ner as is prefcribed by the election laws of the ftate for conducting and making return of the election of Representatives. In thofe diftricts, which confift of more than one county, the judges of the district-elections within each county, after having formed a return of the whole election within that county, in fuch manner as is directed by law, fhall fend the fame, by one or more of their number, to the place hereinafter mentioned within the district, of which fuch county is a part, where the judges, fo met, fhall compare and cast up the feveral county returns, and execute, under their hands and feals, one general and true return for the whole district; that is to fay, the judges of the diftrict compofed of the city of Philadelphia, and the counties of Philadelphia and Delaware, fhall meet in the State-houfe in the city of Philadelphia; the judges of the district composed of the counties of Lancaster and York, shall meet at the Court-house, in the county of Lancafter; the Judges of the district compofed of the counties of Berks and Dauphin, fhall meet at Middletown, in the county of Berks; the judges of the district compofed of the counties of Cumberland and Mifflin, shall meet in Greenwood township, county of Cumberland, at the houfe now occupied by David Miller; the judges of the district compofed of the counties of Northum berland, Luzerne, and Huntingdon, fhall meet in the town of Sunbury; the judges of the diftrict compofed of the counties of Bedford and Franklin, fhall meet at the house now occupied by John Dickey, in Air township, Bedford county; the judges of the district compofed of the counties of Westmoreland and Alleghany, fhall meet in Westmoreland county, at the Court-houfe in the town of Greenf=borough; and the judges of the diftrict composed of the counties of Washington and Fayette, fhall meet at the Courthoufe in the town of Washington, in Washington county, on the third Tuesday in October refpectively, for the purposes aforefaid.

IX. That the election of the Governor fhall be conducted in the feveral counties, in the manner prefcribed by the laws of the ftate for the election of Reprefentatives: and the returns in each county fhall be fealed by the judges of the elections, and tranfmitted to the Prefident of the Supreme Exe

cutive Council, directed to the Speaker of the Senate, as foon after the election as may be.

Done in Convention, the fecond day of September, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety, and of the independence of the United States of America, the fifteenth. In teftimony whereof we have hereunto fubfcribed our names.

James Wilfon,

THOMAS MIFFLIN, Prefident.
Paul Grofcop,
Baltzer Gehr,

Samuel Sitgreaves,

John Arndt,

Peter Rhoads,

William Robinfon, junior, Jofeph Powell,

Robert Hare,

John Piper,

Charles Smith,

Simon Snyder,

William Findley,

William Todd,
Alexander Addifon,

John Hoge,
David Redick,
James Rofs,
John Smilie,
Albert Gallatin,
James M'Lene,
George Matthews
James Morris,
Lindsay Coates,
Jonathan Shoemaker,
John Gloninger,
William Brown,
Alexander Graydon,
Timothy Pickering,
Andrew Henderson,

John Gibson,
Thomas Beale,
John Sellers,

Nathaniel Newlin

Atteft. Jofeph Redman, Secretary.
Jacob Shallus, Afiftant Secretary.

DELAWARE.

The CONSTITUTION of the State of Delaware.

WE, the People, hereby ordain and establish this Conftitution of Government for the State of Delaware.

THE

HROUGH divine goodness, all men have by nature, the rights of worshipping and ferving their Creator according to the dictates of their confciences, of enjoying and defending life and liberty, of acquiring and protecting reputation and property, and in general of attaining objects suitable to their condition, without injury by one to another; and as thefe rights are effential to their welfare, for the due exercise thereof, power is inherent in them; and therefore all just authority in the inftitutions of political fociety is derived from the people, and established with their confent, to advance their happiness and they may for this end, as circumftances require, from time to time, alter their conftitution of govern

ment,

:

ARTICLE I.

SECTION 1, Although it is the duty of all men frequently to affemble together for the public worship of the Author of the univerfe, and piety and morality, on which the profperity of communities depends, are thereby promoted; yet no man fhall or ought to be compelled to attend any religious worship, to contribute to the erection or fupport of any place of worship, or to the maintenance of any miniftry, against his own free will and confent; and no power fhall or ough to be vested in or affumed by any magiftrate, that fhall in any cafe interfere with, or in any manner control the rights of con, fcience, in the free exercife of religious worship, nor a preference given by law to any religious focieties, denominations, or modes of worship.

