Constitution and Declaration of Independence

The Declaration ofIndependence

The Constitution ofthe United StatesThe Bill of Rights

AmendmentsXI–XXVII

Pocket Constitution

Legislative Process Flowchart

Legislation may begin in either chamber.Similar proposals are often introduced in both chambers.

Measures must pass both the House and the Senatein identical form before being presented to the President.

Measure introducedin the House

Leadership schedulesmeasure for floor

consideration

House debates andcan amend measure

House passes measure

House approves conference report Senate approves conference report

Measure referred tocommittee, which holds

hearings and reportsmeasure to the House

One chamberagrees tothe other

chamber’sversion

Each chamber appointsMembers to a conference

committee, which reconcilesdifferences and agrees to

a conference report

House andSenate exchangeamendments to

bill and reachagreement

Legislation presented to the President.

Presidentsigns

measure

Measurebecomes law

If President does notsign measure into law

within 10 days

If Congress isin session,measure

becomes law

If Congress isnot in session,

measuredoes not

become law(“pocket veto”)

Presidentvetoes

measure

Measure doesnot become law,

unlessboth chambersoverride veto by

2/3 majority

For importantmeasures, special rulereported by the Rules

Committee and adoptedby the House

OR

Measure introducedin the Senate

Leadership schedulesmeasure for floor

consideration

Senate debates andcan amend measure

Senate passes measure

Measure referred tocommittee, which holds

hearings and reportsmeasure to the Senate

OR OR

Sources: U.S. Senate; U.S. House of Representatives; and the Congressional Deskbookby Michael Koempel and Judy Schneider. Copyright ©2009 by TheCapitol.Net, Inc.

All Rights Reserved. 202-678-1600 www.TheCapitol.Net

The Declarationof Independence . . . . . . . . 1

The Constitutionof the United States . . . . . 9

The Bill of Rights . . . . . . . 29

AmendmentsXI–XXVII . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

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IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776.

The unanimous Declaration of thethirteen united States of America,

When in the Course of human events, it becomesnecessary for one people to dissolve the politicalbands which have connected them with another,and to assume among the powers of the earth, theseparate and equal station to which the Laws ofNature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decentrespect to the opinions of mankind requires thatthey should declare the causes which impel themto the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all menare created equal, that they are endowed by theirCreator with certain unalienable Rights, thatamong these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit ofHappiness.—That to secure these rights, Govern-ments are instituted amongMen, deriving their justpowers from the consent of the governed,—Thatwhenever any Form of Government becomes de-structive of these ends, it is the Right of the Peopleto alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Gov-ernment, laying its foundation on such principlesand organizing its powers in such form, as to themshall seem most likely to effect their Safety and

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The Declarationof Independence

Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate thatGovernments long established should not bechanged for light and transient causes; and ac-cordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankindare more disposed to suffer, while evils are suffer-able, than to right themselves by abolishing theforms to which they are accustomed. But when along train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing in-variably the same Object evinces a design to re-duce them under absolute Despotism, it is theirright, it is their duty, to throw off such Govern-ment, and to provide new Guards for their futuresecurity.—Such has been the patient sufferance ofthese Colonies; and such is now the necessitywhich constrains them to alter their former Sys-tems of Government. The history of the presentKing of Great Britain is a history of repeated in-juries and usurpations, all having in direct objectthe establishment of an absolute Tyranny overthese States. To prove this, let Facts be submittedto a candid world.

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the mostwholesome and necessary for the publicgood.

He has forbidden his Governors to passLaws of immediate and pressing importance,unless suspended in their operation till hisAssent should be obtained; and when sosuspended, he has utterly neglected toattend to them.

He has refused to pass other Laws for theaccommodation of large districts of people,unless those people would relinquish the

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right of Representation in the Legislature,a right inestimable to them and formidableto tyrants only.

He has called together legislative bodies atplaces unusual, uncomfortable, and distantfrom the depository of their public Records,for the sole purpose of fatiguing them intocompliance with his measures.

He has dissolved Representative Housesrepeatedly, for opposing with manly firmnesshis invasions on the rights of the people.

He has refused for a long time, after suchdissolutions, to cause others to be elected;whereby the Legislative powers, incapableof Annihilation, have returned to thePeople at large for their exercise; theState remaining in the mean time exposedto all the dangers of invasion from without,and convulsions within.

He has endeavoured to prevent thepopulation of these States; for that purposeobstructing the Laws for Naturalizationof Foreigners; refusing to pass othersto encourage their migrations hither,and raising the conditions of newAppropriations of Lands.

He has obstructed the Administration ofJustice, by refusing his Assent to Laws forestablishing Judiciary powers.

He has made Judges dependent on his Willalone, for the tenure of their offices, andthe amount and payment of their salaries.


He has erected a multitude of New Offices,and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrassour people, and eat out their substance.

He has kept among us, in times of peace,Standing Armies without the Consent ofour legislatures.

He has affected to render the Militaryindependent of and superior to the Civilpower.

He has combined with others to subject usto a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution,and unacknowledged by our laws; giving hisAssent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:

For Quartering large bodies of armed troopsamong us:

For protecting them, by a mock Trial, frompunishment for any Murders which theyshould commit on the Inhabitants of theseStates:

For cutting off our Trade with all partsof the world:

For imposing Taxes on us without ourConsent:

For depriving us in many cases, of thebenefits of Trial by Jury:

For transporting us beyond Seas to betried for pretended offences

For abolishing the free System ofEnglish Laws in a neighbouring Province,establishing therein an Arbitrary government,


and enlarging its Boundaries so as to renderit at once an example and fit instrument forintroducing the same absolute rule into theseColonies:

For taking away our Charters, abolishingour most valuable Laws, and alteringfundamentally the Forms of ourGovernments:

For suspending our own Legislatures, anddeclaring themselves invested with powerto legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

He has abdicated Government here, bydeclaring us out of his Protection andwaging War against us.

