecting property and reputation, and of pursuing their own happiness.

SECTION II. That all power is inherent in the people, and all free governments are founded on their authority, and instituted for their peace, safety and happiness: For the advancement of those ends they have, at all times, an unalienable and indefeasible right to alter, reform or abolish their government, in such manner as they may think proper.

SECTION III. That all men have a natural and indefeasible right to

worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their own consciences; that no man can, of right, be compelled to attend, erect, or support any place of worship, or to maintain any ministry against his consent; that no human authority can, in any case whatever, control or interfere with the rights of conscience; and that no preference shall ever be given by law, to any religious establishments or modes of worship.

SECTION IV. That no person who acknowledges the being of a God and a future state of rewards and punishments, shall, on account of his religious sentiments, be disqualified to hold any office or place of trust or profit under this commonwealth.

SECTION V. That elections shall be free and equal.

SECTION VI. That trial by jury shall be as heretofore, and the right thereof remain inviolate.

SECTION VII. That the printing Presses shall be free to every person who undertakes to examine the proceedings of the legislature, or any branch of government: And no law shall ever be made to restrain the right thereof. The free communication of thoughts and opinions is one of the invaluable rights of man; and every citizen may freely speak, write and print on any subject, being responsible for the abuse of that liberty. In prosecutions for the publication of papers, investigating the official conduct of officers or men in a public capacity, or where the matter published is proper for public information, the truth thereof may be given in evidence: And in all indictments for libels, the jury shall have a right to determine the law and the facts, under the direction of the court as in other cases.

SECTION VIII. That the people shall be secure in their persons, houses, papers and possessions from unreasonable searches and seizures: And that no warrant to search any place, or to seize any person or things, shall issue without describing them as nearly as may be, nor without probable cause supported by oath or affirmation.

SECTION IX. That, in all criminal prosecutions, the accused hath a right to be heard by himself and his council, to demand the nature and cause of the accusation against him, to meet the witnesses face to face, to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favour, and, in prosecutions by indictment or information, a speedy public trial by an impartial Jury of the vicinage: That he cannot be compelled to give evidence against himself, nor can he be deprived of his life, liberty or property, unless by the judgment of his peers, or the law of the land.

SECTION X. That no person shall, for any indictable offense, be proceeded against criminally by information, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the militia when in actual service in time of war or public danger, or, by leave of the court, for oppression and misdemeanor in office. No person shall, for the same offense, be twice put

in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall any man's property be taken or applied to public use without the consent of his representatives, and without just compensation being made.

SECTION XI. That all courts shall be open, and every man, for an injury done him in his lands, goods, person or reputation, shall have remedy by the due course of law, and right and Justice administred, without sale, denial or delay. Suits may be brought against the commonwealth in such manner, in such courts and in such cases as the legislature may by law direct.

SECTION XII. That no power of suspending laws shall be exercised, unless by the legislature, or its authority.

SECTION XIII. That excessive bail shall not be required nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel punishments inflicted.

SECT ON XIV. That all prisoners shall be bailable by sufficient sureties, unless for capital offences when the proof is evident or presumption great, and the privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended, unless when, in cases of rebellion or invasion, the public safety may require it.

SECTION XV. That no commissioner of Oyer and Terminer or Goal delivery shall be issued.

SECTION XVI. That the person of a debtor, where there is not strong presumption of fraud, shall not be continued in Prison, after delivering up his estate for the benefit of his creditors, in such manner as shall be prescribed by law.

SECTION XVII. That no ex post facto law, nor any law impairing contracts, shall be made.

SECTION XVIII. That no person shall be attainted of treason or felony by the legislature.

SECTION XIX. That no attainder shall work corruption of blood, nor, except during the life of the offender, forfeiture of estate to the commonwealth; that the estates of such persons as shall destroy their own lives shall descend or vest as in case of natural death; and if any person shall be killed by casuality, there shall be no forfeiture by reason thereof.

SECTION XX. That the citizens have right, in a peaceable manner, to assemble together for their common good, and to apply to those invested with the powers of government for redress of grievances, or other proper purposes, by petition, address or remonstrance.

SECTION XXI. That the right of citizens to bear arms, in defence of themselves and the State, shall not be questioned.

SECTION XXII. That no standing army shall, in time of peace, be kept up without the consent of the legislature; and the military shall, in all cases, and at all times, be in strict subordination to the civil power. SECTION XXIII. That no soldier shall, in time of peace, be quartered

in any House without the consent of the owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.

