Preamble, of tatives. Vacancies, how tilled. Legislative powers. 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 brauch of the State Legislature. Qualifications of Representa-seven years a citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an inhabitant of that State in 2. No person shall be a Representative who shall not have attained to the age of twenty-five years, and been tives. which he shall be chosen. Apportionment 3. Representatives and direct taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included withRepresen-in 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 choose 8; Massachusetts, 8: Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, 1: Connecticut, 5: New York, 6: New Jersey, 4; Pennsylvania, 8; Delaware, 1; Maryland, 6; Virginia, 10; North Carolina, 5; South Carolina, 5, and Georgia, 3.* 4. When vacancies happen in the representation froin any State, the Executive Authority thereof shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies, Officers, how 5. The House of Representatives shall choose their Speaker and other officers, and shall have the sole power of appointed. 1 mpeachment. Senate. SECTION III. [See Article XVII., Amendments.] 1. 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 Benator shall have one vote. 2. Immediately after they shall be assembled in eonsequence 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 appoint ment until the next meeting of the Legislature, which shall then fill such vacancies. 3. 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. 4. The Vice-President of the United States shall be President of the Senate, but shall have no vote unless they be equally divided. 3. The Senate shall choose their other officers, and also a President pro tempore, in the absence o the VicePresident, or when he shall exercise the office of President of the United States. Senate a court 6. The Senate shall have the sole power to try all impeachinents. When sitting for that purpose, they shall be for trial of im- on oath or affirmation. peachments. person shall be convicted without the concurrence of two-thirds of the members present. When the President of the United States is tried, the Chief Justice shall preside; and no Judgment in ease of convic- to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust, or profit under the United States; but the party convicted shall never7. Judgment in cases of impeachment shall not extend further than to removal from office, and disqualification tion. theless be liable and subject to indictinent, trial, judgment, and punishment, according to law. Electionsoffenators and Representatives, Meeting of Congress. Organization of Congress. SECTION IV. 1. 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 places of choosing Senators. 2. 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 V. 1. 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. pro Rule of ceedings. 2. Each House may determine the rules of its preceedings, punish its members for disorderly behavior, and with Journals of the concurrence of two-thirds expel a member. each House. Adjournment of Congress. Pay and privi 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, 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. leges of mem- tained by law, and paid out of the Treasury of the United States. They shall in all cases, except treason, felony, SECTION VI. 1. The Senators and Representatives shall receive a compensation for their services, to be ascer bera. 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 questi oned in any other place. offices 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 etnoluments whereof shall have been i nereased 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 VH. 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 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, *See Article XIV., Amendments. Classification of Qualifications of Benators. President of the Senate. Other prohibited. Constitution of the United States. WE, the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic tranquillity, provide for the common defense, promote the gen eral welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this CONSTITUTION for the United States of America. Revenue bills. How bills become laws. ARTICLE I. SECTION I. 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. Constitution of the United States. pproval and 3. Every order, resolution, or vote to which the concurrence of the Senate and House of Representatives may veto powers be necessary (except on a question of adjournment) shall be presented to the President of the United States; and of the Presi- before the same shall take effect shall be approved by him, or being disapproved by him, shall be repassed by twodent. thirds of the Senate and the House of Representatives, according to the rules and limitations prescribed in the case of a bill. Powers vested in Congress. SECTION VIII. 1. The Congress shall have power: To lay and collect taxes, duties, anposts, 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. 2. To borrow money on the credit of the United States. 8. To regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian tribes. 4. To establish an uniform rule of naturalization and uniform laws on the subject of bankruptcies throughout the United States. 5. To coin money, regulate the value thereof, and of foreign coin, and fix the standard of weights and measures. 6. To provide for the punishment of counterfeiting the securities and current coin of the United States. 8. To promote the progress of science and useful arts by securing for limited times to authors and inventors the exclusive rights to their respective writings and discoveries. 9. To constitute tribunals inferior to the Supreme Court. 10. To define and punish piracies and felonies committed on the high seas, and offences against the law of nations. 11. To declare war, grant letters of marque and reprisal, and make rules concerning captures on land and water. 