He has plundered our seas, ravaged ourCoasts, burnt our towns, and destroyedthe lives of our people.

He is at this time transporting large Armiesof foreign Mercenaries to compleat theworks of death, desolation and tyranny,already begun with circumstances ofCruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled inthe most barbarous ages, and totallyunworthy the Head of a civilized nation.

He has constrained our fellow Citizenstaken Captive on the high Seas to bearArms against their Country, to become theexecutioners of their friends and Brethren,or to fall themselves by their Hands.

He has excited domestic insurrectionsamongst us, and has endeavoured to


bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, themerciless Indian Savages, whose known ruleof warfare, is an undistinguished destructionof all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Peti-tioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Ourrepeated Petitions have been answered only by re-peated injury. A Prince whose character is thusmarked by every act which may define a Tyrant, isunfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have We been wanting in attentions to ourBrittish brethren. We have warned them from timeto time of attempts by their legislature to extendan unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have re-minded them of the circumstances of our emigra-tion and settlement here. We have appealed totheir native justice and magnanimity, and we haveconjured them by the ties of our common kindredto disavow these usurpations, which, would in-evitably interrupt our connections and correspon-dence. They too have been deaf to the voice of jus-tice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore,acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces ourSeparation, and hold them, as we hold the rest ofmankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the unitedStates of America, in General Congress, Assem-bled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the worldfor the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name,and by Authority of the good People of theseColonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these


United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Freeand Independent States; that they are Absolvedfrom all Allegiance to the British Crown, and thatall political connection between them and theState of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dis-solved; and that as Free and Independent States,they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace,contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to doall other Acts and Things which IndependentStates may of right do. And for the support of thisDeclaration, with a firm reliance on the protectionof divine Providence, we mutually pledge to eachother our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacredHonor.


GeorgiaButton GwinnettLyman HallGeorge Walton

North CarolinaWilliam HooperJoseph HewesJohn Penn

South CarolinaEdward Rutledge

Thomas Heyward, Jr.Thomas Lynch, Jr.Arthur Middleton

MassachusettsJohn Hancock

MarylandSamuel ChaseWilliam PacaThomas StoneCharles Carrollof Carrollton

VirginiaGeorge Wythe

Richard Henry LeeThomas JeffersonBenjamin HarrisonThomas Nelson, Jr.Francis Lightfoot Lee

Carter Braxton


PennsylvaniaRobert MorrisBenjamin Rush

Benjamin FranklinJohn MortonGeorge ClymerJames SmithGeorge TaylorJames WilsonGeorge Ross

DelawareCaesar RodneyGeorge Read

Thomas McKean

New YorkWilliam Floyd

Philip LivingstonFrancis LewisLewis Morris

New JerseyRichard StocktonJohn WitherspoonFrancis Hopkinson

John HartAbraham Clark

New HampshireJosiah BartlettWilliam Whipple

MassachusettsSamuel AdamsJohn Adams

Robert Treat PaineElbridge Gerry

Rhode IslandStephen HopkinsWilliam Ellery

ConnecticutRoger Sherman

Samuel HuntingtonWilliam WilliamsOliver Wolcott

New HampshireMatthew Thornton

We the People of the United States,in Order to form a more perfect Union,

establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility,provide for the common defence, promote thegeneral Welfare, and secure the Blessingsof 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 bevested in a Congress of the United States, whichshall consist of a Senate and House of Represen-tatives.

Section. 2.The House of Representatives shall be composedof Members chosen every second Year by the Peo-ple of the several States, and the Electors in eachState shall have the Qualifications requisite forElectors of the most numerous Branch of the StateLegislature.

No Person shall be a Representative who shallnot have attained to the Age of twenty five Years,and been seven Years a Citizen of the United States,


The Constitutionof the United States

and who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabitantof that State in which he shall be chosen.

Representatives and direct Taxes shall be ap-portioned among the several States which may beincluded within this Union, according to their re-spective Numbers, which shall be determined byadding to the whole Number of free Persons, in-cluding those bound to Service for a Term of Years,and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of allother Persons. The actual Enumeration shall bemade within three Years after the first Meeting ofthe Congress of the United States, and withinevery subsequent Term of ten Years, in such Man-ner as they shall by Law direct. The Number ofRepresentatives shall not exceed one for everythirty Thousand, but each State shall have at Leastone Representative; and until such enumerationshall be made, the State of New Hampshire shallbe 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 Carolinafive, and Georgia three.

When vacancies happen in the Representationfrom any State, the Executive Authority thereofshall issue Writs of Election to fill such Vacancies.

The House of Representatives shall chuse theirSpeaker and other Officers; and shall have the solePower of Impeachment.

Section. 3.The Senate of the United States shall be composedof two Senators from each State, chosen by the


Legislature thereof for six Years; and each Senatorshall have one Vote.

Immediately after they shall be assembled inConsequence of the first Election, they shall be di-vided as equally as may be into three Classes. TheSeats of the Senators of the first Class shall be va-cated at the Expiration of the second Year, of thesecond Class at the Expiration of the fourth Year,and of the third Class at the Expiration of the sixthYear, so that one third may be chosen every sec-ond Year; and if Vacancies happen by Resignation,or otherwise, during the Recess of the Legislatureof any State, the Executive thereof may make tem-porary Appointments until the next Meeting of theLegislature, which shall then fill such Vacancies.

No Person shall be a Senator who shall nothave attained to the Age of thirty Years, and beennine Years a Citizen of the United States, and whoshall not, when elected, be an Inhabitant of thatState for which he shall be chosen.

The Vice President of the United States shallbe 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 Absenceof the Vice President, or when he shall exercise theOffice of President of the United States.

The Senate shall have the sole Power to try allImpeachments. When sitting for that Purpose, theyshall be on Oath or Affirmation. When the Presi-dent of the United States is tried, the Chief Justiceshall preside: And no Person shall be convictedwithout the Concurrence of two thirds of the Mem-bers present.


