The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1857-09-05
THE CONSTITUTION


Adopted In Convention, an Friday. An
gnst IS, 1855
SIGNED BY THE eTFrcERs AND srrssnnrps m m
CONVENTION, AUGUST %, ISM
Il sree eopy compared carssRy .ofss H. xsrou.
Copy deposited srifh the Sscrssasy efsas zsrrisorv
PREAMBLE: bi'-D
We the people Of the State of Minnesota
grateful to God for Spr civil and religious lib
erty, and desiring to perpetuate its blessings
and secure the same to ourselves and our DOS
terity, do ordain and establish this Coastitu
ton: a b, -h
ARTICLE FIRST. 81: sss
BIZ Of Rights. u .. ..,.
SECTION l. Government is instituted fol
the security, benefit and protection of thu
people, in whom all political power is inhe
rent together with the right to alter modify
or reform such Government; Whenever ths
public good may require it.
SEC. 2. No member Of this State shall
be DISTINGUISHED, or deprived of any of the
rights or privileges secured to any citizen
thereof unless by the law of the land, or the
Judgment Of his peers. There shall be nei
ther slavery nor involuntary servitude in the
State otherwise thsn in the punishment O
crime whereof the party shall have been duly
convicted. rsE ses.
See 3. The liberty of the press shall forev
er remain inviolate, and all persons may free
ly speak, write and publish their sentiments
on all subjects, being responsible for the abuse
of such right. -s.si.s DO as.a
Sec, 4. The right of trial by jury shall
remain inviolate, and shall extend to all cases
: at law without regard to the amount in con-
--4troversy, but jury trial may be waived by
the parties IN all cases, in the manner prescrib-
ed by law.
Sec. 5. Excessive bail shall not be reauir.
ed, nor shall excessive fines be imposed 4, nor
shall cruel or unusual punishments be inflic
TED.
Sec. 6. In all criminal prosecutions the
accused shall enjoy the right to speedy and
public trial, by IN impartial jury of the Coun-
" or District wherein the crime shall have
been committed, which County or District
shall have been previously ascertained by law,
and TO be informed of the nature aud cause
Of the accusation, to be confronted with the
witnesses against him, to have compulsory
process for obtaining witnesses in his favor,
and 10 have the assistance of counsel in his
defense
Sec. 7. No person shall be held to answer
for criminal offence unless on the present
ment Or in lctment of Grand Jury, except
ia cases Of impeachment or in cases cogniaa-
bic by Justices Of the Peace, or arising III the
Army or Navy. or in the militia wiz a in &C
tusl service in time of war or public DANGER
and no person for the same offence shall be
put twice in jeopardy of punishment, nor
shall be compelled in any criminal case to be
witness against himself nor be deprived of
lite, liberty, or property without due process
of law. All persons shall before conviction
be bailahlss5v e.llDens sureties, except for
cpr.;al offences, when the proof is evident or
the presumption great; and the privilege of
the writ OF habeas CORPUS shall not be suspen-
ded, unless, when in cases of rebellion or in.
vaslon, the public safety may require.
Sec. 8. Every person is entitled to q GER
tain remedy in the laws for all injuries or
wrongs which be may receive in his person.
property or character he ought to obtain
justice freelyand without purchase; complete
", ana without denial; promptly and with
out delay, contormably to the laws.
Sec. 3. Treason against the State shall
consist only in levying war against the same
OF in altering to its enemies, giving them aid
ard comfort. No person shall be convicted
OF Treason unless on the testimony of two
witnesses to the same overt act, or on con-
fessioG in open court.
Sec TO- The right of the people to be
secure in their persons, houses, papers and ef-
fects against unreasonable searches and seiz-
urcs shall not be violated and no warrant
shallissue but upon probable cause, supported
by oath or affirmation, and particularly de-
scribing the place to be searched, and the
person or things to be seized. 49,,
Sec. IL. No bill of attainder,s er post fac
10 law, nor any law impairing the obligation
of contracts shall ever be passed, and no con-
victon shall work corruption of blood or for
fixture Of estate. ....t .,,.......... -
sec. IL. No person shall be imprisoned
for debt in this State, but this shall not pre-
vent the Legislature from providing for i'm
prisonment or holding to bail persons charg.
ed with fraud in contracting said debt. A
reasonable amount of property shall be ex.
empt from seizure or sale, for the payment Of
any debt or liability the amount of such ex-
emption shall be determined by law.
Sec. ID. Private property shall not be ia
ken for public use without just compensation
therefor, first paid and secured.
Sec. IA. The military shall be subordinate
to the civil power, and no standing army
shall be kept up in this State in time OF peace.
Sec. Is. Ali lands within this State are
declared to be allodial and feudai tenures of
every description, with all their Incidents, are
prohibited. Leases and grants of agricultu-
raj land for longer period than twenty-one
years, hereafter made in which shall be re-
served any rent or service of any kind, shall
be void. rpo f
Sec. 16. The enumeration of rights in
this Constitution shall not be construed to
deny or impair Others retained by and inher-
ent IN the people. The right of every man
to worship God according to the dictates of
his own conscience shall never be infringed;
nor shall any man be compelled to attend,
erect, or support any place of worship, or to
maintain any religious or ecclesiastical minis
1ry against his consent; nor shall any control
of, or interference with the rights of con-
science be permitted, or any preference be
given by law to any religious establishment
or mode of worship; but the liberty of con-
science hereby secured, soall not be so con-
strued as to excuse acts OF lcentiousness or
Justify practices inconsistent with the peace
or safety of the State; nor shall any money
be drawn from the treasury for the benefit Of
any religious societies, or religious or theo-
logical semlnaries. sfa a"ft5iA -4
Sec. II. No religious test or amount of
property shall ever be required as q qualGca,
ton for any office of public trust under the
State No religious test or amount OF pro-
perty shall ever be required as qualification
of any voter at any election in this, State !;
nor shall any person be rendered incompe-
tent to give evidence in any court of law or
equity in consequence of his opinion upon the
subject of religion. or .tssa - aGa
ARTICLE SECOND. 3gs o-us
on Name and Boandaries. ri 49, Z
Section l. This State shall be called and
known by the name of the State of Minneso-
Ia, and shall consist of and have Jurisdiction
over the Territory embraced in the following
boundaries, to wit: Beginning at the point
in the center of the main channel Of the Red
river of the North, where the boundary line
between the United States and the British
Possessions crosses the same thence up the
main channel of said river to that Of the
Bots des Sioux river thence up the main
channel OF said river to Lake Traverse; thence
IN the center of said Lake 70 the southern ex-
trenity thereof; thence N . direct line to
head of Big Stone Lake; thence through its
center to iss outlet; thence by . due south
line to the north line Of the State Of Iowa |;
thence east along the northern boundaryof
said State to the main channel OF the Misass-