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which, properly certfied, may be admitted in evidence, in all questions touching the subject to which they relate. The executive authority of each state may revoke the power of either or both its commissioners; having, however, first appointed a substitute, or substitutes, and may fill any vacancy happening with respect to its own commissioners; four of said commissioners shall constitute a quorum for the transiction of business; their decision shall be final upon all subjects within their cognizance. In case said commission shall expire, the same not having been completed, and either state shall request the renewal or filling up of the same, it shall be renewed or filled up in the same manner as is herein provided for filling the same in the first instance, and with the like powers; and if either state shall, after six months' notice neglect or refuse to appoint its commissioners, the other may fill up the whole commission.

"Seventh. All grants of lands, franchises, immunities, corporate or other rights, and all contracts for, or grants of lands not yet located, which have been, or may be, made by the said commonwealth, before the separation of said district shall take place, and having or to have effect within the said district, shall continue in full force, after the said district shall become a separate state. But the grant which has been made to the president and trustees of Bowdoin college, out of the tax laid upon the banks within this commonwealth, shall be charged upon the tax upon the banks within the said district of Maine, and paid according to the terms of said grant; and the president and trustees, and the overseers of said college, shall have, hold, and enjoy, their powers and privileges in all respect: so that the same shall not be subject to be altered, limited, annulled, or restrained, except by judicial process, according to the principles of law: and in all grants hereafter to be made, by either state, of unlocated land within the said district, the same reservations shall be made for the benefit of schools, and of the ministry, as have heretofore been usual in grants made by this commonwealth. And all lands heretofore granted by this commonwealth to any religious, literary, or eleemosynary corporation, or society, shall be free from taxation, while the same continues to be owned by such corporation, or society.

"Eighth. No laws shall be passed in the proposed state, with regard to taxes, actions or remedies at law, or bars, or limitations, thereof, or otherwise making any distinction b

tween the lands and rights of property of proprietors, not res sident in, or not citizens of, said proposed state:, and the lands; and rights of property of the citizens of the proposed state,, resident therein: and the rights and liabilities of all person! 3 shall, after the said separation, continue the same as if the said district was still a part of this commonwealth, in all suits pending, or judgments unsatisfied, on the fifteenth day of March next, where the suits have been commenced i Massachusetts Proper, and process has been served within the district of Maine: or commenced in the district of Maine, and process has been served in Massachusetts Proper, ei ther by taking bail, making attachments, arresting and detaining persons, or otherwise, where execution remains to be done; and in such suits, the courts within Massachusetts Proper, and within the proposed state, shall continue to have the same jurisdiction as if the said district had still remained. a part of the commonwealth. And this commonwealth shall have the same remedies within the proposed state as it now has, for the collection of all taxes, bonds, or debts, which may be assessed, due, made, or contracted, by, to, or with the commonwealth, on or before the said fifteenth day of March, within the said district of Maine: and all officers within Massachusetts Proper and the district of Maine shall conduct themselves accordingly.

"Ninth. These terms and conditions, as here set forth, when the said district shall become a separate and indepen dent state, shall, ipso facto, be incorporated into and become, and be a part of any constitution, provisional or other, under which the government of the said proposed state shall, at any time hereafter, be administered; subject, however, to be m dified, or annulled by the agreement of the legislature of both the said states; but by no other power or body whatsoever "

§ 6. This constitution shall be enrolled on parchment, deposited in the secretary's office, and be the supreme law of the state; and printed copies thereof shall be prefixed to the books containing the laws of this state.

Done in convention, October 29, 1819.

WILLIAM KING,

President of the convention. Attest, ROBERT C. VOSE, Secretary.

CONSTITUTION OF

MASSACHUSETTS.

constitution, or frame of government, agreed upon by the delegates of the people of Massachusetts Bay, in convention, begun and held at Cambridge, on the first of September, 1779, and continued, by adjournment, to the second of March, 1780.

PREAMBLE.

THE end of the institution, maintenance, and administration of government, is to secure the existence of the body politic, to protect it, and to furnish the individuals who compose it with the power of enjoying, in safety and tranquillity, their natural rights and the blessings of life: and whenever these great objects are not obtained, the people have a right to alter the government, and to take measures necessary for their safety, prosperty, and happiness.

