Powers of con SECTION VIII. The congress shall have power: 1. To lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts, and excises; to pay gress to lay taxes the debts and provide for the common defence and general welfare of the United States; but all duties, imposts and excises, shall be uniform throughout the United States: Loans. Commerce. Naturalizationbankruptcy. Money. Counterfeiting. Post offices. Tribunals-piracies-felonies. War. Army. Navy. Land and naval forces. Militia. Disciplining the militia. Exercise exclu sive legislation in certain cases. Laws necessary for the execution of their powers. certain persons ited until after 2. To borrow money on the credit of the United States: 3. To regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the several states, and with the Indian tribes: 4. To establish an uniform rule of naturalization, and uniform laws on the subject of bankruptcies throughout the United States : 5. To coin money, regulate the value thereof, and of foreign coin, and fix the standard of weights and measures: 6. To provide for the punishment of counterfeiting the securities and current coin of the United States: 7. To establish post-offices and post-roads: 8. To promote the progress of science and useful arts, by securing for limited times, to authors and inventors, the exclusive right to their respective writings and discoveries: 9. To constitute tribunals inferior to the supreme court. To define and punish piracies and felonies committed on the high seas, and offences against the law of nations: 10. To declare war, grant letters of marque and reprisal, and make rules concerning captures on land and water: 11. To raise and support armies; but no appropriation of money to that use shall be for a longer term than two years: 12. To provide and maintain a navy: 13. To make rules for the government and regulation of the land and naval forces: 14. To provide for calling forth the militia to execute the laws of the union, suppress insurrections, and repel invasions: 15. To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining the militia, and for governing such part of them as may be employed in the service of the United States, reserving to the states respectively the appointment of the officers, and the authority of training the militia according to the discipline prescribed by congress: 16. To exercise exclusive legislation in all cases whatsoever, over such district (not exceeding ten miles square,) as may by cession of particular states, and the acceptance of congress, become the seat of government of the United States, and to exercise like authority over all places purchased, by the consent of the legislature of the state in which the same shall be, for the erection of forts, magazines, arsenals, dock-yards and other needful buildings: and, 17. To make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing powers, and all other powers vested by this constitution in the government of the United States, or in any department or officer thereof. SECTION IX. Importation of 1. The migration or importation of such persons as any of the not to be prohib. states now existing shall think proper to admit, shall not be prohibited by the to the year one thousand eight hundred and eight, congress prior but a tax or duty may be imposed on such importation, not exceeding ten dollars for each person. 1808. CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES. LIBRAR THE ITY OF 9 corpus. 2. The privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall not be suspend- Writ of habeas ed, unless when, in cases of rebellion or invasion, the public safety may require it. Attainder. 3. No bill of attainder, or ex-post-facto law, shall be passed. 4. No capitation or other direct tax shall be laid, unless in propor- Direct tax. tion to the census or enumeration hereinbefore directed to be taken. from the states, 5. No tax or duty shall be laid on articles exported from any state. Of commerce No preference shall be given by any regulation of commerce or re- &c. venue, to the ports of one state over those of another: nor shall vessels bound to or from one state, be obliged to enter, clear, or pay duties in another. 6. No money shall be drawn from the treasury, but in consequence of expenditures. of appropriations made by law; and a regular statement and account of the receipts and expenditures of all public money, shall be publish ed from time to time. &c. 7. No title of nobility shall be granted by the United States, and No title of nobilno person holding any office of profit or trust under them, shall, with- ity to be granted out the consent of the congress, accept of any present, emolument, office or title, of any kind whatever, from any king, prince or foreign state. SECTION X. ted to the individ 1. No state shall enter into any treaty, alliance, or confederation; Powers prohibigrant letters of marque and reprisal; coin money; emit bills of cre- ual states. dit; make any thing but gold and silver coin a tender in payment of debts; pass any bill of attainder, ex-post-facto law, or law impairing the obligation of contracts; or grant any title of nobility. Powers which ercise only under 2. No state shall, without the consent of the congress, lay any imposts or duties on imports or exports, except what may be absolutely the states can exnecessary for executing its inspection laws; and the net produce of all the sanction of duties and imposts, laid by any state on imports or exports, shall be congress. for the use of the treasury of the United States, and all such laws shall be subject to the revision and control of the congress. No state shall, without the consent of congress, lay any duty of tonnage, keep troops or ships of war in time of peace, enter into any agreement or compact with another state, or with a foreign power, or engage in war, unless actually invaded, or in such imminent danger as will not admit of delay. ARTICLE 2. 1. The executive power shall be vested in a president of the United States of America. He shall hold his office during the term of four years, and, together with the vice-president, chosen for the same term, be elected as follows: Executive power president. 2. Each state shall appoint, in such manner as the legislature Electors of presithereof may direct, a number of electors equal to the whole number dent and vice of senators and representatives to which the state may be entitled in the congress; but no senator or representative, or person holding an office of trust or profit under the United States, shall be appointed an elector. electors; their 3. * The electors shall meet in their respective states, and vote by Meeting of the ballot for two persons, of whom one at least shall not be an inhabitant of proceedings. the same state with themselves. And they shall make a list of all the Annulled: see persons voted for, and of the number of votes for each; which list they ticle 12.] shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the seat of the government amendments, ar Time of choosing electors. Qualifications for president. In case of vacancy, vice president to act. 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 shall be the president, if such number be a majority of the whole number of electors appointed; and if there be more than one who have such majority, and have an equal number of votes, then the house of representatives shall immediately 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 con sist 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 should remain two or more who have equal votes, the senate shall choose from them, by ballot, the vice-president. 4. The congress may determine the time of choosing the electors, and the day on which they shall give their votes; which day shall be the same throughout the United States. 