WE, the People of the United States, in order to form
a more perfect union, establish justice, infuse domestic tranquillity, provide
for the common defence, promote the general welfare, and secure the bleffings
of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the
United States of America.

ARTICLE I.

Seç. 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.

Seç. 2. 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 requi-
rite for electors of the moſt numerous branch of the ſtate legiſlature.

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.

Repreſentatives and direct taxes shall be apportioned among the ſeveral ſtates which may be in-
cluded within this Union, according to their reſpective numbers, which ſhall be determined by add-
ing to the whole number of free perſons, including thofe 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 years after the firſt meeting of the Congreſs of the United States, and within
every ſubſquent 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 en-
titled to chufe three, Maſſachuſetts eight, Rhode-Iſland and Providence Plantations one, Conneſticut
five, New-York ſix, New-Jerſey four, Pennſylvania eight, Delaware one, Maryland ſix, Virginia
ten, North-Carolina five, South-Carolina five, and Georgia three.

When vacancies happen in the repreſentation from any ſtate, the Executive authority thereof
ſhall ifſue writs of election to fill ſuch vacancies.

The Houſe of Repreſentatives chauſe their Speaker and other officers; and chauſe the
ſole power of impeachment.

Seç. 3. The Senate of the United States ſhall be compoſed of two ſenators from each ſtate, cho-
ſen by the legiſlature thereof, for ſix years; and each ſenator ſhall have one vote.

Immediately after they ſhall be afflembled in conſequence of the firſt election, they ſhall be divi-
ded as equally as may be into three clafſes. The ſeats of the ſenators of the firſt clafs ſhall be vaca-
ted at the expiration of the ſecond year, of the ſecond clafs at the expiration of the fourth year, and
of the third clafs at the expiration of the ſixth year, to that one-third may be choſen every ſecond
year; and if vacancies happen by reſignation, or otherwile, during the recces of the Legiſlature of
any ſtate, the Executive thereof may make temporary appointments until the next meeting of the
Legiſlature, which ſhall then fill ſuch vacancies.

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

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

The Senate ſhall chauſe their other officers, and alſo a Preſident pro tempore, in the absence of
the Vice-President, or when he ſhall exerce the office of Preſident of the United States.

The Senate ſhall have the ſole power to try all impeachments. When ſitting for that purpofe,
they ſhall be on oath or affirmation. When the Preſident of the United States is tried, the Chief
Juſtice ſhall preſide: And no perſon ſhall be convicted without the concurrence of two-thirds of
the members prefent.

Judgment in cafes of impeachment ſhall not extend further than to removal from office, and diſ-
qualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, truſt or profit under the United States; but the
party convicted ſhall nevertheless be liable and ſubject to indiſtment, trial, judgment and puniſh-
ment, according to law.

Seç. 4. The times, places and manner of holding elections for ſenators and repreſentatives, ſhall
be preſcribed in each ſtate by the legiſlature thereof; but the Congreſs may at any time by law make
or alter ſuch regulations, except as to the places of chufing Senators.

The Congreſs ſhall afflemble at leaſt once in every year, and ſuch meeting ſhall be on the firſt Mon-
day in December, unlesſ they ſhall by law appoint a different day.

Seç. 5. Each houſe ſhall be the judge of the elections, returns and qualifications of its own mem-
bers, and a majority of each ſhall conſtitute a quorum to do buſinſes; but a ſmaller number may
adjourn from day to day, and may be authorized to compel the attendance of abſent members, in
fuch manner, and under ſuch penalties as each houſe may provide.

Each houſe may determine the rules of its proceedings, puniſh its members for diſorderly beha-
viour, and, with the concurrence of two-thirds, expel a member.

Each houſe ſhall keep a journal of its proceedings, and from time to time publifh the fame, ex-
cepting ſuch parts as may in their judgment require fecrecy; and the yeas and nays of the members
of either houſe on any queſtion ſhall, at the defire of one-fifth of thofe prefent, be entered on the
journal.

Neither houſe, during the ſeffion of Congreſs, ſhall, 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.

