local and other circumstances, and of
such others as have been since made in
England, or Great-Britain, and have
been introduced, used, and practised by
the courts of law or equity; and also to
all acts of assembly in force on the first
of June seventeen hundred and seventy-
four, except such as may have since
expired, or have been, or may be altered
by acts of Convention or this Declara-
tion of Rights, subject nevertheless to
the revision of, and amendment or re-
peal by the legislature of this State; and
the inhabitants of Maryland are also
entitled to all property derived to them
from or under the charter granted by
his majesty Charles the first to Cascilius
Calvert baron of Baltimore.
4. That all persons invested with the
legislative or executive powers of govern-
ment are the trustees of the public, and
as such accountable for their conduct;
wherefore whenever the ends of govern-
ment are perverted, and public liberty
manifestly endangered, and all other
means of redress are ineffectual, the
people -may, and of right ought, to
reform the old or establish a new govern-
ment; the doctrine of non-resistance
against arbitrary power and oppression,
is absurd, slavish, and destructive of the
good and happiness of mankind.
5. That the right in the people to
participate in the legislature is the best
security of liberty, and the foundation
of all free government; for this purpose,
elections ought to be free and frequent,
and every man having property in, a
common interest with, and attachment
to the community, ought to have a right
of suffrage.
6. That the legislative, executive,
and judicial powers of government,
ought to be for ever separate and dis-
tinct from each other.
370
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7. That no power of suspending laws,
or the execution of laws, unless by or
derived from the legislature, ought to be
exercised or allowed.
8. That freedom of speech, and
debates, or proceedings, in the legisla-
ture, ought not to be impeached in any
other court or judicature.
9. That a place for the meeting of
the legislature ought to be fixed, the
most convenient to the members thereof,
and to the depository of the public
records, and the legislature ought not
to be convened or held at any other
place but from evident necessity.
10. That for redress of grievances,
and for amending, strengthening and
preserving the laws, the legislature
ought to be frequently convened.
11. That every man hath a right to
petition the legislature for the redress
of grievances, in a peaceable and orderly
manner.
12. That no aid, charge, tax, burthen,
fee, or fees, ought to be set, rated or
levied, under any pretence, without the
consent of the legislature.
13. That the levying taxes by the poll
is grievous and oppressive, and ought
to be abolished; that paupers ought not
to be assessed for the support of govern-
ment, but every other person in the State
ought to contribute his proportion of
public taxes for the support of govern-
ment according to his actual worth in
real or personal property within the
State; yet fines, duties, or taxes, may
properly and justly be imposed or laid
with a political view for the good govern-
ment and benefit of the community.
14. That sanguinary laws ought to be
avoided, as far as is consistent with the
safety of the State; and no law to inflict
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