of July, seventeen hundred and seventy-six; and which, by
experience, have been found applicable to their local and
other circumstances, and have been introduced, used and
practiced by the Courts of Law or Equity; and also of all
Acts of Assembly in force on the first day of June, eighteen
hundred and sixty-seven; except such as may have since
expired, or may be inconsistent with the provisions of this
Constitution; 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
property derived to them from or under the Charter granted
by His Majesty, Charles the First, to Caecilius Calvert,
Baron of Baltimore.

Art. 6. That all persons invested with the Legislative or
Executive powers of Government are Trustees of the Public,
and as such, accountable for their conduct: Wherefore,
whenever the ends of Government are perverted, and public
liberty manifestly endangered, and all other means of re-
dress are ineffectual, the People may, and of right ought to
reform the old, or establish a new Government, the doctrine
of nonresistance against arbitrary power and oppression
is absurd, slavish and destructive of the good and happi-
ness of mankind.

Art. 7. That the right of 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 white* male** citizen hav-
ing the qualifications prescribed by the Constitution, ought
to have the right of suffrage.

Art. 8. That the Legislative) Executive and Judicial
powers of Government ought to be forever separate and
distinct from each other; and no person exercising the func-
tions of one of said Departments shall assume or discharge
the duties of any other.

Art. 9. That no power of suspending Laws or the execu-
tion of Laws, unless by, or derived from the Legislature,
ought to be exercised, or allowed.

Art. 10. That freedom of speech and debate, or proceed-
ings in the Legislature, ought not to be impeached in any
Court of Judicature.

Art 11. That Annapolis be the place of meeting of the
Legislature; and the Legislature ought not to be convened,
or held at any other place but from evident necessity.

* The word "white" omitted under the 15th Amendment to the Constitu-
tion of the United States.

**The word "male" became inoperative under the 19th Amendment to
the Constitution of the United States.