great. The privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall not be suspended, unless when, in cases of rebellion or invasion, the public safety shall require it; nor ever, without the authority of the General Assembly.

SEC. 6. In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the privilege of a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury; to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining them in his favor; and to have the assistance of counsel in his defence, and be at liberty to speak for himself; nor shall he be deprived of life, liberty, or property, un less by the judgment of his peers, or the law of the land.

SEC. 7. The person of a debtor, where there is not strong presumption of fraud, ought not to be continued in prison after he shall have delivered up his property for the benefit of his creditors, in such manner as shall be prescribed by law.

SEC. 8. No ex post facto law, or law impairing the obligation of contracts, shall be made.

SEC. 9. No inan, in a court of common law, shall be compelled to give evidence criminating himself.

SEC. 10. Every man being presumed innocent until pronounced guilty by the law, all acts of severity that are not necessary to secure an accused person shall be repressed.

SEC. 11. The right of trial by jury shall remain inviolate.

SEC. 12. Private property shall not be taken for public uses, without just compensation.

SEC. 13. The citizens shall continue to enjoy and freely exercise the rights of fishery, and all other rights to which they have been heretofore entitled under the charter of this State, except as is herein otherwise provided.

SEC. 14. The military shall always be held in strict subordination to the civil authority.

SEC. 15. 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 manner to be prescribed by law.

SEC. 16. The liberty of the press being essential to the security of freedom in a State, any person may publish his sentiments on any subject, being responsible for the abuse of that liberty; and in all trials for libel, both civil and criminal, the truth, unless published from malicious motives, shall be a sufficient defence to the person charged.

SEC. 17. The citizens have a right, in a peaceable manner, to assemble for their common good, and to apply to those invested with the powers of government for redress of grievances, or other purposes, by petition, address,

or remonstrance.

SEC. 18. The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.

SEC. 19. Slavery shall not be tolerated in this State.

SEC. 20. Whereas Almighty God hath created the mind free, and all attempts to influence it, by temporal punishments or burdens, or by civil incapacitations, tend to beget habits of hypocrisy and meanness: and whereas a principal object of our venerable ancestors, in their migrations to this country, and their settlement of this State, was, as they expressed it, to hold forth a lively experiment, that a flourishing civil state may stand, and be best maintained, with full liberty in religious concernments: we,

therefore, declare that no man shall be compelled to frequent or support any religious worship, place, or ministry whatever; nor enforced, restrained, molested, or burdened in his body or goods, nor disqualified from holding any office, nor otherwise suffer, on account of his religious belief; and that all men shall be free to profess, and by argument to maintain, their opinion in matters of religion; and that the same shall in nowise diminish, enlarge, or affect their civil capacities.

SEC. 21. The enumeration of the foregoing rights shall not be construed to impair or deny others retained by the people.

ARTICLE II.

Of the right of suffrage.

SECTION. 1. Every person who is now a freeman, and qualified voter, shall continue to be so, so long as he retains the qualifications upon which he was admitted.

SEC. 2. Hereafter, every white male native citizen of the United States, or any territory thereof, of the full age of twenty-one years, who shall have had his actual permanent residence and home in this State for the period of one year, and in the town or city in which he may claim a right to vote six months next preceding the time of voting, and shall be seized in his own right of a freehold real estate in such town or city, of the value at least of one hundred and thirty-four dollars over and above all incumbrances, shall, therefrom, have a right to vote in the election of all civil officers, and on all questions in all legal town or ward meetings.

SEC 3. Every white male native citizen of the United States, or any territory thereof, of the full age of twenty one years, who shall have had his actual permanent residence and home in this State for the period of two years, and in the town or city in which he may claim a right to vote six months next preceding the time of voting, shall have a right to vote in the election of all civil officers, and on all questions in all legal town or ward meetings: Provided, however, That no person who is not now a freeman shall be allowed to vote upon any motion to impose a tax, or incur expenditures in any town or city, unless he possess the freehold qualification required by this article, or shall have been taxed on property valued at least at one hundred and fifty dollars, within one year from the time he may offer to vote, and shall have paid such tax in said town or city.

