Article 1. That all Government of right originates
from the People, is founded in compact only, and insti
tuted solely for the good of the whole, and they have, at
all times, the inalienable right to alter, reform or abolish
their Form of Government in such manner as they may
deem expedient

Art. 2. The Constitution of the United States, and the
Laws made, or which shall be made, in pursuance thereof,
and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the
authority of the United States, are, and shall be the
Supreme Law of the State, and the Judges of this State,
and all the People of this State, are, and shall be bound
thereby, anything in the Constitution or Law of this State
to the contrary notwithstanding

Art. 3. The powers not delegated to the United States
by the Constitution thereof, nor prohibited by it to the
States, are reser\ ed to the States respectively, or to the people
thereof

Art. 4. That the People of this State have the sole and
exclusive right of regulating the internal government and
police thereof, as a free, sovereign and independent State

Art. 5. (a) That the Inhabitants of Maryland are enti
tied 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 on the Fourth day 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
pracuced 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
den\ ed to them from, or under the Charter granted by His
Majesty Charles the First to Ca-cilius Calvert, Baron of
Baltimore

(b) The parties to any civil proceeding in which the
right to a )ur\ trial is preserved are enuded to a trial by
jury of at least 6 jurors

(c) That notwithstanding the Common Law of hng
land, nothing in this Constitution prohibits trial by jury
of less than 12 )urors in an) civil proceeding in which the
right to a jury trial is preserved

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
Wherefore, whenever the ends of Government are per
verted, 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 arbl
trary power and oppression is absurd, slavish and destruc-
tive 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
foundation of all free Government, for this purpose, elec
tions ought to be free and frequent, and every citizen
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
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 Legisla-
ture, 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 meeting 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 tor amend
ing, strengthening and preser\ing the Laws, the Legisia
ture ought to be frequently convened

Art. 13. That every man hath a right to petition the
Legislature for the redress ofgne\ ances in a peaceable and
orderly manner