We the People and States of New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, Connecticut, New. York, New. Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North. Carolina, South. Carolina and Georgia do ordain declare and establish the following Constitution for the Government of ourselves and of our Posterity.

1.

The Stile of this Government shall be the “United People and States of America.”

2.

The Government shall consist of supreme legislative, executive and judicial Powers.

3.

The Supreme legislative Power shall be vested in a Congress to consist of two separate and distinct Bodies of Men, one to be called the House of Representatives, the other to be called the Senate each of which shall in all Cases have a Negative on the other in all cases not otherwise provided for in this Constitution

4.

The Members of the House of Representatives shall be chosen every second Year in the Manner following by the People of the several States. The Time and Place and the of holding the Elections and the Rules shall be appointed by the Legislatures of the several States; but the provisions which they shall make concerning them shall be subject to the Control of the Legislature of the United States.

Every Member of the House of Representatives shall be at least twenty-five Years of Age; shall have been a Citizen in the United States for at least three Years before his Election, and shall be, at the Time of his Election, a Resident of the State, from which he shall be chosen.

The House of Representatives shall, at its first Formation consist of 65 Members, of whom three shall be chosen in New-Hampshire, eight in Massachusetts, &c.

As the present Proportions of Numbers in the different States will alter from Time to Time; as some of the States may be hereafter divided; as others may be enlarged by Addition of Territory, or two or more States may be united; and as new States will be erected within the Limits of the United States; the Legislature shall, in each of these cases, possess Authority to regulate the Number of Representatives according to the provisions herein after made.

Representation shall always be in Proportion to direct Taxation.

In order to ascertain and regulate the Proportions of direct Taxation from Time to Time, the Legislature of the United States shall, within six Years after its first Meeting and within the Term of every ten Years afterwards, cause [a census to be taken]

From the first Meeting of the Legislature until the Number of Citizens and Inhabitants shall be taken in the Manner before mentioned, direct Taxation shall be in Proportion to the Number of Inhabitants chosen in each State.

All Bills for raising or appropriating Money and for fixing the Salaries of the Officers of Government shall originate in the House of Representatives, and shall not be altered or amended by the Senate. No money shall be drawn from the public Treasury, but in Pursuance of Appropriations that shall originate in the House of Representatives.

The House of Representatives shall be the grand Inquest of this Nation; and all Impeachments shall be made by them.

Vacancies in the House of Representatives shall be supplied by Writs of Election from the Executive Authority of the State which they shall happen.

The Members of the Senate of the United States shall be chosen by the Legislatures of the several States; Each of which shall chuse two Members. The votes shall not be given by States, but by the Members separately. Each Member shall have one Vote.

Immediately after the first Election the Members of the Senate shall be divided by Lot into three Classes as nearly as may be, and numbered one, two and three. The Seats of the Members of the first Class shall be vacated at the Expiration of the second Year, of the second Class at the Expiration of the fourth Year, of the third Class at the End of the sixth Year, and so on continually, that a third Part of the Members of the Senate may be biennially chosen.

Every Member of the Senate shall be at least thirty Years of Age, shall have been a citizen in the United States for at least four Years before his Election, and shall be, at the Time of his Election a Resident of the State for which he shall be chosen

In each House a Majority of the Members shall constitute a Quorum to do Business; but a smaller Number may adjourn from Day to Day

Each House of the Legislature shall be the Judge of the Elections Returns, and Qualifications of its own Members

The Times and Places and the Manner of holding the Elections for the Members of each House shall be prescribed by the Legislatures of each State; but their Provisions concerning them may, at any Time, be altered and superseded by the Legislature of the United States.

The Legislature of the United States shall have Authority to establish such Qualifications of the Members of each House of the Legislature as to the said Legislature shall seem proper and expedient.

A Majority of each House shall constitute a Quorum to do Business but a smaller Number than a Majority of them may, in each House, adjourn from Day to Day.

Each House shall have Authority to settle the Rules and Orders of its Proceedings, and have Power to punish its own Members

Each House may expel a Member, but not a second Time for the same Offence.

Neither House shall adjourn for more than three Days without the Consent of the other; nor with such Consent, to any other Place than that at which the two Houses are sitting.

The Members of each House shall, in all cases, except Treason, Felony & Breach of the Peace, be privileged from Arrest during their Attendance at Congress, and in going to and returning from it.

• Document VI: Committee of Detail's Rough Draft (introduced on 1787-07-30 11:00:00 - CREATE - e675685) [This document]
  • Committee's Initial Amendments (introduced on 1787-07-30 11:00:00 - PROPOSE_DOCUMENT_AMENDMENT - e675686) [This moment shown]

• Document VI: Committee of Detail's Rough Draft (introduced on 1787-07-30 11:00:00 - CREATE - e675685) [This document] [view current proposal at this moment]
  • Committee's Initial Amendments (introduced on 1787-07-30 11:00:00 - PROPOSE_DOCUMENT_AMENDMENT - e675686) [This moment shown] [view current proposal at this moment]
    • None (introduced on 1787-07-30 11:00:00 - ADOPT_PROPOSAL - e675687) [view current proposal at this moment]
  • Committee's Subsequent Amendments (introduced on 1787-07-30 11:00:00 - PROPOSE_DOCUMENT_AMENDMENT - e675688) [view current proposal at this moment]
    • None (introduced on 1787-07-30 11:00:00 - ADOPT_PROPOSAL - e675689) [view current proposal at this moment]
  • Document VIII: Committee of Detail's Rough Draft, Part II (introduced on 1787-08-01 11:00:00 - PROPOSE_DOCUMENT_AMENDMENT - e675695) [view current proposal at this moment]
    • Committee's Initial Amendments (introduced on 1787-08-01 11:00:00 - PROPOSE_DOCUMENT_AMENDMENT - e675696) [view current proposal at this moment]
      • None (introduced on 1787-08-01 11:00:00 - ADOPT_PROPOSAL - e675697) [view current proposal at this moment]
    • Committee's Subsequent Amendments (introduced on 1787-08-01 11:00:00 - PROPOSE_DOCUMENT_AMENDMENT - e675698) [view current proposal at this moment]
      • None (introduced on 1787-08-01 11:00:00 - ADOPT_PROPOSAL - e675699) [view current proposal at this moment]
    • None (introduced on 1787-08-01 11:00:00 - ADOPT_PROPOSAL - e675700) [view current proposal at this moment]