SECTION XXIV. That the legislature shall not grant any title of nobility or hereditary distinction, nor create any office, the appointment of which shall be for a longer term than for good behavior.

SECTION XXV. That emigration from the state shall not be prohibited. SECTION XXVI. To guard against transgressions of the high powers which we have delegated, WE DECLARE That everything in this article is excepted out of the general powers of government, and shall for ever remain inviolate.

SCHEDULE.

That no inconvenience may arise from the alterations and amendments in the Constitution of this Commonwealth, and in order to carry the same into complete operation, it is hereby declared and ordained, First. THAT all laws of this commonwealth, in force at the time of making the said alterations and amendments in the said Constitution, and not inconsistent therewith, and all rights, actions, prosecutions, claims and contracts, as well of individuals as of bodies corporate, shall continue as if the said alterations and amendments had not been made.

Second. THAT the President and Supreme Executive Council shall continue to exercise the executive authority of this Commonwealth, as heretofore, until the third Tuesday of December next; but no intermediate vacancies in the Council shall be supplied by new elections.

Third. THAT all officers in the appointment of the Executive Department shall continue in the exercise of the duties of their respective offices until the first day of September one thousand seven hundred and ninetyone; unless their commissions shall sooner expire by their own limitations, or the said offices become vacant by death1 or resignation; and no longer, unless re-appointed and commissioned by the Governor; except that the Judges of the Supreme Court shall hold their offices for the terms in their commissions respectively expressed.

Fourth. THAT Justice shall be administered in the several counties of the State, until the period aforesaid, by the same justices, in the same courts, and in the same manner, as heretofore.

Fifth. THAT no person now in commission as Sheriff shall be eligible at the next election for a longer term than will, with the time, which he shall have served in the said office, complete the term of three years.

Sixth. THAT, until the first enumeration shall be made as directed in the fourth section of the first article of the Constitution established by this Convention, the City of Philadelphia and the several counties shall

1 Interlined.

be respectively entitled to elect the same number of Representatives as is now prescribed by law.

Seventh. THAT the first Senate shall consist of Eighteen members to be chosen in districts formed as follows, to wit: The City of Philadelphia and the Counties of Philadelphia and Delaware shall be a district and elect three Senators: The County of Chester shall be a district, and shall elect one Senator: The County of Bucks shall be a district, and shall elect one Senator: The County of Montgomery shall be a district, and shall elect one Senator: The County of Northampton shall be a district, and shall elect one Senator: The Counties of Lancaster and York shall be a district, and shall elect three Senators: The Counties of Berks and Dauphin shall be a district, and shall elect two Senators: The Counties of Cumberland and Mifflin shall be a district, and shall elect one Senator: The Counties of Northumberland, Luzerne and Huntington, shall be a district, and shall elect one Senator: The Counties of Bedford and Franklin shall be a district, and shall elect one Senator: The Counties of Westmoreland and Allegany shall be a district, and shall elect one Senator: And the Counties of Washington and Fayette shall be a district, and shall elect two Senators: Which Senators shall serve until the first enumeration before mentioned shall be made, and the representation in both Houses of the Legislature shall be established by law, and chosen as in the Constitution is directed. Any vacancies which shall happen in the Senate, within the said time, shall be supplied as prescribed in the nineteenth section of the first article.

Eighth. THAT the elections of Senators shall be conducted, and the returns thereof made to the Senate, in the same manner as is prescribed by the election laws of the State, for conducting and making return of the election of Representatives. In those districts, which consist of more than one county, the Judges of the district elections within each county, after having formed a return of the whole election within that county, in such manner as is directed by law, shall send the same, by one or more of their number, to the place herein after mentioned within the district, of which such county is a part, where the Judges so met shall compare and cast up the several county returns, and execute, under their hands and seals, one general and true return for the whole district, that is to say: the Judges of the district composed of the City of Philadelphia and the Counties of Philadelphia and Delaware shall meet in the State House in the City of Philadelphia; the Judges of the district composed of the counties of Lancaster and York shall meet at the Court-House in the county of Lancaster; the Judges of the district composed of the counties of Berks and Dauphin shall meet at Middletown, in the county of Berks; the Judges of the district composed of the counties of Cumberland and Mifflin shall meet in Greenwood township, county of Cumberland, at the