Seç. 6. 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 cafes, ex-
cept treaſon, felony and breach of the peace, be privileged from arreſt during their attendance at
the

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the fession of their respective houses, and in going to and returning from the fame; and for any
speech or debate in either house, they shall not be questioned in any other place.

No fenator 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 emo-
luments whereof shall have been encreafed during fuch time; and no perfon holding any office un-
der the United States, shall be a member of either house during his continuance in office.

Seçt. 7. All bills for raifing revenue shall originate in the house of representatives; but the fenate
may propofe or concur with amendments as on other bills.

Every bill which shall have paffed the house of representatives and the fenate, shall, before it be-
come a law, be prefented 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 objections at large on their journal, and proceed to recon sider it. If after fuch recon-
fideration two-thirds of that house shall agree to paff the bill, it shall be fent, together with the
objections, to the other house, by which it shall likewise be reconfidered, and if approved by two-
thirds of that house, it shall become a law. But in all fuch cafes the votes of both houses shall
be determined by yeas and nays, and the names of the perfon s voting for and against the bill shall
be entered on the journal of each house respectively. If any bill shall not be returned by the Pre-
fident within ten days (Sundays excepted) after it shall have been prefented to him, the fame shall
be a law, in like manner as if he had signed it, unlefs the Congreſs by their adjournment prevent its
return, in which cafe it shall not be a law.

Every order, refolution, or vote to which the concurrence of the Senate and Houſe of Reprefen-
tatives may be neceſſary (except on a queſtion of adjournment) ſhall be prefented to the Preſident
of the United States; and before the fame shall take effect, shall be approved by him, or, being
difapproved by him, ſhall be repafled by two-thirds of the Senate and Houſe of Reprefentatives, ac-
cording to the rules and limitations preſcribed in the cafe of a bill.

Seçt. 8. The Congreſs shall have power

To lay and collect taxes, duties, impoſts and excifes, to pay the debts and provide for the com-
mon defence and general welfare of the United States; but all duties, impoſts and excifes ſhall be
uniform throughout the United States;

To borrow money on the credit of the United States;

To regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the ſeveral ſtates, and with the Indian
tribes;

To eſtablish an uniform rule of naturalization, and uniform laws on the ſubject of bankruptcies
throughout the United States;

To coin money, regulate the value thereof, and of foreign coin, and fix the ſtandard of weights
and meaſures;

To provide for the puniſhment of counterfeiting the ſecurities and current coin of the United
States;

To eſtablish poſt offices and poſt roads;

To promote the progreſs of ſcience and uſeful arts, by ſecuring for limited times to authors and
inventors the exclusive right to their reſpective writings and diſcoveries;

To conſtitute tribunals inferior to the ſupreme court;

To define and puniſh piracies and ſelonies committed on the high ſeas, and offences against the
law of nations;

To declare war, grant letters of marque and reſprifal, and make rules concerning captures on
land and water;

To raife and ſupport armies, but no appropriation of money to that uſe shall be for a longer
term than two years;

To provide and maintain a navy;

To make rules for the government and regulation of the land and naval forces;

To provide for calling forth the militia to execute the laws of the union, ſuppreſs inſurrections
and repel invafations;

To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the militia, and for governing ſuch part
of them as may be employed in the ſervice of the United States, relerwing to the States reſpective-
ly, the appointment of the officers, and the authority of training the militia according to the di-
cipline preſcribed by Congreſs;

To exerceſe exclusive legiſlation in all cafes whatsoever, over ſuch diſtrict (not exceeding ten
miles (quare) as may, by ceſſion of particular States, and the acceptance of Congreſs, become
the ſeat of the government of the United States, and to exerceſe like authority over all places pur-
chafed by the ſentent of the legiſlature of the ſlate in which the fame ſhall be, for the erection of
forts, magazines, arfenals, dock-yards, and other neecful buildings;—And

To make all laws which shall be neceſſary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing
powers, and all other powers velſed by this conſtitution in the government of the United States,
or in any department or officer thereof.

