The Conventions of a number of the States, having, at the time of their adopting the constitution, expressed a desire, in order to prevent misconstruction or abuse of its powers, that further declaratory and restrictive clauses should be added, Congress, at the session begun and held at the City of New York, on Wednesday, the 4th of March, 1789, proposed to the Legislatures of the several States twelve amendments, ten of which only were adopted. They are the ten first following:

AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION.

ARTICLE I.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of Religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and te petition the government for a redress of grievances.

ARTICLE II.

A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.

ARTICLE III.

No soldier shall, in time of peace, be quartered in any house without the consent of the owner, nor in time of war but in a manner to be prescribed by law.

ARTICLE IV.

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated; and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

ARTICLE V.

No person shall be held to answer for a capital or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a grand jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the milita, when in actual service, in time of war or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence, to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.

ARTICLE VI.

In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the

crime shall have been committed; which district shall have been previously ascertained by law; and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the assist-. ance of counsel for his defence.

ARTICLE VII.

In suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved; and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise re-examined in any Court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law.

ARTICLE VIII.

Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.

ARTICLE IX.

The enumeration in the constitution of certain rights, shall not be con strued to deny or disparage others, retained by the people.

ARTICLE X.

The powers not delegated to the United States by the constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

ARTICLE XI.

The judicial power of the United States shall not be construed to extend to any suit in law or equity, commenced or prosecuted against one of the United States by citizens of another State, or by citizens or subjects of any foreign State.

ARTICLE XII.

The electors shall meet in their respective States, and vote, by ballot, for President and Vice President, one of whom, at least, shall not be an inhabitant of the same State with themselves: they shall name in their ballots the person voted for as President, and in distinct ballots the person voted for as Vice President; and they shall make distinct lists of all persons voted for as President, and of all persons voted for as Vice President, and of the number of votes for each; which lists they shall sign and certify, and transmit, sealed, to the seat of government 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 for President, shall be the President, if such num

ber be a majority of the whole number of electors appointed; and if no person have such majority, then from the persons having the highest number, not exceeding three, on the list of those voted for as Presi dent, the House of Representatives shall choose immediately, by ballot, 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 consist of a member or members from two thirds of the States, and a majority of all the States shall be necessary to a choice. And if the House of Representatives shall not choose a President whenever the right of choice shall devolve upon them, before the fourth day of March next following, then the Vice President shall act as President, as in the case of the death or other constitutional disability of the President. The person having the greatest number of votes as Vice President, shall be the Vice President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of electors appointed: and if no person have a majority, then from the two highest numbers on the list, the Senate shall choose the Vice President; a quorum for the purpose shall consist of two thirds of the whole number of Senators; and a majority of the whole number shall be necessary to a choice. But no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice President of the United States.

ARTICLE XIII.

If any citizen of the United States shall accept, claim, receive or retain any title of nobility or honor, or shall, without the consent of Congress, accept and retain any present, pension, office or emolument of any kind whatever, from any emperor, king, prince or foreign power, such person shall cease to be a citizen of the United States, and shall be incapable of holding any office of trust or profit under them, or either of them.

[Note. The 11th article of the amendments to the Constitution, was proposed at the second session of the third Congress: the 12th article, at the first session of the eighth Congress; and the 13th article, at the second session of the eleventh Congress,]

CONSTITUTION

OF THE

STATE OF OHIO.

WE, the people of the eastern division of the Territory of the United States, northwest of the River Ohio, having the right of admission into the general government, as a member of the Union, consistent with the constitution of the United States, the ordinance of Congress of one thousand seven hundred and eighty seven, and of the law of Congress, entitled "An act to enable the people of the eastern division of the territory of the United States northwest of the river Ohio, to form a constitution and State government, and for the admission of such State into the Union, on an equal footing with the original States, and for other purposes; in order to establish justice, promote the welfare and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish the following constitution or form of government; and do mutually agree with each other to form ourselves into a free and independent State, by the name of the State of Ohio.

ARTICLE L

Sec. 1. The legislative authority of this State shall be vested in a Ge neral Assembly, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives, both to be elected by the people.

Sec. 2. Within one year after the first meeting of the General Assembly, and within every subsequent term of four years, an enumeration of all the white male inhabitants above twenty-one years of age, shall be made in such manner as shall be directed by law. The number of representatives shall, at the several periods of making such enumeration, be fixed by the Legislature and apportioned among the several counties, according to the number of white male inhabitants above twenty one years of age in each, and shall never be less than twenty-four, nor greater than thirty-six, until the number of white male inhabitants above twenty-one years of age shall be twenty-two thousand; and after that event, at such ratio that the whole number of representatives shall never be less than thirty-six, nor exceed seventy-two.

Sec, 3, The representatives shall be chosen annually, by the citizens of each county respectively, on the second Tuesday of October.

Sec. 4. No person shall be a representative, who shall not have attained the age of twenty-five years, and be a citizen of the United States and an inhabitant of this State; shall also have resided within the limits of the county in which he shall be chosen, one year next preceding his election, unless he shall have been absent on the public business of the United States or of this State; and shall have paid a State or county tax.

Sec. 5. The senators shall be chosen biennially, by the qualified voters for representatives; and on their being convened in consequence of the first election, they shall be divided, by lot, from their respective counties or districts, as near as can be, into two classes: the seats of the senators of the first class shall be vacated at the expiration of the first year, and of the second class at the expiration of the second year; so that one half thereof, as near as possible, may be annually chosen forever thereafter.

Sec. 6. The number of senators shall, at the several periods of making the enumeration before mentioncd, be fixed by the Legislature, and apportioned among the several counties or districts, to be established by law, according to the number of white male inhabitants of the age of twenty-one years in each, and shall never be less than one third, nor more than one half, of the number of representatives.

Sec. 7. No person shall be a senator who has not arrived at the age of thirty years, and is a citizen of the United States; shall have resided two years in the county or district immediately preceding the election, unless he shall have been absent on the public business of the United States, or of this State; and shall, moreover, have paid a State or county tax.

Sec. 8. The Senate and House of Representatives, when assembled, shall each choose a speaker and its other officers, be judges of the qualifications and elections of its members, and sit upon its own adjournments: two thirds of each house shall constitute a quorum to do business; but a smaller number may adjourn from day to day, and compel the attendance of absent members.

Sec. 9. Each house shall keep a journal of its proceedings, and publish them: the yeas and nays of the members, on any question, shall, at the desire of any two of them, be entered on the journals.

Sec. 10. Any two members of either house shall have liberty to dissent from, and protest against, any act or resolution, which they may think injurious to the public or any individual, and have the reasons of their dissent entered on the journals.

Sec. 11. Each house may determine the rules of its proceedings, punish Its members for disorderly behaviour, and with the concurrence of two thirds, expel a member, but not a second time for the same cause; and shall have all other powers necessary for a branch of the Legislature of a free and independent State.

Sec. 12. When vacancies happen in either house, the Governor, or the person exercising the power of the Governor, shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies.

Sec. 13. Senators and Representatives shall, in all cases except treason, felony or breach of the peace, be privileged from arrest during the session of the General Assembly, and in going to and returning from the same; and for any speech or debate in either house, they shall not be questioned in any other place.