New Jersey 1776 State Constitution
| Constitution of New Jersey | |
| Whereas all the constitutional Authority, ever | |
| possessed by the Kings of Great Britain over these Colonies, or their other Dominions, was, by Compact, derived from the People, and held of them for the common Interest of the whole Society, Allegiance and Protection are, in the Nature of Things, reciprocal Ties, each equally depending upon the other, and liable to be dissolved by the other’s being refused or withdrawn. And whereas George the third, King of Great Britain, has refused Protection to the good People of these Colonies; and, by assenting to sundry Acts of the British Parliament, attempted to subject them to the absolute Dominion of that Body; and has also made War upon them in the most cruel and unnatural Manner, for no other Cause than asserting their just Rights, all civil Authority under him is necessarily at an End, and a Dissolution of Government in each Colony has consequently taken Place. | |
| And whereas in the present deplorable Situation | |
| of these Colonies, exposed to the Fury of a cruel and relentless Enemy, some Form of Government is absolutely necessary, not only for the Preservation of good Order, but also the more effectually to unite the People, and enable them to exert their whole Force in their own necessary Defense; and as the Honorable the Continental Congress, the Supreme Council of the American Colonies, has advised such of the Colonies, as have not yet gone into the | |
| Measure, to adopt for themselves respectively such Government, as shall best conduce to their own Happiness & Safety, and the Well-Being of America in general; We the Representatives of the Colony of New Jersey, having been elected by all the Counties, in the freest Manner, and in Congress assembled, have, after mature Deliberations, agreed upon a Set of Charter Rights, and the Form of a Constitution, in Manner following, viz.
1. That the Government of this Province shall be vested in a Governor, Legislative Council, and General Assembly. 2dly. That the said Legislative Council and Assembly shall be chosen, for the first Time, on the Second Tuesday of August next; the Members whereof shall be the same in Number & Qualifications as is herein after mentioned; and shall be and remain vested with all the Powers and Authority to be held by any future Legislative Council & Assembly of this Colony, until the Second Tuesday in October, which will be in the Year of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred and seventy seven. 3dly. That on the said Second Tuesday in October yearly & every Year |
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| of real and personal Estate within the same County: that, at the same Time, each County shall also choose three Members of Assembly; provided, that no Person shall be entitled to a Seat in the said Assembly, unless he be and have been for one whole Year next before the Election, an Inhabitant of the County he is to represent, and worth five hundred Pounds Proclamation Money in Real & personal Estate in the same County: that, on the second Tuesday next after the Day of Election, the Council & Assembly shall separately meet; and that the Consent of both Houses shall be necessary to every Law, provided, that seven shall be a Quorum of the Council for doing Business; and that no Law shall pass, unless there be a Majority of all the Representatives of each Body personally present and agreeing thereto. Provided always, That if a Majority of the Representatives of this Province in Council & General Assembly convened shall, at any Time or Times hereafter, judge it equitable & proper to add to or diminish the Number or Proportion of the Members of the Assembly for any County or Counties in this Colony, then, & in such Case, the same may, on the Principles of more equal Representation, be lawfully done, any Thing in this Charter to the Contrary notwithstanding; so that the whole Number of Representatives in Assembly shall not at any Time be less than thirty nine.
4. That all Inhabitants of this Colony of full Age, who are worth Fifty Pounds proclamation Money clear Estate in the same, & have resided within the County in which they claim a Vote for twelve Months immediately preceding the Election, shall be entitled to vote for Representatives in Council & Assembly; and also for all other public Officers that shall be elected by the People of the County at Large. |
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| 5thly. | |
| In Provincial Congress, New Jersey, Burlington, July 2d, 1776 By order of Congress Extract from the Minutes, |
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