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. I. All debts contracted and engagements entered into, Debts prior to the before the adoption of this Constitution, shall be as valid adoption of the Constitution. against the United States under this Constitution as under the Confederation. Force of the Con stitution, laws, and treaties of the United States. the Constitution. 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, anything in the Constitution or laws of any State to the contrary notwithstanding. 3. The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, Oath to support 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. Religious test. Ratification. ARTICLE VII. I. The ratification of the conventions of nine States shall be sufficient for the establishment of this Constitution between 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, and Deputy from Virginia. New Hampshire.-John Langdon, Nicholas Gilman. Massachusetts.-Nathaniel Gorham, Rufus King. Connecticut.-William Samuel Johnson, Roger Sherman. New York.-Alexander Hamilton. New Jersey.-William Livingston, David Brearly, William Patterson, Jonathan Dayton. Pennsylvania.-Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Mifflin, Robert Morris, George Clymer, Thomas Fitzsimons, Jared Ingersoll, Delaware.-George Read, Gunning Bedford, jun., John Maryland.-James McHenry, Daniel of St. Thomas Jenifer, Daniel Carroll. Virginia.-John Blair, James Madison, jun. North Carolina.-William Blount, Rich'd Dobbs Spaight, Hugh Williamson. South Carolina.-John Rutledge, Chas. Cotesworth Pinckney, Charles Pinckney, Pierce Butler. Georgia.-William Few, Abraham Baldwin. Attest: WILLIAM JACKSON, Secretary. TITUTIO AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION. [The following Amendments were proposed at the first session of the First Congress of the United States, which was begun and held at the city of New York, on the 4th of March, 1789, and were adopted by the requisite number of States. First volume of the Laws of the United States, page 72.] ARTICLE I. 1. Congress shall make no law respecting an establish- Free exercise of ment 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. of speech and of right of petition. religion, freedom the press, and the arms. 1. A well regulated militia being necessary to the security Right to bear of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. ARTICLE III. quartered. 1. No soldier shall, in time of peace, be quartered in any Soldiers not to be house without the consent of the owner, nor in time of war but in a manner to be prescribed by law. ARTICLE IV. People secured 1. The right of the people to be secure in their persons, against unreasonhouses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches able searches and seizures. ceedings regulated. 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. 1. No person shall be held to answer for a capital or Criminal pro- otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a grand jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the militia when in actual service, in time of war or public danger; nor shall any person be subject, for the same offense, 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, Private property or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use without just compensation. not to be taken, &c. Trial by jury se proceedings, &c. cured in criminal Right of trial by jury in common ARTICLE VI. 1. 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 previously 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 defense. ARTICLE VII. 1. In suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be law cases when preserved; and no fact tried by a jury shall be otherwise reexamined in any court of the United States, than according to the rules at the common law. to be had. Excessive bail. ARTICLE VIII. 1. Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted. ARTICLE IX. 1. The enumeration in the Constitution of certain rights, Rights retained shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by people. Powers not dele gated, &c., are reserved. by the people. ARTICLE X. 1. 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. [The following Amendment was proposed at the second session of the Third Congress. It is printed in the Laws of the United States, I vol., p. 73, as article 11.] ARTICLE XI. sued, &c. 1. The judicial power of the United States shall not be States not to be construed to extend to any suit in law or equity, commenced or prosecuted against one of the United States by citizens. of another State, or by citizens or subjects of any foreign State. [The three following sections were proposed as Amendments at the first session of the Eighth Congress. They are printed in the Laws of the United States as article 12.] ARTICLE XII. ing President. 1. The electors shall meet in their respective States, and Manner of choos vote by ballot for President and Vice President, one of whom, at least, shall not be an inhabitant of the same State with themselves; they shall name in their ballots the 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 number of votes for each, which lists 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, immediately, 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 Representatives shall not choose a President whenever the right of choice shall devolve upon them, House of Repre to choose Presi sentatives-when dent. If President not chosen, the Vice before the fourth day of March next following, then the Vice President to act President shall act as President, as in the case of the death or other constitutional disability of the President. as such. elect Vice Presi dent. 2. The person having the greatest number of votes as Senate when to 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. 3. But no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President, shall be eligible to that of Vice President of the United States. ARTICLE XIII. I. Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a Slavery abolish- punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States or any place subject to their jurisdiction. ed. Congress shall have power to 2. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by enforce this ar appropriate legislation. ticle. Who are citizens of the United States and of the States, their priv ileges and immu nities. of Representatives. ARTICLE XIV. I. 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 shall abridge the privileges or immunities 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. 2. Representatives shall be apportioned among the several Apportionment States according to their respective numbers, counting 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 inhabitants of such State, being 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 representa |