SEC. 4. Any white male, native of any foreign country, of the full age of twenty one years, naturalized in the United States according to law, who shall have had his actual permanent residence and home in this State for the period of three years after his naturalization, and in the town or city in which he may claim a right to vote six months next preceding the time of voting, and shall be seized in his own right of a freehold real estate, in such town or city, of the value at least of one hundred and thirty-four dollars over and above all incumbrances, shall, therefrom, have a right to vote in the election of all civil officers, and in all questions in all town or ward meetings. But no person in the military, naval, marine, or any other service of the United States, shall be considered as having the required residence by reason of being employed in any garrison, barrack, or military or naval station in this State. And no panper, lunatic, or persou non compos mentis, or under guardianship, shall be permitted to vote;

nor shall any person convicted of any crime deemed infamous at common law, be permitted to exercise that privilege until he be restored thereto by the General Assembly. Persons residing on land ceded by this State to the United States shall not be entitled to exercise the privilege of electors during such residence.

SEC. 5. The General Assembly shall, as soon as may be after the adoption of this constitution, provide for the registration of voters; and shall also have full power generally to enact all laws necessary to carry this article into effect, and to prevent abuse and frand in voting.

SEC. 6. All persons entitled to vote shall be protected from arrest in civil cases, on the days of election, and on the day preceding and the day following an election.

SEC. 7. In the city of Providence, and all other cities, no person shall be eligible to the office of mayor, alderman, or common councilman, who is not qualified to vote upon a motion to impose a tax or incur expenditures as herein provided.

SEC. 8. The General Assembly shall have power to provide, by special or general laws, for the admission of any native male citizen of the United States, or any Territory, who shall have had his permanent residence and home in this State for two years, but who is not otherwise qualified under this article, to vote on such conditions as they may deem proper, except for taxes and expenditures.

ARTICLE III.

Of the distribution of powers.

The powers of the government shall be distributed into three distinct brauches the legislative, executive, and judicial.

ARTICLE IV.

Of the legislative power.

SECTION 1. This constitution shall be the supreme law of the State; and all laws inconsistent therewith shall be void. The General Assembly shall pass all such laws as are necessary to carry this constitution into effect.

SEC. 2. The legislative power, under this constitution, shall be vested in two distinct houses, or branches, each of which shall have a negative on the other: the one to be styled the Senate, the other the House of Repre sentatives; and both together, the General Assembly. The style of their laws shall be: It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows.

SEC. 3. There shall be one session of the General Assembly holden. annually at Newport, on the first Tuesday of May; and one other annual session, to be holden on the last Monday of October, once in two years, at South Kingstown; and the intermediate years, alternately at Bristol and East Greenwich; and the adjournment from the October session shall be holden at Providence.

SEC. 4. No member of the General Assembly shall take any fees, or be of counsel in any case pending before either branch of the General Assembly, under penalty of forfeiting his seat, upon dne proof thereof to the satisfaction of the branch of which he is a member.

SEC. 5. The person and estate of every meniber of the General Assembly shall be free and exempt from all process in any civil action during the session of the General Assembly, and for two days before the commencement and after the termination thereof. And all process served contrary hereto shall be void. Aud for any speech in debate, in either House, no member shall be questioned in any other place.

SEC. 6. Each House shall be the judge of the elections and qualifications. of its members; and a majority shall constitute a quorum to do business; but a smaller number may adjourn from day to day, and may compel the attendance of absent meinters, in such manner, and under such penalties, as each House may prescribe.

SEC. 7. Each House may determine the rules of proceeding, punish contempts, punish its members for disorderly behavior, and, with the concur rence of two thirds, expel a member; but not a second time for the same

cause.

SEC. 8. Each House shall keep a journal of its proceedings. The yeas and nays of the members of either House shall, at the desire of oue-fifth of those present, be entered on the journal.

SEC. 9. Neither House shall, during a session, without the consent of the other, adjourn for more than two days, nor to any other place than that in which they may be sitting.

