弗吉尼亞權利法案

喬治·梅森

弗吉尼亞權利法案被認為是殖民地草擬憲法的先導，它也是一部有關天賦人權問題最著名的綱領性文件。這部法案誕生于《獨立宣言》發(fā)表前一個月。作為憲法框架的一部分，它率先列舉了一批公民權利。作者喬治·梅森（George Mason 1725—1792）是弗吉尼亞的一個大地主，他堅信“根植于人性之中的偉大權力”。

歷史學家理查德·伯恩斯坦指出：“權利”并非僅指那些不受政府干涉的個人權益，它還包括“正當之事”和行為準則。喬治·梅森因為重申有關個人權益與自由的原則，所以“ 在人類自由史上獲得光榮地位”。

一、人人生來自由、平等與獨立，并享有某些天賦之人權，即當他們結合為一個社會時 ，他們不能憑任何契約剝奪其后裔的這些權利；這些權利，即享受生活與自由的權利，包括獲取與擁有財產、追求和享有安全與幸福。

二、所有的權力都源自人民，因而也都屬于人民；管理者是他們的受托人與仆人，無論什么時候都應服從于人民。

三、政府應當是為了保證人民、國家和社會的共同利益和安全而設立的；在不同形式的政府之間，最好的政府是能夠提供最大幸福和安全的政府，是能夠最有效地防止弊政危險的政府。因此，當發(fā)現(xiàn)任何政府不合乎甚至違反這些宗旨時，社會大眾享有不容置疑、不可剝奪和不能取消的權力并以公認為最有助于大眾利益的方式，改革、變換或廢除政府。

四、除非為了服務公眾，任何個人或群體都無權從社會獲取獨占的或壟斷的利益或特權 ；公共職位——行政長官、立法者和法官等職位不能世襲。

五、州的立法權、行政權應與司法權分立，并要有明確的界限；前兩者的成員如能感受并分擔人民的疾苦，就不至于壓迫人民；他們應在規(guī)定的任職期限之后恢復平民身份，回到他們原來所在的機構，其空缺則通過經常的、確定的、定期的選舉來填補；在選舉當中，將按照法律規(guī)定，確定以前的所有成員或部分成員是否仍符合連任的條件。

六、選舉議會代表的各項選舉，都應該自由進行；凡是能夠證明與本社會有永久性共同利益關系并屬于本社會的人都享有選舉權；未經選舉人本人或其代表同意，不能對選舉人征稅或剝奪其財產供公眾使用；同樣，選舉人也不受任何未經他們以同樣方式同意的法律的約束。

七、任何當局未經人民代表同意而中止法律或執(zhí)行法律，都有損于人民的權利，都不得行使。

八、在一切有關可判死刑的案件或刑事訴訟中，人們有權了解對其起訴的理由和性質， 有權與起訴人和證人對質，要求查證對其有利的證據(jù)，并有權要求來自其鄰近地區(qū)的公正陪審團進行迅速審理；沒有經過陪審團的一致同意，不能確認他有罪，也不能強迫他自證其罪 ；除非根據(jù)當?shù)胤苫蛴善渌匚幌嗤墓袼M成的陪審團裁決，不能剝奪任何人的自由 。

九、不得要求人們繳納過量的保釋金或過重的罰金，也不得判處極其殘酷的刑罰。

十、在沒有獲得犯罪事實的證據(jù)之前，對官員和執(zhí)法人員簽發(fā)一般搜捕令，使其搜查可疑地點，或拘捕未經指名或其罪行未經闡明且無確鑿證據(jù)足以佐證之人，這種搜捕令實屬不可容忍并且是壓制性的，絕對不能簽發(fā)。

十一、在財產糾紛和公民之間的訴訟案件當中，應由陪審團進行裁定，這一古老的審判程序比其他任何審判程序更加可取，它神圣不可侵犯，應予以保持。

十二、出版自由乃自由的重要保證之一，絕不能加以限制；只有專制政體才會限制出版自由。

十三、由受過軍事訓練的公民組成并且管理得當?shù)拿癖?，是自由州正當、自然而安全的保障；在和平時期，應避免設置常常會危及自由的常備軍；在任何情況下，軍隊都應嚴格服從文職權力，并受其領導。