Judgment in Cases of Impeachment shall notextend further than to removal from Office, anddisqualification to hold and enjoy any Office ofhonor, Trust or Profit under the United States: butthe Party convicted shall nevertheless be liableand subject to Indictment, Trial, Judgment andPunishment, according to Law.

Section. 4.The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elec-tions for Senators and Representatives, shall beprescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof;but the Congress may at any time by Law make oralter such Regulations, except as to the Places ofchusing Senators.

The Congress shall assemble at least once inevery Year, and such Meeting shall be on the firstMonday in December, unless they shall by Law ap-point 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 Quorumto do Business; but a smaller Number may adjournfrom day to day, and may be authorized to compelthe Attendance of absent Members, in such Man-ner, and under such Penalties as each House mayprovide.

Each House may determine the Rules of itsProceedings, punish its Members for disorderlyBehaviour, and, with the Concurrence of twothirds, expel a Member.

Each House shall keep a Journal of its Pro-


ceedings, and from time to time publish the same,excepting such Parts as may in their Judgment re-quire Secrecy; and the Yeas and Nays of the Mem-bers of either House on any question shall, at theDesire of one fifth of those Present, be entered onthe Journal.

Neither House, during the Session of Congress,shall, without the Consent of the other, adjourn formore than three days, nor to any other Place thanthat in which the two Houses shall be sitting.

Section. 6.The Senators and Representatives shall receive aCompensation for their Services, to be ascertainedby Law, and paid out of the Treasury of the UnitedStates. They shall in all Cases, except Treason,Felony and Breach of the Peace, be privilegedfrom Arrest during their Attendance at the Sessionof their respective Houses, and in going to and re-turning from the same; and for any Speech or De-bate in either House, they shall not be questionedin any other Place.

No Senator or Representative shall, during theTime for which he was elected, be appointed toany civil Office under the Authority of the UnitedStates, which shall have been created, or the Emol-uments whereof shall have been encreased duringsuch time; and no Person holding any Office underthe United States, shall be a Member of eitherHouse during his Continuance in Office.

Section. 7.All Bills for raising Revenue shall originate in theHouse of Representatives; but the Senate may pro-


pose or concur with Amendments as on otherBills.

Every Bill which shall have passed the Houseof Representatives and the Senate, shall, beforeit become a Law, be presented to the Presidentof the United States: If he approve he shall signit, but if not he shall return it, with his Objectionsto that House in which it shall have originated,who shall enter the Objections at large on theirJournal, and proceed to reconsider it. If after suchReconsideration two thirds of that House shallagree to pass the Bill, it shall be sent, together withthe Objections, to the other House, by which itshall likewise be reconsidered, and if approvedby two thirds of that House, it shall become aLaw. But in all such Cases the Votes of bothHouses shall be determined by yeas and Nays, andthe Names of the Persons voting for and againstthe Bill shall be entered on the Journal of eachHouse respectively. If any Bill shall not be returnedby the President within ten Days (Sundays ex-cepted) after it shall have been presented to him,the Same shall be a Law, in like Manner as if he hadsigned it, unless the Congress by their Adjourn-ment prevent its Return, in which Case it shall notbe a Law.

Every Order, Resolution, or Vote to which theConcurrence of the Senate and House of Repre-sentatives may be necessary (except on a questionof Adjournment) shall be presented to the Presi-dent of the United States; and before the Sameshall take Effect, shall be approved by him, orbeing disapproved by him, shall be repassed bytwo thirds of the Senate and House of Represen-


tatives, according to the Rules and Limitations pre-scribed in the Case of a Bill.

Section. 8.The Congress shall have Power To lay andcollect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises,to pay the Debts and provide for the commonDefence and general Welfare of the UnitedStates; but all Duties, Imposts and Excisesshall be uniform throughout the United States;

To borrow Money on the credit of the UnitedStates;

To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations,and among the several States, and with theIndian Tribes;

To establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization,and uniform Laws on the subject of Bankruptciesthroughout the United States;

To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, andof foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weightsand Measures;

To provide for the Punishment of counterfeitingthe Securities and current Coin of the UnitedStates;

To establish Post Offices and post Roads;

To promote the Progress of Science and usefulArts, by securing for limited Times to Authorsand Inventors the exclusive Right to theirrespective Writings and Discoveries;


To constitute Tribunals inferior to the supremeCourt;

To define and punish Piracies and Feloniescommitted on the high Seas, and Offencesagainst the Law of Nations;

To declare War, grant Letters of Marque andReprisal, and make Rules concerning Captureson Land and Water;

To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriationof Money to that Use shall be for a longer Termthan two Years;

To provide and maintain a Navy;

To make Rules for the Government andRegulation of the land and naval Forces;

To provide for calling forth the Militia to executethe Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrectionsand repel Invasions;

To provide for organizing, arming, anddisciplining, the Militia, and for governing suchPart of them as may be employed in the Serviceof the United States, reserving to the Statesrespectively, the Appointment of the Officers,and the Authority of training the Militia accordingto the discipline prescribed by Congress;

To exercise exclusive Legislation in allCases whatsoever, over such District (notexceeding ten Miles square) as may, by Cessionof particular States, and the Acceptance ofCongress, become the Seat of the Governmentof the United States, and to exercise like


Authority over all Places purchased by theConsent of the Legislature of the State inwhich the Same shall be, for the Erection ofForts, Magazines, Arsenals, dock-Yards, andother needful Buildings;—And

To make all Laws which shall be necessary andproper for carrying into Execution the foregoingPowers, and all other Powers vested by thisConstitution in the Government of the UnitedStates, or in any Department or Officer thereof.

Section. 9.The Migration or Importation of such Persons asany of the States now existing shall think properto admit, shall not be prohibited by the Congressprior to the Year one thousand eight hundred andeight, but a Tax or duty may be imposed on suchImportation, not exceeding ten dollars for eachPerson.

The Privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpusshall not be suspended, unless when in Cases ofRebellion or Invasion the public Safety may re-quire it.

No Bill of Attainder or ex post facto Law shallbe passed.

No Capitation, or other direct, Tax shall belaid, unless in Proportion to the Census or enu-meration herein before directed to be taken.

No Tax or Duty shall be laid on Articles ex-ported from any State.

No Preference shall be given by any Regula-tion of Commerce or Revenue to the Ports of oneState 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 byLaw; and a regular Statement and Account of theReceipts and Expenditures of all public Moneyshall be published from time to time.

No Title of Nobility shall be granted by theUnited States: And no Person holding any Officeof Profit or Trust under them, shall, without theConsent 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, orConfederation; grant Letters of Marque andReprisal; coin Money; emit Bills of Credit; makeany Thing but gold and silver Coin a Tender in Pay-ment of Debts; pass any Bill of Attainder, ex postfacto Law, or Law impairing the Obligation of Con-tracts, or grant any Title of Nobility.

No State shall, without the Consent of the Con-gress, lay any Imposts or Duties on Imports or Ex-ports, except what may be absolutely necessaryfor executing it’s inspection Laws: and the net Pro-duce of all Duties and Imposts, laid by any Stateon Imports or Exports, shall be for the Use of theTreasury of the United States; and all such Lawsshall be subject to the Revision and Controul of theCongress.

No State shall, without the Consent of Con-gress, lay any Duty of Tonnage, keep Troops, orShips of War in time of Peace, enter into any


Agreement or Compact with another State, or witha foreign Power, or engage in War, unless actuallyinvaded, or in such imminent Danger as will notadmit of delay.

Article. II.

Section. 1.The executive Power shall be vested in a Presidentof the United States of America. He shall hold hisOffice during the Term of four Years, and, togetherwith the Vice President, chosen for the same Term,be elected, as follows:

Each State shall appoint, in such Manner asthe Legislature thereof may direct, a Number ofElectors, equal to the whole Number of Senatorsand Representatives to which the State may be en-titled in the Congress: but no Senator or Repre-sentative, or Person holding an Office of Trust orProfit under the United States, shall be appointedan Elector.

The Electors shall meet in their respectiveStates, and vote by Ballot for two Persons, ofwhom one at least shall not be an Inhabitant of thesame State with themselves. And they shall makea List of all the Persons voted for, and of the Num-ber of Votes for each; which List they shall signand certify, and transmit sealed to the Seat of theGovernment of the United States, directed to thePresident of the Senate. The President of the Sen-ate shall, in the Presence of the Senate and Houseof Representatives, open all the Certificates, andthe Votes shall then be counted. The Person havingthe greatest Number of Votes shall be the Presi-


dent, if such Number be a Majority of the wholeNumber of Electors appointed; and if there bemore than one who have such Majority, and havean equal Number of Votes, then the House of Rep-resentatives shall immediately chuse by Ballot oneof them for President; and if no Person have a Ma-jority, then from the five highest on the List thesaid House shall in like Manner chuse the Presi-dent. But in chusing the President, the Votes shallbe taken by States, the Representation from eachState having one Vote; A quorum for this purposeshall consist of a Member or Members from twothirds of the States, and a Majority of all the Statesshall be necessary to a Choice. In every Case, afterthe Choice of the President, the Person having thegreatest Number of Votes of the Electors shall bethe Vice President. But if there should remain twoor more who have equal Votes, the Senate shallchuse from them by Ballot the Vice President.

The Congress may determine the Time ofchusing the Electors, and the Day on which theyshall give their Votes; which Day shall be the samethroughout the United States.

No Person except a natural born Citizen, or aCitizen of the United States, at the time of theAdoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible tothe Office of President; neither shall any Person beeligible to that Office who shall not have attainedto the Age of thirty five Years, and been fourteenYears a Resident within the United States.

In Case of the Removal of the President fromOffice, or of his Death, Resignation, or Inability todischarge 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 ofRemoval, Death, Resignation or Inability, both ofthe President and Vice President, declaring whatOfficer shall then act as President, and such Offi-cer shall act accordingly, until the Disability be re-moved, or a President shall be elected.

The President shall, at stated Times, receivefor his Services, a Compensation, which shall nei-ther be increased nor diminished during the Periodfor which he shall have been elected, and he shallnot receive within that Period any other Emolu-ment 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 faith-fully execute the Office of President of the UnitedStates, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve,protect and defend the Constitution of the UnitedStates.”

Section. 2.The President shall be Commander in Chief of theArmy and Navy of the United States, and of theMilitia of the several States, when called into theactual Service of the United States; he may requirethe Opinion, in writing, of the principal Officer ineach of the executive Departments, upon any Sub-ject relating to the Duties of their respective Of-fices, and he shall have Power to grant Reprievesand Pardons for Offences against the UnitedStates, except in Cases of Impeachment.

He shall have Power, by and with the Adviceand Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, pro-vided two thirds of the Senators present concur;


and he shall nominate, and by and with the Adviceand Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambas-sadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judgesof the supreme Court, and all other Officers of theUnited States, whose Appointments are not hereinotherwise provided for, and which shall be estab-lished by Law: but the Congress may by Law vestthe Appointment of such inferior Officers, as theythink proper, in the President alone, in the Courtsof Law, or in the Heads of Departments.

The President shall have Power to fill up all Va-cancies that may happen during the Recess of theSenate, by granting Commissions which shall ex-pire at the End of their next Session.

Section. 3.He shall from time to time give to the Congress In-formation of the State of the Union, and recom-mend to their Consideration such Measures as heshall judge necessary and expedient; he may, onextraordinary Occasions, convene both Houses, oreither of them, and in Case of Disagreement be-tween them, with Respect to the Time of Adjourn-ment, he may adjourn them to such Time as heshall think proper; he shall receive Ambassadorsand other public Ministers; he shall take Care thatthe Laws be faithfully executed, and shall Com-mission all the Officers of the United States.

