any two of the faid judges, the prefident being one, fhall be a quo rum; but they shall not hold a court of oyer and terminer or jail delivery in any county, when the judges of the fupreme court, or any of them, shall be fitting in the fame county. The party accused, as well as the commonwealth, may, under fuch regulations as fhall be prescribed by law, remove the indictment and proceedings, or a tranfcript thereof, into the fupreme court.

VI. The fupreme court and the feveral courts of common pleas fhall, befide the powers heretofore usually exercised by them, have the powers of a court of chancery, fo far as relates to the perpetuating testimony, the obtaining of evidence from places not within the State, and the care of the perfons and estates of those who are non compotes mentis; and the legiflature fhall vest in the said courts fuch other powers, to grant relief in equity, as shall be found neceffary; and may, from time to time, enlarge or diminish those powers, or veft them in such other courts as they fhall judge proper, for the due administration of justice.

VII. The judges of the court of common pleas of each county, any two of whom shall be a quorum, fhall compose the court of quarter feffions of the peace and orphans' court thereof; and the register of wills, together with the faid judges, or any two of them, shall compofe the register's court of each county.

VIII. The judges of the courts of common pleas fhall, within their respective counties, have the like powers with the judges of the fupreme court, to iffue writs of certiorari to the justices of the peace, and to caufe their proceedings to be brought before them, and the like right and justice to be done.

IX. The prefident of the court in each circuit, within fuch circuit, and the judges of the court of common pleas, within their res fpective counties, fhall be juftices of the peace fo far as relates to criminal matters.

X. The governor shall appoint a competent number of justices of the peace, in fuch convenient diftricts in each county, as are or shall be directed by law; they shall be commiffioned during good beha viour, but may be removed on conviction of mifbehaviour in office, or of any infamous crime, or on the addrefs of both houses of the legislature.

XI. A register's office for the probate of wills and granting letters of administration, and an office for the recording of deeds, fhall be kept in each county.

XII. The

XII. The style of all proceffes fhall be, The commonwealth of Pennsylvania; all profecutions fhall be carried on, in the name and by the authority of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and cone clude, against the peace and dignity of the fame.

ARTICLE VI

I. Sheriffs and coroners fhall, at the times and places of election of reprefentatives, be chofen by the citizens of each county. Two perfons fhall be chofen for each office, one of whom, for each refpectively, shall be appointed by the governor. They shall hold their offices for three years, if they shall so long behave themselves well, and until a fucceffor be duly qualified; but no person shall be twice chofen or appointed sheriff in any term of fix years. Vacancies in either of the faid offices fhall be filled by a new appointment to be made by the governor, to continue until the next general election, and until a fucceffor fhall be chofen and qualified as aforefaid.

II. The freemen of this commonwealth fhall be armed and disciplined for its defence. Those who confcientiously scruple to bear arms, fhall not be compelled to do fo, but fhall pay an equivalent for personal service. The militia officers fhall be appointed in fuch manner and for fuch time as fhall be directed by law.

III. Prothonotaries, clerks of the peace, and orphans' courts, recorders of deeds, registers of wills, and fheriffs, fhall keep their offices in the county town of the county in which they respectively fhall be officers, unlefs when the governor fhall, for fpecial reafons, dispense therewith for any term not exceeding five years, after the county fhall have been erected.

IV. All commiffions fhall be in the name and by the authority of the commonwealth of Pennfylvania, and be fealed with the ftate feal, and figned by the governor.

V. The state treasurer fhall be appointed annually by the joint vote of the members of both houses; all other officers in the treasury department, attornies at law, election officers, officers relating to taxes, to the poor and highways, constables, and other township officers, shall be appointed in fuch manner as is ar fhall be directed by law.

ARTICLE VII.

I. The legislature fhall, as foon as conveniently may be, provide by law for the establishment of schools throughout the State, in fuch manner that the poor may be taught gratis.

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II. The arts and sciences shall be promoted in one or more feminaries of learning.

III. The rights, privileges, immunities, and estates of religious focieties and corporate bodies, fhall remain as if the conftitution of this

State had not been altered or amended.

Members of the general Affembly, and all officers, executive and judicial, fhall be bound by oath or affirmation to support the conftitution of this commonwealth, and to perform the duties of their repective offices with fidelity.

ARTICLÉ IX.

That the general, great, and effential principles of liberty and free government may be recognised and unalterably established, We declare,

1. That all men are born equally free and independent, and have certain inherent and indefeasible rights, among which are those of enjoying and defending life and liberty, of acquiring, poffeffing, and protecting property and reputation, and of pursuing their own happiness.