12. To raise and support armies, but no appropriation of money 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 land and naval forces. 15. To provide for calling forth the militia to execute the laws of the Union, suppress insurrections, and repel invasions. 16. 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. 17. 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, becoine the seat of 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, inagazines, arsenais, dry-docks, and other needful buildings. 18. 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. Immigrants, SECTION IX. 1. The migration or importation of such persons as any of the States now existing shall think how admitted, 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. Habeas corpus. 2. 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. 3. No bill of attainder or ex post facto law shall be passed. 4. No capitation or other direct tax shall be laid, unless in proportion to the census or enumeration hereinbefore directed to be taken. 5. No tax or duty shall be laid on articles exported from any State. 6. 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. 7. No money shall be drawn from the Treasury but in consequence of appropriations inade by law; and a regular statement and account of the receipts and expenditures of all public mouey shall be published from time to tinie. Attainder. 8. No title of nobility shall be granted by the United States. And no person holding any office of profit or ity prohibited. trust under then 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. Powers of SECTION X. 1. No State shall enter into any treaty, alliance, or confederation, grant letters of marque and reStates defined. prisal, coin money, emit bills of credit, make anything but gold and silver com 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. 2. No State shall, without the consent of the Congress, lay any impost or duties on imports or exports, except what may be absolutely necessary for executing its 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 control of the Congress. 3. 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. 1 ARTICLE II.. Executive pow SECTION 1. 1. The Executive power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America. He shall er, in whom hold his office during the term of four years, and, together with the Vice-President, chosen for the same term, be vested. elected as follows: Electors. 2. Each State shall appoint, in such manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a number of electors, equalto 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, Proceedings of 3. [The electors shall meet in their respective States and vote by ballot for two persons, of whom one at least electors. 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, n 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 unmber be a majority of Proceedings of the whole number of electors appointed, and if there be more than one who have such majority, and have an equal the House of number of votes, then the House of Representatives shall immediately choose by ballot one of them for President; Representa and if no person have a majority, then from the five highest on the list the said House shall in like manner choose tives. the President. But in choosing the President, the vote shall be taken by States, the representation from each * This clause is superseded by Article XII., Amendments. Time of choosing electors. 5. No person except a natural born citizen, or a citizen of the United States at the time of the adoption of Qualifications of the President, 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. 6. In case of the removal of the President from office, or of his death, resignation, or inability to discharge the Provision in case of his dia- powers and duties of the said office, the same shall devolve on the Vice-President, and the Congress may by law ability. 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. 7. 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. 8. Before he enter on the execution of his office he shall take the following oath or affirmation : Salary of the Onth of the "I do solemnly swear (or affirin) 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 1. 1. 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. 2. He shall have power, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to make treaties, provided twoMay make treaties, appoint thirds of the Senators present concur; and he shall nominate, and by and with the advice and consent of the ambassadors, Senate shall appoint ainbassadors, other public ministers and consuls, judges of the Supreme Court, and all other judges, etc. officers of the United States whose appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be es tablished 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. 3. 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 III. He shall from time to time give to the Congress information of the state of the Union, and May make recommendations recommend to their consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient; he may, on extraordito and con-nary occasions, convene both Houses, or either of them, and in case of disagreement between them with respect to vene Congress, 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. How officers SECTION IV. The President, Vice-President, and all civil officers of the United States shall be removed from may be re- office on impeachment for and conviction of treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors. moved. Duties of the May fill vacancies. ARTICLE III. Judicial power, SECTION I. The judicial power of the United States shall be vested in one Supreme Court, and in such inferior how invested. 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 behavior, and shall at stated times receive for their services a compensation which shall not be diminished during their continuance in office. SECTION II. 1. 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 oitizens 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. 