The Journal of the Debates in the Convention which framed the Constitution of USA Volume I Part 4

The Journal of the Debates in the Convention which framed the Constitution of USA Volume I Part 4

ARTICLE 1:

The Style of this Government shall be The United States of America & the Government shall consist of supreme legislative Executive & judicial Powers.

2

The Legislative Power shall be vested in a Congress to consist of two separate Houses--one to be called the House of Delegates & the other the Senate who shall meet on the ---- ---- Day of ---- in every year.

3

The members of the House of Delegates shall be chosen every ---- year by the people of the several States & the qualification of the electors shall be the same as those of the electors in the several States for their legislatures--each member shall have been a citizen of the United States for ---- years; and shall be of ---- years of age & a resident in the State he is chosen for.----Until a census of the people shall be taken in the manner herein after mentioned the House of Delegates shall consist of ---- to be chosen from the different States in the following proportions: for New Hampshire, ----; for Ma.s.sachusetts, ---- for Rhode Island, ---- for Connecticut, ---- for New York, ---- for New Jersey, ---- for Pennsylvania, ---- for Delaware, ---- for Mary^{ld}, ---- for Virginia, ---- for North Carolina, ---- for South Carolina, ---- for Georgia, ---- & the Legislature shall hereafter regulate the number of delegates by the number of inhabitants according to the Provisions herein after made, at the rate of one for every ---- thousand.--All money bills of every kind shall originate in the house of Delegates & shall not be altered by the Senate. The House of Delegates shall exclusively possess the power of impeachment & shall choose it's own officers & vacancies therein shall be supplied by the executive authority of the State in the representation from which they shall happen.

4

The Senate shall be elected & chosen by the House of Delegates which House immediately after their meeting shall choose by ballot ---- Senators from among the Citizens & residents of New Hampshire ---- from among those of Ma.s.sachusetts ---- from among those of Rhode Island ---- from among those of Connecticut ---- from among those of New York ---- from among those of New Jersey ---- from among those of Pennsylvania ---- from among those of Delaware ---- from among those of Maryland ---- from among those of Virginia ---- from among those of North Carolina ---- from among those of South Carolina & ---- from among those of Georgia ----

The Senators chosen from New Hampshire Ma.s.sachusetts Rhode Island & Connecticut shall form one cla.s.s--those from New York New Jersey Pennsylvania & Delaware one cla.s.s--& those from Maryland Virginia North Carolina South Carolina & Georgia one cla.s.s.

The House of Delegates shall number these Cla.s.ses one two & three & fix the times of their service by Lot--the first cla.s.s shall serve for ---- years--the second for ---- years & the third for ---- years--as their times of service expire the House of Delegates shall fill them up by elections for ---- years & they shall fill all vacancies that arise from death or resignation for the time of service remaining of the members so dying or resigning.

Each Senator shall be ---- years of age at least--shall have been a Citizen of the United States 4 years before his election & shall be a resident of the State he is chosen from. The Senate shall choose its own Officers.

5

Each State shall prescribe the time & manner of holding elections by the People for the house of Delegates & the House of Delegates shall be the judges of the elections returns & Qualifications of their members.

In each house a Majority shall const.i.tute a Quorum to do business--Freedom of Speech & Debate in the legislature shall not be impeached or Questioned in any place out of it & the Members of both Houses shall in all cases except for Treason Felony or Breach of the Peace be free from arrest during their attendance at Congress & in going to & returning from it--Both Houses shall keep journals of their Proceedings & publish them except on secret occasions & the yeas & nays may be entered thereon at the desire of one ---- of the members present.

Neither house without the consent of the other shall adjourn for more than ---- days nor to any Place but where they are sitting.

The members of each house shall not be eligible to or capable of holding any office under the Union during the time for which they have been respectively elected nor the members of the Senate for one year after.

The members of each house shall be paid for their services by the States which they represent.

