                   CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI
                        (Adopted Nov. 1, A.D., 1890)

                                   PREAMBLE

   We,  the  people  of  Mississippi in  convention  assembled,  grateful  to 
Almighty God, and involving his blessing on our work, do ordain and establish 
this Constitution.

                                   ARTICLE 3

                                BILL OF RIGHTS

[NOTE: There is no sections 1-4 of article 3]

Section 5.  All political power in vested in,  and derived from,  the people; 
all  government  of right originates with the people,  is founded upon  their 
will only, and is instituted solely for the good of the whole. 

Section 6.   The people of this state have the inherent, sole,  and exclusive 
right  to regulate the internal government and police thereof,  and to  alter 
and  abolish their constitution and form fo government whenever they deem  it 
necessary  to  their  safety and happiness;  Provided,  such  change  be  not 
repugnant to the constitution of the United States

Section  7.    The right to withdraw from the Federal Union on account of any 
real or supposed grievance,  shall never be assumed by this state,  nor shall 
any  law be passed in derogation of the paramount allegiance of the  citizens 
of this state to the government of the United States.

Section  8.    All  persons resident in this state,  citizens of  the  United 
States, are hereby declared citizens of the state of Mississippi.

Section  9.    The  military  shall be in strict subordination to  the  civil 
power.

Section  10.   Treason  against the state shall consist only in  levying  war 
against the same or in adhering to its enemies,  giving them aid and comfort. 
No  person  shall  be  convicted of treason unless on the  testimony  of  two 
witnesses to the same overt act, or on confession in open court.

Section  11.   The right of the people peaceably to assemble and petition the 
government on any subject shall never be impaired.

Section  12.   The right of every citizen to keep and bear arms in defense of 
his  home,  person,  or property,  or in aid of the civil power when  thereto 
legally  summoned,  shall not be called in question,  but the legislature may 
regulate or forbid carrying concealed weapons.

Section 13.  The freedom of speech and of the press shall be held sacred; and 
in  all  prosecutions for libel the truth may be given in evidence,  and  the 
jury  shall determine the law and the facts under the direction of the court; 
and  if  it shall appear to the jury that the matter charged as  libelous  is 
true, and was published with good motives and for justifiable ends, the party 
shall be acquitted.

Section 14.  No person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property except 
by due process of law.

Section 15.  There shall be neither slavery nor involuntary servitude in this 
state,  otherwise than as punishment for crime,  whereof the party shall have 
been duly convicted.

Section  16.   Ex  post  facto  laws,  or laws impairing  the  obligation  of 
contracts, shall not be passed.

Section  17.   Private property shall not be taken or damaged for public use, 
except  on due compensation being first made to the owner or owners  thereof, 
in a manner to be prescribed by law;  and whenever an attempt is made to take 
private  property  for a use alleged to be public,  the question whether  the 
contemplated  use  be  public shall be a judicial  question,  and,  as  such, 
determined without regard to legislative assertion that the use is public.

Section  18.   No  religious  test  as a qualification for  office  shall  be 
required;  and  no preference shall be given by law to any religious sect  or 
mode  of worship;  but the free enjoyment of all religious sentiments and the 
different  modes of worship shall be held sacred.  The rights hereby  secured 
shall  not be construed to justify acts of licentiousness injurious to morals 
or  dangerous  to the peace and safety of the state,  or to exclude the  Holy 
Bible from use in any public school of this state.

Section  19.   Human life shall not be imperiled by the practice of  dueling; 
and any citizen of this state who shall hereafter fight a duel,  or assist in 
the same as second, or send, accept, or knowingly carry a challenge therefor, 
whether such an act be done in the state,  or out of it,  or who shall go out 
of the state to fight a duel, or to assist in the same as second, or to send, 
accept,  or carry a challenge,  shall be disqualified from holding any office 
under this Constitution, and shall be disfranchised.

Section 20.   No person shall be elected or appointed to office in this state 
for  life or during good behavior,  but the term of all officers shall be for 
some specified period.

Section  21.   The  privilege  of  the writ of habeas  corpus  shall  not  be 
suspended,  unless  when  in the case of rebellion or  invasion,  the  public 
safety may require it, nor ever without the authority of the legislature.

Section  22.   No person's life or liberty shall be twice placed in  jeopardy 
for the same offense;  but there must be an actual acquittal or conviction on 
the merits to bar another prosecution.

Section  23.   The  people  shall be secure in  their  persons,  houses,  and 
possessions  from  unreasonable seizure or search;   and no warrant shall  be 
issued  without probable cause,  supported by oath or affirmation,  specially 
designating the place to be searched and the person or thing to be seized.

Section  24.   All courts shall be open;  and every person for an injury done 
him  in his lands,  goods,  person,  or reputation,  shall have remedy by due 
course  of  law,  and right and justice shall be administered  without  sale, 
denial, or delay.

Section  25.   No person shall be debarred from prosecuting or defending  any 
civil cause for or against him or herself,  before any tribunal in the state, 
by him or herself, or counsel, or both.

Section  26.   In all criminal prosecutions the accused shall have a right to 
be  heard by himself or counsel,  or both,  to demand the nature and cause of 
the  accusation,  to  be  confronted by the witnesses against  him,  to  have 
compulsory  process  for  obtaining  witnesses in  his  favor,  and,  in  all 
prosecutions  by indictment or information,  a speedy and public trial by  an 
impartial  jury of the county where the offense was committed;  and he  shall 
not  be compelled to give evidence against himself;  but in prosecutions  for 
rape,  adultery,  fornication,  sodomy  or the crime against nature the court 
may, in its discretion, exclude from the courtroom all persons except such as 
are necessary in the conduct of the trial.

Section  27.   No  person  shall for any indictable  offense,  be  proceeding 
against  criminally  by information,  except in cases arising in the land  or 
naval  forces,  or  the military when in actual service,  or by leave of  the 
court for misdemeanor in office; but the legislature, in cases not punishable 
by  death  or  by imprisonment in the penitentiary,  may  dispense  with  the 
inquest of the grand jury,  and may authorize prosecutions before justices of 
the peace, or such other inferior court or courts as may be established,  and 
the proceedings in such cases shall be regulated by law.

Section  28.   Cruel  or  unusual  punishment shall  not  be  inflicted,  nor 
excessive fines
 imposed.

Section  29.   Excessive bail shall not be required,  and all persons  shall, 
before  conviction,  be bailable by sufficient sureties,  except for  capital 
offenses when the proof is evident or presumption great.

Section 30.  There shall be no imprisonment for debt.

Section  31.   The  right of trial by jury shall remain  inviolate,  but  the 
legislature may,  by enactment,  provide that in all civil suits tried in the 
circuit and chancery court,  nine or more jurors may agree on the verdict and 
return it as the verdict of the jury.

Section  32.   The  enumeration of rights in this constitution shall  not  be 
construed to deny and impair others retained by, and inherent in, the people.
