364 MARYLAND MANUAL [Dec. Rights 5]
Art. 5. That the Inhabitants of Maryland are entitled
to the Common Law of England, and the trial by Jury, ac-
cording to the course of that Law, and to the benefit of such
of the English statutes as existed on the Fourth day of July,
seventeen hundred and seventy-six; and which, by experi-
ence, have been found applicable to their local and other
circumstances, and have been introduced, used and prac-
ticed by the Courts of Law or Equity; and also of all Acts
of Assembly in force on the first day of June, eighteen hun-
dred and sixty-seven; except such as may have since ex-
pired, 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 proper-
ty 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 the Trustees of the
Public, and, as such, accountable for their conduct: Where-
fore, whenever the ends of Government 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 Government;
the doctrine of non-resistance against arbitrary power and
oppression is absurd, slavish and destructive of the good
and happiness of mankind.
Art. 7. That the right of the People to participate in
the Legislature is the best security of liberty and the foun-
dation* of all free Government; for this purpose elections
ought to be free and frequent; and every white male citi-
zen having 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
functions of one of said Departments shall assume or dis-
charge the duties of any other.
Art. 9. That no power of suspending Laws or the exe-
cution of Laws, unless by, or derived from the Legislature,
ought to be exercised, or allowed.
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