WE the People of the United States in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, ensure domestic tranquillity, provide for the common defence, promote the general welfare and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America. All legislative powers herein granted shall be vest- Congress. ed in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives. The House of Representatives shall be composed Representaf members chosen every second year by the people chosen. f the several States, and the electors in each State mall have the qualifications requisite for electors of ne most numerous branch of the State Legislature. No person shall be a Representative who shall not Qualificaave attained to the age of twenty-five years, and Representaeen seven years a citizen of the United States, and tives. who shall not, when elected, be an inhabitant of th State in which he shall be chosen. Representatives and direct taxes shall be appo tioned among the several States which may be i cluded within this Union, according to their respe tive numbers, which shall be determined by addin to the whole number of free persons, including tho bound to service for a term of years, and excludir Indians not taxed, three-fifths of all other person The actual enumeration shall be made within thre years after the first meeting of the Congress of th United States, and within every subsequent term c ten years, in such manner as they shall by law direc The number of Representatives shall not exceed on for every thirty thousand, but each State shall hav at least one Representative; and until such enumera tion shall be made, the State of New Hampshire sha be entitled to choose three, Massachusetts eight Rhode Island and Providence Plantations one, Con necticut five, New York six, New Jersey four, Penn sylvania eight, Delaware one, Maryland six, Virginic ten, North Carolina five, South Carolina five, and Georgia three. When vacancies happen in the Representation from any State, the Executive authority thereof shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies. The House of Representatives shall choose their officers and Speaker and other officers; and shall have the sole |