TRANSCRIPT:
We the
People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect
Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide
for the common defense, 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.
Section.
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.
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
requisite 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 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 Years 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 chuse 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.
When
vacancies happen in the Representation from any State, the
Executive Authority thereof shall issue Writs of Election
to fill such Vacancies.
The
House of Representatives shall chuse their Speaker and other
Officers; and shall have the sole Power of Impeachment.
Section.
3.
The
Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators
from each State, chosen by the Legislature thereof for six
Years; and each Senator shall have one Vote.
Immediately
after they shall be assembled in Consequence of the first
Election, they shall be divided as equally as may be into
three Classes. The Seats of the Senators of the first Class
shall be vacated at the Expiration of the second Year, of
the second Class at the Expiration of the fourth Year, and
of the third Class at the Expiration of the sixth Year,
so that one third may be chosen every second Year; and if
Vacancies happen by Resignation, or otherwise, during the
Recess 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 chuse their other Officers, and also a President
pro tempore, in the Absence of the Vice President, or when
he shall exercise the Office of President of the United
States.
The
Senate shall have the sole Power to try all Impeachments.
When sitting for that Purpose, 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 present.
Judgment
in Cases of Impeachment shall not extend further than to
removal from Office, and disqualification 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 Indictment, Trial, Judgment and Punishment, according
to Law.
Section.
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 chusing Senators.
The
Congress shall assemble at least once in every Year, and
such Meeting shall be on the first Monday in December ,
unless they shall by Law appoint a different Day.
Section.
5.
Each
House shall be the Judge of the Elections, Returns and Qualifications
of its own Members, and a Majority of each shall constitute
a Quorum to do Business; but a smaller Number may 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.
Each
House may determine the Rules of its Proceedings, punish
its Members for disorderly Behaviour, and, with the Concurrence
of two thirds, expel a Member.
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.
Neither
House, during the Session 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.
Section.
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
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 and returning
from the same; and for any Speech or Debate in either House,
they shall not be questioned in any other Place.
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 encreased 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.
7.
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.
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 Objections 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 respectively. If any Bill shall not be returned
by the President within ten Days (Sundays excepted) after
it shall have been presented to him, the Same shall be a
Law, in like Manner as if he had signed it, unless the Congress
by their Adjournment prevent its Return, in which Case it
shall not be a Law.
Every
Order, Resolution, or Vote to which the Concurrence of the
Senate and House of Representatives may be necessary (except
on a question of Adjournment) shall be presented to the
President of the United States; and before the Same shall
take Effect, shall be approved by him, or being disapproved
by him, shall be repassed by two thirds of the Senate and
House of Representatives, according to the Rules and Limitations
prescribed in the Case of a Bill.
Section.
8.
The
Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties,
Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the
common Defence and general Welfare of the United States;
but all Duties, Imposts and Excises 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 Felonies committed on the high Seas,
and Offences against the Law of Nations;
To declare
War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules
concerning Captures on Land and Water;
To raise
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 Invasions;
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, reserving to the States respectively,
the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training
the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;
To exercise
exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever, over such
District (not exceeding ten Miles square) as may, by Cession
of particular States, and the Acceptance of Congress, become
the Seat of the Government of the United States, and to
exercise like Authority over all Places purchased by the
Consent of the Legislature of the State in which the Same
shall be, for the Erection of Forts, Magazines, Arsenals,
dock-Yards, and other needful Buildings;--And
To make
all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying
into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers
vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United
States, or in any Department or Officer thereof.
Section.
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 dollars for each Person.
The
Privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended,
unless when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public
Safety may require it.
No Bill
of Attainder or ex post facto Law shall be passed.
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 those of another; nor shall
Vessels bound to, or from, one State, 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 Statement 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 Trust 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 State.
Section.
10.
No State
shall enter into any Treaty, Alliance, or Confederation;
grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal; coin Money; emit Bills
of Credit; make any Thing but gold and silver Coin a Tender
in Payment of Debts; pass any Bill of Attainder, ex post
facto Law, or Law impairing the Obligation of Contracts,
or grant any Title of Nobility.
No State
shall, without the Consent of the Congress, lay any Imposts
or Duties on Imports or Exports, except what may be absolutely
necessary for executing it's inspection Laws: and the net
Produce of all Duties and Imposts, laid by any State 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 Revision and Controul of the Congress.
No State
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 State,
or with a foreign Power, or engage in War, unless actually
invaded, or in such imminent Danger as will not admit of
delay.
Article
II.
Section.
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 same Term, be elected, as follows:
Each
State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof
may direct, a Number of Electors, equal to the whole Number
of Senators and Representatives to which the State 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 Elector.
The
Electors shall meet in their respective States, and vote
by Ballot for two Persons, of whom one at least shall not
be an Inhabitant of the same State with themselves. And
they shall make a List of all the Persons voted for, and
of the Number of Votes for each; which List they shall sign
and certify, and transmit sealed 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 Presence of the
Senate and House of Representatives, open all the Certificates,
and the Votes shall then be counted. The Person having the
greatest Number of Votes shall be the President, if such
Number be a Majority of the whole Number of Electors 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 chuse by Ballot one of them for President;
and if no Person have a Majority, then from the five highest
on the List the said House shall in like Manner chuse the
President. But in chusing the President, the Votes shall
be taken by States, the Representation from each State having
one Vote; A quorum for this purpose shall consist of a Member
or Members from two thirds of the States, and a Majority
of all the States shall be necessary to a Choice. In every
Case, after the Choice of the President, the Person having
the greatest Number of Votes of the Electors shall be the
Vice President. But if there should remain two or more who
have equal Votes, the Senate shall chuse from them by Ballot
the Vice President .