Section. 4.The President, Vice President and all civil Officersof the United States, shall be removed from Officeon 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 bevested in one supreme Court, and in such inferiorCourts as the Congress may from time to time or-dain and establish. The Judges, both of thesupreme and inferior Courts, shall hold their Of-fices during good Behaviour, and shall, at statedTimes, receive for their Services a Compensation,which shall not be diminished during their Con-tinuance in Office.

Section. 2.The judicial Power shall extend to all Cases, inLaw 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 publicMinisters and Consuls;—to all Cases of admiraltyand maritime Jurisdiction;—to Controversies towhich the United States shall be a Party;—to Con-troversies between two or more States;— betweena State and Citizens of another State,—betweenCitizens of different States,—between Citizens ofthe same State claiming Lands under Grants of dif-ferent States, and between a State, or the Citizensthereof, and foreign States, Citizens or Subjects.

In all Cases affecting Ambassadors, other pub-lic Ministers and Consuls, and those in which aState shall be Party, the supreme Court shall haveoriginal Jurisdiction. In all the other Cases beforementioned, the supreme Court shall have appellateJurisdiction, both as to Law and Fact, with such


Exceptions, and under such Regulations as theCongress shall make.

The Trial of all Crimes, except in Cases of Im-peachment, shall be by Jury; and such Trial shallbe held in the State where the said Crimes shallhave been committed; but when not committedwithin any State, the Trial shall be at such Place orPlaces as the Congress may by Law have directed.

Section. 3.Treason against the United States, shall consistonly in levying War against them, or in adhering totheir Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort. NoPerson shall be convicted of Treason unless on theTestimony of twoWitnesses to the same overt Act,or on Confession in open Court.

The Congress shall have Power to declare thePunishment of Treason, but no Attainder of Trea-son shall work Corruption of Blood, or Forfeitureexcept during the Life of the Person attainted.

Article. IV.

Section. 1.Full Faith and Credit shall be given in each State tothe public Acts, Records, and judicial Proceedingsof every other State. And the Congress may by gen-eral Laws prescribe the Manner in which suchActs, Records and Proceedings shall be proved,and the Effect thereof.

Section. 2.The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to allPrivileges and Immunities of Citizens in the sev-eral States.


A Person charged in any State with Treason,Felony, or other Crime, who shall flee from Jus-tice, and be found in another State, shall on De-mand of the executive Authority of the State fromwhich he fled, be delivered up, to be removed tothe State having Jurisdiction of the Crime.

No Person held to Service or Labour in oneState, under the Laws thereof, escaping into an-other, shall, in Consequence of any Law or Regu-lation therein, be discharged from such Service orLabour, but shall be delivered up on Claim of theParty to whom such Service or Labour may be due.

Section. 3.New States may be admitted by the Congress intothis Union; but no new State shall be formed orerected within the Jurisdiction of any other State;nor any State be formed by the Junction of two ormore States, or Parts of States, without the Con-sent of the Legislatures of the States concerned aswell as of the Congress.

The Congress shall have Power to dispose ofand make all needful Rules and Regulations re-specting the Territory or other Property belongingto the United States; and nothing in this Constitu-tion shall be so construed as to Prejudice anyClaims of the United States, or of any particularState.

Section. 4.The United States shall guarantee to every State inthis Union a Republican Form of Government, andshall protect each of them against Invasion; and onApplication of the Legislature, or of the Executive


(when the Legislature cannot be convened),against domestic Violence.

Article. V.The Congress, whenever two thirds of bothHouses shall deem it necessary, shall proposeAmendments to this Constitution, or, on the Ap-plication of the Legislatures of two thirds of theseveral States, shall call a Convention for propos-ing Amendments, which, in either Case, shall bevalid to all Intents and Purposes, as Part of thisConstitution, when ratified by the Legislatures ofthree fourths of the several States, or by Conven-tions in three fourths thereof, as the one or theother Mode of Ratification may be proposed by theCongress; Provided that no Amendment whichmay be made prior to the Year One thousand eighthundred and eight shall in any Manner affect thefirst and fourth Clauses in the Ninth Section of thefirst Article; and that no State, without its Consent,shall be deprived of its equal Suffrage in the Sen-ate.

Article. VI.All Debts contracted and Engagements enteredinto, before the Adoption of this Constitution, shallbe as valid against the United States under thisConstitution, as under the Confederation.

This Constitution, and the Laws of the UnitedStates which shall be made in Pursuance thereof;and all Treaties made, or which shall be made,under the Authority of the United States, shall bethe supreme Law of the Land; and the Judges inevery State shall be bound thereby, any Thing in


the Constitution or Laws of any State to the Con-trary notwithstanding.

The Senators and Representatives before men-tioned, and the Members of the several State Leg-islatures, and all executive and judicial Officers,both of the United States and of the several States,shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to supportthis Constitution; but no religious Test shall everbe required as a Qualification to any Office or pub-lic Trust under the United States.

Article. VII.The Ratification of the Conventions of nine States,shall be sufficient for the Establishment of thisConstitution between the States so ratifying theSame.

The Word, “the,” being interlined between theseventh and eighth Lines of the first Page, theWord “Thirty” being partly written on an Erazure inthe fifteenth Line of the first Page, The Words “istried” being interlined between the thirty secondand thirty third Lines of the first Page and theWord “the” being interlined between the forty thirdand forty fourth Lines of the second Page.

Attest William Jackson Secretary

Done in Convention by the Unanimous Con-sent of the States present the Seventeenth Day ofSeptember in the Year of our Lord one thousandseven hundred and Eighty seven and of the Inde-pendence of the United States of America theTwelfth In witness whereof We have hereunto sub-scribed our Names,



G°. WashingtonPresidt and deputyfrom Virginia

DelawareGeo: Read

Gunning Bedford junJohn DickinsonRichard BassettJaco: Broom

MarylandJames McHenryDan of St Thos.