十四、公民有權享有一個統(tǒng)一的政府。因此，在弗吉尼亞地區(qū)內，不得在弗吉尼亞政府之外另行設立任何政府。

十五、必須堅守公正、適度、節(jié)制、勤儉等品德，遵守各項基本法律，否則任何公民都不能保有自由的政府，也無法享受上帝所賜的自由。

十六、宗教，亦即我們對創(chuàng)世主所負有的責任以及盡這種責任的方式，只能由理智和信念加以引導，不能訴諸暴力，因此，任何人都擁有按照良知的指示自由信仰宗教的平等權利 ；同樣，所有人都有責任以基督的節(jié)制、博愛和仁慈對待他人。

Virginia Declaration of Rights

George Mason

I That all men are by nature equally free and independent, and have certain inherent rights, of which, when they enter into a state of society, they cannot, by any compact, deprive or divest their posterity; namely, the enjoyment of lif e and liberty, with the means of acquiring and possessing property, and pursuing and obtaining happiness and safety.

II That all power is vested in, and consequently derived from, the people; t hat magistrates are their trustees and servants, and at all times amenable to th em.

III That government is, or ought to be, instituted for the common benefit, p rotection, and security of the people, nation or community; of all the various m odes and forms of government that is best, which is capable of producing the gre atest degree of happiness and safety and is most effectually secured against the danger of maladministration; and that, whenever any government shall be found i nadequate or contrary to these purposes, a majority of the community hath an ind ubitable, unalienable, and indefeasible right to reform, alter or abolish it, in such manner as shall be judged most conducive to the public weal.

IV That no man, or set of men, are entitled to exclusive or separate emolume nts or privileges from the community, but in consideration of public services; w hich, not being descendible, neither ought the offices of magistrate, legislator , or judge be hereditary.

V That the legislative and executive powers of the state should be separate and distinct from the judicative; and, that the members of the two first may be restrained from oppression by feeling and participating the burthens of the peop le, they should, at fixed periods, be reduced to a private station, return into that body from which they were originally taken, and the vacancies be supplied b y frequent, certain, and regular elections in which all, or any part of the form er members, to be again eligible, or ineligible, as the laws shall direct.

VI That elections of members to serve as representatives of the people in as sembly ought to be free; and that all men, having sufficient evidence of permane nt common interest with, and attachment to, the community have the right of suff rage and cannot be taxed or deprived of their property for public uses without t heir own consent or that of their representatives so elected, nor bound by any l aw to which they have not, in like manner, assented, for the public good.

VII That all power of suspending laws, or the execution of laws, by any auth ority without consent of the representatives of the people is injurious to their rights and ought not to be exercised.

VIII That in all capital or criminal prosecutions a man hath a right to dema nd the cause and nature of his accusation to be confronted with the accusers and witnesses, to call for evidence in his favor, and to a speedy trial by an impar tial jury of his vicinage, without whose unanimous consent he cannot be found gu ilty, nor can he be compelled to give evidence against himself; that no man be d eprived of his liberty except by the law of the land or the judgement of his pee rs.

IX That excessive bail ought not to be required, nor excessive fines imposed ; nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.

X That general warrants, whereby any officer or messenger may be commanded t o search suspected places without evidence of a fact committed, or to seize any person or persons not named, or whose offense is not particularly described and supported by evidence, are grievous and oppressive and ought not to be granted.

XI That in controversies respecting property and in suits between man and ma n, the ancient trial by jury is preferable to any other and ought to be held sac red.

XII That the freedom of the press is one of the greatest bulwarks of liberty and can never be restrained but by despotic governments.

XIII That a well regulated militia, composed of the body of the people, trai ned to arms, is the proper, natural, and safe defense of a free state; that stan ding armies, in time of peace, should be avoided as dangerous to liberty; and th at, in all cases, the military should be under strict subordination to, and be g overned by, the civil power.

XIV That the people have a right to uniform government; and therefore, that no government separate from, or independent of, the government of Virginia, ough t to be erected or established within the limits thereof.

XV That no free government, or the blessings of liberty, can be preserved to any people but by a firm adherence to justice, moderation, temperance, frugalit y, and virtue and by frequent recurrence to fundamental principles.

XVI That religion, or the duty which we owe to our Creator and the manner of discharging it, can be directed by reason and conviction, not by force or viole nce; and therefore, all men are equally entitled to the free exercise of religio n, according to the dictates of conscience; and that it is the mutual duty of al l to practice Christian forbearance, love, and charity towards each other.