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CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES.

Preamble.

WE, the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfec union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquillity, provide for the common defence, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this constitution for the United States of America.

ARTICLE I.

Of the Legislature.

SECTION 1.

1. All legislative powers herein granted, shall be vested in a congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives.

SECTION II.

1. The House of Representatives shall be composed of members chosen every second year by the people of the several states; and the electors in each state shall have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the state legislature.

2. No person shall be a representative who shall not have attained to the age of twenty-five years, and been seven years a citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an inhabitant of that state in which he shall be chosen.

3. Representatives and direct taxes shall be apportioned among the several states which may be included within this union, according to their respective numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole number of free persons, including those bound to service for a term of years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three-fifths of all other persons. The actual enumeration shall be made within three year after the first meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within every subsequent term of ten years, in such manner as they shall by law direct. The number of representatives shall not exceed one for every thirty thousand, but each state shall have at least one representative; and until such enumeration shall be made, the state of New Hampshire shall be entitled to choose three; Massachusetts eight; Rhode Island and Providence Plantations one; Connecticut five; New York six; New Jersey four; Pennsylvania eight; Delaware one; Maryland six; Virginia ten; North Carolina five; South Carolina five; and Georgia three.

4. When vacancies happen in the representation from any state, the

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executive authority thereof shall issue writs of election to fill up vacancies.

5. The House of Representatives shall choose their speaker and o officers, and shall have the sole power of impeachment.

SECTION III.

1. The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two s tors from each state, chosen by the legislature thereof, for six y and each senator shall have one vote.

2. Immediately after they shall be assembled in consequence of first election, they shall be divided, as equally as may be, into th classes. The seats of the senators of the first class shall be vacate the expiration of the second year, of the second class at the expirat of the fourth year, and of the third class at the expiration of the si year, so that one-third may be chosen every second year; and vacancies happen, by resignation or otherwise, during the recess the legislature of any state, the executive thereof may make tempor appointments until the next meeting of the legislature, which s then fill such vacancies.

3. No person shall be a senator who shall not have attained to age of thirty years, and been nine years a citizen of the United Sta and who shall not, when elected, be an inhabitant of that state which he shall be chosen.

4. The Vice President of the United States shall be President of Senate, but shall have no vote, unless they be equally divided.

5. The Senate shall choose their other officers, and also a presid pro tempore, in the absence of the Vice President, or when he sl exercise the office of President of the United States.

6. The Senate shall have the sole power to try all impeachmer When sitting for that purpose, they shall be on oath or affirmati When the President of the United States is tried, the chief just shall preside; and no person shall be convicted without the conc rence of two-thirds of the members present.

7. Judgment in case of impeachment shall not extend further th to removal from office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any off of honour, trust, or profit, under the United States; but the pa convicted shall, nevertheless, be liable and subject to indictment, tri judgment, and punishment according to law.

SECTION IV.

1. The times, places, and manner of holding elections for senat and representatives, shall be prescribed in each state by the legislatu thereof; but the Congress may at any time, by law, make or alter su regulations, except as to the place of choosing senators.

2. The Congress shall assemble at least once in every year, and su meeting shall be on the first Monday in December, unless they sh by law appoint a different day.

SECTION V.

1. Each House shall be the judge of the elections, returns, a

qualifications of its own members; and a majority of each shall constitute a quorum to do business; but a smaller number raay adjourn from day to day, and may be authorized to compel the attendance of absent members, in such manner and under such penalties as each House may provide.

2. Each House may determine the rule of its proceedings, punish its members for disorderly behaviour, and, with the concurrence of two-thirds, expel a member.

3 Each House shall keep a journal of its proceedings, and from time to time publish the same, excepting such parts as may in their judgment require secrecy ; and the yeas and nays of the members of either House, on any question, shall, at the desire of one-fifth of those present, be entered on the journal.

4. Neither House during the session of Congress shali, without the consent of the other, adjourn for more than three days, nor to any other place than that in which the two houses shall be sitting.

SECTION VI.

1. The senators and representatives shall receive a compensation for their services, to be ascertained by law, and paid out of the treasury of the United States. They shall in all cases, except treason, felony, and breach of the peace, be privileged from arrest during their attendance at the session of their respective Houses, and in going to or returning from the same; and for any speech or debate in either House, they shall not be questioned in any other place.

2. No senator or representative shall, during the time for which he was elected, be appointed to any civil office under the authority of the United States which shall have been created, or the emoluments whereof shall have been increased, during such time; and no person holding any office under the United States shall be a member of either House during his continuance in office.

SECTION VII.

1. All bills for raising revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives; but the Senate may propose or concur with amendments, as on other bills.

2. Every bill which shall have passed the House of Representatives and the Senate shall, before it become a law, be presented to the President of the United States; if he approve, he shall sign it; but if not, he shall return it, with his objections, to that House in which it shall have originated, who shall enter the objection at large on their journal, and proceed to reconsider it. If, after such reconsideration, two-thirds of that House shall agree to pass the bill, it shall be sent, together with the objections, to the other House, by which it shall likewise be reconsidered, and if approved by two-thirds of that House, it shall become a law. But in all such cases the votes of both Houses shall be determined by yeas and nays, and the names of the persons voting for and against the bill shall be entered on the journal of each House respectvely. If any bill shall not be returned by the President within ten

days (Sundays excepted) after it shall have been presented to the same shall be a law in like manner as if he had signed it, u the Congress by their adjournment prevent its return, in which ca shall not be a law.

3. Every order, resolution, or vote to which the concurrence o Senate and House of Representatives may be necessary, (except a c tion of adjournment,) shall be presented to the President of the U States; and before the same shall take effect, shall be approved him, or being disapproved by him, shall be repassed by two-third the Senate and House of Representatives, according to the rules limitations prescribed in the case of a bill.

SECTION VIII.

The Congress shall have power

1. To lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts, and excises, to pay debts and provide for the common defence and general welfare of United States; but all duties, imposts, and excises shall be unif throughout the United States:

2. To borrow money on the credit of the United States :

3. To regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among several states, and with the Indian tribes:

4. To establish a uniform rule of naturalization, and uniform 1 on the subject of bankruptcies, throughout the United States:

5. To coin money, regulate the value thereof, and of foreign c and fix the standard of weights and measures:

6. To provide for the punishment of counterfeiting the securi and current coin of the United States:

7. To establish post offices and post roads:

8. To promote the progress of science and useful arts, by secur for limited times to authors and inventors the exclusive right to th respective writings and discoveries:

9. To constitute tribunals inferior to the supreme court.

10. To define and punish piracies and felonies committed on high seas, and offences against the law of nations:

11. To declare war, grant letters of marque and reprisal, and m rules concerning captures on land and water:

12. To raise and support armies; but no appropriation of mor to that use shall be for a longer term than two years:

13. To provide and maintain a navy :

14. To make rules for the government and regulation of the la and naval forces:

15. To provide for calling forth the militia to execute the laws the Union, suppress insurrections, and repel invasions:

16. To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining the mili and for governing such part of them as may be employed in the serv of the United States, reserving to the states respectively the appoi ment of the officers and the authority of training the militia accordi to the discipline prescribed by Congress :

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17. To exercise exclusive legislation, in all cases whatsoever, o

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