Seçt. 9. The migration or importation of ſuch perſons as any of the ſtates now exiſting ſhall
think proper to admit, ſhall not be prohibited by the Congreſs prior to the year one thouſand eight
hundred and eight, but a tax or duty may be impoſed on ſuch importation, not exceeding ten dol-
lars for each perſon.

The privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall not be ſuſpended, unleſs when in cafes of rebelli-
on or invafion the public ſafet y may require it.

No bill of attainder or ex poſt facto law shall be paffed.

No capitation, or other direct, tax shall be laid, unleſs in proportion to the cenſus or enumeration
herein before directed to be taken.

No tax or duty ſhall be laid on articles exported from any ſtate. No preference ſhall be given
by any regulation of commerce or revenue to the ports of one ſtate over thofe of another: nor ſhall

veſſels

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veffels bound to, or from, one flate, be obliged to enter, clear, or pay duties in another.

No money shall be drawn from the treasury, but in consequence of appropriations made by law and a regular flapement and account of the receipts and expenditures of all public money shall be published from time to time.

No title of nobility shall be granted by the United States:—And no person holding any office of profit or truft under them, shall, without the consent of the Congreſs, accept of any preſent, emolument, office, or title, of any kind whatever, from any king, prince, or foreign flate.

Secl. 10. No flate shall enter into any treaty, alliance, or confederation; grant letters of marque and reprifal; coin money; emit bills of credit; make any thing but gold and filver coin a tender in payment of debts; pals any bill of attainder, ex poſt facto law, or law impairing the obligation of contracts, or grant any title of nobility.

No flate ſhall, without the conſent of the Congreſs, lay any impoſts or duties on imports or exports, except what may be absolutely neceſſary for executing its inſpeſion laws; and the net produce of all duties and impoſts, laid by any flate on imports or exports, ſhall be for the uſe of the Treasury of the United States; and all ſuch laws ſhall be ſubject to the revifion and controul of the Congreſs. No flate ſhall, without the conſent of Congreſs, lay any duty of tonnage, keep troops, or ſhips of war in time of peace, enter into any agreement or compact with another flate, or with a foreign pow-er, or engage in war, unleſs actually invaded, or in ſuch imminent danger as will not admit of delay.

II.

Secl. 1. The executive power ſhall be veſted in a preſident of the United States of America. He shall hold his office during the term of four years, and, together with the vice-president, choſen for the fame term, be elected as follows.

Each flate ſhall appoint, in ſuch manner as the legiſture thereof may direct, a number of elec-
tors, equal to the whole number of ſenators and repreſentatives to which the flate may be entitled
in the Congreſs: but no ſenator or repreſentative, or perſon holding an office of truſt or profit under
the United States, ſhall be appointed an elecſor.

The elecſors ſhall meet in their reſpeſtive flates, and vote by ballot for two perſons, of whom one at leaſt ſhall not be an inhabitant of the fame flate with themſelves. And they ſhall make a lift of all the perſons voted for, and of the number of votes for each; which lift they ſhall ſign and certi-ſy, and tranſmit ſeated to the ſeat of the government of the United States, directed to the preſident of the ſenate. The preſident of the ſenate ſhall, in the prefence of the ſenate and houſe of repreſenta- tives, open all the certificates, and the votes ſhall then be counted. The perſon having the great- eſt number of votes ſhall be the preſident, if ſuch number be a majority of the whole number of elecſors appointed; and if there be more than one who have ſuch majority, and have an equal number of votes, then the houſe of repreſentatives ſhall immediately chufe by ballot one of them for preſident; and if no perſon have a majority, then from the ſive highelt on the lift the ſaid houſe ſhall in like manner chufe the preſident. But in chufing the preſident, the votes ſhall be taken by flates, the repreſentation from each flate having one vote; a quorum for this purpofe ſhall conſit of a member or members from two-thirds of the flates, and a majority of all the flates ſhall be neceſſary to a choice. In every caſe, after the choice of the preſident, the perſon having the greateſt num- ber of votes of the elecſors ſhall be the vice-preſident. But if there ſhould remain two or more who have equal votes, the ſenate ſhall chufe from them by ballot the vice-preſident.

