fession, or sentiments, if he do not disturb others in their religious worship. 5. That no person, on account of his religious opinions, can be rendered ineligible to any office of trust or profit under this state; that no preference can ever be given by law to any sect or mode of worship; and that no religious corporation can ever be established in this state. 6. That all elections shall be free and equal. 7. That courts of justice ought to be open to every person, and certain remedy afforded for every injury to person, property, or character; and that right and justice ought to be administered without sale, denial, or delay; and that no private property ought to be taken or applied to public use without just compensation. 8. That the right of trial by jury shall remain inviolate. 9. That in all criminal prosecutions, the accused has the right to be heard by himself and his counsel; to demand the nature and cause of accusations, to have compulsory process for witnesses in his favour; to meet the witnesses against him face to face; and, in prosecutions on presentment or indictment, to a speedy trial, by an impartial jury of the vicinage; that the accused cannot be compelled to give evidence against himself; nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, but by the judgment of his peers, or the law of the land. 10. That no person, after having been once acquitted by a jury, can, for the same offence, be again put in jeopardy of life or limb; but if in any criminal prosecution the jury be divided in opinion at the end of the term, the court before which the trial shall be had, may, in its discretion, discharge the jury, and commit or bail the accused for trial at the next term of such court. 11. That all persons shall be bailable by sufficient sureties, except for capital offences, when the proof is evident or the presumption great; and the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus cannot be suspended, unless when, in cases of rebellion or invasion, the public safety may require it. 12. That excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted. 13. That the people ought to be secure in their persons, papers, houses, and effects, from unreasonable searches and seizures; and no warrant to search any place, or to seize any person or thing, can issue without describing the place to be searched, or the person or thing to be seized, as nearly as may be, nor without probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation. 14. That no person can, for an indictable offence, be proceeded against criminally, by information; except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the militia when in actual N n service, in time of war or public danger, or by leave of the court, for oppression or misdemeanor in office. 15. That treason against the state can consist only in levying war against it, or in adhering to its enemies, giving them aid and comfort; that no person can be convicted of treason unless on the testimony of two witnesses to the same overt act, or on his own confession in open court; that no person can be attainted of treason or felony by the general assembly; that no conviction can work corruption of blood, or forfeiture of estate; that the estates of such persons as may destroy their own lives shall descend or vest as in cases of natural death; and when any person shall be killed by casualty, there ought to be no forfeiture by reason thereof. 16. That the free communication of thoughts and opinions is one of the invaluable rights of man, and that every person may freely speak, write, and print on any subject, being responsible for the abuse of that liberty; that in all prosecutions for libels, the truth thereof may be given in evidence, and the jury may determine the law and the facts, under the direction of the court. 17. That no ex post facto law, nor law impairing the obligation of contracts, or retrospective in its operation, can be passed; nor can the person of a debtor be imprisoned for debt after he shall have surrendered his property for the benefit of his creditors in such manner as may be prescribed by law. 18. That no person who is religiously scrupulous of bearing arms, can be compelled to do so, but may be compelled to pay an equivalent for military service, in such manner as shall be prescribed by law, and that no priest, preacher of the gospel, or teacher of any religious persuasion or sect, regularly ordained as such, be subject to militia duty, or compelled to bear arms. 19. That all property, subject to taxation in this state, shall be taxed in proportion to its value. 20. That no title of nobility, hereditary emolument, privilege, or distinction, shall be granted; nor any office created, the duration of which shall be longer than the good behaviour of the officer appointed to fill the same. 21. That emigration from this state cannot be prohibited. 22. That the military is, and in all cases, and at all times, shall be in strict subordination to the civil power; that no soldier can, in time of peace, be quartered in any house, without the consent of the owner, nor in time of war, but in such manner as may be prescribed by law; nor can any appropriation for the support of an army be made for a longer period than two years. SCHEDULE. § 1. That no inconvenience may arise from the change of government, we declare, that all writs, actions, prosecutions, judgments, claims, and contracts, of individuals and of bodies corporate, shall continue as if no change had taken place; and all process which may, before the third Monday in September next, be issued under the authority of the territory of Missouri, shall be as valid as if issued in the name of the state. 2. All laws now in force in the territory of Missouri, which are not repugnant to this constitution, shall remain in force until they expire by their own limitations, or be altered or repealed by the general assembly. 3. All fines, penalties, forfeitures, and escheats, accruing to the territory of Missouri, shall accrue to the use of the state. 