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This is another double entendre because it can be interpreted as Mike Stud telling people to call him Deion due to his defensive skills (a reference to former NFL cornerback and recent inductee of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Deion Sanders), or as him telling people to call him Deion because he lays the pipe well.
The "Neon Deion" circa '96
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That in all capital or criminal prosecutions a man has a right to demand 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 impartial jury of twelve men of his vicinage, without whose unanimous consent he cannot be found guilty; nor can he be compelled to give evidence against himself; that no man be deprived of his liberty except by the law of the land or the judgment of his peers. The Fifth Virginia Convention – Virginia Declaration of Rights (1776)
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This section explains that a defendant in a capital or criminal prosecution has the right to:
- Know why he’s being accused, what he’s being accused of, and by whom he is being accused (a concept that has its roots in Roman law, which guaranteed persons accused of a crime the right to look their accusers in the eye;
- Call for evidence in his favor (to prevent against anyone covering up evidence that’ll help prove the defendant didn’t commit the crime for any reason);
- A speedy trial (to prevent against being detained for an unnecessarily long length of time without just cause);
- An impartial jury (to prevent against anyone from stacking the jury in their favor) whose unanimous consent must be given in order for the defendant to be found guilty
- Not self-incriminate through force;
- Not be deprived of being free within society unless the deprivation is by the law of the land or by the judgement of his peers
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This clause within Section 5 states that regular elections should be held to replace “all, or any part, of the former members” of the legislature and executive branches of government so as to prevent the possibility of oppression that would come with members who serve for life.
Although the clause doesn’t define how often these elections should take place, it is clear that the members of the Fifth Virginia Convention believed that term limits should be imposed to curb against any member holding an uncontested monopoly over a certain position (which is an inherent property of dictatorship).
That all power of suspending laws, or the execution of laws, by any authority, without consent of the representatives of the people, is injurious to their rights and ought not to be exercised. The Fifth Virginia Convention – Virginia Declaration of Rights (1776)
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This section bars the government from suspending laws unless the suspension has been consented to by the representatives of the people. Subsequently, this prevents the government from suspending laws in order to enforce absolute rule over the people.
Today, this concept can be seen in the Posse Comitatus Act, a law passed in 1878 which states that the federal government cannot limit the powers of local governments and law enforcement agencies for any reason without consent from the Congress first.
That no free government, or the blessings of liberty, can be preserved to any people but by a firm adherence to justice, moderation, temperance, frugality, and virtue and by frequent recurrence to fundamental principles. The Fifth Virginia Convention – Virginia Declaration of Rights (1776)
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That the people have a right to uniform government; and, therefore, that no government separate from or independent of the government of Virginia ought to be erected or established within the limits thereof. The Fifth Virginia Convention – Virginia Declaration of Rights (1776)
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This section essentially bars any citizen of Virginia from seceding from the government outlined in the Declaration and erect another separate or independent government within Virginia’s state lines.
Section 14 is particularly interesting due to prominent role Virginia played in the Confederate States during the American Civil War, which was fought due to the secession of the Confederate States from the Union.
That in controversies respecting property, and in suits between man and man, the ancient trial by jury is preferable to any other and ought to be held sacred. The Fifth Virginia Convention – Virginia Declaration of Rights (1776)
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Section 11 asserts that it is preferable to settle property disputes via trial by jury, wherein a jury either makes a decision or makes findings of fact which are then applied by a judge. This assertion directly opposes bench trials – the preferred legal process in England at the time – wherein a trial is held before a judge or panel of judges without a jury.
In essence, Section 11 is a buffer against despotism due the inherent ability of a trial by jury to serve as a check against state power.
Pictured below is an example of a despot:
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At the time this was written, “dispensing” a law did not mean to get rid of it completely but rather to allow a designated individual or group of individuals to disobey the law. To dispense in this case does not mean “to get rid of but rather to "grant a dispensation or exemption. This power to dispense a law was intended to be used by a king in order to make an exception for individual cases of hardship.
This article was particularly controversial due to the fact that many members of Parliament used it to support the Declaration of Rights (and the later Bill of Rights). In order to satisfy these members, the powers of “suspending” and “dispensing” were separated into different articles and the words “as it has been assumed and exercised of late” were added to Article 2.
This settled the aforementioned controversy because the words “of late” served as a vague reference to the use of the dispensing power by James II and arguably also by Charles II to gain toleration for Catholics as well as Protestant Dissenters.
Despite the addition of this vague reference, however, the Bill of Rights as a whole had the effect of permanently eliminating both the suspending and the dispensing power.
this is cool