JeniferDanl. Carroll

VirginiaJohn Blair

James Madison Jr.

North CarolinaWm. Blount

Richd. Dobbs SpaightHu Williamson

South CarolinaJ. Rutledge

Charles CotesworthPinckney

Charles PinckneyPierce Butler

GeorgiaWilliam FewAbr Baldwin

New HampshireJohn Langdon

Nicholas Gilman

MassachusettsNathaniel Gorham

Rufus King

ConnecticutWm. Saml. JohnsonRoger Sherman

New YorkAlexander Hamilton

New JerseyWil: LivingstonDavid BrearleyWm. PatersonJona: Dayton

PennsylvaniaB Franklin

Thomas MifflinRobt. MorrisGeo. Clymer

Thos. FitzSimonsJared IngersollJames WilsonGouv Morris

The Preamble to The Bill of Rights

Congress of the United Statesbegun and held at the City of New-York,

onWednesday the fourth of March,one thousand seven hundred and eighty nine.

THE Conventions of a number of the States, hav-ing at the time of their adopting the Constitution,expressed a desire, in order to prevent miscon-struction or abuse of its powers, that further de-claratory and restrictive clauses should be added:And as extending the ground of public confidencein the Government, will best ensure the beneficentends of its institution.

RESOLVED by the Senate and House of Repre-sentatives of the United States of America, in Con-gress assembled, two thirds of both Houses con-curring, that the following Articles be proposed tothe Legislatures of the several States, as amend-ments to the Constitution of the United States, all,or any of which Articles, when ratified by threefourths of the said Legislatures, to be valid to allintents and purposes, as part of the said Constitu-tion; viz.

ARTICLES in addition to, and Amendment of theConstitution of the United States of America, pro-


The Bill of Rights

posed by Congress, and ratified by the Legislaturesof the several States, pursuant to the fifth Article ofthe original Constitution.

Note: The following text is a transcription of thefirst ten amendments to the Constitution in theiroriginal form. These amendments were ratifiedDecember 15, 1791, and form what is known asthe “Bill of Rights.”

Amendment ICongress shall make no law respecting an estab-lishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exer-cise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech,or of the press; or the right of the people peace-ably to assemble, and to petition the Governmentfor a redress of grievances.

Amendment IIA well regulated Militia, being necessary to the se-curity of a free State, the right of the people tokeep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

Amendment IIINo Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered inany house, without the consent of the Owner, norin time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed bylaw.

Amendment IVThe right of the people to be secure in their per-sons, houses, papers, and effects, against unrea-sonable searches and seizures, shall not be vio-lated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon


probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation,and particularly describing the place to besearched, and the persons or things to be seized.

Amendment VNo person shall be held to answer for a capital, orotherwise infamous crime, unless on a present-ment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except incases arising in the land or naval forces, or in theMilitia, when in actual service in time of War orpublic danger; nor shall any person be subject forthe same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of lifeor limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminalcase to be a witness against himself, nor be de-prived of life, liberty, or property, without dueprocess of law; nor shall private property be takenfor public use, without just compensation.

Amendment VIIn all criminal prosecutions, the accused shallenjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by animpartial jury of the State and district wherein thecrime shall have been committed, which districtshall have been previously ascertained by law, andto be informed of the nature and cause of the ac-cusation; to be confronted with the witnessesagainst him; to have compulsory process for ob-taining witnesses in his favor, and to have the As-sistance of Counsel for his defence.

Amendment VIIIn Suits at common law, where the value in con-troversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right oftrial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried


by a jury, shall be otherwise re-examined in anyCourt of the United States, than according to therules of the common law.

Amendment VIIIExcessive bail shall not be required, nor excessivefines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishmentsinflicted.

Amendment IXThe enumeration in the Constitution, of certainrights, shall not be construed to deny or disparageothers retained by the people.

Amendment XThe powers not delegated to the United States bythe Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States,are reserved to the States respectively, or to thepeople.


Amendment XIPassed by Congress March 4, 1794.

Ratified February 7, 1795.

Note: Article III, section 2, of theConstitution was modified by amendment 11.

The Judicial power of the United States shall notbe construed to extend to any suit in law or equity,commenced or prosecuted against one of theUnited States by Citizens of another State, or byCitizens or Subjects of any Foreign State.

Amendment XIIPassed by Congress December 9, 1803.

Ratified June 15, 1804.

Note: A portion of Article II, section 1of the Constitution was superseded

by the 12th amendment.

The Electors shall meet in their respective statesand vote by ballot for President and Vice-Presi-dent, one of whom, at least, shall not be an inhab-itant of the same state with themselves; they shallname in their ballots the person voted for as Pres-ident, and in distinct ballots the person voted foras Vice-President, and they shall make distinct listsof all persons voted for as President, and of all per-sons voted for as Vice-President, and of the num-ber of votes for each, which lists they shall sign


AmendmentsXI – XXVII

and certify, and transmit sealed to the seat of thegovernment of the United States, directed to thePresident of the Senate; —the President of theSenate shall, in the presence of the Senate andHouse of Representatives, open all the certificatesand the votes shall then be counted; — The personhaving the greatest number of votes for President,shall be the President, if such number be a major-ity of the whole number of Electors appointed; andif no person have such majority, then from the per-sons having the highest numbers not exceedingthree on the list of those voted for as President, theHouse of Representatives shall choose immedi-ately, by ballot, the President. But in choosing thePresident, the votes shall be taken by states, therepresentation from each state having one vote; aquorum for this purpose shall consist of a memberor members from two-thirds of the states, and amajority of all the states shall be necessary to achoice. [And if the House of Representatives shallnot choose a President whenever the right ofchoice shall devolve upon them, before the fourthday of March next following, then the Vice-Presi-dent shall act as President, as in case of the deathor other constitutional disability of the President.—]* The person having the greatest number ofvotes as Vice-President, shall be the Vice-Presi-dent, if such number be a majority of the wholenumber of Electors appointed, and if no personhave a majority, then from the two highest num-bers on the list, the Senate shall choose the Vice-President; a quorum for the purpose shall consistof two-thirds of the whole number of Senators, anda majority of the whole number shall be necessary


to a choice. But no person constitutionally ineligi-ble to the office of President shall be eligible tothat of Vice-President of the United States.

