senator, twenty-five years of age, and four years citizenship and inhabitancy. For a governor, thirty years of age, and seven years inhabitancy. The governor can hold no other office. The senators and representatives none, but of attorney at law, and in the militia. No person, holding an office of trust, or profit, or an agency under the United States, can hold any office in this state to which a salary is by law annexed. All the officers of the state are liable to impeachment, and are bound by oath, or affirmation, to sup port the constitution, and perform the duties of their of fices.
The declaration of rights asserts the natural and social freedom and equality of all ; liberty of conscience ; free dom of election, and of the press ; subordination of the mi litary to the civil powers ; trial by jury ; security front Un reasonable searches and seizures; a right to an equal dis tribution of justice ; to be heard in criminal prosecutions ; to petition for the redress of grievances; to bear arms ; and to emigrate from the state. It declares that all power is inherent in the people, and that they may, at any time, alter the form of their government ; that no person shall be obliged to maintain religious worship, or support any mi nistry ; that all persons, believing in the being of a God, and a future state of rewards and punishments, are eligible to office ; that laws cannot be suspended but by the legis lature ; that all persons shall be bailable, unless for capital offences, when the proof is evident, or presumption strong ; that every debtor shall be released from prison on deliver ing his estate to his creditors, according to law, except there be strong presumption of fraud ; that the privileges of the writ of habeas corpus shall not be suspended, but in time of rebellion, or of public danger ; that no ex post facto law shall be made ; that no person shall be attainted by the legislature, or forfeit his estate for a longer term than his own life ; that no title of nobility, or hereditary distinction, shall ever be granted. The constitution above described was made and ordained in the year 1790.
This country, under the name of the New Netherlands, was originally possessed by the Dutch and Swedes. When these nations, however, were expelled by the English, Admiral Penn, who, in conjunction with Venabl es, had con quered the island of Jamaica (under the auspices of Cromwell,) being in favour with Charles II., obtained a
promise of a grant of this country from that monarch. Upon the death of the admiral, his son, the celebrated Quaker, availed himself of this promise, and, after much court solicitation, obtained the performance of it. Though as an author and a divine, Mr. Penn be but little known, except to those of his own persuasion, his reputation in the character of a legislator, is generally known and es teemed.—As soon as he published his proposals for colo nizing Pennsylvania, vast numbers of his brethren agreed to follow him into his new settlement, to avoid the perse cutions to which the Quakers, like other dissenters, were then exposed ; but it was to his justice, wisdom, and abi lity that the colonists were indebted for that charter of privileges which placed the colony on so respectable a footing. Civil and religious liberty, in the utmost lati tude, was laid down by that great man, as the chief and only foundation of all his institutions. Christians of all denominations might not only live unmolested, but have a share in the government of the colony. No laws could be made but by consent of the inhabitants. Even matters of benevolence, to which the laws of few nations have extended, were by Penn subjected to regulations. The affairs of widows and orphans were to be inquired into by a court, constituted for that purpose. The disputes be tween were not to be subjected to the delay and chicanery of the law, but decided by wise and honest arbitrators. His benevolence and generosity extended also to the Indian nations; instead of taking immediate advan tage of his patent, he purchased of these people, the lands he had obtained by his grant, judging that the ori ginal property, and oldest right, was vested in them ; and by adhering to the same just principles of conduct, the Society of Friends preserved a peace with the natives for more than 70 years. William Penn, in short, had he been a native of Greece, would have had his statue placed next to those of Solon and Lycufgus.