The Congreſs may determine the time of chufing the elecſors, and the day on which they
ſhall give their votes; which day ſhall be the fame throughout the United States.

No perſon except a natural born citizen, or a citizen of the United States, at the time of the adoption of this conſtitution, ſhall be eligible to the office of preſident; neither ſhall any perſon be eligible to that office who ſhall not have attained to the age of thirty-five years, and been four-teen years a ſenidet within the United States.

In caſe of the removal of the preſident from office, or of his death, reſignation, or inability to
difcharge the powers and duties of the ſaid office, the fame ſhall devolve on the vice-president, and
the Congreſs may by law provide for the caſe of removal, death, reſignation or inability, both of
the preſident and vice-president, declaring what officer ſhall then act as preſident, and ſuch officer
ſhall act accordingly, until the difability be removed, or a preſident ſhall be elected.

The preſident ſhall, at flated times, receive for his ſervices, a compeſſation, which ſhall neither
be encreaſed nor diminifhed during the period for which he ſhall have been elected, and he ſhall
not receive within that period any other emolument from the United States, or any of them.

Before he enter on the execution of his office, he ſhall take the following oath or affirmation:

"I do Solemnly ſwear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of preſident of the United States, and will to the beſt of my ability, preſerve, proteſt and defend the conſtitution of the United States."

Secl. 2. The preſident ſhall be commander in chief of the army and navy of the United States, and of the militia of the ſeveral States, when called into the actual ſervice of the United States; he may require the opinion, in writing, of the principal officer in each of the executive depart-ments, upon any ſubject relating to the duties of their reſpeſtive offices, and he ſhall have power to grant reprieſes and pardons for offences againſt the United States, except in caſes of im-peachment.

He ſhall have power, by and with the advice and conſent of the ſenate, to make treaties, pro-
vided two-thirds of the ſenators preſent concur; and he ſhall nominate, and by and with the ad-
vice and conſent of the ſenate, ſhall appoint ambaſſadors, other public minifters and conſuls, judg-
es of the ſupreme court, and all other officers of the United States, whose appointments are not
herein otherwife provided for, and which ſhall be eſtablished by law. But the Congreſs may by
law veſt the appointment of ſuch inferior officers, as they think proper, in the preſident alone, in
the courts of law, or in the heads of departments.

The preſident ſhall have power to fill up all vacancies that may happen during the receſſs of the
ſenate, by granting commiſions which ſhall expire at the end of their next ſeffusion.

Secl. 3.

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Seçl. 3. He shall from time to time give to the Congreſs information of the ſtate of the union, and recommend to their confideration ſuch meaſures as he ſhall judge neceſsary and expedient; he may, on extraordinary occafions, convene both houſes, or either of them, and in caſe of difagreement between them, with reſpect to the time of adjournment, he may adjourn them to ſuch time as he ſhall think proper; he ſhall receive ambaſſadors and other public minifers; he ſhall take care that the laws be faithfully executed, and ſhall commiffion all the officers of the United States.

Seçl. 4. The preſident, vice-president and all civil officers of the United States, ſhall be removed from office on impeachment for, and conviction of, treaſon, bribery, or other high crimes and miſdemeanors.

III.

Seçl. 1. The judicial power of the United States, shall be veſted in one ſupreme court, and in ſuch inferior courts as the Congreſs may from time to time ordain and eſtabliah. The judges, both of the ſupreme and inferior courts, ſhall hold their offices during good behaviour, and ſhall, at ſtated times, receive for their ſervices, a compenſation, which ſhall not be diminifhed during their continuance in office.

Seçl. 2. The judicial power ſhall extend to all cafes, in law and equity, arising under this conſtitution, the laws of the United States, and treaties made, or which ſhall be made, under their authority; to all cafes affecting ambaſſadors, other public minifers and conſuls; to all cafes of admiralty and maritime juridijction; to controverſies to which the United States ſhall be a party; to controverſies between two or more States, between a ſtate and citizens of another ſtate, between citizens of different States, between citizens of the fame ſtate claiming lands under grants of different States, and between a ſtate, or the citizens thereof, and foreign States, citizens or ſubjeſts.

