794/Mary land Manual
Art. 8. That the Legislative, Executive and Ju-
dicial 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 discharge the duties
of any other.
Art. 9. That no power of suspending Laws
or the execution of Laws, unless by, or derived
from the Legislature, ought to be exercised, or
allowed.
Art. 10. That freedom of speech and debate, or
proceedings in the Legislature, ought not to be
impeached in any Court of Judicature.
Art. 11. That Annapolis be the place of meet-
ing of the Legislature; and the Legislature ought
not to be convened, or held at any other place
but from evident necessity.
Art. 12. That for redress of grievances, and for
amending, strengthening and preserving the
Laws, the Legislature ought to be frequently con-
vened.
Art. 13. That every man hath a right to peti-
tion the Legislature for the redress of grievances
in a peaceable and orderly manner.
Art. 14. That no aid, charge, tax, burthen or
fees ought to be rated or levied, under any pre-
tense, without the consent of the Legislature.
Art. 15^ That the levying of taxes by the poll
is grievous and oppressive, and ought to be pro-
hibited; that paupers ought not to be assessed for
the support of the government; that the General
Assembly shall, by uniform rules, provide for the
separate assessment, classification and sub-classi-
fication of land, improvements on land and per-
sonal property, as it may deem proper; and all
taxes thereafter provided to be levied by the State
for the support of the general State Government,
and by the Counties and by the City of Baltimore
for their respective purposes, shall be uniform
within each class or sub-class of land,
improvements on land and personal property
which the respective taxing powers may have di-
rected to be subjected to the tax levy; yet fines,
duties or taxes may properly and justly be im-
posed, or laid with a political view for the good
government and benefit of the community.
Art. 16. That sanguinary Laws ought to be
avoided as far as it is consistent with the safety of
'Thus amended by Chapter 64, Acts of 1960, ratified November
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Article 8
the State; and no Law to inflict cruel and unusual
pains and penalties ought to be made in any case,
or at any time, hereafter.
Art. 17. That retrospective Laws, punishing
acts committed before the existence of such Laws,
and by them only declared criminal are oppres-
sive, unjust and incompatible with liberty; where-
fore, no ex post facto Law ought to be made; nor
any retrospective oath or restriction be imposed,
or required.
Art. 18. That no Law to attaint particular
persons of treason or felony, ought to be made in
any case, or at any time, hereafter.
Art. 19. That every man, for any injury done
to him in his person or property, ought to have
remedy by the course of the Law of the Land,
and ought to have justice and right, freely with-
out sale, fully without any denial, and speedily
without delay, according to the Law of the
Land.
Art. 20. That the trial of facts, where they
arise, is one of the greatest securities of the lives,
liberties and estate of the People.
Art. 21. That in all criminal prosecutions, every
man hath a right to be informed of the accusation
against him; to have a copy of the Indictment, or
charge, in due time (if required) to prepare for his
defence; to be allowed counsel; to be confronted
•with the witnesses against him; to have process
for his witnesses; to examine the witnesses for
and against him on oath; and to a speedy trial by
an impartial jury, without whose unanimous con-
sent he ought not to be found guilty.
Art. 22. "That no man ought to be compelled to
give evidence against himself in a criminal case.
Art. 23.* In the trial of all criminal cases, the
Jury shall be the Judges of Law, as well as of
fact, except that the Court may pass upon the
sufficiency of the evidence to sustain a conviction.
The right of trial by Jury of all issues of fact in
civil proceedings in the several Courts of Law in
this State, where the amount in controversy
exceeds the sum of five hundred dollars, shall be
inviolably preserved.'
••Thus amended by Chapter 407, Acts of 1949, ratified Novem-
ber 7, 1950, transferred from Article XV, sec 5, by Chapter
681, Acts of 1977, ratified November 7, 1978
'Thus amended by Chapter 789, Acts of 1969, ratified Novem-
ber 3, 1970, transferred from Article XV, sec. 6, by Chapter
681. Acts of 1977. ratified November 7, 1978