"Equality and natural rights of all men . . . . Right to keep and bear arms"

CONSTITUTION

OR

FORM OF GOVERNMENT

FOR THE

Coomonweath of Massachusetts

PREAMBLE.

Objects of government--Body politic, how formed--Its nature.

PART THE FIRST.

Art.   1. Equality and natural rights of all men.
         2. Right and duty of public religious worship--Protection therein.
         3. Legislature empowered to compel provision for public worship; and to enjoin attendance thereon--  Exclusive right of electing religious teachers secured--Option, as to whom parochial taxes be paid, unless, &c--All denominations equally protected--Subordination of one sect to another. prohibited.
         4. Right of self government secured.
         5. Accountability of all officers, &c.
         6. Services rendered to the public, being the only tide to privileges, hereditary offices absurd and unnatural.
         7. Objects of government; right of people to institute and change it.
         8. Right of people to secure in office.
         9. All, having the qualifications prescribed, equally eligible to office.
Art. 10. Right of protection and duty of contribution, correlative--Taxation, founded on consent--Private property not
          to be taken for public uses, without, &c.
       11. Remedies, by recourse to the law, to be free, complete and prompt.
       12. Prosecutions regulated--Right to trial by jury in criminal cases, except, &c.
       13. Crimes to be proved in the vicinity.
       14. Right of search and seizure, regulated.
       15. Right to trial by jury sacred, except, &c.
       16. Liberty of the press
       17. Right to keep and bear arms--Standing armies dangerous--Military power, subordinate to civil.
       18. Moral qualifications for office--Moral obligations of law givers and magistrates.
       19. Right of people to instruct representatives and petition legislature.
       20. Power to suspend the laws, or their execution--When and by whom exercised.
       21. Freedom of debate, &c., and reason thereof.
       22. Frequent sessions, and objects thereof....

[THE REVISED STATUTES OF THE Commonwealth of Massachusetts, PASSED NOVEMBER 4, 1835; TO WHICH ARE SUBJOINED, AN ACT IN AMENDMENT THEREOF, AND AN ACT EXPRESSLY TO REPEAL THE ACTS WHICH ARE CONSOLIDATED THEREIN, BOTH PASSED IN FEBRUARY 1836; AND TO WHICH ARE PREFIXED, THE CONSTITUTIONS OF THE United States and of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. PRINTED AND PUBLISHED, BY VIRTUE OF A RESOLVE OF NOV. 3, 1835; UNDER THE SUPERVISION AND DIRECTION OF THERON METCALF AND HORACE MANN. Boston: PUBLISHED BY DUTTON & WENTWORTH, STATE PRINTERS Nos. 10 & 12 Exchange Street. 1836.]