2. In all cases affecting ambassadors, other public ministers, and consuls, and those in which a State shall be Jurisdiction of the Supreme party, the Supreme Court all 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 Court. the Congress shall inake. 3. 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 III. 1. Treason against the United States shall consist only in levying war against them, or in adhering to their enemies, giving them and 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. 2. 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. To what cases it extends. Rules respecting trials. Treason defined. How punished. ARTICLE IV. SECTION I. 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. of SECTION II. 1. The citizens of each State shall be entitled to all privileges and immunities of citizens in the several States. Rights of States and records. Privileges citizens. Executive requisitions. 2. 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. 3. No person held to service or labor 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 labor, but shall be delivered up on clain of the party to whom such service or labor may be due. Laws regulating SECTION III. 1. 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. 2. The Congress shall have power to dispose of and make all needful rules and regulations respecting the terriover tory or other property belonging to the United States; and nothing in this Constitution shall be so construed as to public lands. prejudice any claims of the United States, or of any particular State. Republican gov. SECTION IV. The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a republican form of government, ernment guar- and shall protect each of them against invasion, and, on application of the Legislature, or of the Executive (when anteed. 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, how amended. 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. Validity of ARTICLE VI. 1. 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. 90 Constitution of the United States. Supreme law of 2. This Constitution and the laws of the United States which shall be made in pursuance thereof and all the land de-treaties made, or which shall be made, under the authority of the United States, shall be the supreme law of the fined. land, and the judges in every State shall be bound thereby, anything in the Constitution or laws of any State to the contrary notwithstanding. Oath; of whom 3. The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the members of the several State Legislatures, and required and all executive and judicial officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by oath or for what, 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. Ratification of The ratification of the Conventions of nine States shall be sufficient for the establishment of this Constitution the Constitu- between the States so ratifying the same. tion. AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION. Religion and free speech. Right to bear arms. Soldiers in time of peace. Right of search. Right to speedy trial. Trial by jury. Excessive bail. Capital crimes No person shall be held to answer for a capital or other infamous crime unless on a presentment or Indictment and arrest of a grand jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the militia, when in actual service, in therefor. time of war or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use without just compensation. Enumeration of rights. Reserved rights of States. Judicial power. ARTICLE I. Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. ARTICLE II. A well-regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. Slavery prohibited. ARTICLE III. No soldier shall, in time of peace, be quartered in any house without the consent of the owner, nor in time of war but in a manner to be prescribed by law. ARTICLE IV. The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized. ARTICLE V. ARTICLE VI. In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previons. ly ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the assistance of counsel for his defence. ARTICLE VII. In suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury shall be otherwise re-examined in any court of the United States than according to the rules of the common law. ARTICLE VIII. Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted. The enumeration in the Constitution of certain rights shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people. ARTICLE X. The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people. ARTICLE XI. The judicial power of the United States shall not be construed to extend to any suit in law or equity, com menced or prosecuted against one of the United States, by citizens of another State, or by citizens or subjects of any foreign State. ARTICLE XII. Electors in The electors shall meet in their respective States, and vote by ballot for President and Vice-President, one of Presidential whom at least shall not be an inhabitant of the same State with themselves; they shall name in their ballots the elections. person voted for as President, and in distinct ballots the person voted for as Vice-President; and they shall make distinct lists of all persons voted for as President, and of all persons voted for as Vice-President, and of the num ber 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 for President shall be the President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of electors appointed; and if no person have such majority, then from the persons having the highest numbers, not exceeding three, on the list of those voted for as President, the House of Representatives shall choose im. mediately, by ballot, the President. But in choosing 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. And if the House of Rep resentatives shall not choose a President, whenever the right of choice shall devolve upon them, before the fourth day of March next following, then the Vice-President shall act as President, as in the case of the death or other Vice-President, constitutional disability of the President. The person having the greatest number of votes as Vice-President shall be the Vice-President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of electors appointed, and if no person have a majority, then from the two highest numbers on the list the Senate shall choose the Vice-President; a quorum for the purpose shall consist of two-thirds of the whole number of Senators, and a majority of the whole number shall be necessary to a choice. But no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice-President of the United States. ARTICLE XIII. 1. Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction, 2. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation. Protection for all citizens, The CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES-Continued. ARTICLE XIV. 1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shali abridge the privileges or uninunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property without due process of law, nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws. Apportionment 2. Representatives shall be apportioned among the several States according to their respective numbers, counting of Represen- the whole number of persons in each State, excluding Indians not taxed. But when the right to vote at any election for the choice of electors for President and Vice-President of the United States, Representatives in Congress, the executive and judicial officers of a State, or the members of the Legislature thereof, is denied to any of the male members of such State, being of twenty-one years of age, and citizens of the United States, or in any way abridged, except for participation in rebellion or other crime, the basis of representation therein shall be reduced in the propor tion which the number of such male citizens shall bear to the whole number of male citizens twenty-one years of age in such State. tatives. Rebellion 3. No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of Presidentand Vice-President, or against the holding any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an United States, oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of auy State Legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in Insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid and comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may, by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability. public 4. The validity of the public debt of the United States, anthorized by law, including debts incurred for payment of pensions and bounties for services in suppressing, insurrection and rebellion, shall not be questioned. But neither the United States nor any State shall assume or pay any debt or obligation incurred in aid of insurrection or rebellion against the United States, or any claim for the loss or emancipation of any slave; but all such debts, obligations, and claims shall be held illegal and void. 5. The Congress shall have power to enforce by appropriate legislation the provisions of this article. ARTICLE XV. Right of suf- Taxes on In comes. 1. The right of the citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude. 2. The Congress shall have power to enforce the provisions of this article by appropriate legislation. The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration. ARTICLE XVII. RATIFICATION OF THE CONSTITUTION. The Constitution was ratified by the thirteen original States in the following order: Delaware, December 7, 1787, unanimously. Senators elect- 1. The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, elected by the people 2. When vacancies happen in the representation of any State in the Senate, the executive authority of such State shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies: Provided, That the Legislature of any State may empower the executive thereof to make temporary appointment antil the people fill the vacancies by election as the Legislature may direct. 3. This amendment shall not be so construed as to affect the election or term of any Senator chosen before it becomes valid as part of the Constitution. South Carolina, May 23, 1788, vote 149 to 73. New Hampshire, June 21, 1788, vote 57 to 46. New York, July 26, 1788, vote 30 to 28. RATIFICATION OF THE AMENDMENTS. I. to X. Inclusive were declared in force December 15, 1791. XI. was declared in force January 8, 1798. XII, regulating elections, was ratified by all the States except Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire, which XIII. The emancipation amendinent was ratified by 31 of the 36 States; rejected by Delaware and Kentucky, not acted on by Texas; XVI. Income tax amendment was ratified by all the States except Connecticut, Florida, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah and THE NATIONAL FLAG. THE official flag of the United States bears forty-eight white stars in a blue field, arranged in six rows of eight stars each. Two stars were added in 1912 by the admission of Arizona and New Mexico to the Union. The garrison flag of the Army is made of bunting, thirty-six feet fly and twenty feet hoist, thirteen stripes, and in the upper quarter, next the staff, is the field or "union" of stars, equal to the number of States, on blue field, over one-third length of the flag, extending to the lower edge of the fourth red stripe from the top. The storm flag is twenty feet by ten feet, and the recruiting flag nine feet nine inches by four feet four inches. The "American Jack" is the "union" or blue field of the flag. The Revenue Marine Service flag, authorized by act of Congress, March 2, 1799, was originally prescribed to consist of sixteen perpendicular stripes, alternate red and white, the union of the ensign bearing the arms of the United States in dark blue on a white field." The sixteen stripes represented the number of States which had been admitted to the Union at that time, and no change has been made since, June 14, the anniversary of the adoption of the flag, is celebrated as Flag Day in a large part of the Union. |