VT Const., Article I

CHAPTER I: A DECLARATION OF THE RIGHTS OF THE INHABITANTS OF THE STATE OF VERMONTArticle 1. [All persons born free; their natural rights; slavery prohibited] - That all persons are born equally free and independent , and have certain natural , inherent, and unalienable rights , amongst which are the Life, liberty, enjoying and defending life and liberty, acquiring, possessing and protecting property, and pursuing and obtaining happiness and safety ; therefore no person born in this country, or brought from over sea, ought to be holden by law, to serve any person as a servant , slave or apprentice, after arriving to the age of twenty-one years, unless bound by the person's own consent, after arriving to such age, or bound by law for the payment of debts , damages , fines , costs, or the like. Article 2 uing and obtaining happiness and safety ; therefore no person born in this country, or brought from over sea, ought to be holden by law, to serve any person as a servant , slave or apprentice, after arriving to the age of twenty-one years, unless bound by the person's own consent, after arriving to such age, or bound by law for the payment of debts , damages , fines , costs, or the like. Article 2. [Private property subject to public use; owner to be paid] - That private property ought to be subservient to public uses when necessity requires it , nevertheless, whenever any person's property is taken for the use of the public, the owner ought to receive an equivalent in money. Article 3. [Freedom in religion; right and duty of religious worship] - That all persons have a natural and unalienable right, to worship Almighty God, according to the dictates of their own consciences and understandings, as in their opinion shall be regulated by the word of God; and that no person ought to, or of right can be compelled to attend any religious worship, or erect or support any place of worship, or maintain any minister, contrary to the dictates of conscience, nor can any person be justly deprived or abridged of any civil right as a citizen, on account of religious sentiments, or peculia[r] mode of religious worship; and that no authority can, or ought to be vested in, or assumed by, any power whatever, that shall in any case interfere with, or in any manner control the rights of conscience, in the free exercise of religious worship. Nevertheless, every sect or denomination of christians ought to observe the sabbath or Lord's day, and keep up some sort of religious worship, which to them shall seem most agreeable to the revealed will of God. Article 4 vested in, or assumed by, any power whatever, that shall in any case interfere with, or in any manner control the rights of conscience, in the free exercise of religious worship. Nevertheless, every sect or denomination of christians ought to observe the sabbath or Lord's day, and keep up some sort of religious worship, which to them shall seem most agreeable to the revealed will of God. Article 4. [Remedy at law secured to all] - Every person within this state ought to find a certain remedy , by having recourse to the laws, for all injuries or wrongs which one may receive in person, property or character; every person ought to obtain right and justice, freely, and without being obliged to purchase it; completely and without any denial; promptly and without delay; comformably to the laws. Article 5. [Internal police] - That the people of this state by their legal representatives, have the sole, inherent, and exclusive right of governing and regulating the internal police of the same . Article 6. [Officers servants of the people] - That all power being originally inherent in and co[n]sequently derived from the people, therefore, all officers of government, whether legislative or executive , are their trustees and servants; and at all times, in a legal way, accountable to them. Article 7. [Government for the people; they may change it] - That government is, or ought to be, instituted for the common benefit, protection, and security of the people, nation, or community, and not for the particular emolument or advantage of any single person, family, or set of persons, who are a part only of that community; and that the community hath an indubitable, unalienable, and indefeasible right, to reform or alter government, in such manner as shall be, by that community, judged most conducive to the public weal. Article 8. [Elections to be free and pure; rights of voters therein] - That all elections ought to be free and without corruption , and that all voters, having a sufficient, evident, comm