Latest / The Art of Public Speaking / United States Historical Documents - Various

Transcript

United States Historical Documents - Various · The Art of Public Speaking

• 0:02
  Speaker 1: This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in
• 0:05
  Speaker 1: the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please
• 0:10
  Speaker 1: visit LibriVox dot org. This reading by Michael Scherer www
• 0:16
  Speaker 1: dot americanaphonic dot com. Articles of Confederation. Articles of Confederation
• 0:24
  Speaker 1: and Perpetual Union between the States of New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Bay,
• 0:28
  Speaker 1: Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia,
• 0:36
  Speaker 1: North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. Article one. The style
• 0:44
  Speaker 1: of this Confederacy shall be the United States of America.
• 0:50
  Speaker 1: Article two. Each state retains its sovereignty, freedom, and independence,
• 0:55
  Speaker 1: and every power, jurisdiction, and right which is not by
• 0:59
  Speaker 1: this Confederation expressly delegated to the United States in Congress assembled.
• 1:06
  Speaker 1: Article three. The said States hereby severally enter into a
• 1:11
  Speaker 1: firm league of friendship with each other for their common defense,
• 1:15
  Speaker 1: the security of their liberties, and their mutual and general welfare,
• 1:19
  Speaker 1: binding themselves to assist each other against all force offered
• 1:23
  Speaker 1: to or attacks made upon them, or any of them,
• 1:26
  Speaker 1: on account of religion, sovereignty, trade, or any other pretense whatever.
• 1:33
  Speaker 1: Article four. The better to secure and perpetuate mutual friendship
• 1:38
  Speaker 1: and intercourse among the people of the different states of
• 1:40
  Speaker 1: this Union. The free inhabitants of each of these states, paupers, vagabonds,
• 1:45
  Speaker 1: and fugitives from justice accepted, shall be entitled to all
• 1:48
  Speaker 1: the privileges and immunities of free citizens in the several States.
• 1:53
  Speaker 1: And the people of each state shall have free ingress
• 1:55
  Speaker 1: and regress to and from any other state, and shall
• 1:59
  Speaker 1: enjoy their inns in all the privileges of trade and commerce,
• 2:02
  Speaker 1: subject to the same duties, impositions, and restrictions as the
• 2:05
  Speaker 1: inhabitants thereof, respectively, provided that such restrictions shall not extend
• 2:10
  Speaker 1: so far as to prevent the removal of property imported
• 2:13
  Speaker 1: into any State to any other state of which the
• 2:16
  Speaker 1: owner is an inhabitant, Provided also that no imposition, duties,
• 2:21
  Speaker 1: or restriction shall be laid by any State on the
• 2:23
  Speaker 1: property of the United States or either of them. If
• 2:28
  Speaker 1: any person guilty of or charged with treason, felony, or
• 2:32
  Speaker 1: other high misdemeanor in any State shall flee from justice
• 2:35
  Speaker 1: and be found in any of the United States, he shall,
• 2:39
  Speaker 1: upon demand of the governor or executive power of the
• 2:42
  Speaker 1: state from which he fled, be delivered up and removed
• 2:45
  Speaker 1: to the state having jurisdiction of his offense. Full faith
• 2:49
  Speaker 1: and credit shall be given in each of these states
• 2:52
  Speaker 1: to the records, acts, and judicial proceedings of the courts
• 2:55
  Speaker 1: and magistrates of every other state. Article five. For the
• 3:03
  Speaker 1: more convenient management of the general interests of the United States,
• 3:06
  Speaker 1: delegates shall be annually appointed in such manner as the
• 3:10
  Speaker 1: legislature of each State shall erect, to meet in Congress
• 3:13
  Speaker 1: on the first Monday in November in every year, with
• 3:17
  Speaker 1: a power reserved to each state to recall its delegates,
• 3:20
  Speaker 1: or any of them, at any time within the year,
• 3:23
  Speaker 1: and to send others in their stead for the remainder
• 3:26
  Speaker 1: of the year. No state shall be represented in Congress
• 3:29
  Speaker 1: by less than two nor by more than seven members.
• 3:33
  Speaker 1: And no person shall be capable of being a delegate
• 3:36
  Speaker 1: for more than three years in any term of six years.
• 3:40
  Speaker 1: Nor shall any person being a delegate, be capable of
• 3:43
  Speaker 1: holding any office under the United States for which he
• 3:46
  Speaker 1: or another, for his benefit, receives any salary, fees, or
• 3:49
  Speaker 1: a molument of any kind. Each state shall maintain its
• 3:53
  Speaker 1: own delegates in a meeting of the States, and while
• 3:56
  Speaker 1: they act as members of the Committee of the States
• 4:00
  Speaker 1: in determining questions. In the United States, in Congress Assembled,
• 4:04
  Speaker 1: each state shall have one vote. Freedom of speech and
• 4:09
  Speaker 1: debate in Congress shall not be impeached or questioned in
• 4:12
  Speaker 1: any court or place out of Congress. And the Members
• 4:15
  Speaker 1: of Congress shall be protected in their persons from arrests
• 4:19
  Speaker 1: and imprisonments during the time of their going to or
• 4:22
  Speaker 1: from and attendance on Congress, except for treason, felony, or
• 4:27
  Speaker 1: breach of the Peace. Article six. No state, without the
• 4:34
  Speaker 1: consent of the United States in Congress Assembled, shall send
• 4:38
  Speaker 1: any embassy to, or receive any embassy from, or enter
• 4:41
  Speaker 1: into any conference, agreement, alliance, or treaty with any King, Prince,
• 4:46
  Speaker 1: or state. Nor shall any person holding any office of
• 4:50
  Speaker 1: profit or trust under the United States, or any of them,
• 4:54
  Speaker 1: except of any present emolument, office, or title of any
• 4:58
  Speaker 1: kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign state. Nor
• 5:02
  Speaker 1: shall the United States in Congress Assembled, or any of them,
• 5:06
  Speaker 1: grant any title of nobility. No two or more States
• 5:11
  Speaker 1: shall enter into any treaty, confederation, or alliance whatever between
• 5:15
  Speaker 1: them without the consent of the United States in Congress Assembled.
• 5:19
  Speaker 1: Specifying accurately the purposes for which the same is to
• 5:22
  Speaker 1: be entered into, and how long it shall continue. No
• 5:27
  Speaker 1: state shall lay any imposts or duties which may interfere
• 5:31
  Speaker 1: with any stipulations in treaties entered into by the United
• 5:34
  Speaker 1: States in Congress Assembled with any King, Prince, or State
• 5:38
  Speaker 1: in pursuance of any treaties already proposed by Congress to
• 5:42
  Speaker 1: the courts of France and Spain. No vessels of war
• 5:46
  Speaker 1: shall be kept in time of peace by any state,
• 5:49
  Speaker 1: except such number only as shall be deemed necessary by
• 5:52
  Speaker 1: the United States in Congress Assembled for the defense of
• 5:56
  Speaker 1: such state or its trade. Nor shall any body of
• 5:59
  Speaker 1: forces be kept up by any state in time of peace,
• 6:03
  Speaker 1: except such number only as in the judgment of the
• 6:05
  Speaker 1: United States in Congress Assembled, shall be deemed requisite to
• 6:08
  Speaker 1: garrison the forts necessary for the defense of such state.
• 6:12
  Speaker 1: But every state shall always keep up a well regulated
• 6:15
  Speaker 1: and disciplined militia, sufficiently armed and accoutered, and shall provide
• 6:20
  Speaker 1: and constantly have ready for use in public stores, a
• 6:23
  Speaker 1: due number of field pieces and tents, and a proper
• 6:26
  Speaker 1: quantity of arms, ammunition, and camp equipage. No state shall
• 6:33
  Speaker 1: engage in any war without the consent of the United
• 6:36
  Speaker 1: States in Congress assembled, unless such state be actually invaded
• 6:40
  Speaker 1: by enemies, or shall have received certain advice of a
• 6:44
  Speaker 1: resolution being formed by some nation of Indians to invade
• 6:47
  Speaker 1: such state, and the danger is so imminent as not
• 6:50
  Speaker 1: to admit of a delay till the United States in
• 6:53
  Speaker 1: Congress Assembled can be consulted. Nor shall any state grant
• 6:57
  Speaker 1: commissions to any ships or vessels of war, or letters
• 7:00
  Speaker 1: of mark or reprisal, except it be after a declaration
• 7:04
  Speaker 1: of war by the United States in Congress Assembled, and
• 7:07
  Speaker 1: then only against the kingdom or state and the subjects
• 7:10
  Speaker 1: thereof against which war has been so declared, and under
• 7:14
  Speaker 1: such regulations as shall be established by the United States
• 7:17
  Speaker 1: in Congress Assembled, unless such state be infested by pirates,
• 7:21
  Speaker 1: in which case vessels of war may be fitted out
• 7:24
  Speaker 1: for that occasion and kept so long as the danger
• 7:27
  Speaker 1: shall continue, or until the United States in Congress Assembled
• 7:31
  Speaker 1: shall determine otherwise. Article seven. When land forces are raised
• 7:38
  Speaker 1: by any state for the common defense, all officers of
• 7:42
  Speaker 1: or under the rank of colonel shall be appointed by
• 7:45
  Speaker 1: the legislature of each state respectively, by whom such forces
• 7:49
  Speaker 1: shall be raised, or in such manner as such states
• 7:51
  Speaker 1: shall direct, And all vacancies shall be filled up by
• 7:55
  Speaker 1: the state which first made the appointment. All charges of
• 8:03
  Speaker 1: war and all other expenses that shall be incurred for
• 8:06
  Speaker 1: the common defense or general welfare, and allowed by the
• 8:09
  Speaker 1: United States and Congress Assembled, shall be defrayed out of
• 8:12
  Speaker 1: a common treasury, which shall be supplied by the several
• 8:15
  Speaker 1: States in proportion to the value of all land within
• 8:19
  Speaker 1: each state granted to or surveyed for any person, and
• 8:23
  Speaker 1: such land in the buildings and improvements thereon, shall be
• 8:26
  Speaker 1: estimated according to such mode as the United States in
• 8:29
  Speaker 1: Congress Assembled, shall, from time to time direct and appoint
• 8:33
  Speaker 1: the taxes for paying that proportion shall be laid and
• 8:37
  Speaker 1: levied by the authority and direction of the legislatures of
• 8:40
  Speaker 1: the several States within the time agreed upon by the
• 8:43
  Speaker 1: United States in Congress Assembled. Article nine. The United States
• 8:50
  Speaker 1: in Congress Assembled shall have the sole and exclusive right
• 8:54
  Speaker 1: and power of determining on peace and war, except in
• 8:57
  Speaker 1: the cases mentioned in the sixth Article of sending and
• 9:00
  Speaker 1: receiving ambassadors entering into treaties and alliances, provided that no
• 9:05
  Speaker 1: treaty of commerce shall be made, whereby the legislative power
• 9:08
  Speaker 1: of the respective States shall be restrained from imposing such
• 9:11
  Speaker 1: imposts and duties on foreigners as their own people are
• 9:14
  Speaker 1: subjected to or from prohibiting the exportation or importation of
• 9:19
  Speaker 1: any species of goods or commodities, whatsoever. Of establishing rules
• 9:24
  Speaker 1: for deciding in all cases what captures on land or
• 9:27
  Speaker 1: water shall be legal, and in what manner prizes taken
• 9:30
  Speaker 1: by land or naval forces in the service of the
• 9:33
  Speaker 1: United States shall be divided or appropriated. Of granting letters
• 9:37
  Speaker 1: of mark and reprisal in times of peace, appointing courts
• 9:41
  Speaker 1: for the trial of piracies and felonies committed on the
• 9:44
  Speaker 1: high seas, and establishing courts for receiving and determining, finally,
• 9:49
  Speaker 1: appeals in all cases of captures, provided that no member
• 9:53
  Speaker 1: of Congress shall be appointed a judge of any of
• 9:55
  Speaker 1: the said courts. The United States, in Congress assembled, shall
• 10:01
  Speaker 1: also be the last resort on appeal in all disputes
• 10:03
  Speaker 1: and differences now subsisting, or that hereafter may arise between
• 10:08
  Speaker 1: two or more States concerning boundary, jurisdiction, or any other
• 10:11
  Speaker 1: cause whatever, which authority shall always be exercised in the
• 10:15
  Speaker 1: manner following. Whenever the legislative or executive authority, or a
• 10:20
  Speaker 1: lawful agent of any state in controversy with another, shall
• 10:24
  Speaker 1: present a petition to Congress stating the matter in question
• 10:27
  Speaker 1: and praying for a hearing. Notice thereof shall be given
• 10:30
  Speaker 1: by order of Congress to the legislative or executive authority
• 10:33
  Speaker 1: of the other state and controversy, and a day assigned
• 10:37
  Speaker 1: for the appearance of the parties by their lawful agents,
• 10:40
  Speaker 1: who shall then be directed to appoint by joint consent,
• 10:43
  Speaker 1: commissioners or judges to constitute a court for hearing and
• 10:47
  Speaker 1: determining the matter in question. But if they cannot agree,
• 10:51
  Speaker 1: Congress shall name three persons out of each of the
• 10:54
  Speaker 1: United States, and from the list of such persons, each
• 10:57
  Speaker 1: party shall alternately strike out one the petitioner's beginning until
• 11:02
  Speaker 1: the number shall be reduced to thirteen, and from that
• 11:05
  Speaker 1: number not less than seven nor more than nine, names,
• 11:09
  Speaker 1: as Congress shall direct, shall in the presence of Congress,
• 11:12
  Speaker 1: be drawn out by lot. And the persons whose names
• 11:16
  Speaker 1: shall be so drawn, or any five of them, shall
• 11:19
  Speaker 1: be commissioners or judges to hear and finally determine the controversy,
• 11:24
  Speaker 1: so always as a major part of the judges who
• 11:26
  Speaker 1: shall hear the cause shall agree in the determination. And
• 11:30
  Speaker 1: if either party shall neglect to attend at the day appointed,
• 11:33
  Speaker 1: without showing reasons which Congress shall judge sufficient, or being present,
• 11:38
  Speaker 1: shall refuse to strike. The Congress shall proceed to nominate
• 11:42
  Speaker 1: three persons out of each state, and the Secretary of
• 11:44
  Speaker 1: Congress shall strike in behalf of such party absent or refusing,
• 11:49
  Speaker 1: And the judgment and sentence of the Court to be
• 11:51
  Speaker 1: appointed in the manner before prescribed, shall be final and conclusive.
