Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1851-09-11
yInoIsrA BILL OF RIGHTS.

4 II lPAaskD JusE II, fTT5.I
Adopted Without atsration By the Convention IF 1929
i. ='so.Aaa rssadoi...d wis amendments b the
sTR Convention Of Is50s'5t.
! A Declare ION Of Rights made By The Representa-
] tires ofsshe good people 81 Virginia, assembled
in Jall Haad free Contention, lehich Rights do
! PeSsailE go dem and ttdtr posteritg as The basis
ond fo4I tatil,u IF government
l. fhatss mtn BY nature equally free and indie.
pendent, AsA have certain Ahereat rights, Of which,
whe hsy niE into state Of society, they cannot BY
any deprive OF divest their Iaserity namely:
the soysltnt q life and liberty with the means Of
qarng anti possessing property and rdfaaing and OBJ
4 taiaing hanls9hesy and saleiy.
p that HI rs,scr Ii Vested ia and consequently de.
rived from ae people; that magstraies their
tees and ssivAna, and at all times aenable 10 them
3. Thai kssefament Is, or ought 10 be- instituted FIR
the comq5 benefit protection and security Of the peo
plc nation r eosouanity all the various modes and
orms Of geernpcnt, that Is best which is capable Of
rfodeng DE gAcaest degree Of happiness and safety,
and is most electualy secured against the danger Of
NAL. adm issasieni and that, when any government
shall be louh aaeqaate or contrary to these purposes
majority IL De community hath pdabitable unalien
able and addkheble right TO reforrSs acror abolish it,
In such Inar shall be judged most conducive TO the
public veal
or separate sloiaenis privileges from the commune
W. but in eagidefation Of public services, which, hot
being dessrahs neither ought the Offices ofmagstrae,
legislator az lhdgr 10 be hereditary.
s. That hs1egislave, executive and judicial powers
SHOULD be aud distinct; that the members there
4of may be ptraned from oppression, BY feeling and
participating The burhens Of the people they should at
xcd periods Tie reduced 10 private station return into
that body of, which they originally taken, and
the vacanete supplied by frequent certain and rega
lar eecfiod in which all, or any part Of the former
members ce ssaia eligible or Negligible, as the lays
shalt direct.
s. That aeletions ought 10 be free and that all men
having sufficient evidence ofpcrnanent common interest
with and attachment The community, have the right
Of suffrage and cannot be taxed deprived oflheir pro
pcrty for public uses, without their own consent, that
d their representatives soelecied, bound BY any law
which they hsyenot, in like manner assencd for the
I. Thai IA peser o. saspeiing laws, or the execn-
tion o. laws byny aahority, without consent Of the
representatives q the people, Injurious to her rights
n and ought not Vi be exercised
s. ThSt 10 all capital criminal prosecutions man
hath right dsnaad the and nature u his
sation to ha confronted with the aecuseE and Witnesses
10 call for evpsee in his favor, and speedy trial by
an impartial Jury oftwhive men Of his yicinage, without
whose unaniInous he cannot be found guilty nor
can he beenpelled 70 give evidence against himself;
that man bc deprived Of his liberty, except by the
\ law Of the land uf tlip iud sment of his peers.
h 9. That asve Bail ought not 10 be required nor
excessive anes imposed cruel and unusual punish
TO- That general warants whereby Officer or mes
sengcr may be commanded 10 search suspected places
without eraaenee u afaet committed, Or @ seize any
person persons notnamed or whose offence is not par
iculary described and supported BIZ evidence gre.
yoas aud oppressive, and ought not 30 be granted.
H. That controversies respecting properly, and ia
twelve preferable to any ether and ought TO be
held sacred.
H. That The freedom Of the press is one 81 the great
bawarks q liberty and can nererbe iestaIned but BY
despotic governments.
Is TIA. awell regulated militia. composed of the
body Of thepeople trained toans Is the proper, nata-
raj and safe cfcace u free State that standing armies,
In time should IL avoided dangerous liberty
ana that the military should be under strict
subordinatian 10 and governed BY the civil power =
II. That The people have right to uniform govern.
ment and therefore that government separate from,
independent Of the government Of Virginia, ought TO
4 be erected al 4. iabished within the limits thereof
Is. That 30 free government the blessing OF liber
~, can be preserved 30 any people, bat by firm adhe
renee 10 altiee, moderation temperance, fgaty and
virtue, aud BY frequent recurrence to fundamental
i principles. r. ~
4 10 That lclgion. or the duty which We owe TO our
Creator aud the manner Of disenargng ,ca be direct
Ped only by feason AMI conviction, not By force vo-
Hence and therefore htl equally entitled to the
free exercise Of religion, according toIhc dictates efcon
SCIENCE and that il is the mutual duty Of ali Ia practice
christian for6earances love aud CHARITY towards each
Nntker