mediately choose 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 choose 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. 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 shall remain two or more, who have equal votes, the Senate shall choose from them, by ballot, the Vice-President.* Annulled. Ste amendinents, Art. 12.] Congress may determine the ing Electors of natural 4. The Congress may determine the time of choosing the Electors and the day on which they shall give their votes; time of chooswhich day shall be the same throughout the United States. President, &c. 5. No person, except a natural born citizen, or a citizen The President of the United States at the time of the adoption of this Con- to be stitution, shall be eligible to the office of President. Neither zen in 1788; shall any person be eligible to that office, who shall not have and 13 years a attained to the age of thirty-five years, and been fourteen resident of the years a resident within the United States. born, or a ciţi 35 United States. caney in the of dent the Vice to 6. In case of the removal of the President from office, or In case of vaof his death, resignation, or inability to discharge the powers fice of Presi and duties of the said office, the same shall devolve on the President Vice-President; and the Congress may, by law, provide for act, &c. 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. dent. 7. The President shall, at stated times, receive for his ser- compensation vices, a compensation, which shall neither be increased nor of the Presi 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 The President take the following oath or affirmation: to take an oath. 9. "I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully Form of the execute the office of President of the United States; and oath. will, to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States." SECT. 11. in chief, &c. He may require ions from prin. 1. The President shall be commander in chief of the The President army and navy of the United States, and of the militia of the is Commander several States, when called into the actual service of the United States. He may require the opinion, in writing, of written opinthe principal officer in each of the executive departments, cipal executive upon any subject relating to the duties of their respective of- officers. fices; and he shall have power to grant reprieves and par- He can reprieve dons, for offences against the United States, except in cases and pardon. of impeachment. may, in con. Jon with Senate, caties, nt Amlors, &c. 2. 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, Cress may and which shall be established by law. But the Congress ents in may, by law, vest the appointment of such inferior officers, or other as they shall think proper, in the President alone, in the courts of law, or in the heads of departments. ་ 4 1 stain ap President 1. President vacan 3. The President shall have power to fill up all vacancies te that may happen, during the recess of the Senate, by grantat the ing commissions, which shall expire at the end of their next ng session. SECT. III. 1. He shall, from time to time, give to the Congress inent to in- formation of the state of the Union; and recommend to their mend consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and nd expedient. ingress ; may Con › certain Anbassa jaws He may, on extraordinary occasions, convene both Housrees, or either of them, and in case of disagreement between shail them, with respect to the time of adjournment, he may adandjourn them to such time as he shall think proper. He shall Son all receive Ambassadors and other public ministers. He shall States. take care that the laws be faithfully executed; and shall commission all the officers of the United States. 1. The President, Vice-President and all civil officers of e on the United States, shall be removed from office, on impeacha conviction. ment for, and conviction of, treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors. 1. The Judicial power of the United States shall be vested Su 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 hold their offices during good behaviour; and shall, at stated times, d be receive for their services, a compensation, which shall not be diminished during their continuance in office. SECT. II. the 1. The Judicial Power shall extend to all cases, in law wer 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 [ See a re 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, striction of this and between a State, or citizens thereof, and foreign States, Amendments citizens or subjects.* provision. Article 11.] diction of the 2. In all cases, affecting Ambassadors, other public Ministers, and Consuls, and those in which a State shall be a original and party, the Supreme Court shall have original jurisdiction. appellate juris. In all the other cases before mentioned, the Supreme Court Supreme Court. shall have appellate jurisdiction, both as to law and fact, with such exceptions, and under such regulations, as the Congress shall make. to be by jury, 3. The trial of all crimes, except in cases of impeachment, Trial of crimes shall be by jury and such trial shall be held in the State &c. 