• 11:56
  Speaker 1: And if any of the parties shall refuse to submit
• 11:58
  Speaker 1: to the authority of such corps or to appear or
• 12:01
  Speaker 1: defend their claim or cause, the Court shall nevertheless proceed
• 12:05
  Speaker 1: to pronounce sentence or judgment, which shall in like manner
• 12:09
  Speaker 1: be final and decisive. The judgment or sentence and other
• 12:12
  Speaker 1: proceedings being in either case transmitted to Congress and lodged
• 12:16
  Speaker 1: among the Acts of Congress for the security of the
• 12:18
  Speaker 1: parties concerned. Provided that every Commissioner, before he sits in judgment,
• 12:23
  Speaker 1: shall take an oath to be administered by one of
• 12:25
  Speaker 1: the judges of the Supreme or superior court of the
• 12:28
  Speaker 1: state where the cause shall be tried well and truly
• 12:32
  Speaker 1: to hear and determine the matter in question according to
• 12:35
  Speaker 1: the best of his judgment, without favor, affection, or hope
• 12:38
  Speaker 1: of reward, provided also that no state shall be deprived
• 12:43
  Speaker 1: territory for the benefit of the United States. All controversies
• 12:48
  Speaker 1: concerning the private right of soil claimed under different grants
• 12:51
  Speaker 1: of two or more states whose jurisdictions, as they may
• 12:54
  Speaker 1: respect such lands, and the states which past such grants,
• 12:58
  Speaker 1: are adjusted, the said grants of either of them being
• 13:01
  Speaker 1: at the same time claimed to have originated antecedent to
• 13:04
  Speaker 1: such settlement of jurisdiction, shall on the petition of either
• 13:08
  Speaker 1: party to the Congress of the United States, be finally determined,
• 13:12
  Speaker 1: as near as may be, in the same manner as
• 13:14
  Speaker 1: is before prescribed for deciding disputes respecting territorial jurisdiction between
• 13:18
  Speaker 1: different states. The United States, in Congress assembled, shall also
• 13:24
  Speaker 1: have the sole and exclusive right and power of regulating
• 13:27
  Speaker 1: the alloy and value of coin struck by their own
• 13:31
  Speaker 1: authority or by that of the respective States, fixing the
• 13:35
  Speaker 1: standard of weights and measures throughout the United States, regulating
• 13:39
  Speaker 1: the trade, and managing all affairs with the Indians not
• 13:42
  Speaker 1: members of any of the States, provided that the legislative
• 13:46
  Speaker 1: right of any state within its own limits be not
• 13:48
  Speaker 1: infringed or violated, Establishing and regulating post offices from one
• 13:53
  Speaker 1: state to another throughout all the United States, and exacting
• 13:57
  Speaker 1: such postage on the papers passing through this st as
• 14:00
  Speaker 1: may be requisite to defray the expenses of the said office.
• 14:04
  Speaker 1: Appointing all officers of the Land Forces in the service
• 14:07
  Speaker 1: of the United States, excepting regimental officers, Appointing all the
• 14:11
  Speaker 1: officers of the Naval Forces, and commissioning all officers whatever,
• 14:15
  Speaker 1: in the service of the United States, making rules for
• 14:19
  Speaker 1: the government and regulation of the said Land and Naval forces,
• 14:22
  Speaker 1: and directing their operations. The United States, in Congress assembled,
• 14:27
  Speaker 1: shall have authority to appoint a committee to sit in
• 14:30
  Speaker 1: the recess of Congress, to be denominated a Committee of
• 14:34
  Speaker 1: the States, and to consist of one delegate from each state,
• 14:38
  Speaker 1: to appoint such other committees and civil officers as may
• 14:41
  Speaker 1: be necessary for managing the general affairs of the United
• 14:44
  Speaker 1: States under their direction, and to appoint one of their
• 14:48
  Speaker 1: number to preside, provided that no person be allowed to
• 14:51
  Speaker 1: serve in the office of President more than one year
• 14:53
  Speaker 1: in any term of three years. To ascertain the necessary
• 14:57
  Speaker 1: sums of money to be raised for the service of
• 14:59
  Speaker 1: the uns United States, and to appropriate and apply the
• 15:03
  Speaker 1: same for defraying the public expenses. To borrow money or
• 15:07
  Speaker 1: emit bills on the credit of the United States, transmitting
• 15:10
  Speaker 1: every half year to the respective States an account of
• 15:13
  Speaker 1: the sums of money so borrowed or omitted. To build
• 15:17
  Speaker 1: and equip a navy. To agree upon the number of
• 15:20
  Speaker 1: land forces, and to make requisitions from each state for
• 15:23
  Speaker 1: its quota in proportion to the number of white inhabitants
• 15:27
  Speaker 1: in such state, which requisition shall be binding. And thereupon
• 15:32
  Speaker 1: the legislature of each state shall appoint the regimental officers,
• 15:35
  Speaker 1: raise the men, and clothe armed, equip them in a
• 15:38
  Speaker 1: soldier like manner at the expense of the United States.
• 15:42
  Speaker 1: And the officers and men so clothed, armed and equipped,
• 15:45
  Speaker 1: shall march to the place appointed and within the time
• 15:48
  Speaker 1: agreed on by the United States in Congress assembled. But
• 15:52
  Speaker 1: if the United States, in Congress Assembled, shall, on consideration
• 15:55
  Speaker 1: of circumstances, judge proper that any state should not raise men,
• 16:00
  Speaker 1: or should raise a smaller number than its quota, and
• 16:03
  Speaker 1: that any other state should raise a greater number of
• 16:06
  Speaker 1: men than the quota. Thereof. Such extra number shall be
• 16:09
  Speaker 1: raised officered clothed, armed, and equipped in the same manner
• 16:13
  Speaker 1: as the quota of such state, unless the legislature of
• 16:16
  Speaker 1: such state shall judge that such extra number cannot be
• 16:19
  Speaker 1: safely spared out of the same, in which case they
• 16:22
  Speaker 1: shall raise officer clothed, arm and equip as many of
• 16:25
  Speaker 1: such extra number as they judge can be safely spared,
• 16:28
  Speaker 1: and the officers and men so clothed, armed, and equipped,
• 16:32
  Speaker 1: shall march to the place appointed and within the time
• 16:35
  Speaker 1: agreed on by the United States in Congress Assembled. The
• 16:41
  Speaker 1: United States in Congress Assembled, shall never engage in a war,
• 16:45
  Speaker 1: nor grant letters of mark and reprisal in time of peace,
• 16:48
  Speaker 1: nor enter into any treaties or alliances, nor coin money,
• 16:52
  Speaker 1: nor regulate the value thereof, nor ascertain the sums and
• 16:56
  Speaker 1: expenses necessary for the defense and welfare of the United
• 16:59
  Speaker 1: States or any of them, nor omit bills, nor borrow
• 17:03
  Speaker 1: money on the credit of the United States, nor appropriate money,
• 17:07
  Speaker 1: nor agree upon the number of vessels of war to
• 17:10
  Speaker 1: be built or purchased, or the number of land or
• 17:13
  Speaker 1: sea forces to be raised, nor appoint a commander in
• 17:16
  Speaker 1: chief of the Army or Navy unless nine states assent
• 17:20
  Speaker 1: to the same. Nor shall a question on any other
• 17:23
  Speaker 1: point except for adjourning from day to day be determined
• 17:27
  Speaker 1: unless by the votes of a majority of the United
• 17:30
  Speaker 1: States in Congress assembled. The Congress of the United States
• 17:35
  Speaker 1: shall have power to adjourn to any time within the year,
• 17:39
  Speaker 1: and to any place within the United States, so that
• 17:42
  Speaker 1: no period of adjournment be for a longer duration than
• 17:44
  Speaker 1: the space of six months, and shall publish the Journal
• 17:48
  Speaker 1: of their proceedings monthly. Accept such parts thereof relating to treaties, alliances,
• 17:53
  Speaker 1: or military operations, as in their judgment require secrecy, And
• 17:58
  Speaker 1: that yeas and nays of the delegate of each State
• 18:00
  Speaker 1: on any question shall be entered on the Journal when
• 18:03
  Speaker 1: it is desired by any delegate, and the delegates of
• 18:06
  Speaker 1: a state, or any of them, at his or their request,
• 18:10
  Speaker 1: shall be furnished with a transcript of the said journal.
