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one thousand fix hundred and nine, and by the public treaty of peace between the Courts of Britain and France, in the year one thousand seven hundred and fixty-three; unless, by act of this legislature, one or more governments be established weftward of the Allegheny mountains. And no purchases of lands fhall be made of the Indian natives but on behalf of the public, by authority of the General Affembly.

NORTH

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AGREED TO AND RESOLVED UPON BY THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE FREEMEN OF THE STATE OF NORTH-CAROLINA, ELECTED AND CHOSEN FOR THAT PARTICULAR PURPOSE, IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED, AT HALIFAX, DEC. 18, 1776.

I.

A

DECLARATION OF RIGHTS, &c.

TH

HAT all political power is vested in and derived from the people only.

II. That the people of this State ought to have the fole and exclufive right of regulating the internal government and police thereof.

III. That no man, or fet of men are entitled to exclusive or separate emoluments or privileges from the community, but in confideration of public fervices.

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IV. That the legislative, executive, and supreme judicial powers of government ought to be for ever feparate and diftinct from each other.

V. That all powers of fufpending laws, or the execution of laws, by any authority, without confent of the Representatives of the people, is injurious to their rights, and ought not to be exercised.

VI. That elections of Members to ferve as Representatives in General Affembly ought to be free.

VII. That in all criminal profecutions every man has a right to be informed of the accufation against him, and to confront the accufers and witneffes with other teftimony, and fhall not be compelled to give evidence against himself.

VIII. That no freeman fhall be put to anfwer any criminal charge but by indictment, prefentment, or impeachment.

IX. That no 'freeman shall be convicted of any crime, but by the unanimous verdict of a jury of good and lawful men, in open court as heretofore used.

X. That

X. That exceffive bail fhall not be required, nor exceffive fines impofed, nor cruel or unusual punishments inflicted.

XI. That general warrants, whereby an officer or meffenger may be commanded to search fufpected places without evidence of the fact committed, or to feize any perfon or perfons not named whose offences are not particularly described and fupported by evidence, are dangerous to liberty, and ought not to be granted.

XII. That no freeman ought to be taken, imprisoned, or diffeized of his freehold, liberties or privileges, or outlawed or exiled, or in any manner destroyed or deprived of his life, liberty, or property, but by the law of the land.

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XIII. That every freeman restrained of his liberty, is intitled to a remedy, to enquire into the lawfulness thereof, and to remove the fame if unlawful, and that fuch remedy ought not to be denied or delayed.

XIV. That in all controverfies at law respecting property, the ancient mode of trial by jury is one of the best fecurities of the rights of the people, and ought to remain facred and inviolable.

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XV. That the freedom of the prefs is one of the great bulwarks of liberty, and therefore ought never to be restrained.

XVI. That the people of this State ought not to be taxed, or made fubject to the payment of any impost or duty, without the confent of themselves, or their Reprefentatives in General Affembly freely given.

XVII. That the people have a right to bear arms for the defence of the State; and as ftanding armies in time of peace are dangerous to liberty, they ought not to be kept up; and that the military fhould be kept under ftrict fubordination to, and governed by the civil power.

XVIII. That the people have a right to affemble together, to confult for their common good, to inftruct their Representatives, and to apply to the legislature for redress of grievances.

XIX. That all men have a natural and unalienable right to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their own confcience.

XX. That for redrefs of grievances, and for amending and strengthening the laws, elections ought to be often held.

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