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. SECT. III. treason. 1. Treason against the United States shall consist only in Definition of levying war against them, or in adhering to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort. No person shall be convicted Two witnesses of treason unless on the testimony of two witnesses to the necessary to same overt act, or on confession in open Court. conviction. clare the pun 2. The Congress shall have power to declare the punish- Congress to de ment of treason; but no attainder of treason shall work cor- ishment of trearuption of blood, or forfeiture, except during the life of the person attainted. ARTICLE IV. SECTION I. given in one public acts, &c. 1. Full faith and credit shall be given, in each State, to Credit to be the public acts, records, and judicial proceedings of every State to the other State. And the Congress may, by general laws, pre- of another. scribe the manner in which such acts, records and proceedings shall be proved, and the effect thereof. SECT. II. Reciprocity of 1. The citizens of each State shall be entitled to all priv-citizenship ileges and immunities of citizens in the several States. throughout the States. State to anoth 2. A person charged in any State with treason, felony, or criminals flee other crime, who shall flee from justice, and be found in ing from one another State, shall, on demand of the Executive Authority er. to be deliv of the State from which he fled, be delivered up, to be re- mand. moved to the State, having jurisdiction of the crime. ered up on de. slaves, &c. to 3. No person, held to service or labor in one State, under Runaway the laws thereof, escaping into another, shall, in consequence be delivered up. of any law or regulation therein, be discharged from such service or labor; but shall be delivered up on claim of the party to whom such service or labor may be due. ted into the 1. New States may be admitted by the Congress into this may be admit Union; but no new State shall be formed or erected within Union, &e. Congress to have power &c. the jurisdiction of any other State-nor any State be formed by the junction of two or more States, or parts of Stateswithout 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 over territory, all needful rules and regulations respecting the territory or other property belonging to the United States, and nothing in Claims of the this Constitution shall be so construed, as to prejudice any to be prejudic- claims of the United States, or of any particular States. States, &c. not ed. Republican ment guaran. SECT. IV. 1. The United States shall guarantee to every State in form of govern- 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. teed to each State, &c. ing this Constitution. ARTICLE V. 1. The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses Mode of amend 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 Concerning Congress: provided, that no amendment, which may be made tion of certain 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.† the importa persons and di- Art. 1. Sec. 3. ARTICLE VI. 1. All debts contracted, and engagements entered into, beAssumption of fore the adoption of this Constitution, shall be as valid debts incurred against the United States, under this Constitution, as under federation. the confederation. under the con This Constitu tion, Acts of Congress, and Treaties, the Supreme Law, &c. The State Judges bound thereby. Senators, Rep- 2. 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. 3. The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the members of the several State Legislatures, and all oath or affirma Executive and Judicial officers, both of the United States and tion to support 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. this Constitu tion. No religious test required. ARTICLE VII. The ratification of the Conventions of nine States shall be Ratification of sufficient for the establishment of this Constitution between nine States suf the States so ratifying the same. 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. GEORGE WASHINGTON, President, NEW-HAMPSHIRE. JOHN LANGDON, MASSACHUSETTS. NATHANIEL GORHAM, RUFUS KING. CONNECTICUT. WILLIAM SAMUEL JOHNSON, ROGER SHERMAN. NEW-YORK. and Deputy from Virginia. ALEXANDER HAMILTON. JOHN BLAIR, NEW-JERSEY. WILLIAM LIVINGSTON, PENNSYLVANIA. BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, GEORGE CLYMER, JARED INGERSOL, GOUVERNEUR MORRIS. Attest, JAMES MADISON, JUN'R. NORTH CAROLINA. WILLIAM BLOUNT, RICHARD DOBBS SPRAIGHT, SOUTH-CAROLINA. JOHN RUTLEDGE, CHARLES COTESWORTH PINCKNEY, PIERCE BUTLER. GEORGIA. WILLIAM FEW, ABRAHAM BAldwin. WILLIAM JACKSON, Secretary. IN CONVENTION, Monday, Sept. 17, 1787, PRESENT, The States of New-Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, MR. HAMILTON, from New-York, New-Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North-Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia: ficient, &c. 1. RESOLVED, That the preceding constitution be laid be- Constitution to fore the United States in Congress assembled, and that be laid before it is congress, &c. |