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Art. 3. That the inhabitants of Maryland are entitled to the
common law of England, and the trial by jury according to the
course of that law and to the benefit of such of the English statutes
as existed at the lime of their first emigration, and which by ex
perience have been found applicable to their local and other cir
cumstances, and of such others as have been since made in Eng
land or Great Britain, and have been introduced, used and practic
ed by the courts of Jaw or equity, and also to all acts of assembly
in force on the first Monday of November, 1850, except. such as
may have since expired, or may be altered by acts of this Con
vention, or this Declaration of Rights, subject, nevertheless, to the
revision of, and amendment or repeal by the Legislature of this
State, and the inhabitants of Maryland are also entitled to all pro
perty derived to them from or under the charter granted by his
Majesty Charles the First, to Caecilius Calvert, Baron of Bal
timore.

Art. 4. That all persons invested with the Legislative or Execu
tive powers of government are the trustees of the public, and as
such accountable for their conduct; wherefore, whenever the ends
of government are perverted, and public liberty manifestly endan
gered, and all other means of redress are in effectual, the people may,
and of right ought to reform the old or establish a new government;
the doctrine of non-resistance against arbitrary power and oppres
sion is absurd, slavish and destructive of the good and happiness
of mankind.

Art. 5. That the right of the people to participate in the Legis
lature is the best security of liberty, and the foundation of all free
government, for ibis purpose elections ought to be free and frequent,
and every free white male citizen having the qualifications pre
scribed by the constitution, ought to have the right of suffrage.

Art. 6. That the legislative, executive and judicial powers of
government ought to be forever separate and distinct from each
other.

Art. 7. That no power of suspending Jaws, or the execution of
laws, unless by or derived from the Legislature, ought to be ex
ercised or allowed.

Art. 8. That freedom of speech and debates, or proceedings in
the Legislature, ought not to be impeached in any court of judi
cature.

Art. 9. That Annapolis be the place for the meeting of the Le
gislature; and the Legislature ought not to be convened or held
at any other place but from evident necessity.

Art. 10. That for the redress of grievances, and for amending,
strengthening and preserving the laws, the Legislature ought to be
frequently convened.

Art. 11. That every man bath a right to petition the Legislature
for the redress of grievances in a peaceable and orderly manner

Art. 12. That no aid, charge, tax, burthen, fee or fees, ought