“In the government of this commonwealth, the legislative department shall never exercise the executive and judicial powers, or either of them; the executive shall never exercise the legislative and judicial powers, or either of them; the judicial shall never exercise the legislative and executive powers, or either of them; to the end it may be a government of laws, and not of men.”

The phrase “government of laws and not of men” conveys that those who wield the reins of power have an obligation to conform their conduct to the existing practices, laws and Constitutional provisions.  While it is true that existing legal and constitutional barriers were erected by men and women, those enactments were done pursuant to the authorizations of the people or their duly-elected representatives, so that by following the rules laid down, we are maintaining the sovereignty of the American people themselves.