The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-06-12
Finished by Commission
on Constitution.
The ReviSerS Have Made Sew
eral Material Changes.
What They Are-How They Com
pare With Present Provisions.

The commission on the revision of the
State Constitution has completed the first
article.
Section OF the article as IL now stands
prohibiting slayeryin this state is omitted
as there is no longer any occasion for it.
The preamble is practically the same as
in the present Constitution.
The Introductory paragraph to the
declaration of rights is made moro con-
else. although the meaning remains the
same AS revised 10 is simply as follows:
The rights and principles declared in
this article shall be strictly maintained,
and shall be of paramount obligation in
all Legislative, judicial and executive pro-
ceedings."
In tho third section relative TO religious
liberty the word "conscience' is substi-
tuted for the word mind. The declara-
tion or this section is also changed and
revised is 1--WE. therefore, declare that no
man shall be compelled 10 attend, or, ex-
cept in fulilllnent OF his own contract.
TO support any religious worship, or shall
be disqualified TO hold any office or other
wise suffer on account of his religious ne-
lief, and that every man shall be FREQ TO
worship God In his own way and To pro-
fess and by argument maintain his
opipion In religious matters; but nothing
in this section shall be so construed as TO
excuse any violation of the law in civil
things.
Tho following Is omitted from section
10 OF the article as Ii now reads
Nor shall he be deprived of life, liberty.
or property, unless by the Judgment of his
peers, or the law of the land. "
This same provision, however. Is made
in section twelve of the revision which
reads as follows: "No person shall be
compelled TO give evidence eliminating
himself; or be deprived of life liberty or
property, withoutiduo process of law" F."
To the section which provides that the
right of trial by jury shall remain invio-
late the following addition is made:
But trial by jury may be waived by
the parties In all cases, in the manner to
be prescribed by law. %
To the section which provides that "pri-
vate property shall not be taken for pub
lie use without just compensation, the
following words are added:
UNLESS by the consent OF the owner;
nor, except for the use OF the state or of "a
municipal corporation, or when taken
under the law relating TO water mills,
until such compensation has been made,
or secured by q. deposit of money as pre-
crbed by law"
The phraseoIogy of the section relative
To the liberty of the press is changed. AS
1t is now IL reads:
1.-The liberty of the press being essen
tial to the security Of freedom in a state,
any person may publish his sentiments on
any subject, being responsible for the
abuse of that liberty; and in all trials
for libel. both civil and criminal, the truth,
unless published from malicious motives,
shall be sufficient defence to the person
charged.
As revised by the commission it is as
follows:
Every person may freely speak, write
and publish his sentiments on all sub
jects, being responsible for the abuse of
that liberty and In all trials for libel or
slander. both civil and criminal the
truth, unless published or uttered from
malicious motives, shall be sufficient
defence to tho persons charged.
There are no other material changes
suggested by the commission.
AT the several public hearings granted
by the commissioners there were good
many suggestions made from outsiders.
They have been printed and make 3S
pages but none Of them appealed to the
commissioners as being of sufficient value
to merit place in the first article.