Every bill which shall have pa.s.sed the Legislature shall be presented to the President of the United States for his revision--if he approves it he shall sign it--but if he does not approve it he shall return it with his objections to the house it originated in which house if two thirds of the members present, notwithstanding the President's objections agree to pa.s.s it, shall send it to the other house with the President's objections, where if two thirds of the members present also agree to pa.s.s it, the same shall become a law--& all bills sent to the President & not returned by him within ---- days shall be laws unless the Legislature by their adjournment prevent their return in which case they shall not be laws.

6^{th}

The Legislature of the United States shall have the power to lay & collect Taxes Duties Imposts & excises

To regulate Commerce with all nations & among the several States.

To borrow money & emit bills of Credit

To establish Post offices.

To raise armies

To build & equip Fleets

To pa.s.s laws for arming organizing & disciplining the Militia of the United States

To subdue a rebellion in any State on application of its legislature

To coin money & regulate the Value of all coins & fix the Standard of Weights & measures

To provide such Dock Yards & a.r.s.enals & erect such fortifications as may be necessary for the United States & to exercise exclusive Jurisdiction therein

To appoint a Treasurer by ballot

To const.i.tute Tribunals inferior to the Supreme Court

To establish Post & military Roads

To establish & provide for a national University at the Seat of the Government of the United States

To establish uniform rules of Naturalization

To provide for the establishment of a Seat of Government for the United States not exceeding ---- miles square in which they shall have exclusive jurisdiction

To make rules concerning Captures from an Enemy

To declare the law & Punishment of piracies & felonies at sea & of counterfeiting Coin & of all offences against the Laws of Nations

To call forth the aid of the Militia to execute the laws of the Union enforce treaties suppress insurrections and repel invasions

And to make all laws for carrying the foregoing powers into execution.

The Legislature of the United States shall have the Power to declare the Punishment of Treason which shall consist only in levying War against the United States or any of them or in adhering to their Enemies. No person shall be convicted of Treason but by the testimony of two witnesses.

The proportion of direct taxation shall be regulated by the whole number of inhabitants of every description which number shall within ---- years after the first meeting of the Legislature & within the term of every ---- year after be taken in the manner to be prescribed by the Legislature

No Tax shall be laid on articles exported from the States--nor capitation tax but in proportion to the Census before directed

All Laws regulating Commerce shall require the a.s.sent of two thirds of the members present in each house--The United States shall not grant any t.i.tle of n.o.bility--The Legislature of the United States shall pa.s.s no Law on the subject of Religion, nor touching or abridging the Liberty of the Press nor shall the privilege of the writ of Habeas Corpus ever be suspended except in case of Rebellion or Invasion.

All acts made by the Legislature of the United States pursuant to this Const.i.tution & all Treaties made under the authority of the United States shall be the supreme Law of the land & all Judges shall be bound to consider them as such in their decisions.

7

The Senate shall have the sole & exclusive power to declare War & to make treaties & to appoint Amba.s.sadors & other Ministers to foreign nations & Judges of the Supreme Court.

They shall have the exclusive power to regulate the manner of deciding all disputes & controversies now subsisting or which may arise between the States respecting Jurisdiction or Territory.

8

The Executive Power of the United States shall be vested in a President of the United States of America which shall be his style & his t.i.tle shall be His Excellency. He shall be elected for ---- years & shall be reeligible.

He shall from time to time give information to the Legislature of the state of the Union & recommend to their consideration the measures he may think necessary--he shall take care that the laws of the United States be duly executed: he shall commission all the officers of the United States & except as to Amba.s.sadors other ministers and Judges of the Supreme Court he shall nominate & with the consent of the Senate appoint all other officers of the United States. He shall receive public Ministers from foreign nations & may correspond with the Executives of the different States. He shall have power to grant pardons & reprieves except in impeachments--He shall be Commander in chief of the army & navy of the United States & of the Militia of the several States & shall receive a compensation which shall not be increased or diminished during his continuance in office. At entering on the Duties of his office he shall take an oath faithfully to execute the duties of a President of the United States.--He shall be removed from his office on impeachment by the house of Delegates & Conviction in the Supreme Court of Treason bribery or Corruption--In case of his removal death resignation or disability the President of the Senate shall exercise the duties of his office until another President be chosen--& in case of the death of the President of the Senate the Speaker of the House of Delegates shall do so.

9