4. All recognizances heretofore taken, or which may be taken before the third Monday in September next, shall remain valid, and shall pass over to and may be prosecuted in the name of the state: and all bonds executed to the governor of the territory, or to any other officer or court in his official capacity, shall pass over to the governor, or other proper state authority, and to their successors in office, for the uses therein respectively expressed, and may be sued for and recovered accordingly. All criminal prosecutions and penal actions, which have arisen, or which may arise before the third Monday in September next, and which shall then be depending, shall be prosecuted to judgment and execution in the name of the state. All actions at law which now are, or which, on the third Monday in September next, may be depending in any of the courts of record in the territory of Missouri, may be commenced in, or transferred to any court of record of the state which shall have jurisdiction of the subject matter thereof; and all suits in equity may, in like manner, be commenced in, or transferred to the court of chancery. 5. All officers, civil and military, now holding commissions under the authority of the United States, or of the territory of Missouri, shall continue to hold and exercise their respective offices, until they shall be superseded under the authority of the state; and all such officers holding commissions under the authority of the territory of Missouri, shall receive the same compensation which they hitherto received, in proportion to the time they shall be so employed. 6. The first meeting of the general assembly shall be at St. Louis, with power to adjourn to any other place; and the general assembly, at the first session thereof, shall fix the seat of government until the first day of October, eighteen hundred and twenty-six; and the first session of the general assembly shall have power to fix the compensation of the members commissioners, shall choose one from each extreme part of the state, and one from the centre, and it shall require the concurrence of at least three of the commissioners to decide upon any part of the duties assigned them. ARTICLE 12. Mode of amending the Constitution. The general assembly may at any time propose such amendments to this constitution as two-thirds of each house shall deem expedient; which shall be published in all the newspapers published in this state three several times, at least twelve months before the next general election; and if, at the first session of the general assembly after such general election, two-thirds of each house shall, by yeas and nays, ratify such proposed amendments, they shall be valid, to all intents and purposes, as parts of this constitution: Provided, that such proposed amendments shall be read on three several days, in each house, as well when the same are proposed, as when they are finally ratified. ARTICLE 13. Declaration of Rights. That the general, great, and essential principles of liberty and free government may be recognized and established, we declare: § 1. That all political power is vested in, and derived from the people. 2. That the people of this state have the inherent, sole, and exclusive right of regulating the internal government and police thereof: and of altering and abolishing their constitution and form of government, whenever it may be necessary to their safety and happiness. 3. That the people have the right peaceably to assemble for their common good, and to apply to those vested with the powers of government for redress of grievances, by petition or remonstrance; and that their right to bear arms in defence of themselves and of the state cannot be questioned. 4. 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 be compelled to erect, support, or attend any place of worship, or to maintain any minister of the gospel or teacher of religion; that no human authority can control or interfere with the rights of conscience; that no person can ever be hurt, molested, or restrained, in his religious pro fession, or sentiments, if he do not disturb others in their religious worship. 5. That no person, on account of his religious opinions, can be rendered ineligible to any office of trust or profit under this state; that no preference can ever be given by law to any sect or mode of worship; and that no religious corporation can ever be established in this state. 6. That all elections shall be free and equal. 7. That courts of justice ought to be open to every person, and certain remedy afforded for every injury to person, property, or character; and that right and justice ought to be administered without sale, denial, or delay; and that no private property ought to be taken or applied to public use without just compensation. 8. That the right of trial by jury shall remain inviolate. 9. That in all criminal prosecutions, the accused has the right to be heard by himself and his counsel; to demand the nature and cause of accusations, to have compulsory process for witnesses in his favour; to meet the witnesses against him face to face; and, in prosecutions on presentment or indictment, to a speedy trial, by an impartial jury of the vicinage; that the accused cannot be compelled to give evidence against himself; nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, but by the judgment of his peers, or the law of the land. 10. That no person, after having been once acquitted by a jury, can, for the same offence, be again put in jeopardy of life or limb; but if in any criminal prosecution the jury be divided in opinion at the end of the term, the court before which the trial shall be had, may, in its discretion, discharge the jury, and commit or bail the accused for trial at the next term of such court. 11. That all persons shall be bailable by sufficient sureties, except for capital offences, when the proof is evident or the presumption great; and the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus cannot be suspended, unless when, in cases of rebellion or invasion, the public safety may require it. 12. That excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted. 13. That the people ought to be secure in their persons, papers, houses, and effects, from unreasonable searches and seizures; and no warrant to search any place, or to seize any person or thing, can issue without describing the place to be searched, or the person or thing to be seized, as nearly as may be, nor without probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation. 14. That no person can, for an indictable offence, be proceeded against criminally, by information; except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the militia when in actual Nn |