CONSTITUTION OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA. PREAMBLE. WE, the people of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of civil and religious liberty, and humbly invoking His guidance, do ordain and establish this Constitution. ARTICLE I. Declaration of Rights. That the general, great and essential principles of liberty and free government may be recognized and unalterably established, WE DE CLARE THAT SECTION 1. All men are born equally free and independent, and Equality and have certain inherent and indefeasible rights, among which are those rights of men. of enjoying and defending life and liberty, of acquiring, possessing and protecting property and reputation, and of pursuing their own happiness. Pople. Their SECTION 2. All power is inherent in the people, and all free gov- Political powers ernments are founded on their authority and instituted for their the peace, safety and happiness. For the advancement of these ends right to reform they have at all times an inalienable and indefeasible right to alter, government. reform or abolish their government in such manner as they may think proper. freedom of wor SECTION 3. All men have a natural and indefeasible right to wor- Natural rights of ship Almighty God according to the dictates of their own consci- conscience and ences; no man can of right be compelled to attend, erect or support ship." 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. SECTION 4. No person who acknowledges the being of a God and Religious opinions a future state of rewards and punishments shall, on account of his not to disqua 15 for holding office. religious sentiments, be disqualified to hold any office or place of trust or profit under this Commonwealth. SECTION 5. Elections shall be free and equal; and no power, Freedom of eleocivil or military, shall at any time interfere to prevent the free ex- tions. ercise of the right of suffrage. SECTION 6. Trial by jury shall be as heretofore, and the right Trial by jury. thereof remain inviolate. SECTION 7. The printing press shall be free to every person who Freedom of the may undertake to examine the proceedings of the Legislature or press. any branch of government, and no law shall ever be inade 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 speak, write and print on any subject, being responsible. for the abuse of that liberty. No conviction shall be had in any prosecution for the publication of papers relating to the official con |