II. That all power is inherent in the people; and all free govern ments are founded on their authority, and instituted for their peace, fafety and happinefs. For the advancement of those ends, they have, at all times, an unalienable and indefeafible right to alter, reform, or abolish their government, in fuch manner as they may think proper.

III. That all men have a natural and indefeasible right to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their own consciences; that no man can, of right, be compelled to attend, erect, or fupport any place of worship, or to maintain any ministry, against his confent; that no human authority can, in any cafe whatever, control or interfere with the rights of confcience; and that no preference fhall ever be given, by law, to any religious establishments or modes of worship.

IV. That no perfon, who acknowledges the being of a God, and a future ftate of rewards and punishments, fhall, on account of his feligious fentiments, be difqualified to hold any office or place of ruft or profit under this commonwealth.

V. That elections fhall be free and equal.

VI. That

VI. That trial by jury shall be as heretofore, and the right thereof remain inviolate.

VII. That the printing preffes fhall be free to every perfon, 'who undertakes to examine the proceedings of the legislature or any branch of government; and no law fhall ever be made to restrain the right thereof. The free communication of thoughts and opinions is one of the invaluable rights of man; and every citizen may freely fpeak, write, and print on any subject, being refponfible for the abufe of that liberty. In profecutions for the publication of pa pers, investigating the official conduct of officers, or men in a public capacity, or where the matter published is proper for public information, the truth thereof may be given in evidence. And, in all indictments for libels, the jury fhall have a right to determine the law and the facts, under the direction of the court, as in other cases.

VIII. That the people fhall be fecure in their perfons, houses, papers and poffeffions, from unreasonable searches and feizures; and that no warrant to fearch any place, or to feize any perfon or things, fhall iffue without describing them as nearly as may be, nor without probable caufe, fupported by oath or affirmation.

IX. That, in all criminal profecutions, the accufed hath a righ to be heard by himself and his council; to demand the nature and cause of the accufation again him; to meet the witnesses face to face; to have compulfory procefs for obtaining witneffes in his favour; and, in profecutions by indictment or information, a fpeedy public trial, by an impartial jury of the vicinage; that he cannot be compelled to give evidence against himself; nor can he be deprived of his life, liberty or property, unlefs by the judgment of his peers, or the law of the land.

X. That no perfon fhall, for any indictable offence, be proceeded against criminally by information, except in cafes arifing in the land or naval forces, or in the militia, when in actual fervice, in time of war or public danger, or, by leave of the court, for oppreffion and misdemeanor in office. No perfon fhall, for the fame offence, be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor fhall any man's property be taken or applied to public ufe without the confent of his representatives, and without just compensation being made.

XI. That all courts fhall be open; and every man, for an injury done him in his lands, goods, perfon or reputation, shall have remedy by the due courfe of law, and right and justice administered without fale, denial or delay. Suits may be brought against the commonwealth

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monwealth in fuch manner, in fuch courts, and in such cases, as the legiflature may by law direct.

XII. That no power of fufpending laws shall be exercised, unless by the legiflature or its authority.

XIII. That exceffive bail shall not be required, nor exceffive fines impofed, nor cruel punishments inflicted.

XIV. That all prisoners shall be bailable by fufficient fureties, unless for capital offences, when the proof is evident or presumption great; and the privileges of the writ of habeas corpus fhall not be suspended, unless when, in cafes of rebellion or invafion, the public fafety may require it.

XV. That no commiffion of ayer and terminer or jail delivery. fhall be iffued.

XVI. That the perfon of a debtor, where there is not strong prefumption of fraud, fhall not be continued in prifon after delivering his eftate for the benefit of his creditors, in fuch manner as shall be prescribed by law.

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XVII. That no ex poft facto law, nor any law impairing contracts, fhall be made.

XVIII. That no perfon fhall be attainted of treafon or felony by the legiflature.

XIX. That no attainder shall work corruption of blood, nor, except during the life of the offender, forfeiture of estate to the com monwealth; that the estates of fuch perfons as fhall destroy their own lives, fhall defcend or veft as in cafe of natural death; and if any perfon fhall be killed by cafualty, there fhall be no forfeiture by reafon thereof.

XX. That the citizens have a right, in a peaceable manner, to affemble together for their common good, and to apply to those invefted with the powers of government for redress of grievances, or other proper purposes, by petition, address or remonstrance.

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

XXII. That no ftanding army fhall, in time of peace, be kept up without the consent of the legislature: and the military shall, in all cafes, and at all times, be in ftrict fubordination to the civil power.

XXIII. That no foldier fhall, in time of peace, be quartered in any house without the confent of the owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prefcribed by law.

XXIV. That