*Superseded by section 3 of the 20th amendment.

Amendment XIIIPassed by Congress January 31, 1865.

Ratified December 6, 1865.

Note: A portion of Article IV, section 2,of the Constitution was superseded

by the 13th amendment.

Section 1.Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except asa punishment for crimewhereof the party shall havebeen duly convicted, shall exist within the UnitedStates, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.

Section 2.Congress shall have power to enforce this articleby appropriate legislation.

Amendment XIVPassed by Congress June 13, 1866.

Ratified July 9, 1868.

Note: Article I, section 2, of the Constitution wasmodified by section 2 of the 14th amendment.

Section 1.All persons born or naturalized in the UnitedStates, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, arecitizens of the United States and of the Statewherein they reside. No State shall make or en-force any law which shall abridge the privileges orimmunities of citizens of the United States; norshall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or


property, without due process of law; nor deny toany person within its jurisdiction the equal pro-tection of the laws.

Section 2.Representatives shall be apportioned among theseveral States according to their respective num-bers, counting the whole number of persons ineach State, excluding Indians not taxed. But whenthe right to vote at any election for the choice ofelectors for President and Vice-President of theUnited States, Representatives in Congress, theExecutive and Judicial officers of a State, or themembers of the Legislature thereof, is denied toany of the male inhabitants of such State, beingtwenty-one years of age,* and citizens of theUnited States, or in any way abridged, except forparticipation in rebellion, or other crime, the basisof representation therein shall be reduced in theproportion which the number of such male citi-zens shall bear to the whole number of male citi-zens twenty-one years of age in such State.

Section 3.No person shall be a Senator or Representative inCongress, or elector of President and Vice-Presi-dent, or hold any office, civil or military, under theUnited States, or under any State, who, having pre-viously taken an oath, as a member of Congress,or as an officer of the United States, or as a mem-ber of any State legislature, or as an executive orjudicial officer of any State, to support the Consti-tution of the United States, shall have engaged ininsurrection or rebellion against the same, or givenaid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Con-


gress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House,remove such disability.

Section 4.The validity of the public debt of the United States,authorized by law, including debts incurred forpayment of pensions and bounties for services insuppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not bequestioned. But neither the United States nor anyState shall assume or pay any debt or obligationincurred in aid of insurrection or rebellion againstthe United States, or any claim for the loss oremancipation of any slave; but all such debts, ob-ligations and claims shall be held illegal and void.

Section 5.The Congress shall have the power to enforce, byappropriate legislation, the provisions of this arti-cle.

*Changed by section 1 of the 26th amendment.

Amendment XVPassed by Congress February 26, 1869.


Section 1.The right of citizens of the United States to voteshall not be denied or abridged by the UnitedStates or by any State on account of race, color, orprevious condition of servitude—

Section 2.The Congress shall have the power to enforce thisarticle by appropriate legislation.


Amendment XVIPassed by Congress July 2, 1909.


Note: Article I, section 9, of the Constitutionwas modified by amendment 16.

The Congress shall have power to lay and collecttaxes on incomes, from whatever source derived,without apportionment among the several States,and without regard to any census or enumeration.

Amendment XVIIPassed by Congress May 13, 1912.

Ratified April 8, 1913.

Note: Article I, section 3, of the Constitutionwas modified by the 17th amendment.

The Senate of the United States shall be composedof two Senators from each State, elected by thepeople thereof, for six years; and each Senatorshall have one vote. The electors in each State shallhave the qualifications requisite for electors of themost numerous branch of the State legislatures.

When vacancies happen in the representationof any State in the Senate, the executive authorityof such State shall issue writs of election to fillsuch vacancies: Provided, That the legislature ofany State may empower the executive thereofto make temporary appointments until the peoplefill the vacancies by election as the legislature maydirect.

This amendment shall not be so construed asto affect the election or term of any Senator cho-sen before it becomes valid as part of the Consti-tution.


Amendment XVIIIPassed by Congress December 18, 1917.

Ratified January 16, 1919.Repealed by amendment 21.

Section 1.After one year from the ratification of this articlethe manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxi-cating liquors within, the importation thereof into,or the exportation thereof from the United Statesand all territory subject to the jurisdiction thereoffor beverage purposes is hereby prohibited.

Section 2.The Congress and the several States shall haveconcurrent power to enforce this article by appro-priate legislation.

Section 3.This article shall be inoperative unless it shall havebeen ratified as an amendment to the Constitutionby the legislatures of the several States, as pro-vided in the Constitution, within seven years fromthe date of the submission hereof to the States bythe Congress.

Amendment XIXPassed by Congress June 4, 1919.

Ratified August 18, 1920.

The right of citizens of the United States to voteshall not be denied or abridged by the UnitedStates or by any State on account of sex.

Congress shall have power to enforce this ar-ticle by appropriate legislation.


Amendment XXPassed by Congress March 2, 1932.

Ratified January 23, 1933.

Note: Article I, section 4, of the Constitutionwas modified by section 2 of this amendment.In addition, a portion of the 12th amendment

was superseded by section 3.

Section 1.The terms of the President and the Vice Presidentshall end at noon on the 20th day of January, andthe terms of Senators and Representatives at noonon the 3d day of January, of the years in whichsuch terms would have ended if this article had notbeen ratified; and the terms of their successorsshall then begin.

Section 2.The Congress shall assemble at least once in everyyear, and such meeting shall begin at noon on the3d day of January, unless they shall by law appointa different day.