The body politic is formed by a voluntary association of individuals. It is a social compact, by which the whole people covenants with each citizen, and each citizen with the whole people, that all shall be governed by certain laws for the common good. It is the duty of the people therefore in framing a constitution or government, to provide for an equitable mode of making laws, as well as for an impartial interpretation and a faithful execution of them; that every man may, at all times, find his security in them.

We, therefore, the people of Massachusetts, acknowledging, with grateful hearts, the goodness of the Great Legislator of the universe, in affording us, in the course of his providence, an opportunity, deliberately and peaceably, without fraud, violence, or surprise, of entering into an original, explicit, and solemn, compact with each other: and of forming a new constitution of civil govern ment, for ourselves and posterity; and devoutly implo

ring his direction in so interesting a design, do agree upon, ordain, and establish, the following declaration of rights and frame of government, as the constitution of the commonwealth of Massachusetts.

PART 1.

A Declaration of Rights of the inhabitants of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Article 1. All men are born free and equal, and have cer tain, natural, essential, and unalienable rights; among which may be reckoned the right of enjoying and defending their lives and liberties; that of acquiring, possessing, and protecting property; in fine, that of seeking and obtaining their safety and happiness.

2. It is the right, as well as the duty, of all men in society, publicly and at stated seasons, to worship the Supreme Being, the Great Creator and Preserver of the universe. And no subject shall be hurt, molested, or restrained, in his person, liberty, or estate, for worshipping God in the manner and seasons most agreeable to the dictates of his own concience; or for his religious profession or sentiments; pro vided he doth not disturb the public peace, or obstruct others in their religious worship.

3. As the happiness of a people, and the good order and preservation of civil government, essentially depend upon piety, religion, and morality; and as these cannot be gene rally diffused through the community, but by the institution of a public worship of God, and of public institutions in piety, religion, and morality; therefore, to promote their happiness, and to secure the good order and preservation of their government, the people of this commonwealth have a right to invest their legislature with power to authorize and require, and the legislature shall, from time to time, authorize and require the several towns, parishes, precincts, and other bodies politic, or religious societies, to make suitable provision, at their own expense, for the institution of the public worship of God and for the support and maintenance of public protestant teachers of piety, religion, and morality, in all cases, where such provision shall not be made voluntarily.

All the people of the commonwealth have also a right to, ad do, invest their legislature with authority to enjoin upon.

all the subjects an attendance upon the instructions of the public teachers, as aforesaid, at stated, times and seasons, if there be any one whose instructions they can conscientiously and conveniently attend:

Provided, notwithstanding, that the several towns, parishes, precincts, and the other bodies politic, or religious societies, shall, at all times, have the exclusive right of electing their public teachers, and of contracting with them for their support and maintenance.

All moneys paid by the subject to the support of public worship, and of the public teachers aforesaid, shall, if he require it, be uniformly applied to the support of the public teacher or teachers of his own religious sect or denomination, provided there be any, on whose instructions he attends, otherwise it may be paid towards the support of the teacher or teachers of the parish or precinct in which the said moneys are raised.

And every denomination of Christians, demeaning themselves peaceably, and as good subjects of the commonwealth, shall be equally under the protection of the law: and no subordination of any sect or denomination to another shall ever be established by law.

4. The people of this commonwealth have the sole and exclusive right of governing themselves, as a free, sovereign, and independent state; and do, and for ever hereafter shall exercise and enjoy every power, jurisdiction, and right, which is not, or may not hereafter be, by them expressly delegated to the United States of America in congress assembled.

5. All power residing originally in the people, and being derived from them, the several magistrates and officers of government vested with authority, whether legislative, executive, or judicial, are their substitutes and agents, and are at all times accountable to them.

6. No man, or corporation, or association of men, have any other title to obtain advantages, or particular and exclusive privileges, distinct from those of the community, than what arrises from the consideration of services rendered to the public. And this title, being, in nature, neither hereditary nor transmissible to children, or descendants, or relations of blood, the idea of a man born a magistrate, lawgiver, or judge, is absurd and unnatural.

7. Government is instituted for the common good: for the protection, safety, prosperity, and happiness of the people F

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