Article I

Declaration of Rights

That the general great essential principles of liberty and free government may be recognized and unalterably established we do declare that

Sec 1 All men are born equally free and independant, and have certain inherent rights, among which are those of enjoying and defending life and liberty, of acquiring, possessing and protecting property and and refutation, and of pursuing their own happiness, so long as they do not interfere with the rights of others.

Sec 2

All power is inherant is the people, and all free governments are founded on their authority and instituted for their peace, protection and happiness.

For the advancement of these ends they have at all Times an inalienable and indefinable right to alter, reform or abolish their government in such manners as they may think proper.

Sec 3

All men have a natural and indefesable right to worship Almighty God accor-ding to the dictates of their own conscience-es [sic]; Or not to worship any God, and no one shall suffer any loss of his or her civil or natural rights by reason of his or her religious opinions or the want of such opinions, nor shall anyone be compelled to attend, erect or support any place of worship, or to maintain any ministry against his or her consent; No human authority can in any case, control or interfere with the rights of Conscience, and no preference shall ever be given by law to any religious estab-lishment or made of worship.

Sec 4 No person shall on account of his religious sentiments be disqualified to hold any office or place of trust on profit under this commonwealth.

Sec 5

Elections shall be free and equal; and no power, civil or military, shall at any time interfere to prevent the free exercises of the right of suffrage when the person desiring to exercise such right is legally qualified for such exercise.

Sec 6

Trial by jury shall be heretofore, and the right there of shall remain inviolate.

Sec 7

The printing press shall be free to every person who may undertake to criticise the proceeding of the legislation or any branch of the govern-ment, 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. No conviction shall be had in any protection for the publication of hopes relating to the official conduct of officers or men in public capacity, or any other matter proper for public investiga-tion or information, where the fact that such publication was not maliciously or negligently made shall be established to the satisfaction a jury; and in all indictment for libel, the jury shall have the right to determine the law and the facts under the direction of the court, as in other cases.

Sec 8

The people shall be secure in their persons, houses, papers and possessions, from unreasonable searches and seizures, and no warrant to search anyplace or seized any person or things shall issue without describing them as nearly as maybe, nor without probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation subscribed by the affiliate.

Sec 9

In all criminal prosecutions the accused hath a right to be heard by himself and his counsel, to demand the nature of the cause of accusation against him, to meet the witnesses face to face, to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor and in prosecution by indict-ment or information a speedy pubic trial by an impartial jury of the vicinage; he cannot be compelled to give against himself, nor care be deprived of his life, liberty, or property, unless by the judgement of his peers and the law of the land.

Sec 10

No person shall for any indictable offence, be proceeded against criminally by information, except in cases arriving in the land or naval forces, or in the militia, when in the time of war or public danger, or by leave of Court, for oppression or omission measure in office. No person for he same office shall be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb, nor shall property be taken or applied to public use, without authority of law and without just compensation being first made or secured.

Sec 11

All courts shall be open and every man for an injury done him in his lands, goods, person or reputation, shall have his remedy by due course of law, and right and justice administered without sale denial or unreasonable delay suits may be brought against the commonwealth in such manner in such courts and in such cases the legislature may be law direct.

Sec 12

No power of suspending law shall be exercised unless by the Legislature or its authority.

Sec 13

Excessive bail shall not be required nor excessive fines imposes, nor cruel punishments inflicted.

Sec 14

All prisoners shall be bailable by sufficient securities, unless for conflicted offences where the proof is verdict or persecution great; and the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall not be suspended unless in cases of rebellion or invasion the public safety may require it.

Sec 15

The person of a debtor, where there is not strong presumption of fraud shall not e imprisoned after delivering up his estate for the benefit of Creditors is such manner as shall be prescribed by law.

Sec 16

No xpost facto law, nor any law impairing the obligation of contracts, or making irrevoca-bly go out of special privileges shall be be passed.

Sec 17

No person shall be attained of Treason or felony by the Legislature.

Sec 18

No attainders shall work corrupting blood and nor, xcept during life of the offender forfeiture of estate to the Commonwealth. The estate of such persons as shall destroy their own lives shall descend of vest in cases of natural death and if any person shall be killed by casualty there shall be no forfeiture by reason thereof.

Sec. 19

The rights of citizens to bear arms in defence of themselves, their property, and of their estate shall not be questioned.

Sec 20

No standing army shall be kept in times of peace, without the consent of the Legislature, and the military shall in all cases and at all times be in strict subordination of the civil power.

Sec 21

No solider shall in time of peace be quartered in any house without the consent of the owner, nor in time of war except in a manner prescribed by law.

Sec 22

The Legislature shall not be grant any title or nobility or hereditary distinction, nor create any office, the appointment to which shall be for a longer term than during good behavior.

Sec 23

Immigration from the states shall not be prohibited, nor shall immigration to the state be prohibited except as may be provided by law in quarantine regulations.

• Declaration of Rights [File No. 1, Committee on Preamble and Declaration of Rights] (introduced on 1889-09-05 10:00:00 - CREATE_FROM - e660670) [This document] [view current proposal at this moment]
  • None (introduced on 1889-09-21 00:00:00 - REPORT_PROPOSAL - e671861) [view current proposal at this moment]