SEC. 10. The General Assembly shall continue to exercise the judicial power, the power of visiting corporations, and all other powers they have heretofore exercised, not inconsistent with this constitution.

SEC. 11. The General Assembly shall regulate the compensation of the Governor and other officers elected by general ticket, or by the General Assembly, and of the members of the General Assembly, subject to the limitations contained in this constitution.

SEC. 12. All lotteries shall hereafter be prohibited in this State, except those already authorized by the General Assembly.

SEC. 13. The General Assembly shall have no power, hereafter, to incur State debts to an amount exceeding fifty thousand dollars, except in time of war, or in case of invasion, without the express consent of the people; nor in any case, without such consent to pledge the faith of the State for the payment of the obligations of others. This section shall not be consried to refer to any money that may be deposited with this State by the Government of the United States.

SEC. 14. The assent of two-thirds of the members elected to each branch of the General Assembly shall be required to every bill appropriating the public moneys, or property, for local or private purposes.

SEC. 15. The General Assembly shall, from time to time, provide for making new valuations of property, for the assessment of taxes, in such manner as they may deem best. No direct State tax shall be assessed on the ratable property of the State, before a new estimate of such property shall be taken.

SEC. 16. Whenever a direct tax is laid by the State, one sixth part thereof shall be assessed on the polls of the qualified electors: provided that the tax on a poll shall never, in any one tax, exceed the sum of fifty cents.

SEC. 17. The General Assembly may provide by law for the coutinuance in office of any officers of annual appointment, until other persons are qualified to take their places.

ARTICLE V.

Of the House of Representatives.

SECTION 1. The House of Representatives shall consist of members elected by the electors of the several towns and cities in the respective town and ward meetings. Each town or city having four thousand inhabitants, and under six thousand five hundred, shall be entitled to elect three Repre sentatives; each town or city having six thousand five hundred inhabitants, and under ten thousand, shall be entitled to elect four Representatives; each town or city having ten thousand inhabitants, and under fourteen thousand, shall be entitled to elect five Representatives; each town or city having fourteen thousand inhabitants, and under eighteen thousand, shall be entitled to elect six Representatives; each town or city having eighteen thousand inhabitants, and under twenty two thousand, shall be entitled to elect seven Representa ives; each town or city having over twenty two thousand inhabitants, shall be entitled to elect eight Representatives. But no town or city shall be entitled to elect more than eight Representatives, and every town or city shall be entitled to elect two. The representation of the several towns and cities in this State shall be apportioned agreeable to the last census of the people of the United States preceding the election. SEC. 2. The House of Representatives shall have authority to elect its Speaker, clerks, and other officers. The oath of office shall be administered by the Secretary of State, or, in his absence, by the Attorney General. The clerks shall be engaged by the Speaker.

SEC. 3. Whenever the seat of a member of the House of Representatives shall be vacated by death, resignation, or otherwise, the vacancy may be filled by a new election.

SEC 4. The senior member from the town of Newport, present, shall preside in the organization of the House.

ARTICLE VI.

Of the Senate.

SECTION 1. The Senate shall consist of nineteen members, to be chosen annually by the majority of electors, by districts. The State shall be divided into sixteen districts, as follows:

First. The town of Newport shall constitute the first senatorial district, and, shall be entitled to elect two Senators.

Second. The towns of Portsmouth, Middletown, Tiverton, Little Compton, New Shoreham, and Jamestown, shall constitute the second senatorial district, and shall be entitled to elect two Senators.

Third. The city of Providence shall constitute the third senatorial district, and shall be entitled to elect two Senators.

Fourth. The town of Smithfield shall constitute the fourth senatorial district, and shall be entitled to elect one Senator.

Fifth. The towns of Cumberland and North Providence shall constitute the fifth senatorial district, and shall be entitled to elect one Senator.

Sixth. The towns of Scituate, Cranston, and Johuston, shall constitute the sixth senatorial district, and shall be entitled to elect one Senator.

Seventh. The towns of Glocester, Foster, and Burrillville, shall constitute the seventh senatorial district, and shall be entitled to elect one Senator.