SECT. 3.

SECT. 2. No religious teft fhall be required as a qualification to any office, or public truft, under this ftate. All elections fhall be free and equal. Trial by jury fhall be as heretofore, SECT. 5. The prefs fhall be free to every citizen, who undertakes to examine the official conduct of men acting in a public capacity; and any citizen may print on any fubject,

SECT. 4.

being refponfible for the abufe of that liberty. In profecu tions for publications, investigating the proceedings of officers, 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 may determine the facts and the law, as in other cafes.

SECT. 6. The people fhall be fecure in their perfons, houfes, papers, and poffeffions, from unreasonable fearches and feizures; and no warrant to fearch any place, or to feize any perfon or things, fhall iffue without describing them as particularly as may be; nor then, unless there be probable caufe fupported by oath or affirmation.

SECT. 7. In all criminal profecutions, the accufed hath a right to be heard by himself and his counfel, to be plainly and fully informed of the nature and cause of the accusation against him, to meet the witneffes in their examination face to face, to have compulfory procefs in due time, on application by himself, his friends or counfel, for obtaining witnesses in his favour, and a speedy and public trial by an impartial jury He fhall not be compelled to give evidence against himself; nor fhall be deprived of life, liberty, or property, unless by the judgment of his peers, or the law of the

land.

:

SECT. 8. 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; and no perfon fhall be for the fame offence 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 reprefentatives, and without compenfation being made.

SECT. 9.

All courts fhall be open; and every man for an injury done him in his reputation, perfor, moveable or immoveable poffeffions, fhall have remedy by the due courfe of law, and juftice administered according to the very right of the cause, and the law of the land, without fale, denial, or unreasonable delay or expenfe; and every action fhall be tried in the county in which it fhall be commenced, unless when the Judges of the court in which the caufe is to be tried, fhall determine that an impartial trial therefore cannot be had in that county. Suits may be brought against the ftate, according to such regulations as shall be made by law.

SECT. 10. No power of fufpending laws fhall be exercised, but by authority of the Legislature.

SECT. II. Exceffive bail fhall not be required, nor exceffive fines impofed, nor cruel punishments inflicted: And in the conftruction of gaols, a proper regard fhall be had to the health of prifoners.

SECT. 12. All prifoners fhall be bailable by fufficient fureties, unless for capital offences when the proof is pofitive or the prefumption great; and when perfons are confined on accufation for fuch offences, their friends and counsel may at proper feafons have accefs to them.

SECT. 13.

The privilege of the writ of habeas corpus fhall not be fufpended, unless when in cafes of rebellion or invafion, the public fafety may require it.

SECT. 14.

No commiffion of oyer and terminer or gaol delivery shall be iffued.

SECT. 15. No attainder fhall work corruption of blood, nor except during the life of the offender, forfeiture of eftate. The eftates of thofe who deftroy their own lives fhall defcend or veft as in case of natural death, and if any perfon be killed by accident, no forfeiture fhall be thereby incurred.

SECT. 16. Although difobedience to laws, by a part of the people, upon fuggeftions of impolicy or injuftice in them, tends by immediate effect and the influence of example, not only to endanger the public welfare and fafety, but also in governments of a republican form, contravenes the focial principles of fuch governments, founded on common confent for common good; yet the citizens have a right in an orderly manner to meet together, and to apply to perfons intrufted with the powers of government, for redrefs of grievances or other proper purpofes, by petition, remonftrance, or addrefs.

SECT. 17. No ftanding army fhall be kept up without the confent of the Legiflature; and the military fhall, in all. cafes, and at all times, be in ftrict fubordination to the civil power.

SECT. 18. No foldier fhall in time of peace be quartered in any houfe without the consent of the owner; nor in time of war, but by a civil magiftrate, in a manner to be prescribed by law.

SECT. 19. No hereditary diftinction fhall be granted, nor any office created or exercised, the appointment to which shall