• 18:12
  Speaker 1: Accept such parts as are above accepted to lay before
• 18:15
  Speaker 1: the legislatures of the several States. Article ten. The Committee
• 18:23
  Speaker 1: of the States, or any nine of them, shall be
• 18:26
  Speaker 1: authorized to execute in the recess of Congress such of
• 18:30
  Speaker 1: the powers of Congress as the United States in Congress
• 18:33
  Speaker 1: assembled by the consent of nine States, shall from time
• 18:37
  Speaker 1: to time think expedient to vest them with, provided that
• 18:40
  Speaker 1: no power be delegated to the said Committee for the
• 18:43
  Speaker 1: exercise of which, by the Articles of Confederation, the voice
• 18:47
  Speaker 1: of nine States in the Congress of the United States
• 18:49
  Speaker 1: assembled as requisite. Article eleven. Canada, acceding to this Confederation
• 18:58
  Speaker 1: and joining in the measures of the United Slime States,
• 19:00
  Speaker 1: shall be admitted into and entitled to all the advantages
• 19:04
  Speaker 1: of this Union, but no other colony shall be admitted
• 19:07
  Speaker 1: into the same unless such admission be agreed to by
• 19:11
  Speaker 1: nine States. Article twelve. All bills of credit omitted, moneys borrowed,
• 19:20
  Speaker 1: and debts contracted by or under the authority of Congress
• 19:24
  Speaker 1: before the assembling of the United States in pursuance of
• 19:27
  Speaker 1: the present Confederation shall be deemed and considered as a
• 19:31
  Speaker 1: charge against the United States for payment and satisfaction, whereof
• 19:35
  Speaker 1: the said United States and the public faith are hereby
• 19:38
  Speaker 1: solemnly pledged. Article thirteen. Every State shall abide by the
• 19:47
  Speaker 1: determinations of the United States in Congress Assembled on all
• 19:51
  Speaker 1: questions which by this Confederation are submitted to them, And
• 19:55
  Speaker 1: the articles of this Confederation shall be inviolably observed by
• 19:58
  Speaker 1: every state and d The Union shall be perpetual, nor
• 20:02
  Speaker 1: shall any alteration at any time hereafter be made in
• 20:06
  Speaker 1: any of them, unless such alteration be agreed to in
• 20:09
  Speaker 1: a Congress of the United States, and be afterwards confirmed
• 20:13
  Speaker 1: by the legislatures of every State, And whereas it hath
• 20:19
  Speaker 1: pleased the Great Governor of the World to incline the
• 20:22
  Speaker 1: hearts of the legislatures we respectfully represent in Congress to
• 20:26
  Speaker 1: approve of, and to authorize us to ratify, the said
• 20:29
  Speaker 1: Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union. Know ye that we,
• 20:34
  Speaker 1: the undersigned Delegates, by virtue of the power and authority
• 20:38
  Speaker 1: to us given for that purpose, do by these presents,
• 20:42
  Speaker 1: in the name and in behalf of our respective constituents,
• 20:45
  Speaker 1: fully and entirely ratify and confirm each and every of
• 20:49
  Speaker 1: the said Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union, and all
• 20:53
  Speaker 1: and singular the matters and things therein contained. And we
• 20:57
  Speaker 1: do further solemnly plight and engage the faith of our
• 21:00
  Speaker 1: respective constituents that they shall abide by the determinations of
• 21:04
  Speaker 1: the United States in Congress assembled on all questions which
• 21:08
  Speaker 1: by the said Confederation are submitted to them, and that
• 21:12
  Speaker 1: the articles thereof shall be inviolably observed by the states
• 21:15
  Speaker 1: we respectively represent, and the union shall be perpetual George Washington,
• 21:25
  Speaker 1: end of the Articles of Confederation. This is a LibriVox recording.
• 21:33
  Speaker 1: All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more
• 21:36
  Speaker 1: information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org. This
• 21:41
  Speaker 1: reading by Michael Scherer www dot americanaphonic dot com. The
• 21:48
  Speaker 1: Constitution of the United States of America, September seventeenth, seventeen
• 21:53
  Speaker 1: eighty seven, We, the people of the United States, in
• 21:58
  Speaker 1: order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure
• 22:02
  Speaker 1: domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare,
• 22:07
  Speaker 1: and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity.
• 22:11
  Speaker 1: To ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States
• 22:15
  Speaker 1: of America. Article one. Section one. All legislative powers herein
• 22:23
  Speaker 1: granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States,
• 22:26
  Speaker 1: which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives.
• 22:31
  Speaker 1: Section two. The House of Representatives shall be composed of
• 22:35
  Speaker 1: members chosen every second year by the people of the
• 22:38
  Speaker 1: several States, and the electors in each state shall have
• 22:41
  Speaker 1: the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch
• 22:45
  Speaker 1: of the state legislature. No person shall be a representative
• 22:49
  Speaker 1: who shall not have attained the age of twenty five
• 22:52
  Speaker 1: years and been seven years a citizen of the United States,
• 22:56
  Speaker 1: and who shall not, when elected, be an inhabitant of
• 22:58
  Speaker 1: that state in which he shall be chosen. Representatives and
• 23:03
  Speaker 1: direct taxes shall be apportioned among the several states which
• 23:06
  Speaker 1: may be included within this Union, according to their respective numbers,
• 23:10
  Speaker 1: which shall be determined by adding to the whole number
• 23:13
  Speaker 1: of free persons, including those bound to service for a
• 23:16
  Speaker 1: term of years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths
• 23:21
  Speaker 1: of all other persons. The actual enumeration shall be made
• 23:25
  Speaker 1: within three years after the first meeting of the Congress
• 23:28
  Speaker 1: of the United States, and within every subsequent term of
• 23:31
  Speaker 1: ten years, in such manner as they shall by law direct.
• 23:35
  Speaker 1: The number of representatives shall not exceed one for every
• 23:38
  Speaker 1: thirty thousand, but each state shall have at least one representative,
• 23:43
  Speaker 1: and until such numeration shall be made, the state of
• 23:46
  Speaker 1: New Hampshire shall be entitled to choose three. Massachusetts eight,
• 23:50
  Speaker 1: Rhode Island and Providence Plantations one, Connecticut five, New York six,
• 23:56
  Speaker 1: New Jersey four, Pennsylvania eight, Delaware, one, Maryland six, Virginia ten,
• 24:03
  Speaker 1: North Carolina five South Carolina five, and Georgia three. When
• 24:10
  Speaker 1: vacancies happen in the representation from any state, the executive
• 24:13
  Speaker 1: authority thereof shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies.
• 24:18
  Speaker 1: The House of Representatives shall choose their speaker and other officers,
• 24:22
  Speaker 1: and shall have the sole power of impeachment. Section three.
• 24:28
  Speaker 1: The Senate of the United States shall be composed of
• 24:31
  Speaker 1: two senators from each state, chosen by the Legislature thereof,
• 24:35
  Speaker 1: for six years, and each senator shall have one vote.
• 24:40
  Speaker 1: Immediately after they shall be assembled in consequence of the
• 24:42
  Speaker 1: first election. They shall be divided, as equally as may be,
• 24:46
  Speaker 1: into three classes. The seats of the senators of the
• 24:49
  Speaker 1: first class shall be vacated at the expiration of the
• 24:52
  Speaker 1: second year, of the second class at the expiration of
• 24:56
  Speaker 1: the fourth year, and of the third class at the
• 24:59
  Speaker 1: expiration of the st six year, so that one third
• 25:02
  Speaker 1: may be chosen every second year. And if vacancies happen
• 25:05
  Speaker 1: by resignation or otherwise during the recess of the legislature
• 25:09
  Speaker 1: of any state, the executive thereof may make temporary appointments
• 25:13
  Speaker 1: until the next meeting of the Legislature, which shall then
• 25:16
  Speaker 1: fill such vacancies. No person shall be a Senator who
• 25:20
  Speaker 1: shall not have attained to the age of thirty years
• 25:23
  Speaker 1: and been nine years a citizen of the United States,
• 25:26
  Speaker 1: and who shall not, when elected, be an inhabitant of
• 25:28
  Speaker 1: that state for which he shall be chosen. The Vice
• 25:32
  Speaker 1: President of the United States shall be President of the Senate,
• 25:36
  Speaker 1: but shall have no vote unless they be equally divided.
• 25:41
  Speaker 1: The Senate shall choose their other officers, and also a
• 25:44
  Speaker 1: President pro temporary in the absence of the Vice President,
• 25:47
  Speaker 1: or when he shall exercise the office of President of
• 25:50
  Speaker 1: the United States. The Senate shall have the sole power
• 25:54
  Speaker 1: to try all impeachments. When sitting for that purpose, they
• 25:58
  Speaker 1: shall be on oath or afirmaid. When the President of
• 26:02
  Speaker 1: the United States is tried, the Chief Justice shall preside,
• 26:06
  Speaker 1: and no person shall be convicted without the concurrence of
• 26:09
  Speaker 1: two thirds of the members present. Judgment in cases of
• 26:14
  Speaker 1: impeachment shall not extend further than to removal from office
• 26:18
  Speaker 1: and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust,
• 26:22
  Speaker 1: or profit under the United States. But the party convicted
• 26:26
  Speaker 1: shall nevertheless be liable and subject to indictment, trial, judgment,
• 26:30
  Speaker 1: and punishment. According to Law Section four, the Times, Places
• 26:38
  Speaker 1: and manner of holding elections for senators and representatives shall
• 26:41
  Speaker 1: be prescribed in each state by the legislature thereof, But
• 26:45
  Speaker 1: the Congress may at any time, by law make or
• 26:48
  Speaker 1: alter such regulations, except as to the places of choosing senators.
• 26:53
  Speaker 1: The Congress shall assemble at least once in every year,
• 26:57
  Speaker 1: and such meetings shall be on the first Monday in December,
• 27:00
  Speaker 1: unless they shall, by law appoint a different day. Section five.
• 27:06
  Speaker 1: Each House shall be the judge of the elections, returns,
• 27:09
  Speaker 1: and qualifications of its own members, and a majority of
• 27:13
  Speaker 1: each shall constitute a quorum to do business, but a
• 27:16
  Speaker 1: smaller number may adjourn from day to day, and may
• 27:19
  Speaker 1: be authorized to compel the attendance of absent members. In
• 27:23
  Speaker 1: such manner and under such penalties as each House may provide,
• 27:27
  Speaker 1: Each House may determine the rules of its proceedings, punish
• 27:31
  Speaker 1: its members for disorderly behavior, and, with the concurrence of
• 27:34
  Speaker 1: two thirds, expel a member. Each House shall keep a
• 27:39
  Speaker 1: journal of its proceedings, and from time to time publish
• 27:42
  Speaker 1: the same, accepting such parts as may, in their judgment
• 27:45
  Speaker 1: require secrecy. And the yeas and nays of the members
• 27:49
  Speaker 1: of either House on any question shall at the desire
• 27:51
  Speaker 1: of one fifth of those present be entered on the journal.