Section 3.If, at the time fixed for the beginning of the term ofthe President, the President elect shall have died,the Vice President elect shall become President. Ifa President shall not have been chosen before thetime fixed for the beginning of his term, or if thePresident elect shall have failed to qualify, then theVice President elect shall act as President until aPresident shall have qualified; and the Congressmay by law provide for the case wherein neither aPresident elect nor a Vice President shall have qual-ified, declaring who shall then act as President, orthe manner in which one who is to act shall be se-


lected, and such person shall act accordingly untila President or Vice President shall have qualified.

Section 4.The Congress may by law provide for the case ofthe death of any of the persons from whom theHouse of Representatives may choose a Presidentwhenever the right of choice shall have devolvedupon them, and for the case of the death of any ofthe persons from whom the Senate may choose aVice President whenever the right of choice shallhave devolved upon them.

Section 5.Sections 1 and 2 shall take effect on the 15th day ofOctober following the ratification of this article.

Section 6.This article shall be inoperative unless it shall havebeen ratified as an amendment to the Constitutionby the legislatures of three-fourths of the severalStates within seven years from the date of its sub-mission.

Amendment XXIPassed by Congress February 20, 1933.

Ratified December 5, 1933.

Section 1.The eighteenth article of amendment to the Con-stitution of the United States is hereby repealed.

Section 2.The transportation or importation into any State,Territory, or Possession of the United States for de-livery or use therein of intoxicating liquors, in vio-lation of the laws thereof, is hereby prohibited.


Section 3.This article shall be inoperative unless it shall havebeen ratified as an amendment to the Constitutionby conventions in the several States, as provided inthe Constitution, within seven years from the dateof the submission hereof to the States by the Con-gress.

Amendment XXIIPassed by Congress March 21, 1947.


Section 1.No person shall be elected to the office of the Pres-ident more than twice, and no person who has heldthe office of President, or acted as President, formore than two years of a term to which someother person was elected President shall beelected to the office of President more than once.But this Article shall not apply to any person hold-ing the office of President when this Article wasproposed by Congress, and shall not prevent anyperson whomay be holding the office of President,or acting as President, during the term withinwhich this Article becomes operative from hold-ing the office of President or acting as Presidentduring the remainder of such term.

Section 2.This article shall be inoperative unless it shall havebeen ratified as an amendment to the Constitutionby the legislatures of three-fourths of the severalStates within seven years from the date of its sub-mission to the States by the Congress.


Amendment XXIIIPassed by Congress June 16, 1960.

Ratified March 29, 1961.

Section 1.The District constituting the seat of Governmentof the United States shall appoint in such manneras Congress may direct:

A number of electors of President and VicePresident equal to the whole number of Senatorsand Representatives in Congress to which the Dis-trict would be entitled if it were a State, but in noevent more than the least populous State; theyshall be in addition to those appointed by theStates, but they shall be considered, for the pur-poses of the election of President and Vice Presi-dent, to be electors appointed by a State; and theyshall meet in the District and perform such dutiesas provided by the twelfth article of amendment.

Section 2.The Congress shall have power to enforce this ar-ticle by appropriate legislation.

Amendment XXIVPassed by Congress August 27, 1962.

Ratified January 23, 1964.

Section 1.The right of citizens of the United States to vote inany primary or other election for President or VicePresident, for electors for President or Vice Presi-dent, or for Senator or Representative in Congress,shall not be denied or abridged by the UnitedStates or any State by reason of failure to pay polltax or other tax.



Amendment XXVPassed by Congress July 6, 1965.Ratified February 10, 1967.

Note: Article II, section 1, of the Constitutionwas affected by the 25th amendment.

Section 1.In case of the removal of the President from officeor of his death or resignation, the Vice Presidentshall become President.

Section 2.Whenever there is a vacancy in the office of theVice President, the President shall nominate a VicePresident who shall take office upon confirmationby a majority vote of both Houses of Congress.

Section 3.Whenever the President transmits to the Presidentpro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of theHouse of Representatives his written declarationthat he is unable to discharge the powers and du-ties of his office, and until he transmits to them awritten declaration to the contrary, such powersand duties shall be discharged by the Vice Presi-dent as Acting President.

Section 4.Whenever the Vice President and a majority of ei-ther the principal officers of the executive depart-ments or of such other body as Congress may bylaw provide, transmit to the President pro tempore


of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Rep-resentatives their written declaration that the Pres-ident is unable to discharge the powers and dutiesof his office, the Vice President shall immediatelyassume the powers and duties of the office as Act-ing President.

Thereafter, when the President transmits tothe President pro tempore of the Senate and theSpeaker of the House of Representatives his writ-ten declaration that no inability exists, he shall re-sume the powers and duties of his office unless theVice President and a majority of either the princi-pal officers of the executive department or of suchother body as Congress may by law provide, trans-mit within four days to the President pro temporeof the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Rep-resentatives their written declaration that the Pres-ident is unable to discharge the powers and dutiesof his office. Thereupon Congress shall decide theissue, assembling within forty-eight hours for thatpurpose if not in session. If the Congress, withintwenty-one days after receipt of the latter writtendeclaration, or, if Congress is not in session, withintwenty-one days after Congress is required to as-semble, determines by two-thirds vote of bothHouses that the President is unable to dischargethe powers and duties of his office, the Vice Pres-ident shall continue to discharge the same as Act-ing President; otherwise, the President shall re-sume the powers and duties of his office.


Amendment XXVIPassed by Congress March 23, 1971.

Ratified July 1, 1971.

Note: Amendment 14, section 2,of the Constitution was modified bysection 1 of the 26th amendment.

Section 1.The right of citizens of the United States, who areeighteen years of age or older, to vote shall not bedenied or abridged by the United States or by anyState on account of age.


Amendment XXVIIOriginally proposed Sept. 25, 1789.

Ratified May 7, 1992.

No law, varying the compensation for the servicesof the Senators and Representatives, shall take ef-fect, until an election of representatives shall haveintervened.


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