William Penn
A Founder of Human Rights and Modern Constitution

People may be free by their just obedience, and the magistrates honorable for their just administration: For liberty without obedience is confusion, and obedience without liberty is slavery. To carry this evenness is partly owing to the constitution, and partly to the magistracy.

Papers of William Penn, May 1682, p. 224

LAWS OF PENNSYLVANIA OF 1683

Article 35: That all persons living in this province, who confess and acknowledge the one almighty and eternal God, to be the Creator, upholder and ruler of the world, and that hold themselves obliged in conscience to live peaceably and justly in civil society, shall in no way be molested or prejudice for their religious persuasion or practice in matters of faith and worship, nor shall they be compelled at any time to require or maintain any religious worship, place or ministry whatever.

THE CHARTER OF PRIVILEGES OF 1701.

Article 1: Because no people can be truly happy though under the greatest enjoyments of civil liberties if abridged of the freedom of there consciences as to there religious profession and worship... no person or persons inhabiting in this province or territories who shall confess and acknowledge one almighty God the creator upholder and ruler of the world and profess him or themselves obliged to live quietly under the civil government shall be in any case molested or prejudiced in his or their person or eased because of his or their conscientious persuasion or practice nor be compelled to frequent or maintaine any religious worship place or ministry contrary to his or thieve mind or do or suffer any other act or thing contrary to their religious persuasion.

Article 8: ... because the happiness of mankind depends so much upon the enjoying of liberties of there consciences... the first Article of this charter... shall be kept and remaine without any alteration inviolably for ever.

Article 9 (last): I the said William Penn proprietary and governor of the province of Pennsylvania and territories therunto belonging for my self my hires and assigns... shall procure or do any thing or things whereby the liberties in the charter contained and expressed nor any part thereof shall not be infringed or broken.

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