Wells v. Bain
Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
The matter considered arose upon two bills in equity in the Supreme Court, No. 13 and No. 14, to January Term 1874. No. 13 was a bill filed by Francis Wells and others, citizens and voters of Philadelphia, against James Bain, Alexander MeOuen and Thomas M. Locke, commissioners of the city of Philadelphia, and Edwin H. Fitler, Edward Browning, John P. Verree, Henry S. Hagert and John 0. James, commissioners of election under an ordinance of the convention to revise and amend…
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The matter considered arose upon two bills in equity in the Supreme Court, No. 13 and No. 14, to January Term 1874. No. 13 was a bill filed by Francis Wells and others, citizens and voters of Philadelphia, against James Bain, Alexander MeOuen and Thomas M. Locke, commissioners of the city of Philadelphia, and Edwin H. Fitler, Edward Browning, John P. Verree, Henry S. Hagert and John 0. James, commissioners of election under an ordinance of the convention to revise and amend the Constitution of Pennsylvania. No. 14 was a bill filed by John H. Donnelly, an inspector of elections of the Fifth…
1Opinion of the Court
The opinion of the court was delivered, December 6th 1873, by
Agnew, C. J.
Since the Declaration of Independence in 1776, it has been an axiom of'the American people, that all just government is founded in the consent of the people. This is recognised in the second section of the declaration of rights of the Constitution of Pennsylvania, which affirms that the people “ have at all times an inalienable and indefeasible right to alter, reform or abolish rheir government in such manner as they may think proper.” A self-evident corollary is, that an existing lawful government of the people cannot…
2Cited by27 opinions
- STANDER v. KelleySupreme Court of Pennsylvania · 1969
- Sincock v. DuffyDistrict Court, D. Delaware · 1963
- Commonwealth v. WidovichSupreme Court of Pennsylvania · 1928
- State ex rel. Linde v. HallNorth Dakota Supreme Court · 1916
- Armstrong v. KingSupreme Court of Pennsylvania · 1924
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