• 27:56
  Speaker 1: Neither house, during the session of Congress, shall, without the
• 27:59
  Speaker 1: concerit of the other, adjourn for more than three days,
• 28:03
  Speaker 1: nor to any other place than that in which the
• 28:05
  Speaker 1: two houses shall be sitting. Section six. The Senators and
• 28:12
  Speaker 1: Representatives shall receive a compensation for their services, to be
• 28:16
  Speaker 1: ascertained by law and paid out of the treasury of
• 28:19
  Speaker 1: the United States. They shall, in all cases except treason, felony,
• 28:23
  Speaker 1: and breach of the peace, be privileged from arrest during
• 28:27
  Speaker 1: their attendants at the session of their respective houses, and
• 28:30
  Speaker 1: in going to and returning from the same, And for
• 28:32
  Speaker 1: any speech or debate in either House, they shall not
• 28:36
  Speaker 1: be questioned in any other place. No Senator or Representative shall,
• 28:42
  Speaker 1: during the time for which he was elected, be appointed
• 28:45
  Speaker 1: to any civil office under the authority of the United States,
• 28:48
  Speaker 1: which shall have been created, or the emoluments whereof shall
• 28:51
  Speaker 1: have been increased during such time. And no person holding
• 28:55
  Speaker 1: any office under the United States shall be a member
• 28:58
  Speaker 1: of either House during his continuance in office. Section seven.
• 29:05
  Speaker 1: All bills for raising revenue shall originate in the House
• 29:08
  Speaker 1: of Representatives, but the Senate may propose or concur with amendments.
• 29:12
  Speaker 1: As on other bills, every bill which shall have passed
• 29:17
  Speaker 1: the House of Representatives and the Senate, shall, before it
• 29:20
  Speaker 1: becomes a law, be presented to the President of the
• 29:23
  Speaker 1: United States. If he approve, he shall sign it, but
• 29:26
  Speaker 1: if not, he shall return it with his objections to
• 29:29
  Speaker 1: that house in which it shall have originated, who shall
• 29:32
  Speaker 1: enter the objections at large on their journal, and proceed
• 29:35
  Speaker 1: to reconsider it. If after such reconsideration two thirds of
• 29:40
  Speaker 1: that house shall agree to pass the bill, it shall
• 29:43
  Speaker 1: be sent together with the objections, to the other house,
• 29:46
  Speaker 1: by which it shall likewise be reconsidered, and if approved
• 29:49
  Speaker 1: by two thirds of that house, it shall become a law.
• 29:53
  Speaker 1: But in all such cases, the votes of both houses
• 29:55
  Speaker 1: shall be determined by yeas and nays, and the names
• 29:59
  Speaker 1: of the person's voteving fore and against the bill shall
• 30:02
  Speaker 1: be entered on the journal of each house respectively. If
• 30:05
  Speaker 1: any bill shall not be returned by the President within
• 30:08
  Speaker 1: ten days Sundays accepted after it shall have been presented
• 30:12
  Speaker 1: to him, the same shall be a law in like
• 30:15
  Speaker 1: manner as if he had signed it, unless the Congress,
• 30:17
  Speaker 1: by their adjournment, prevent its return, in which case it
• 30:21
  Speaker 1: shall not be a law. Every order, resolution, or vote
• 30:25
  Speaker 1: to which the concurrence of the Senate and House of
• 30:27
  Speaker 1: Representatives may be necessary, except on a question of adjournment,
• 30:32
  Speaker 1: shall be presented to the President of the United States,
• 30:35
  Speaker 1: and before the same shall take effect, shall be approved
• 30:38
  Speaker 1: by him, or, being disapproved by him, shall be repassed
• 30:42
  Speaker 1: by two thirds of the Senate and House of Representatives.
• 30:45
  Speaker 1: According to the rules and limitations prescribed in the case
• 30:48
  Speaker 1: of a bill Section eight. The Congress shall have power
• 30:54
  Speaker 1: to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts, and excises, to
• 30:58
  Speaker 1: pay the debts and provide for the common defense and general
• 31:01
  Speaker 1: welfare of the United States. But all duties, imposts, and
• 31:05
  Speaker 1: excises shall be uniform throughout the United States. To borrow
• 31:10
  Speaker 1: money on the credit of the United States. To regulate
• 31:14
  Speaker 1: commerce with foreign nations and among the several States, and
• 31:17
  Speaker 1: with the Indian tribes. To establish an uniform rule of
• 31:21
  Speaker 1: naturalization and uniform laws on the subject of bankruptcies throughout
• 31:25
  Speaker 1: the United States. To coin money, regulate the value thereof
• 31:29
  Speaker 1: and of foreign coin, and fix the standard of weights
• 31:32
  Speaker 1: and measures. To provide for the punishment of counterfeiting the
• 31:36
  Speaker 1: securities and current coin of the United States. To establish
• 31:40
  Speaker 1: post offices and post roads. To promote the progress of
• 31:44
  Speaker 1: science and useful arts by securing, for limited times to
• 31:48
  Speaker 1: authors and inventors the exclusive right to their respective writings
• 31:51
  Speaker 1: and discoveries. To constitute tribunals inferior to the Supreme Court.
• 31:58
  Speaker 1: To define and punish piracies and faire colonies committed on
• 32:01
  Speaker 1: the high seas, and offenses against the law of nations.
• 32:05
  Speaker 1: To declare war, grant letters of mark and reprisal, and
• 32:08
  Speaker 1: make rules concerning captures on land and water. To raise
• 32:13
  Speaker 1: and support armies, but no appropriation of money to that
• 32:16
  Speaker 1: use shall be for a longer term than two years.
• 32:20
  Speaker 1: To provide and maintain a navy. To make rules for
• 32:23
  Speaker 1: the government and regulation of the land and naval forces.
• 32:27
  Speaker 1: To provide for calling forth the militia, to execute the
• 32:30
  Speaker 1: laws of the Union, suppress insurrections and repel invasions. To
• 32:35
  Speaker 1: provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining the militia, and for
• 32:39
  Speaker 1: governing such part of them as may be employed in
• 32:41
  Speaker 1: the service of the United States, reserving to the States, respectively,
• 32:45
  Speaker 1: the appointment of the officers and the authority of training
• 32:48
  Speaker 1: the militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress, to
• 32:53
  Speaker 1: exercise exclusive legislation in all cases whatsoever, over such district
• 32:58
  Speaker 1: not exceeding ten miles square, as may by session of
• 33:01
  Speaker 1: particular States, and the acceptance of Congress, become the seat
• 33:05
  Speaker 1: of the Government of the United States. And to exercise
• 33:08
  Speaker 1: like authority over all places purchased by the consent of
• 33:11
  Speaker 1: the legislature of the state, in which the same shall
• 33:14
  Speaker 1: be for the erection of forts, magazines, arsenals, dockyards, and
• 33:18
  Speaker 1: other needful buildings. And to make all laws which shall
• 33:23
  Speaker 1: be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing
• 33:26
  Speaker 1: powers and all other powers vested by this Constitution in
• 33:30
  Speaker 1: the Government of the United States, or in any department
• 33:32
  Speaker 1: or officer thereof Section nine. The migration or importation of
• 33:40
  Speaker 1: such persons as any of the States now existing shall
• 33:43
  Speaker 1: think proper to admit, shall not be prohibited by the
• 33:47
  Speaker 1: Congress prior to the year one thousand, eight hundred and eight,
• 33:51
  Speaker 1: but a tax or duty may be imposed on such
• 33:53
  Speaker 1: importation not exceeding ten dollars for each person. The privilege
• 33:59
  Speaker 1: of the writ of habel Us corpus shall not be suspended, unless,
• 34:02
  Speaker 1: when in cases of rebellion or invasion, the public safety
• 34:06
  Speaker 1: may require it. No bill of attainder or ex post
• 34:10
  Speaker 1: facto law shall be passed. No capitation or other direct
• 34:15
  Speaker 1: tax shall be laid unless in proportion to the census
• 34:18
  Speaker 1: or enumeration herein before directed to be taken. No tax
• 34:23
  Speaker 1: or duty shall be laid on articles exported from any state.
• 34:28
  Speaker 1: No preference shall be given by any regulation of commerce
• 34:31
  Speaker 1: or revenue to the ports of one state over those
• 34:33
  Speaker 1: of another, Nor shall vessels bound to or from one
• 34:37
  Speaker 1: state be obliged to enter, clear or pay duties in another.
• 34:42
  Speaker 1: No money shall be drawn from the treasury, but in
• 34:45
  Speaker 1: consequence of appropriations made by law, and a regular statement
• 34:49
  Speaker 1: and account of the receipts and expenditures of all public
• 34:51
  Speaker 1: money shall be published from time to time. No title
• 34:56
  Speaker 1: of nobility shall be granted by the United States, and
• 34:59
  Speaker 1: no person holding any office of profit or trust under
• 35:02
  Speaker 1: them shall without the consent of the Congress, except of
• 35:05
  Speaker 1: any present emolument, office, or title of any kind whatever,
• 35:10
  Speaker 1: from any King, prince, or foreign state. Section ten. No
• 35:16
  Speaker 1: State shall enter into any treaty, alliance, or confederation, grant
• 35:20
  Speaker 1: letters of mark and reprisal, coin money, omit, bills of credit,
• 35:25
  Speaker 1: make anything but gold and silver coin, a tender and
• 35:28
  Speaker 1: payment of debts, pass any bill of attainder, ex post
• 35:31
  Speaker 1: facto law or law impairing the obligation of contracts, or
• 35:35
  Speaker 1: grant any title of nobility. No State shall, without the
• 35:40
  Speaker 1: consent of Congress, lay any imposts or duties on imports
• 35:43
  Speaker 1: or exports, except what may be absolutely necessary for executing
• 35:47
  Speaker 1: its inspection laws. And a net produce of All duties
• 35:50
  Speaker 1: and imposts laid by any State on imports or exports
• 35:54
  Speaker 1: shall be for the use of the Treasury of the
• 35:56
  Speaker 1: United States, And all such laws shall be subjects to
• 36:00
  Speaker 1: the revision and control of the Congress. No state shall,
• 36:05
  Speaker 1: without the consent of Congress, lay any duty of tonnage,
• 36:08
  Speaker 1: keep troops or ships of war in time of peace,
• 36:11
  Speaker 1: enter into any agreement or compact with another state or
• 36:14
  Speaker 1: with a foreign power, or engage in war unless actually
• 36:18
  Speaker 1: invaded or in such imminent danger as will not admit
• 36:21
  Speaker 1: of delay. Article two. Section one. The executive power shall
• 36:30
  Speaker 1: be vested in a President of the United States of America.