In all cafes affecting ambaſſadors, other public minifers and conſuls, and thoſe in which a ſtate ſhall be party, the ſupreme court ſhall have original juridijction. In all the other cafes before mentioned, the ſupreme court ſhall have appellate juridijction, both as to law and fact, with ſuch exceptions, and under ſuch regulations as the Congreſs ſhall make.

The trial of all crimes, except in cafes of impeachment, ſhall be by jury; and ſuch trial ſhall be held in the ſtate where the ſaid crimes ſhall have been committed; but when not committed within any ſtate, the trial ſhall be at ſuch place or places as the Congreſs may by law have directed.

Seçl. 3. Treaſon againſt the United States, ſhall confiſt only in levying war againſt them, or in adhering to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort. No perſon ſhall be convicted of treaſon unleſs on the teſtimony of two witneſſes to the fame overt act, or on conſeſſion in open court.

The Congreſs ſhall have power to declare the puniſhment of treaſon, but no attainder of treaſon ſhall work corruption of blood, or forfeiture except during the life of the perſon attained.

IV.

Seçl. 1. Full faith and credit ſhall be given in each ſtate to the public acts, records, and judicial proceedings of every other ſtate. And the Congreſs may by general laws preſcribe the manner in which ſuch acts, records and proceedings ſhall be proved, and the effect thereof.

Seçl. 2. The citizens of each ſtate shall be entitled to all privileges and immunities of citizens in the ſeveral ſtates.

A perſon charged in any ſtate with treaſon, felony, or other crime, who ſhall flee from juſtice, and be found in another ſtate, ſhall, on demand of the executive authority of the ſtate from which he fled, be delivered up, to be removed to the ſtate having juridijction of the crime.

No perſon held to ſervice or labour in one ſtate, under the laws thereof, eſcaping into another, ſhall, in conſeqüence of any law or regulation therein, be diſcharged from ſuch ſervice or labour, but ſhall be delivered up on claim of the party to whom ſuch ſervice or labour may be due.

Seçl. 3. New ſtates may be admitted by the Congreſs into this union; but no new ſtate ſhall be formed or erected within the juridijction of any other ſtate; nor any ſtate be formed by the junctiſon of two or more ſtates, or parts of ſtates, without the conſent of the legiſlatures of the ſtates conſerned as well as of the Congreſs.

The Congreſs ſhall have power to diſpofe of and make all neeſtful rules and regulations reſpecting the territory or other property belonging to the United States; and nothing in this Conſtitution ſhall be ſo confuſed as to prejudice any claims of the United States, or of any particular ſtate.

Seçl. 4. The United States ſhall guarantee to every ſtate in this union a Republican form of government, and ſhall proteſt each of them againſt invaſion; and on application of the legiſlature, or of the executive (when the legiſlature cannot be convened) againſt domeſtic violence.

V.

The Congreſs, whenever two-thirds of both houſes ſhall deem it neceſsary, ſhall propoſe amendments to this conſtitution, or, on the application of the legiſlatures of two-thirds of the ſeveral ſtates, ſhall call a convention for propoſing amendments, which, in either caſe, ſhall be valid to all intents and purpofes, as part of this conſtitution, when ratified by the legiſlatures of three-fourths of the ſeveral ſtates, or by conventions in three-fourths thereof, as the one or the other mode of ratification may be propoſed by the Congreſs; Provided, that no amendment which may be made prior to the year one thouſand ſeven hundred and eight ſhall in any manner affect the firſt and fourth clauſes in the ninth ſection of the firſt article; and that no ſtate, without its conſent, ſhall be deprived of its eſtual ſuffrage in the ſenate.

VI.

All debts contracted and engagements entered into, before the adoption of this Conſtitution, ſhall be as valid againſt the United States under this Conſtitution, as under the confederation.

This conſtitution, and the laws of the United States which ſhall be made in purpuſance thereof; and all treaties made, or which ſhall be made, under the authority of the United States, ſhall be the ſupreme law of the land; and the judges in every ſtate ſhall be bound thereby, any thing in the conſtitution or laws of any ſtate to the contrary notwithstanding.

The