Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1830-01-28
AN AMENDED CONSTITUTION.
on FosM OF GOVERNMENT roR y,Ro,s,.

assembled, on the twenty ninth day of June
iH the year of our Lord one Thousand seven
: hundred and seventy-six: reciting and decla-
ring, that, whereas, George the third. Kinc
Of Great Britain and ireland, and Elector oi
Hanover, before that time entrusted with the
exercise of the kingly office in the Govern
ment OF Virginia, had endeavored to peryert
the same into detestable and insupportable
tyranny, by putting his negative on laws of
The most wholesome and necessary for the
public good by DENYING his Governors per-
MISSION TO pass laws of immediate and press
Ing Importance, unless suspended in their op
Grafton forhis assent, and when so suspended
neglecting to attend to them for many years:
by refusing to pass certain other laws, unleas
the persons to be benefited by them would
reiinqusii the inestimable right Of representa-
ton in the Legislature; by dissolying legisla-
tive assemblies repeatedly and continaa iiy,
for opposing with manly lirInness has inva-
slons ofths rights of the people; when disso,
we'd, by refusing to call Others for long space
of time, thereby leaving the political system
without any legislative head; BY endeayoring
to prevent the population OF our country, and
for that purpose obstructing the laws for the
naturalization of foreigners, by keeping among
US, IN time otpeace, standing armies and ships
OF war; by affecting to render the military in
NSPSHNSue Wy eh"o sulphur w, tlic CifH DOW
er, By combining with others to subject 10 to
foreign jurisdiction, giving his assent to
their pretended acts of legislation, for quar-
tering large bodies Of armed troops among as.
for cutting off our trade with all parts of the
world, for imposing taxes on us without our
consent, for deprIving us Of the benefits q the
trial by JURY Ter transporting US beyond seas
to be tried for pretended otlences, for sus
pending our own Legislatures and declaring
themselves Invested with power to legisate
for US in all cases whatsoever; by plundering
our seas, ravaglng our coasts, burning our
towns, and destroying the lives of our people;
by Inciting instructions oil our fellow sub
jects with the allurements Of forfeiture and
contiscaton; by prompting our negroes to
rise In arms among US, those very negroes,
whom by an inhuman use of his negative he
had refused US permission to exclude by law;
10y endearoring TO bring On the inhabitants of
our frontiers, the merciless indian sayages,
whose known rule of warfare is an undistin-
guished destruction of all ages, sexes and
conditions OF existence, by transporting a
large army OF foreign mercenarles, to com
plete the work of death, desolat.oR and tyran-
ny, then already begun with circumstances of
cruelty and periidy unworthy The head of
ciyilizad nation; by answering our repeated
petitions Tor redress with repetition Of niu-
rles, and finally, by abandoning the helm of
government, and declaring US out of his alle
glance and protection; By which several acts
oil naisrule, the government of this country, as
before exercised under the Grown of Great
Britain, was totally dissolved did, therefore,
having maturely considered the premises, and
viewing with great concern the deplsrable
condition, to which this once happy country
would be reduced, unless some regular ade-
quate mode of civil polity should be speedily
adopted, and in compliance with the recon-
nendation Of the General Congress, ordain
and declare, form of government for Yir-
ginia:
And whereas the General Assembly of Vir-
gInia, by an act passed on the tenth day of
February, in the year of our Lord one thou
sand eight hundred and twenty nine, entitled,
an act to organize Convention, did author
Use and provide for the election. by the PEG
pie. Of Delegates and Representatives., 10
meet and assemble, in General Convention,
at the Capitol in the City OF Richmond, on
the first Monday Of October in the year last
aforesaid, to consider, discuss and propose, a
new Constitution, or alterations and amend
ments of the existing Constitution of this
Commonwealth, to be submitted to the peo-
pie and to be by them ratified or rejected:
We, therefore, the Delegates and Repre-
sentatives of the good people OF Virginia,
elected and in Convention assembled, in pur
saance of the said act Of Assembly, do sub
nit and propose to the people, the following
amended Constitution and Form of Govern
ment for this Commonwealth, that is to say:
ARTICLE /.
The Declaration of Rights made on the
18th June, 1916, by the representatives of the
good people of Virginia assembled in full and
free Convention, which pertained TO them and
their posterity. as the basis and foundation of
, Government, requiring in the opinion of this
Convention no amendment, shall be prehxed
TO this Constitution, and have the same rela
ton thereto as it had to the former Constiiu-
ton OF this Commonwealth.
ARTICLEH.
The Legislative, Executive and Judiciary
Departments, shall be separate and distinct
, so that neither exercise the powers properly
| belonging to either OF the others; nor shall any
person exercise the powers of more uan ons
of them at the same time, except that the
: Justices of the County Courts shall be eligi
Q BILE to either House of Assembly.
i ARTICLE Ill.
1. The Legislature shall be formed of tw,
distinct branches, which together shall be
complete Legislature, and shall be called til
! General Assembly Of Virginia.
2. One Of these shall be called The Hous
ofDelegates, and shall consist of one hundre
Al