• 36:34
  Speaker 1: He shall hold his office during the term of four years, and,
• 36:37
  Speaker 1: together with the vice President chosen for the same term,
• 36:41
  Speaker 1: be elected as follows. Each state shall appoint in such
• 36:45
  Speaker 1: manner as the legislature thereof may direct a number of
• 36:48
  Speaker 1: electors equal to the whole number of senators and representatives
• 36:52
  Speaker 1: to which the state may be entitled in the Congress,
• 36:54
  Speaker 1: but no senator or representative, or person holding an office
• 36:58
  Speaker 1: of trust or profit under the United Stas States, shall
• 37:01
  Speaker 1: be appointed an elector. The electors shall meet in their
• 37:05
  Speaker 1: respective states and vote by ballot for two persons, of
• 37:09
  Speaker 1: whom one at least shall not be an inhabitant of
• 37:11
  Speaker 1: the same state with themselves, And they shall make a
• 37:14
  Speaker 1: list of all the persons voted for, and of the
• 37:17
  Speaker 1: number of votes for each, which list they shall sign
• 37:20
  Speaker 1: and certify, and transmit sealed to the Seat of Government
• 37:24
  Speaker 1: of the United States, directed to the President of the Senate.
• 37:28
  Speaker 1: The President of the Senate shall, in the presence of
• 37:30
  Speaker 1: the Senate and House of Representatives, open all the certificates,
• 37:34
  Speaker 1: and the votes shall then be counted. The person having
• 37:37
  Speaker 1: the greatest number of votes shall be the President, if
• 37:41
  Speaker 1: such number be a majority of the whole number of
• 37:43
  Speaker 1: electors appointed, and if there be more than one who
• 37:47
  Speaker 1: have such majority and have an equal number of votes,
• 37:50
  Speaker 1: then the House of Representatives shall immediately choose by ballot
• 37:54
  Speaker 1: one of them for president, and if no person have
• 37:57
  Speaker 1: a majority, then from the five highest on the list,
• 38:00
  Speaker 1: the said House shall in like manner choose the president.
• 38:04
  Speaker 1: But in choosing the president, the votes shall be taken
• 38:07
  Speaker 1: by states, the representation from each state having one vote.
• 38:11
  Speaker 1: A quorum for this purpose shall consist of a member
• 38:14
  Speaker 1: or members from two thirds of the states, and a
• 38:17
  Speaker 1: majority of all the states shall be necessary to a choice.
• 38:21
  Speaker 1: In every case, after the choice of the President, the
• 38:24
  Speaker 1: person having the greatest number of votes of the electors
• 38:27
  Speaker 1: shall be the vice president. But if there should remain
• 38:30
  Speaker 1: two or more who have equal votes, the Senate shall
• 38:33
  Speaker 1: choose from them by ballot the vice president. The Congress
• 38:38
  Speaker 1: may determine the time of choosing the electors and the
• 38:41
  Speaker 1: day on which they shall give their votes, which day
• 38:43
  Speaker 1: shall be the same. Throughout the United States, no person
• 38:47
  Speaker 1: except a natural born citizen or a citizen of the
• 38:50
  Speaker 1: United States at the time of the adoption of this
• 38:52
  Speaker 1: Constitution shall be eligible to the office of President. Neither
• 38:57
  Speaker 1: shall any person be eligible to that office who shall
• 39:00
  Speaker 1: will not have attained to the age of thirty five
• 39:02
  Speaker 1: years and been fourteen years a resident within the United States.
• 39:08
  Speaker 1: In case of the removal of the President from office,
• 39:11
  Speaker 1: or of his death, resignation, or inability to discharge the
• 39:14
  Speaker 1: powers and duties of the said office. The same shall
• 39:17
  Speaker 1: devolve on the Vice President, and the Congress may by
• 39:20
  Speaker 1: law provide for the case of removal, death, resignation, or
• 39:24
  Speaker 1: inability both of the President and Vice President, declaring what
• 39:28
  Speaker 1: officer shall then act as president, and such officer shall
• 39:32
  Speaker 1: act accordingly until the disability be removed or a president
• 39:35
  Speaker 1: shall be elected. The President shall at stated times receive
• 39:40
  Speaker 1: for his services a compensation which shall neither be increased
• 39:44
  Speaker 1: nor diminished during the period for which he may have
• 39:46
  Speaker 1: been elected, and he shall not receive within that period
• 39:50
  Speaker 1: any other emolument from the United States or any of them.
• 39:54
  Speaker 1: Before he enter on the execution of his office, he
• 39:57
  Speaker 1: shall take the following oath or affirmation. I do solemnly
• 40:02
  Speaker 1: swear or affirm that I will faithfully execute the office
• 40:06
  Speaker 1: of President of the United States, and will, to the
• 40:09
  Speaker 1: best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution
• 40:13
  Speaker 1: of the United States. Section two. The President shall be
• 40:19
  Speaker 1: Commander in chief of the Army and Navy of the
• 40:22
  Speaker 1: United States and of the Militia of the Several States.
• 40:25
  Speaker 1: When called into the actual service of the United States.
• 40:28
  Speaker 1: He may require the opinion in writing of the Principal
• 40:31
  Speaker 1: Officer in each of the Executive Departments upon any subject
• 40:35
  Speaker 1: relating to the duties of their respective offices. And he
• 40:38
  Speaker 1: shall have power to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses
• 40:41
  Speaker 1: against the United States, except in cases of impeachment. He
• 40:46
  Speaker 1: shall have power, by and with the advice and consent
• 40:50
  Speaker 1: of the Senate to make treaties, provided two thirds of
• 40:53
  Speaker 1: the Senators present concur and he shall nominate, and by
• 40:58
  Speaker 1: and with the advice and consent of the Senate, shall
• 41:00
  Speaker 1: appoint ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls, judges of the
• 41:05
  Speaker 1: Supreme Court, and all other officers of the United States
• 41:08
  Speaker 1: whose appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which
• 41:12
  Speaker 1: shall be established by law. But the Congress may by
• 41:16
  Speaker 1: law vest the appointment of such inferior officers as they
• 41:19
  Speaker 1: think proper in the President alone, in the courts of law,
• 41:23
  Speaker 1: or in the heads of departments. The President shall have
• 41:28
  Speaker 1: power to fill up vacancies that may happen during the
• 41:31
  Speaker 1: recess of the Senate by granting commissions which shall expire
• 41:34
  Speaker 1: at the end of their next session. Section three. He
• 41:41
  Speaker 1: shall from time to time give to the Congress information
• 41:44
  Speaker 1: of the state of the Union, and recommend to their
• 41:46
  Speaker 1: consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient.
• 41:51
  Speaker 1: He may, on extraordinary occasions convene both houses or either
• 41:55
  Speaker 1: of them, And in case of disagreement between them with
• 41:58
  Speaker 1: respect to the time of a journan he may adjourn
• 42:01
  Speaker 1: them to such time as he shall think proper. He
• 42:04
  Speaker 1: shall receive ambassadors and other public ministers. He shall take
• 42:08
  Speaker 1: care that the laws be faithfully executed, and shall commission
• 42:11
  Speaker 1: all the officers of the United States. Section four. The President,
• 42:18
  Speaker 1: vice President, and all civil officers of the United States
• 42:21
  Speaker 1: shall be removed from office on impeachment for and conviction
• 42:25
  Speaker 1: of treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors. Article three.
• 42:34
  Speaker 1: Section one. The judicial power of the United States shall
• 42:39
  Speaker 1: be vested in one Supreme Court and in such inferior
• 42:43
  Speaker 1: courts as the Congress may, from time to time ordain
• 42:45
  Speaker 1: and establish. The judges both of the Supreme and inferior courts.
• 42:51
  Speaker 1: Shall hold their offices during good behavior, and shall at
• 42:54
  Speaker 1: stated times receive for their services a compensation which shall
• 42:59
  Speaker 1: not be diminished during their continuance in office. Section two.
• 43:05
  Speaker 1: The judicial power shall extend to all cases in law
• 43:08
  Speaker 1: and equity arising under this Constitution the laws of the
• 43:12
  Speaker 1: United States and treaties made are which shall be made
• 43:16
  Speaker 1: under their authority, To all cases affecting ambassadors, other public ministers,
• 43:21
  Speaker 1: and consuls. To all cases of admiralty and maritime jurisdiction,
• 43:26
  Speaker 1: to controversies to which the United States shall be a party,
• 43:30
  Speaker 1: to controversies between two or more states, between a state
• 43:34
  Speaker 1: and citizens of another state, between citizens of different states,
• 43:39
  Speaker 1: between citizens of the same state claiming lands under grants
• 43:42
  Speaker 1: of different states, And between a state or the citizens thereof,
• 43:46
  Speaker 1: and foreign states, citizens or subjects. In all cases affecting ambassadors,
• 43:53
  Speaker 1: other public ministers, and consuls, and those in which a
• 43:55
  Speaker 1: State shall be a party, the Supreme Court shall have
• 43:59
  Speaker 1: original jurisdics. In all the other cases before mentioned, the
• 44:03
  Speaker 1: Supreme Court shall have appellate jurisdiction, both as to law
• 44:07
  Speaker 1: and fact, with such exceptions and under such regulations as
• 44:10
  Speaker 1: the Congress shall make. The trial of all crimes, except
• 44:15
  Speaker 1: in cases of impeachment, shall be by jury, and such
• 44:19
  Speaker 1: trial shall be held in a state where the said
• 44:21
  Speaker 1: crimes shall have been committed, but when not committed within
• 44:25
  Speaker 1: any state. The trial shall be at such place or
• 44:28
  Speaker 1: places as the Congress may, by law have directed. Section three.
• 44:34
  Speaker 1: Treason against the United States shall consist only in levying
• 44:38
  Speaker 1: war against them, or in adhering to their enemies giving
• 44:41
  Speaker 1: them aid and comfort. No person shall be convicted of
• 44:44
  Speaker 1: treason unless on the testimony of two witnesses to the
• 44:48
  Speaker 1: same overt act, or on confession in open court. The
• 44:53
  Speaker 1: Congress shall have power to declare the punishment of treason,
• 44:56
  Speaker 1: but no attainder of treason shall work corruption of blood
• 44:59
  Speaker 1: or forfeiture, except during the life of the person attainted.
• 45:05
  Speaker 1: Article four. Section one, Full faith and credit shall be
• 45:11
  Speaker 1: given in each state to the public acts, records, and
• 45:14
  Speaker 1: judicial proceedings of every other state, And the Congress may,
• 45:17
  Speaker 1: by general laws prescribe the manner in which such acts, records,
• 45:21
  Speaker 1: and proceedings shall be proved, and the effect thereof Section two.
• 45:27
  Speaker 1: The citizens of each state shall be entitled to all
• 45:30
  Speaker 1: privileges and immunities of citizens in the several States. A
• 45:34
  Speaker 1: person charged in any state with treason, felony, or other crime,
• 45:38
  Speaker 1: who shall flee from justice and be found in another state, shall,
• 45:42
  Speaker 1: on demand of the executive authority of the state from
• 45:45
  Speaker 1: which he fled be delivered up to be removed to
• 45:48
  Speaker 1: the state having jurisdiction of the crime. No person held
• 45:52
  Speaker 1: to service or labour in one state under the laws
• 45:55
  Speaker 1: thereof escaping into another, shall, in consequence of any law
• 46:00
  Speaker 1: or regulation therein, be discharged from such service or labor,
• 46:04
  Speaker 1: but shall be delivered up on claim of the party
• 46:07
  Speaker 1: to whom such service or labor may be due. Section three.
