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courts, and in such cases, as the Legislature may by law direct.

Suspending laws.

SECT. 12. That no power of suspending laws shall be exercised, unless by the Legislature, or its authority.

Bail.

SECT. 13. That excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel pun

ishment inflicted.

Prisoners-Habeas Corpus.

SECT. 14. That all prisoners shall be bailable by sufficient sureties, unless for capital offences when the proof is evident or presumption great; and the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall not be suspended, unless when, in cases of rebellion or invasion, the public safety may require it.

Øyer and Terminer, &c.

SECT. 15. That no commission of oyer and terminer or jail delivery shall be issued.

Insolvent Debtors.

SECT. 16. That the person of a debtor, where there is not strong presumption of fraud, shall not be continued in prison after delivering up his estate for the benefit of his creditors, in such manner as shall be prescribed by law.

Ex Post Facto Law.

SECT. 17. That no ex post facto law, nor any law impairing contracts shall be made.

Treason and Felony.

SECT. 18. That no person shall be attainted of treason or felony by the Legislature.

Attainder, &c.

SECT. 19. That no attainder shall work corruption of blood, nor, except during the life of the offender, forefeiture of estate to the Commonwealth; that the estates of such persons as shall destroy their own lives, shall descend or vest as in case of natural death; and if any person shall be killed by casualty, there shall be no forfeiture by reason thereof.

Rights of Citizens to Assemble.

SECT. 20. That the citizens have a right in a peaceable manner, to assemble together for their common good, and to apply to those invested with the powers of Government, for redress of grievances or other proper purposes, by petition, address or remonstrance.

To Bear Arms.

SECT 21. That the right of the citizens to bear arms in defence of themselves and the State, shall not be questioned.

Military.

SECT 22. That no standing army shall, in time of peace, be kept without the consent of the Legislature; and the military shall, in all cases and at all times, be in strict subordination to the civil power. Quartering Troops.

SECT. 23. That no soldier shall, in time of peace, be quartered in any house, without the consent of the owner; nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.

Titles and Offices.

SECT. 24 That the Legislature shall not grant any title of nobility or hereditary distinction, nor

create any office, the appointment to which shall be for a longer term than during good behavior.

Emigration.

SECT. 25. The emigration from the State shall not be prohibited.

Exceptions from the General Powers of Government.

SECT. 26. To guard against transgressions of the high powers which we have delegated, WE DECLARE, that everything in this article is expected out of the general powers of government, and shall forever remain inviolate.

ARTICLE X.

OF AMENDMENTS.

Any amendment or amendments to this Constitution may be proposed in the Senate or House of Representatives, and if the same shall be agreed to by a majority of the members elected to each House, such proposed amendment or amendments shall be entered on their journals, with the yeas and nays taken thereon, and the Secretary of the Commonwealth shall cause the same to be published three months before the next election, in at least one newspaper in every county, in which a newspaper shall be published; and if in the Legislature next afterwards chosen, such proposed amendment or amendments shall be agreed to by a majority of the members elected to each House, the Secretary of the Commonwealth shall cause the same again to be published in the manner aforesaid, and such proposed amendment or amendments, shall be submitted to the people in such manner, and at such time, at least three months after being so agreed to by the two Houses, as the Legislature shall prescribe;

and if the people shall approve and ratify such amendment or amendments, by a majority of the qualified voters of this State voting thereon, such amendment or amendments shall become a part of the Constitution; but no amendment or amendments shall be submitted to the people oftener than once in five years: Provided, That if more than one amendment be submitted, they shall be submitted in such manner and form that the people may vote for or against each amendment separately and distinctly.

ARTICLE XI.*

OF PUBLIC DEBTS.

For what the State may contract Debts-Amount of such Debts limited-How the money raised must be Appropriated. SECT. 1. The State may contract debts to supply casual deficits or failures in revenues, or to meet expenses not otherwise provided for; but the aggregate amount of such debts, direct and contingent, whether contracted by virtue of one or more acts of the General Assembly, or at different periods of time, shall never exceed seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars, and the money arising from the creation of such debts, shall be applied to the purpose for which it was obtained, or to re-pay the debts so contracted, and to no other purpose whatever. War Debts may be contracted-Appropriation of the Money Raised.

SECT. 2. In addition to the above limited power the State may contract debts to repel invasion, suppress insurrection, defend the State in time of war, or to redeem the present outstanding indebtedness of the State; but the money arising from the con

*First amendment of 1857.

tracting of such debts, shall be applied to the purpose for which it was raised, or to re-pay such debts, and to no other purpose whatever.

Other Debts Prohibited.

SECT. 3. Except the debts above specified, in sections one and two of this article, no debt whatever shall be created by or on behalf of the State.

A Sinking Fund to be Created-Of what it shall Consist.

SECT. 4. To provide for the payment of the present debt, and any additional debt contracted as aforesaid, the Legislature shall, at its first session after the adoption of this amendment, create a sinking fund, which shall be sufficient to pay the accruing interest on such debt, and annually to reduce the principal thereof, by a sum not less than two hundred and fifty thousand dollars; which sinking fund shall consist of the net annual income of the public works, from time to time owned by the State, or the proceeds of the sale of the same, or any part thereof, and of the income or proceeds of sale of stocksowned by the State, together with other funds or resources that may be designated by law. The said sinking fund may be increased, from time to time, by assigning to it any part of the taxes, or other revenues of the State, not required for the ordinary and current expenses of Government, and unless in case of war, invasion or insurrection, no part of the said sinking fund shall be used or applied otherwise than in extinguishment of the public debt, until the amount of such debt is reduced below the sum of five millions of dollars.

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