Widows and Orphans of, Appropria- tion for Support of, SPEECH, Freedom of, Guaranteed, STATE and Judicial Officers to Sub- Credit of, not to be Loaned, Money Borrowed for, to be Speci- 3 25 TAXATION AND FINANCE, Limitation of Power to Exempt, Real and Personal Property Owned Uniformity of. TAX, Payment of, Prior to Election, or Corporation may Construct, 16 12 1 T 3 6 No Assumption of Municipal Debts Police Power of, not to be Laws Providing TOWNSHIPS OR BOROUGHS, Special STATE TREASURER, Contracts for Election and Term of, 4 21 TRANSPORTATION, Officers of Rail- Eligible for only One Term, 4 21 STATIONERY, Contracts to be Award- TRANSPORTERS, No Discrimination in ed for, 3 12 Charges to, Art. 17, Sec. 3; also, 17 7 STOCKHOLDERS' ELECTION, Free TREASON OR FELONY, Legislature Vote in, Cannot Attaint, 1 18 STOCKS OR BONDS, Corporations Pro- TREASURY, Reserve in, Monthly hibited from Issuing Fictitious, 16 7 Statement of, 9 13 STREETS Alleys, Vacating, Special den, TRIAL BY JURY May be Dispensed 5 27 SUFFRAGE AND ELECTIONS, 8 Free Exercise of, Guaranteed, of Time in, 1 5 1 19 Peace, 1 23 SUPERINTENDENT OF COMMON by General Assembly, 16 11 SCHOOLS, Duties of, to be Office of, When to Cease, Sch., When to be Qualified, Sch., Sch., Compensation of Judges of, Art. 5, 5 18 VIVA VOCE, Representatives to Vote, VOTERS, Corruption to Disqualify, Residence of, Art. 8, Sec. 1; also, 8 8 4 20 4 8 2 UNITED STATES SENATOR, Vacancy V VACANCY IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY, 4 17 VENUE, General Assembly Prohibited from Changing, 3 7 10 Change of, Power of the Courts in, 3 23 17 VETO OF BILLS, How Considered, CONSTITUTION OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA. Section 2. All power is inherent in the people, and all free governments are found on their authority and instituted for their peace, safety and happiness. For the advancement of these ends they have at all times an inalienable and indefeasible right to alter, reform or abolish their government in such manner as they may think proper. Religious Freedom. Section 3. All men have a natural and indefeasible right to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their own consciences, no man can of right be compelled to attend, erect or support any place of worship; or to maintain any ministry against his consent; no human authority can, in any case whatever, control or interfere with the rights of conscience, and no preference shall ever be given by law to any religious establishments or modes of worship. Religion. Section 4. No person who acknowledges the being of a God and a future state of rewards and punishments shall, on account of his religious sentiments, be disqualified to hold any office or place of trust or profit under this Commonwealth. Elections. Section 5. Elections shall be free and equal; and no power, civil or military, shall at any time interfere to prevent the free exercise of the right of suffrage. Trial by Jury. Section 6. Trial by jury shall be as heretofore, and the right thereof remain inviolate. Freedom of Press and Speech-Libels. Section 7. The printing press shall be free to every person who may undertake to examine the proceedings of the legislature or any branch of government, and no law shall ever be made The free com to restrain the right thereof. Security from Searches and Seizures. Section 8. The people shall be secure in their persons, houses, papers and possessions from unreasonable searches and seizures, and no warrant to search any place or to sieze any person or things shall issue without describing them as nearly as may be, nor without probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation subscribed to by the affiant. Rights of Accused in Criminal Prosecutions. Section 9. In all criminal prosecutions the accused hath a right to be heard by himself and his counsel, to demand the nature and cause of the accusation against him, to meet the witnesses face to face, to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and, in or information, a prosecutions by indictment speedy public trial by an impartial jury of the vicinage; he cannot be compelled to give evidence against himself, nor can he be deprived of his life, liberty or property, unless by the judgment of his peers or the law of the land. Criminal Informations-Twice in Jeopardy. Section 10. No person shall, for any 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 service, in time of war or public danger, or by leave of the court for oppression or misdemeanor in office. No person shall, for the same offence, be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall private property be taken or applied to public use, without authority of law and without just compensation being first made or secured. Courts to be Open-Suits Against the State. Section 11. All courts shall be open; and every man for an injury done him in his lands, goods, person or reputation shall have remedy by due course of law, and right and justice administered without sale, denial or delay. Suits may be brought against the Commonwealth in such manner, in such courts and in such cases as the legislature may by law direct. Power of Suspending Laws. Section 12. No power of suspending laws shall be exercised unless by the legislature or by its authority. Bail-Fines and Punishments. Section 13. Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel punishments inflicted. Prisoners to be Bailable-Habeas Corpus. Section 14. All prisoners shall be bailable by sufficient sureties, unless for capital offences when the proof is evident or presumption great; and the privileges of the writ of habeas corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in case of rebellion or invasion the public safety may require it. Oyer and Terminer or Jail Delivery. Section 15. No commission of Oyer and Terminer or Jail Delivery shall be issued. Insolvent Debtors. Section 16. 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 Laws-Impairment of Contracts. Section 17. No ex post facto law, nor any law impairing the obligation of contracts, or making irrevocable any grant of special privileges or immunities, shall be passed. Attaint. Section 18. No person shall be attainted of treason or felony by the legislature. Effect of Attainder Limited-No Forfeiture for Suicide or in Case of Death by Casualty. Section 19. No attainder shall work corruption of blood, nor, except during the life of the offender, forfeiture of estate to the Commonwealth. The estate of such persons as shall destroy their own lives shall descend or vest as in cases of natural death, and if any person shall be killed by casualty there shall be no forfeiture by reason thereof. Right of Petition. Section 20. 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. Right to Bear Arms. Section 21. The right of the citizens to bear arms in defense of themselves and the State shall not be questioned. No Standing Army-Military Subordinate to Civil Power. Section 22. No standing army shall in time of peace, be kept up 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 of Troops. Section 23. 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. Section 24. 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. Section 25. Emigration from the State shall not be prohibited. Exceptions from the General Powers of Government. Section 26. To guard against transgressions of the high powers which we have delegated, we declare that everything in this article is excepted out of the general powers of government and shall forever remain inviolate. Terms of Senators and Representatives. Section 3. Senators shall be elected for the term of four years and Representatives for the term of two years. Meetings of the General Assembly-*Filling of Vacancy in Office of United States Senator. Section 4. The General Assembly shall meet at twelve o'clock, noon, on the first Tuesday of January every second year, and at other times when convened by the Governor, but shall hold no adjourned annual session after the year one thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight. In case of a vacancy in the office of United States Senator from this Commonwealth, in a recess between sessions, the Governor shall convene the two Houses by proclamation on notice not exceeding sixty days, to fill the same. Qualifications of Senators and Representatives -Residence. Section 5. Senators shall be at least twentyfive years of age and Representatives twenty-one years of age. They shall have been citizens and inhabitants of the State four years, and inhabitants of their respective districts one year next before their election (unless absent on the public business of the United States or of this State), and shall reside in their respective districts during their terms of service. Disqualifications. Section 6. No Senator or Representative shall, during the time for which he shall have been elected, be appointed to any civil office under this Commonwealth, and no member of congress or other person holding any office (except of attorney-at-law or in the militia) under the United States or this Commonwealth shall be a member of either House during his continuance in office. Persons Convicted of Infamous Crimes to be Disqualified. Section 7. No person hereafter convicted of embezzlement of public moneys, bribery, perjury or other infamous crime, shall be eligible to the General Assembly, or capable of holding any office of trust or profit in this Commonwealth. Compensation Not to be Increased During Term. Section 8. The members of the General Assembly shall receive such salary and mileage for regular and special sessions as shall be fixed by law, and no other compensation whatever, whether for service upon committee or otherwise. No member of either House shall, during the term for which he may have been elected, receive any increase of salary, or mileage, under any law passed during such term. *This section is invalidated, being in conflict with Article 17 of the Amendments to the United States Constitution. |