• 46:13
  Speaker 1: New states may be admitted by the Congress into this Union,
• 46:17
  Speaker 1: but no new state shall be formed or erected within
• 46:20
  Speaker 1: the jurisdiction of any other state, nor any state be
• 46:23
  Speaker 1: formed by the junction of two or more states or
• 46:25
  Speaker 1: parts of states, without the consent of the legislatures of
• 46:29
  Speaker 1: the states concerned, as well as of the Congress. The
• 46:33
  Speaker 1: Congress shall have power to dispose of and make all
• 46:36
  Speaker 1: needful rules and regulations respecting the territory or other property
• 46:40
  Speaker 1: belonging to the United States. And nothing in this Constitution
• 46:44
  Speaker 1: shall be so construed as to prejudice any claims of
• 46:47
  Speaker 1: the United States or of any particular state. Section four.
• 46:52
  Speaker 1: The United States shall guarantee to every state in this
• 46:56
  Speaker 1: Union a republican form of government, and shall protect each
• 47:00
  Speaker 1: of them against invasion, and on application of the legislature
• 47:04
  Speaker 1: or of the Executive, when the legislature cannot be convened
• 47:08
  Speaker 1: against domestic violence. Article five. The Congress, whenever two thirds
• 47:16
  Speaker 1: of both houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose amendments
• 47:20
  Speaker 1: to this Constitution, or on the application of the legislatures
• 47:24
  Speaker 1: of two thirds of the several States, shall call a
• 47:27
  Speaker 1: convention for proposing amendments, which in either case shall be
• 47:31
  Speaker 1: valid to all intents and purposes as part of this Constitution,
• 47:35
  Speaker 1: when ratified by the legislatures of three fourths of the
• 47:38
  Speaker 1: several States, or by conventions in three fourths thereof, as
• 47:42
  Speaker 1: the one or the other mode of ratification may be
• 47:44
  Speaker 1: proposed by the Congress, provided that no amendment which may
• 47:49
  Speaker 1: be made prior to the year one thousand, eight hundred eight,
• 47:52
  Speaker 1: shall in any manner affect the first and fourth clauses
• 47:55
  Speaker 1: in the ninth section of the first Article, and that
• 47:59
  Speaker 1: no state with thether out its consent shall be deprived
• 48:02
  Speaker 1: of its equal suffrage in the Senate. Article six. All
• 48:08
  Speaker 1: debts contracted and engagement centered into before the adoption of
• 48:12
  Speaker 1: this Constitution shall be as valid against the United States
• 48:16
  Speaker 1: under this Constitution as under the Confederation. This Constitution and
• 48:22
  Speaker 1: the laws of the United States which shall be made
• 48:24
  Speaker 1: in pursuance thereof, and all treaties made or which shall
• 48:27
  Speaker 1: be made under the authority of the United States, shall
• 48:30
  Speaker 1: be the supreme law of the land, and the judges
• 48:34
  Speaker 1: in every state shall be bound thereby anything in the
• 48:37
  Speaker 1: constitution or laws of any State to the contrary, notwithstanding
• 48:42
  Speaker 1: the senators and representatives before mentioned, and the members of
• 48:46
  Speaker 1: the several state legislatures, and all executive and judicial officers,
• 48:50
  Speaker 1: both of the United States and of the several States,
• 48:53
  Speaker 1: shall be bound by oath or affirmation to support this Constitution.
• 48:58
  Speaker 1: But no religious test shall i will ever be required
• 49:01
  Speaker 1: as a qualification to any office or public trust under
• 49:04
  Speaker 1: the United States. Article seven. The ratification of the Conventions
• 49:12
  Speaker 1: of nine States shall be sufficient for the establishment of
• 49:15
  Speaker 1: this Constitution between the States, so ratifying the same done
• 49:21
  Speaker 1: in convention by the unanimous consent of the States present
• 49:25
  Speaker 1: the seventeenth day of September, in the year of our
• 49:28
  Speaker 1: Lord one thousand, seven hundred and eighty seven, and of
• 49:32
  Speaker 1: the Independence of the United States of America, the twelfth
• 49:36
  Speaker 1: in witness whereof we have hereunto subscribed our names Amendments.
• 49:46
  Speaker 1: Amendment I. Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment
• 49:52
  Speaker 1: of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, or abridging
• 49:57
  Speaker 1: the freedom of speech or of the press, or the
• 50:00
  Speaker 1: the right of the people peaceably to assemble and to
• 50:03
  Speaker 1: petition the Government for a redress of grievances. Amendment II.
• 50:10
  Speaker 1: A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of
• 50:13
  Speaker 1: a free state, the right of the people to keep
• 50:16
  Speaker 1: and bear arms shall not be infringed. Amendment three. No
• 50:23
  Speaker 1: soldier shall, in time of peace, be quartered in any
• 50:26
  Speaker 1: house without the consent of the owner, nor in time
• 50:30
  Speaker 1: of war, but in the manner to be prescribed by law.
• 50:35
  Speaker 1: Amendment for the right of the people to be secure
• 50:39
  Speaker 1: in their persons houses, Papers and effects against unreasonable searches
• 50:44
  Speaker 1: and seizures shall not be violated, and no warrants shall
• 50:48
  Speaker 1: issue but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation,
• 50:53
  Speaker 1: and particularly describing the place to be searched and the
• 50:56
  Speaker 1: person or things to be seized. Amendment five. No person
• 51:04
  Speaker 1: shall be held to answer for a capital or otherwise
• 51:07
  Speaker 1: infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a
• 51:10
  Speaker 1: grand jury, except in cases arising in the land or
• 51:14
  Speaker 1: naval forces, or in the militia when in actual service,
• 51:17
  Speaker 1: in time of war or public danger. Nor shall any
• 51:21
  Speaker 1: person be subject, for the same offense, to be twice
• 51:25
  Speaker 1: put in jeopardy of life or limb. Nor shall be compelled,
• 51:28
  Speaker 1: in any criminal case, to be a witness against himself,
• 51:32
  Speaker 1: nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due
• 51:35
  Speaker 1: process of law. Nor shall private property be taken for
• 51:39
  Speaker 1: public use without just compensation. Amendment six. In all criminal prosecutions,
• 51:48
  Speaker 1: the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and
• 51:51
  Speaker 1: public trial by an impartial jury of the state and
• 51:54
  Speaker 1: district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district
• 51:58
  Speaker 1: shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be
• 52:02
  Speaker 1: informed of the nature and cause of the accusation, to
• 52:06
  Speaker 1: be confronted with the witnesses against him, to have compulsory
• 52:10
  Speaker 1: process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have
• 52:13
  Speaker 1: the assistance of counsel for his defense. Amendment seven. In
• 52:21
  Speaker 1: suits at common law, where the value of controversy shall
• 52:24
  Speaker 1: exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall
• 52:28
  Speaker 1: be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury shall
• 52:32
  Speaker 1: be otherwise re examined. In any court of the United
• 52:35
  Speaker 1: States than according to the rules of the common law.
• 52:39
  Speaker 1: Amendment eight. Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive
• 52:45
  Speaker 1: fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted. Amendment nine.
• 52:54
  Speaker 1: The enumeration in the Constitution of certain rights shall not
• 52:57
  Speaker 1: be construed to deny or disparage as retained by the people.
• 53:03
  Speaker 1: Amendment ten. The powers not delegated to the United States
• 53:08
  Speaker 1: by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States,
• 53:12
  Speaker 1: are reserved to the States, respectively, or to the people.
• 53:17
  Speaker 1: Amendment eleven. The judicial power of the United States shall
• 53:22
  Speaker 1: not be construed to extend to any suit in law
• 53:25
  Speaker 1: or equity commenced or prosecuted against one of the United
• 53:29
  Speaker 1: States by citizens of another state, or by citizens or
• 53:33
  Speaker 1: subjects of any foreign state. Amendment twelve. The electors shall
• 53:41
  Speaker 1: meet in their respective states and vote by ballot for
• 53:44
  Speaker 1: President and vice president, one of whom at least shall
• 53:48
  Speaker 1: not be an inhabitant of the same state with themselves.
• 53:52
  Speaker 1: They shall name in their ballots the person voted for
• 53:54
  Speaker 1: as president, and in distinct ballots, the person voted for
• 53:58
  Speaker 1: as vice president. And they shall make distinct lists of
• 54:02
  Speaker 1: all persons voted for as President, and of all persons
• 54:05
  Speaker 1: voted for as vice president, and of the number of
• 54:08
  Speaker 1: votes for each which lists they shall sign and certify
• 54:12
  Speaker 1: and transmit sealed to the Seat of the Government of
• 54:15
  Speaker 1: the United States, directed to the President of the Senate.
• 54:19
  Speaker 1: The President of the Senate shall, in the presence of
• 54:22
  Speaker 1: the Senate and House of Representatives, open all the certificates,
• 54:25
  Speaker 1: and the votes shall then be counted. The person having
• 54:28
  Speaker 1: the greatest number of votes for president shall be the president,
• 54:32
  Speaker 1: if such number be a majority of the whole number
• 54:34
  Speaker 1: of electors appointed, And if no person have such majority,
• 54:39
  Speaker 1: then from the persons having the highest numbers not exceeding
• 54:42
  Speaker 1: three on the list of those voted for as President,
• 54:45
  Speaker 1: the House of Representatives shall choose immediately by ballot the president.
• 54:50
  Speaker 1: But in choosing the president, the votes shall be taken
• 54:53
  Speaker 1: by states, the representation from each state having one vote.
• 54:57
  Speaker 1: A quorum for this purpose shall consist of a member
• 55:00
  Speaker 1: or members from two thirds of the states, and a
• 55:03
  Speaker 1: majority of all the states shall be necessary to a choice.
• 55:07
  Speaker 1: And if the House of Representatives shall not choose a
• 55:10
  Speaker 1: president whenever, the right of choice shall devolve upon them
• 55:13
  Speaker 1: before the fourth day of March next following then the
• 55:17
  Speaker 1: vice president shall act as president as in the case
• 55:20
  Speaker 1: of the death or other constitutional disability of the president.
• 55:24
  Speaker 1: The person having the greatest number of votes as vice
• 55:27
  Speaker 1: president shall be the vice president. If such number be
• 55:30
  Speaker 1: a majority of the whole number of electors appointed, and
• 55:33
  Speaker 1: if no person have a majority, then from the two
• 55:36
  Speaker 1: highest numbers on the list, the Senate shall choose the
• 55:39
  Speaker 1: vice president. A quorum for the purpose shall consist of
• 55:42
  Speaker 1: two thirds of the whole number of Senators, and a
• 55:45
  Speaker 1: majority of the whole number shall be necessary to a choice.
