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  1. Overview: U.S. Constitutional Convention 1787 (2021 Edition)
  2. Full Record: U.S. Constitutional Convention 1787 (2021 Edition)
  3. Committee:Committee of Detail
  4. Session: 1787-07-30 11:00:00
  5. Event type: CREATE

U.S. Constitutional Convention 1787 (2021 Edition)

Grand Convention at Philadelphia, May to September, 1787, Quill Project 2021 Edition.

Committee of Detail

Committee charged with creating a Constitution based on the resolutions agreed by the Convention.

The Committee Secretary's View The Committee Secretary's View

To see the full record of a committee, click on the corresponding committee on the map below.

Document introduced in:

Session 6310: 1787-07-30 11:00:00

A rough draft of the Constitution drawn up. The New Jersey and Pinckney Plans considered.

Document View:

Document VI: Committee of Detail's Rough Draft

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There is 1 proposed amendment related to this document on which a decision has not been taken.

We the People of the 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 legislative Power shall be vested in a Congress to consist of two separate and distinct Bodies of Men, a House of Representatives, and a Senate each of which shall in all Cases have a Negative on the other

4.

The Members of the House of Representatives shall be chosen every second Year by the People of the several States comprehended within this Union. The Qualifications of the Electors shall be prescribed by the Legislatures of the several States; but these provisions concerning them may at any Time be altered and superseded by the Legislature of the United States.

Every Member of the House of Representatives shall be of the Age of twenty five Years at least; 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, in which he shall be chosen.

The House of Representatives shall, at its first Formation and until the Number of Citizens and Inhabitants shall be taken in the Manner hereinafter described consist of 65 Members, of whom three shall be chosen in New-Hampshire, eight in Massachusetts, &c.

As the 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 by the Number of Inhabitants according to the provisions herein after made.

Direct Taxation shall always be in Proportion to Representation in the House of Representatives.

The Proportions of direct Taxation shall be regulated by the whole Number of white and other Free Citizens and Inhabitants of every &c. ____ which Number shall, within six Years after the first Meeting of the Legislature, and within the Term of every ten Years afterwards, be taken in such Manner as the said Legislature shall direct.

From the first Meeting of the Legislature until the Number of Citizens and Inhabitants shall be taken, direct Taxation shall be in Proportion to the Number of Representatives 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 in the Representation from which they shall happen.

The Senate of the United States shall be chosen by the Legislatures of the several States; Each Legislature shall chuse two Members. Each Member shall have one Vote.

The Members of the Senate shall be chosen for six Years; provided that immediately after the first Election they 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 Expiration of the sixth Year, and so on continually, that a third Part of the Members of the Senate may be chosen every second Year.

Every Member of the Senate shall be of the Age of thirty Years at least, 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

The Senate of the United States shall have Power to make Treaties, to send Ambassadors, and to appoint the Judges of the Supreme, national Court

Each House of the Legislature shall possess the right of originating Bills, except in Cases beforementioned

The Senate shall chuse its own President and other Officers

In each House of the Legislature 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 of 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 with Regard to Property as to the said Legislature shall seem proper and expedient.

The Members of each House shall receive a Compensation for their Services, to be ascertained and paid by the State in which they shall be chosen

Each House shall have Authority to determine the Rules of its Proceedings, and to punish its own Members for disorderly Behaviour

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

Freedom of Speech

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. But this Regulation shall be applied to the Senate only in its Legislative Capacity

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.

The Members of each House shall be ineligible to and incapable of holding any Office under the Authority of the United States during the Time for which they shall be respectively elected: And the Members of the Senate shall be ineligible to and incapable of holding any such Office for one Year afterwards.

The enacting Stile of the Laws of the United States shall be “be it enacted and it is hereby enacted by the House of Representatives, and by the Senate of the United States in Congress assembled”

The House of Representatives and the Senate when it shall be acting in a legislative Capacity shall keep a Journal of its Proceedings, and shall from Time to Time publish them, and the Yeas and Nays of the Members of each House on any Question shall at the Desire of any Member be entered on the Journal

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