2 CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES.

+ [Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the
several States which may be included within this Union, acording- to
their respective Numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the
whole Number of free Persons, including those bound to Service for a
Term of Years, and excluding Indiana not taxed, three fifths of all other
Persons.] The actual Enumeration shall be made within three Years
after the first Meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within
every subsequent Term of ten Years, in such Manner as they shall by
Law direct. The Number of Representatives shall not exceed one for
every thirty Thousand, but each State shall have at Least one Repre-
sentative; and until such enumeration shall be made, the State of New
Hampshire shall be 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 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 chuse their Speaker and other
Officers; and shall have the sole Power of Impeachment.

SECTION 3. The Senate of the United States shall be composed of
two Senators from each State, chosen by the Legislature thereof, for
six Years; and each Senator shall have one Vote.

Congress, on the 21st of February, 1787, adopted a resolution in favor of a
convention, and the Legislatures of those States which had not already done so
(with the exception of Rhode Island) promptly appointed delegates. On the
25th of May, seven States having convened, George Washington, of Virginia, was
unanimously elected President, and the consideration of the proposed constitution
was commenced. On the 17th of September, 1787, the Constitution as engrossed
and agreed upon was signed by all the members present, except Mr. Gerry, of
Massachusetts, and Messrs. Mason and Randolph, of Virginia. The president of
the convention transmitted it to Congress, with a resolution stating how the
proposed Federal Government should be put in operation, and an explanatory
letter. Congress, on the 28th of September, 1787, directed the Constitution so
framed, with the resolutions and letter concerning the same, to "be transmitted
to the several Legislatures in order to be submitted to a convention of delegates
chosen in each State by the people thereof, in conformity to the resolves of the
convention."

On the 4th of March, 1789, the day which had been fixed for commencing the
operations of Government under the new Constitution, It had been ratified by the
conventions chosen in each State to consider it. as follows: Delaware, December
7, 1787; Pennsylvania, December 12, 1787; New Jersey, December 18, 1787;
Georgia, January 2, 1788; Connecticut, January 9, 1788; Massachusetts, February
6, 1788; Maryland, April 28, 1788; South Carolina, May 23, 1788; New Hampshire,
June 21, 1788; Virginia, June 26, 1788; and New York. July 26, 1788.

The President informed Congress, on the 28th of January, 1790, that North
Carolina had ratified the Constitution November 21, 1789: and he informed
Congress on the 1st of June. 1790, that Rhode Island had ratified the Constitution
May 29, 1789. Vermont, in convention, ratified the Constitution January 10, 1791.
and was, by an act of Congress approved February 18. 1791. "received and
admitted into this Union as a new and entire member of the United States."

The clause included in brackets is amended by the fourteenth amendment,
second section, p. 16