• 55:49
  Speaker 1: But no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President
• 55:53
  Speaker 1: shall be eligible to that of Vice president of the
• 55:55
  Speaker 1: United States. Amendment thirty. Section one. Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude,
• 56:07
  Speaker 1: except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall
• 56:10
  Speaker 1: have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States
• 56:13
  Speaker 1: or any place subject to their jurisdiction. Section two. Congress
• 56:20
  Speaker 1: shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
• 56:26
  Speaker 1: Amendment fourteen, Section one. All persons born or naturalized in
• 56:33
  Speaker 1: the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof are
• 56:37
  Speaker 1: citizens of the United States and of the state wherein
• 56:39
  Speaker 1: they reside. No state shall make or enforce any law
• 56:44
  Speaker 1: which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of
• 56:47
  Speaker 1: the United States. Nor shall any state deprive any person
• 56:51
  Speaker 1: of life, liberty, or property without due process of law,
• 56:55
  Speaker 1: nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal
• 56:58
  Speaker 1: protection of the laws. Section two, Representatives shall be apportioned
• 57:05
  Speaker 1: among the several States according to their respective numbers, counting
• 57:09
  Speaker 1: the whole number of persons in each state, excluding Indians
• 57:12
  Speaker 1: not taxed. But when the right to vote at any
• 57:16
  Speaker 1: election for the choice of electors for President and Vice
• 57:18
  Speaker 1: President of the United States, representatives in Congress, the executive
• 57:23
  Speaker 1: and judicial officers of a state, or the members of
• 57:25
  Speaker 1: the legislature thereof is denied to any of the male
• 57:29
  Speaker 1: inhabitants of such state being twenty one years of age
• 57:32
  Speaker 1: and citizens of the United States, or in any way abridged,
• 57:36
  Speaker 1: except for participation in rebellion or other crime. The basis
• 57:40
  Speaker 1: of representation therein shall be reduced in the proportion which
• 57:43
  Speaker 1: the number of such male citizens shall bear to the
• 57:46
  Speaker 1: whole number of male citizens twenty one years of age
• 57:49
  Speaker 1: in such state. Section three. No person shall be a
• 57:55
  Speaker 1: senator or representative in Congress, or elector of President and
• 57:59
  Speaker 1: Vice President, or hold any office civil or military under
• 58:03
  Speaker 1: the United States or under any State, who, having previously
• 58:07
  Speaker 1: taken an oath as a member of Congress, or as
• 58:09
  Speaker 1: an officer of the United States, or as a member
• 58:12
  Speaker 1: of any state legislature, or as an executive or judicial
• 58:16
  Speaker 1: officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the
• 58:19
  Speaker 1: United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against
• 58:23
  Speaker 1: the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof.
• 58:28
  Speaker 1: But Congress may, by a vote of two thirds of
• 58:30
  Speaker 1: each House, remove such disability. Section four. The validity of
• 58:38
  Speaker 1: the public debt of the United States authorized by law,
• 58:41
  Speaker 1: including debts incurred for payment of pensions and bounties for
• 58:45
  Speaker 1: services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not be questioned.
• 58:50
  Speaker 1: But neither the United States nor any State shall assume
• 58:53
  Speaker 1: or pay any debt or obligation incurred an aid of
• 58:56
  Speaker 1: insurrection or rebellion against the United States, or any claim
• 59:00
  Speaker 1: for the loss or emancipation of any slave. But all
• 59:03
  Speaker 1: such debts, obligations, and claims shall be held illegal and void.
• 59:09
  Speaker 1: Section five. The Congress shall have power to enforce by
• 59:13
  Speaker 1: appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article. Amendment fifteen Section one,
• 59:23
  Speaker 1: The right of citizens of the United States to vote
• 59:26
  Speaker 1: shall not be denied or abridged by the United States
• 59:29
  Speaker 1: or by any State on account of race, color, or
• 59:32
  Speaker 1: previous condition of servitude. Section two. The Congress shall have
• 59:37
  Speaker 1: power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation. Amendment sixteen,
• 59:46
  Speaker 1: the Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes
• 59:49
  Speaker 1: on incomes from whatever source, derived, without apportionment among the
• 59:53
  Speaker 1: several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration.
• 1:00:00
  Speaker 1: Amendment seventeen, the Senate of the United States shall be
• 1:00:05
  Speaker 1: composed of two senators from each state, elected by the
• 1:00:08
  Speaker 1: people thereof for six years, and each senator shall have
• 1:00:12
  Speaker 1: one vote. The electors in each state shall have the
• 1:00:16
  Speaker 1: qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of
• 1:00:19
  Speaker 1: the state legislatures. When vacancies happen in the representation of
• 1:00:25
  Speaker 1: any state in the Senate, the executive authority of such
• 1:00:28
  Speaker 1: state shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies,
• 1:00:32
  Speaker 1: provided that the legislature of any state may empower the
• 1:00:36
  Speaker 1: executive thereof to make temporary appointments until the people fill
• 1:00:40
  Speaker 1: the vacancies by election, as the legislature may direct. This
• 1:00:45
  Speaker 1: amendment shall not be so construed as to effect the
• 1:00:48
  Speaker 1: election or term of any Senator chosen before it becomes
• 1:00:51
  Speaker 1: valid as part of the Constitution. Amendment eighteen. Section one,
• 1:01:01
  Speaker 1: after one year from the ratification of this article, the manufacture, sale,
• 1:01:06
  Speaker 1: or transportation of intoxicating liquors within the importation thereof in two,
• 1:01:11
  Speaker 1: or the exportation thereof from the United States and all
• 1:01:15
  Speaker 1: territory subject to the jurisdiction thereof for beverage purposes, is
• 1:01:19
  Speaker 1: hereby prohibited. Section two. The Congress and the Several States
• 1:01:25
  Speaker 1: shall have concurrent power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
• 1:01:31
  Speaker 1: Section three. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall
• 1:01:35
  Speaker 1: have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by
• 1:01:38
  Speaker 1: the legislatures of the several States, as provided in the Constitution,
• 1:01:42
  Speaker 1: within seven years from the date of the submission hereof
• 1:01:45
  Speaker 1: to the States by the Congress. Amendment nineteen. The right
• 1:01:53
  Speaker 1: of citizens of the United States to vote shall not
• 1:01:56
  Speaker 1: be denied or abridged by the United States or by
• 1:01:59
  Speaker 1: any State on account of sex. Congress shall have power
• 1:02:03
  Speaker 1: to enforce this article by appropriate legislation. Amendment twenty. Section one.
• 1:02:14
  Speaker 1: The terms of the President and Vice President shall end
• 1:02:17
  Speaker 1: at noon on the twentieth day of January, and the
• 1:02:21
  Speaker 1: terms of Senators and Representatives at noon on the third
• 1:02:24
  Speaker 1: day of January of the years in which such terms
• 1:02:28
  Speaker 1: would have ended if this article had not been ratified,
• 1:02:31
  Speaker 1: and the terms of their successors shall then begin. Section two.
• 1:02:37
  Speaker 1: The Congress shall assemble at least once in every year,
• 1:02:41
  Speaker 1: and such meetings shall begin at noon on the third
• 1:02:43
  Speaker 1: day of January, unless they shall, buy law, appoint a
• 1:02:46
  Speaker 1: different day. Section three. If at the time fixed for
• 1:02:53
  Speaker 1: the beginning of the term of the president, the president
• 1:02:56
  Speaker 1: elect shall have died, the vice president elect shall become president.
• 1:03:01
  Speaker 1: If a president shall not have been chosen before the
• 1:03:04
  Speaker 1: time fixed for the beginning of his term, or if
• 1:03:07
  Speaker 1: the president elect shall have failed to qualify, then the
• 1:03:11
  Speaker 1: vice president elect shall act as president until a president
• 1:03:14
  Speaker 1: shall have qualified. And the Congress may by law provide
• 1:03:18
  Speaker 1: for the case wherein neither a president elect nor a
• 1:03:20
  Speaker 1: vice president elect shall have qualified, declaring who shall then
• 1:03:24
  Speaker 1: act as president, or the manner in which one who
• 1:03:28
  Speaker 1: is to act shall be selected, and such person shall
• 1:03:31
  Speaker 1: act accordingly until a president or vice president shall have qualified.
• 1:03:37
  Speaker 1: Section four. The Congress may by law provide for the
• 1:03:42
  Speaker 1: case of the death of any of the persons from
• 1:03:45
  Speaker 1: whom the House of Representatives may choose a president, whenever
• 1:03:48
  Speaker 1: the right of choice shall have devolved upon them, And
• 1:03:51
  Speaker 1: for the case of the death of any of the
• 1:03:53
  Speaker 1: persons from whom the Senate may choose vice president, whenever
• 1:03:56
  Speaker 1: the right of choice shall have devolved upon them. Section five.
• 1:04:02
  Speaker 1: Sections one and two shall take effect on the fifteenth
• 1:04:06
  Speaker 1: day of October following the ratification of this article. Section six.
• 1:04:13
  Speaker 1: This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been
• 1:04:15
  Speaker 1: ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures
• 1:04:19
  Speaker 1: of three fourths of the several States within seven years
• 1:04:23
  Speaker 1: from the date of its submission. Amendment twenty one. Section one,
• 1:04:31
  Speaker 1: the eighteenth Article of Amendment to the Constitution of the
• 1:04:34
  Speaker 1: United States, is hereby repealed. Section two. The transportation or
• 1:04:41
  Speaker 1: importation into any State, territory, or possession of the United
• 1:04:44
  Speaker 1: States for delivery or use therein of intoxicating liquors in
• 1:04:48
  Speaker 1: violation of the laws thereof is hereby prohibited. Section three.
• 1:04:54
  Speaker 1: This Article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been
• 1:04:57
  Speaker 1: ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by conventions in
• 1:05:00
  Speaker 1: the several States, as provided in the Constitution, within seven
• 1:05:04
  Speaker 1: years from the date of the submission hereof to the
• 1:05:07
  Speaker 1: States by the Congress Amendment twenty two. Section one, No
• 1:05:16
  Speaker 1: person shall be elected to the office of the President
• 1:05:19
  Speaker 1: more than twice, And no person who has held the
• 1:05:22
  Speaker 1: office of President or acted as president for more than
• 1:05:25
  Speaker 1: two years of a term to which some other person
• 1:05:27
  Speaker 1: was elected president shall be elected to the office of
• 1:05:30
  Speaker 1: the President more than once. But this article shall not
• 1:05:34
  Speaker 1: apply to any person holding the office of President when
• 1:05:37
  Speaker 1: this article was proposed by the Congress, and shall not
• 1:05:40
  Speaker 1: prevent any person who may be holding the office of
• 1:05:42
  Speaker 1: President or acting as President during the term within which
• 1:05:46
  Speaker 1: this article becomes operative from holding the office of President
• 1:05:49
  Speaker 1: or acting as President during the remainder of such term.
• 1:05:54
  Speaker 1: Section two. This Article shall be inoperative unless it shall
• 1:05:58
  Speaker 1: have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by
• 1:06:01
  Speaker 1: the legislatures of three fourths of the several States within
• 1:06:05
  Speaker 1: seven years from the date of its submission to the
• 1:06:07
  Speaker 1: States by the Congress Amendment twenty three. Section one, the
• 1:06:15
  Speaker 1: district constituting the seat of government of the United States
• 1:06:18
  Speaker 1: shall appoint, in such manner as the Congress may erect,
• 1:06:22
  Speaker 1: a number of electors of President and Vice President equal
• 1:06:25
  Speaker 1: to the whole number of senators and representatives in Congress
• 1:06:28
  Speaker 1: to which the district would be entitled if it were
• 1:06:31
  Speaker 1: a state, but in no event more than the least
• 1:06:34
  Speaker 1: populous state. They shall be in addition to those appointed
• 1:06:37
  Speaker 1: by the states, but they shall be considered, for the
• 1:06:40
  Speaker 1: purposes of the election of President and vice president to
• 1:06:43
  Speaker 1: be electors appointed by a state, And they shall meet
• 1:06:46
  Speaker 1: in the district and perform such duties as provided by
• 1:06:48
  Speaker 1: the twelfth article of Amendment. Section two. The Congress shall
• 1:06:54
  Speaker 1: have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation. Amendment
• 1:07:01
  Speaker 1: twenty four, Section one. The right of citizens of the
• 1:07:06
  Speaker 1: United States to vote in any primary or other election
• 1:07:09
  Speaker 1: for president or vice president, for electors for president or
• 1:07:12
  Speaker 1: vice president, or for senator or representative in Congress, shall
• 1:07:17
  Speaker 1: not be denied or abridged by the United States or
• 1:07:20
  Speaker 1: any state by reason of failure to pay any poll
• 1:07:23
  Speaker 1: tax or other tax. Section two. The Congress shall have
• 1:07:28
  Speaker 1: power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation. Amendment twenty five.
