and

but no county court shall affefs any quantity of tobacco or sum of money hereafter, on the application of any veftry-men or church-wardens; every incumbent of the church of England who hath remained in his parish, and performed his duty, shall be entitled to receive the provifion and support established by the Act, entitled, "An Act for the support of the clergy of the church of England in this province," till the November court of this prefent year, to be held for the county in which his parish shall lie, or partly lie, for fuch time as he hath remained in his parish and performed his duty.

XXXIV. That every gift, fale, or devife of lands to any minister, public teacher, or preache of the gofpel, as fuch, or to any religious fect, order, or denomination, or to, or for the support, ufe, or benefit of, or in truft for, any minister, public teacher, or preacher of the gospel, as fuch, or any religious fect, order, or denomination; and every gift or sale of goods or chattels to go in fucceffion, or to take place after the death of the feller or donor, or to or for such support, use or benefit; and alfo every devise of goods or chattels to, or for the support, ufe, or benefit of any minifter, public teacher, or preacher of the gofpel, as such, or

any religious fect, order or denomination, without the leave of the legislature, shall be void except always any sale, gift, lease or devife of any quantity of land not exceeding two acres, for a church, meeting, or other houfe of worship, and for a burying-ground, which shall be improved, enjoyed, or used only for fuch purpose, or fuch fale, gift, leafe, or devise, shall be void.

XXXV. That no other teft or qualification ought to be required on admiffion to any office of truft or profit, than fuch oath of support and fidelity to this State, and such oath of office as fhall be directed by this Convention, or the legiflature of this State, and a declaration of a belief in the Chriftian religion,

XXXVI. That the manner of administering an oath to any perfon, ought to be fuch as thofe of the religious perfuafion, profeffion, or denomination, of which fuch perfon is one, generally esteem the most effectual confirmation by the atteftation of the Divine Being. And that the people called Quakers, those called Dunkers, and those called Menonifts, holding it unlawful to take an oath on any occafion, ought to be allowed to make their folemn affirmation in the manner that Quakers have been heretofore

heretofore allowed to affirm, and to be of the fame avail as an oath in all fuch cafes as the affirmation of Quakers hath been allowed and accepted within this State, inftead of an oath. And further, on fuch affirmation, warrants to fearch for ftolen goods, or for the apprehenfion or commitment of offenders, ought to be granted, or fecurity for the peace awarded; and Quakers, Dunkers, or Menonifts, ought alfo, on their folemn affirmation as aforefaid, to be admitted as witneffes in all criminal cafes not capital.

XXXVII. That the city of Annapolis ought to have all its rights, privileges, and benefits, agreeable to its charter, and the Acts of Affembly confirming and regulating the fame; fubject nevertheless to fuch alterations as may be made by this Convention, or any future legiflature.

XXXVIII. That the liberty of the prefs ought to be inviolably preferved.

XXXIX. That monopolies are odious, contrary to the spirit of a free government and the principles of commerce, and ought not to be fuffered.

XL. That no title of nobility or hereditary honours ought to be granted in this State.

XLI. That the fubfifting refolves of this and the feveral Conventions held for this Colony, ought to be in force as laws, unless altered by this Convention, or the legislature of this State.

XLII. That this Declaration of Rights, or the Form of Government to be established by this Convention, or any part of either of them, ought not to be altered, changed, or abolished by the legislature of this State, but in fuch manner as this Convention shall prescribe and direct.

This Declaration of Rights was affented to and paffed in Convention of the Delegates of the Freemen of Maryland, begun and held at Annapolis the 14th day of August, A. D. 1776.

By Order of the Convention,

MAT. TILGHMAN, PRESIDENT.

THE

THE

CONSTITUTION,

OR

FORM of GOVERNMENT, &c.

1. THAT 'HAT the legislature confift of two di

ftinct branches, a Senate and a House of Delegates, which fhall be ftiled, THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND.

L

II. That the Houfe of Delegates fhall be chofen in the following manner: All freemen above twenty-one years of age, having a freehold of fifty acres of land in the county in which they offer to vote, and refiding therein; and all freemen having property in this State above the value of thirty pounds current money, and having refided in the county in which they offer to vote, one whole year next preceding the election; shall have a right of fuffrage in the election of Delegates for fuch county; and all freemen fo qualified fhall, on the first Monday of October seventeen hundred and feventy-feven, and on the fame day in every year thereafter,

affemble