The Text

The militia of this state shall, at all times hereafter, be armed and disciplined, and in readiness for service; but all such inhabitants of this state, of any religious denomination whatever, as from scruples of conscience may be averse to bearing arms, shall be excused therefrom by paying to the state an equivalent in money; and the legislature shall provide, by law, for the collection of such equivalent, to be estimated according to the expense, in time and money, of an ordinary able-bodied militia-man.