fect, fhall have, hold, ufe, exercife, and enjoy all the powers and authority to them granted or committed, until other perfons shall be appointed in their ftead: and all courts of law fhall proceed in the execution of the business of their refpective departments; and all the executive and legiflative officers, bodies, and powers, fhall continue in full force, in the enjoyment and exercife of all their trufts, employments, and authority, until the General Court, and the fupreme and executive officers under this Conftitution, are defignated and invested with their respective trusts, powers and authority.

X. In order the more effectually to adhere to the principles of the Conftitution, and to correct thofe violations which by any means may be made therein, as well as to form fuch alterations as from experience fhall be found neceffary, the General Court which shall be in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety- five fhall iffue precepts to the Selectmen of the feveral towns, and to the Affeffors of the unincorporated plantations, di-, recting them to convene the qualified voters of their respective towns and plantations, for the purpose

purpose of collecting their fentiments on the neceffity or expediency of revising the Conftitution, in order to amendments.

And if it shall appear by the returns made, that two-thirds of the qualified voters throughout the State who fhall affemble and vote in confequence of the faid precepts are in favour of fuch revifion and amendment, the General Court fhall iffue precepts, or direct them to be iffued from the Secretary's office, to the several towns to elect Delegates to meet in convention, for the purpose aforesaid.

The said Delegates to be chosen in the fame manner and proportion as their Representatives in the second branch of the legislature are by this Conftitution to be chofen.

XI. This Form of Government shall be enrolled on parchment, and depofited in the Secretary's office, and be a part of the laws of the land; and printed copies thereof fhall be prefixed to the book containing the laws of this Commonwealth, in all future editions of the faid laws.

JAMES BOWDOIN, PRESIDENT.

Atteft. SAMUEL BARRET, Secretary.

RHODE-ISLAND.

RHODE ISLAND CHARTER,

KING

GRANTED BY

CHARLES II,

IN THE FOURTEENTH YEAR OF HIS REIGN.

Quintadecima pars Patentium Anno Regni Regis Caroli Secundi Quintodecimo.

HARLES the Second, by the grace of

God, &c. To all to whom these prefents fhall come, greeting. Whereas we have been informed by the petition of our trusty and well-beloved fubjects, John Clarke, on the behalf of Benedict Arnold, William Brenton, William Codington, Nicholas Easton, William Boulton, John Porter, John Smith, Samuel Gorton, John Weekes, Roger Williams, Thomas Olney, Gregory Dexter, John Cogeshall, Jofeph Clarke, Randall Houlden, John Greene, John Roome, Samuel Wildbore, William Field, James Barker, Richard Tew, Thomas Harris, and William Dyre, and the rest of the purchasers and free inhabitants of our island called

called Rhode-Island, and the reft of the colony of Providence Plantations, in the NarragansetBay, in New England, in America, That they, pursuing with peace and loyal minds their fober, ferious, and religious intentions, of godly edifying themselves and one another in the holy Christian faith and worship as they were perfuaded, together with the gaining over and conversion of the poor ignorant Indian natives in those parts of America to the fincere profeffion and obedience of the fame faith and worship, did not only by the consent and good encouragement of our royal progenitors, transport themselves out of this kingdom of England into America; but alfo fince their arrival there, after their first fettlement among other our subjects in those parts, for the avoiding of difcord and those many evils which were likely to enfue upon those our subjects not being able to bear in those remote parts their different apprehensions in religious concernments; and in pursuance of the aforefaid ends did once again leave their defirable stations and habitations, and with exceffive labour and travail, hazard and charge, did transplant themselves into the midst of the Indian natives, who, as we are informed, are the most potent princes and people of all that

country; where, by the good providence of God (from whom the plantations have taken their name) upon their labour and industry, they have not only been preferved to admiration, but have encreased and prospered, and are feized and poffeffed, by purchase and confent of the said natives, to their full content, of such lands, islands, rivers, harbours, and roads, as are very convenient both for plantations, and also for building of ships, supply of pipeftaves, and other merchandise, and which lye very commodious in many refpects for commerce, and to accommodate our fouthern plantations, and may much advance the trade of this our realm, and greatly enlarge the territories thereof; they having, by near neighbourhood to, and friendly fociety with, the great body of the Narraganfet Indians, given them encouragement, of their own accord, to fubject themselves, their people, and lands, unto us; whereby, as is hoped, there may, in time, by the bleffing of God upon their endeavours, be laid a fure foundation of happiness to all America. And whereas, in their humble addrefs, they have freely declared, That it is much on their hearts (if they be permitted) to hold forth a lively experiment, that a most

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