6. No person except a natural born citizen, or a citizen of the United States at the time of the adoption of this constitution, shall be eligible to the office of president; neither shall any person be eligible to that office who shall not have attained to the age of thirty-five years, and been fourteen years a resident within the United States. 6. In case of the removal of the president from office, or of his death, resignation, or inability to discharge the 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 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. Compensation of 7. The president shall, at stated times, receive for his services a the president. compensation, which shall neither be increased nor diminished during the period for which he shall have been elected, and he shall not receive within that period any other emolument from the United States, or any of them. Oath of the pres ident. Powers of the president. 8. 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 faithfully execute the office of president of the United States, and will, to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the constitution of the United States." SECTION II. 1. The president shall be commander-in-chief of the army and navy of the United States, and of the militia of the several states, when called into the actual service of the United States; he may require the opinion, in writing, of the principal officer in each of the execu tive departments, upon any subject relating to the duties of their respective offices; and he shall have power to grant reprieves and pardons for offences against the United States, except in cases of impeachment. make treaties, to and other officers 2. He shall have power, by and with the advice and consent of the His power to senate, to make treaties, provided two-thirds of the senators present appoint ambas concur; and he shall nominate, and, by and with the advice and con- sadors, consuls, sent 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, and which shall be established by law. But the congress may, by law, vest the appointment of such inferior officers as they think proper, in the president alone, in the courts of law, or in the heads of departments. 3. The president shall have power to fill up all vacancies that may Power to all va happen during the recess of the senate, by granting commissions cancies. which shall expire at the end of their next session. SECTION III. Duties of presi. 1. He shall, from time to time, give to the congress information of the state of the union, and recommend to their consideration such dent. measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient. He may, on extraordinary occasions, convene both houses, or either of them, and in case of disagreement between them, with respect to the time of adjournment, he may adjourn them to such time as he shall think proper; he shall receive ambassadors and other public ministers; he shall take care that the laws be faithfully executed; and shall commission all the officers of the United States. SECTION IV. impeachment. 1. The president, vice-president, and all civil officers of the Uni- Officers liable to ted States, shall be removed from office on impeachment for, and conviction of, treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors. ARTICLE 3. SECTION I. 1. The judicial power of the United States shall be vested 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 their offices during good behavior; and shall, at stated times, receive for their services a compensation, which shall not be diminished during their continuance in office. SECTION II. Judicial power. Extent of judi cial power. 1. The judicial power shall extend to all cases in law and equity, arising under this consititution, the laws of the United States, and treaties made, or which shall be made, under their authority; to all cases affecting ambassadors, other public ministers, and consuls; to all cases of admiralty and maritime jurisdiction; to controversies to which the United States shall be a party; to controversies between two or more states, [between a state and citizens of another state,] be- See amendment tween citizens of different states, between citizens of the same state claiming lands under grants of different states, and between a state, or the citizens thereof, and foreign states, citizens or subjects. 2. In all cases affecting ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls, and those in which a state shall be party, the supreme court shall have original jurisdiction. In all the other cases before mentioned, the supreme court shall have appellate jurisdiction, both as to law and fact, with such exceptions and under such regulations as the congress shall make. XI. Jurisdiction of supreme court, Trial of crimes. Treason. Congress to declare its punish ment. Credit to be giv 3. The trial of all crimes, except in cases of impeachment, shall be by jury, and such trial shall be held in the state where the said crimes shall have been committed; but when not committed within any state, the trial shall be at such place or 'places as the congress may by law have directed. SECTION III. 1. Treason against the United States shall consist only in levying war against them, or in adhering to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort.-No person shall be convicted of treason unless on the testimony of two witnesses to the same overt act, or on confession in open court. 2. The congress shall have power to declare the punishment of treason; but no attainder of treason shall work corruption of blood, or forfeiture, except during the life of the person attainted. ARTICLE 4. SECTION I 1. Full faith and credit shall be given in each state to the public en in each state acts, records, and judicial proceedings of every other state. And the congress may, by general laws, prescribe the manner in which such acts, records, and proceedings, shall be proved, and the effect thereof. to the acts of other states. Reciprocity of citizens. Criminals to be delivered up. Persons held to service to be delivered up. Admission of new states. Congress to have power over territory. Republican form of government guaranteed to each state. SECTION II. 1. The citizens of each state shall be entitled to all privileges and immunities of citizens in the several states. 2. A person charged in any state with treason, felony, or other crime, who shall flee from justice, and be found in another state, shall, on demand of the executive authority of the state from which he fled, be delivered up, to be removed to the state having jurisdiction of the crime. 3. No person held to service or labor in one state under the laws thereof, escaping into another, shall, in consequence of any law or regulation therein, be discharged from such service or labor; but shall be delivered up on claim of the party to whom such service or labor may be due. SECTION III. 1. New states may be admitted by the congress into this union; but no new state shall be formed or erected within the jurisdiction of any other state, nor any state be formed by the junction of two or more states, or parts of states, without the consent of the legislatures of the states concerned, as well as of the congress. 2. The Congress shall have power to dispose of, and make all needful rules and regulations respecting the territory or other property belonging to the United States; and nothing in this constitution shall be so construed as to prejudice any claims of the United States, or of any particular state. SECTION IV. 1. The United States shall guarantee to every state in 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. |