The
Congress may determine the Time of chusing the Electors,
and the Day on which they shall give their Votes; which
Day shall be the same 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 fourteen
Years a Resident within the United States.
In Case
of the Removal of the President from Office, or of his Death,
Resignation, or Inability to discharge the Powers and Duties
of the said Office, the Same 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 Disability be removed, or a President shall be elected
.
The
President shall, at stated Times, receive for his Services,
a Compensation, which shall neither be increased nor diminished
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, protect and defend the Constitution of the United
States."
Section.
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 Departments, upon any Subject
relating to the Duties of their respective Offices, and
he shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offences
against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment.
He shall
have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate,
to make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present
concur; and he shall nominate, and by and with the Advice
and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other
public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the supreme Court,
and all other Officers of the United States, whose Appointments
are not herein otherwise 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 Recess of the Senate, by granting
Commissions which shall expire at the End of their next
Session.
Section.
3.
He shall
from time to time give to the Congress Information of the
State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration
such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient;
he may, on extraordinary Occasions, convene both Houses,
or either of them, and in Case of Disagreement 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 Ministers; he shall take Care
that the Laws be faithfully executed, and shall Commission
all the Officers of the United States.
Section.
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.
Article
III.
Section.
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 establish. 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 diminished during their Continuance in Office.
Section.
2.
The
judicial Power shall extend to all Cases, 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 Cases affecting Ambassadors, other
public Ministers and Consuls;--to all Cases of admiralty
and maritime Jurisdiction;--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 same State claiming Lands under Grants of
different States, and between a State, or the Citizens thereof,
and foreign States, Citizens or Subjects.
In all
Cases affecting Ambassadors, other public Ministers and
Consuls, and those in which a State shall be Party, the
supreme Court shall have original Jurisdiction. In all the
other Cases before mentioned, the supreme Court shall have
appellate Jurisdiction, 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 Cases 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.
Section.
3.
Treason
against the United States, shall consist 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 same overt
Act, or on Confession 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 attainted.
Article
IV.
Section.
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.
Section.
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 Jurisdiction of the Crime.
No Person
held to Service or Labour in one State, under the Laws thereof,
escaping into another, shall, in Consequence 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 .
Section.
3.
New
States may be admitted by the Congress into this Union;
but no new State shall be formed or erected within the Jurisdiction
of any other State; nor any State be formed by the Junction
of two or more States, or Parts of States, without the Consent
of the Legislatures of the States concerned as well as of
the Congress.
The
Congress shall have Power to dispose of and make all needful
Rules and Regulations respecting the Territory or other
Property belonging to the United States; and nothing in
this Constitution shall be so construed as to Prejudice
any Claims of the United States, or of any particular State.
Section.
4.
The
United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union
a Republican Form of Government, and shall protect each
of them against Invasion; and on Application of the Legislature,
or of the Executive (when the Legislature cannot be convened),
against domestic Violence.
Article
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 Purposes, 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 eight 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 equal Suffrage in
the Senate.
Article
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 Pursuance 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
Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the Members
of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and
judicial Officers, both of the United States and of the
several States, shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to
support this Constitution; but no religious Test shall ever
be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust
under the United States.
Article
VII.
The
Ratification of the Conventions of nine States, shall be
sufficient for the Establishment of this Constitution between
the States so ratifying the Same.
The
Word, "the," being interlined between the seventh and eighth
Lines of the first Page, the Word "Thirty" being partly
written on an Erazure in the fifteenth Line of the first
Page, The Words "is tried" being interlined between the
thirty second and thirty third Lines of the first Page and
the Word "the" being interlined between the forty third
and forty fourth Lines of the second Page.
Attest
William Jackson Secretary
Done
in Convention by the Unanimous Consent of the States present
the Seventeenth Day of September in the Year of our Lord
one thousand seven hundred and Eighty seven and of the Independence
of the United States of America the Twelfth In witness whereof
We have hereunto subscribed our Names,
G°.
Washington
Presidt and deputy from Virginia
Delaware
Geo: Read
Gunning Bedford jun
John Dickinson
Richard Bassett
Jaco: Broom
Maryland
James McHenry
Dan of St Thos. Jenifer
Danl. Carroll
Virginia
John Blair
James Madison Jr.
North
Carolina
Wm. Blount
Richd. Dobbs Spaight
Hu Williamson
South
Carolina
J. Rutledge
Charles Cotesworth Pinckney
Charles Pinckney
Pierce Butler
Georgia
William Few
Abr Baldwin
New
Hampshire
John Langdon
Nicholas Gilman
Massachusetts
Nathaniel Gorham
Rufus King
Connecticut
Wm. Saml. Johnson
Roger Sherman
New
York
Alexander Hamilton
New
Jersey
Wil: Livingston
David Brearley
Wm. Paterson
Jona: Dayton
Pennsylvania
B Franklin
Thomas Mifflin
Robt. Morris
Geo. Clymer
Thos. FitzSimons
Jared Ingersoll
James Wilson
Gouv Morris
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