• 1:07:37
  Speaker 1: Section one. In case of the removal of the President
• 1:07:40
  Speaker 1: from office, or of his death or resignation, the vice
• 1:07:44
  Speaker 1: president shall become president. Section two. Whenever there is a
• 1:07:50
  Speaker 1: vacancy in the office of the Vice President. The President
• 1:07:53
  Speaker 1: shall nominate a vice president, who shall take office upon
• 1:07:56
  Speaker 1: confirmation by a majority vote of both houses of Congress.
• 1:08:01
  Speaker 1: Section three. Whenever the President transmits to the President pro
• 1:08:06
  Speaker 1: Temporary of the Senate and the Speaker of the House
• 1:08:08
  Speaker 1: of Representatives his written declaration that he is unable to
• 1:08:12
  Speaker 1: discharge the powers and duties of his office, and until
• 1:08:15
  Speaker 1: he transmits to them a written declaration to the contrary,
• 1:08:18
  Speaker 1: such powers and duties shall be discharged by the Vice
• 1:08:21
  Speaker 1: President as acting president. Section four. Whenever the Vice President
• 1:08:28
  Speaker 1: and a majority of either the principal officers of the
• 1:08:31
  Speaker 1: executive Departments or of such other body as Congress may
• 1:08:34
  Speaker 1: by law provide, transmit to the President pro Temporary of
• 1:08:38
  Speaker 1: the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives
• 1:08:41
  Speaker 1: their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge
• 1:08:44
  Speaker 1: the powers and duties of his office. The Vice President
• 1:08:47
  Speaker 1: shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office's
• 1:08:50
  Speaker 1: acting president. Thereafter, when the President transmits to the President
• 1:08:56
  Speaker 1: pro Temporary of the Senate and the Speaker of the
• 1:08:58
  Speaker 1: House of Representatives his written declarationation that no inability exists,
• 1:09:02
  Speaker 1: he shall resume the powers and duties of his office,
• 1:09:05
  Speaker 1: unless the Vice President and a majority of either the
• 1:09:08
  Speaker 1: principal officers of the Executive Department or of such other
• 1:09:11
  Speaker 1: body as Congress may by law provide, transmit within four
• 1:09:15
  Speaker 1: days to the President pro Temporary of the Senate and
• 1:09:18
  Speaker 1: the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration
• 1:09:21
  Speaker 1: that the President is unable to discharge the powers and
• 1:09:24
  Speaker 1: duties of his office. Thereupon, Congress shall decide the issue,
• 1:09:28
  Speaker 1: assembling within forty eight hours for that purpose if not
• 1:09:31
  Speaker 1: in session, If the Congress within twenty one days after
• 1:09:36
  Speaker 1: receipt of the latter written declaration, or if Congress is
• 1:09:39
  Speaker 1: not in session within twenty one days after Congress is
• 1:09:42
  Speaker 1: required to assemble, determines by two thirds vote of both
• 1:09:46
  Speaker 1: houses that the President is unable to discharge the powers
• 1:09:49
  Speaker 1: and duties of his office. The vice president shall continue
• 1:09:53
  Speaker 1: to discharge the same as acting president. Otherwise, the President
• 1:09:57
  Speaker 1: shall resume the powers and duties of his office. Amendment
• 1:10:02
  Speaker 1: twenty six, Section one, The right of citizens of the
• 1:10:08
  Speaker 1: United States who are eighteen years of age or older
• 1:10:11
  Speaker 1: to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the
• 1:10:14
  Speaker 1: United States or any state on account of age. Section two,
• 1:10:19
  Speaker 1: the Congress shall have the power to enforce this article
• 1:10:22
  Speaker 1: by appropriate legislation. Amendment twenty seven. No law varying the
• 1:10:31
  Speaker 1: compensation for the services of the Senators and Representatives shall
• 1:10:34
  Speaker 1: take effect until an election of representatives shall have intervened.
• 1:10:41
  Speaker 1: End of the Constitution of the United States of America.
• 1:10:48
  Speaker 1: This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in
• 1:10:52
  Speaker 1: the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please
• 1:10:56
  Speaker 1: visit LibriVox dot org. This reading by Michael Scherer www
• 1:11:02
  Speaker 1: dot americanaphonic dot com. The Declaration of Independence a declaration
• 1:11:10
  Speaker 1: by the Representatives of the United States of America in Congress,
• 1:11:14
  Speaker 1: assembled July fourth, seventeen seventy six. When in the course
• 1:11:21
  Speaker 1: of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to
• 1:11:24
  Speaker 1: dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another,
• 1:11:28
  Speaker 1: and to assume among the powers of the earth the
• 1:11:30
  Speaker 1: separate and equal station to which the laws of nature
• 1:11:33
  Speaker 1: and of Nature's God entitle them. A decent respect to
• 1:11:37
  Speaker 1: the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the
• 1:11:40
  Speaker 1: causes which impel them to the separation. We hold these
• 1:11:45
  Speaker 1: truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal,
• 1:11:49
  Speaker 1: that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights,
• 1:11:53
  Speaker 1: that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
• 1:11:58
  Speaker 1: That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men,
• 1:12:02
  Speaker 1: deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.
• 1:12:06
  Speaker 1: That whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends,
• 1:12:10
  Speaker 1: it is the right of the people to alter or
• 1:12:12
  Speaker 1: to abolish it, and to institute a new government, laying
• 1:12:16
  Speaker 1: its foundation on such principles, and organizing its powers in
• 1:12:19
  Speaker 1: such form as to them shall seem most likely to
• 1:12:23
  Speaker 1: affect their safety and happiness. Prudence indeed, will dictate that
• 1:12:28
  Speaker 1: governments long established should not be changed for light and
• 1:12:31
  Speaker 1: transient causes. And accordingly, all experience hath shown that mankind
• 1:12:37
  Speaker 1: are more disposed to suffer while evils are sufferable, than
• 1:12:41
  Speaker 1: to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they
• 1:12:44
  Speaker 1: are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations,
• 1:12:49
  Speaker 1: pursuing invariably the same object, evinces a design to reduce
• 1:12:53
  Speaker 1: them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is
• 1:12:57
  Speaker 1: their duty, to throw off such government, and to provide
• 1:13:01
  Speaker 1: new guards for their future security. Such has been the
• 1:13:05
  Speaker 1: patient sufferance of these colonies, and such is now the
• 1:13:09
  Speaker 1: necessity which constrains them to alter their former systems of government.
• 1:13:14
  Speaker 1: The history of the present King of Great Britain is
• 1:13:16
  Speaker 1: a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in
• 1:13:19
  Speaker 1: direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny over these states.
• 1:13:24
  Speaker 1: To prove this, let facts be submitted to a candid world.
• 1:13:29
  Speaker 1: He has refused his assent to laws the most wholesome
• 1:13:32
  Speaker 1: and necessary for the public good. He has forbidden his
• 1:13:36
  Speaker 1: governors to pass laws of immediate and pressing importance unless
• 1:13:40
  Speaker 1: suspended in their operation till his assent should be obtained,
• 1:13:44
  Speaker 1: and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend
• 1:13:47
  Speaker 1: to them. He has refused to pass other laws for
• 1:13:51
  Speaker 1: the accommodation of large districts of people unless those people
• 1:13:55
  Speaker 1: would relinquish the right of representation in the legislature, a
• 1:13:59
  Speaker 1: right in estimateable to them and formidable to tyrants only.
• 1:14:04
  Speaker 1: He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable,
• 1:14:09
  Speaker 1: and distant from the depository of their public records, for
• 1:14:12
  Speaker 1: the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.
• 1:14:17
  Speaker 1: He has dissolved representative houses repeatedly for opposing with manly
• 1:14:22
  Speaker 1: firmness his invasions on the rights of the people. He
• 1:14:26
  Speaker 1: has refused, for a long time, after such dissolutions, to
• 1:14:29
  Speaker 1: cause others to be elected, whereby the legislative powers incapable
• 1:14:33
  Speaker 1: of annihilation have returned to the people at large for
• 1:14:37
  Speaker 1: their exercise. The state remaining in the meantime exposed to
• 1:14:41
  Speaker 1: all the danger of invasion from without and convulsions within,
• 1:14:46
  Speaker 1: he has endeavored to prevent the population of these states.
• 1:14:50
  Speaker 1: For that purpose, obstructing the laws for naturalization of foreigners,
• 1:14:54
  Speaker 1: refusing to pass others to encourage their migration hither, and
• 1:14:58
  Speaker 1: raising the conditions of new appropriation of lands. He has
• 1:15:02
  Speaker 1: obstructed the administration of justice by refusing his assent to
• 1:15:06
  Speaker 1: laws for establishing judiciary powers. He has made judges dependent
• 1:15:12
  Speaker 1: on his will alone for the tenure of their offices
• 1:15:15
  Speaker 1: and the amount and payment of their salaries. He has
• 1:15:19
  Speaker 1: erected a multitude of new offices, and sent hither swarms
• 1:15:23
  Speaker 1: of officers to harass our people and eat out their substance.
• 1:15:28
  Speaker 1: He has kept among us, in time of peace, standing
• 1:15:31
  Speaker 1: armies without the consent of our legislatures. He has affected
• 1:15:36
  Speaker 1: to render the military independent of and superior to the
• 1:15:39
  Speaker 1: civil power he has combined with others to subject us
• 1:15:44
  Speaker 1: to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution and unacknowledged by
• 1:15:48
  Speaker 1: our laws, giving his assent to their acts of pretended legislation.
• 1:15:54
  Speaker 1: For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us, for
• 1:15:58
  Speaker 1: protecting them by a mont a mock trial from punishment
• 1:16:02
  Speaker 1: for any murders which they should commit on the inhabitants
• 1:16:04
  Speaker 1: of these states. For cutting off our trade with all
• 1:16:08
  Speaker 1: parts of the world, for imposing taxes on us without
• 1:16:11
  Speaker 1: our consent, for depriving us, in many cases of the
• 1:16:14
  Speaker 1: benefit of trial by jury, for transporting us beyond seas
• 1:16:19
  Speaker 1: to be tried for pretended offenses, for abolishing the free
• 1:16:24
  Speaker 1: system of English laws and a neighboring province, establishing their
• 1:16:27
  Speaker 1: in an arbitrary government, and enlarging its boundaries, so as
• 1:16:31
  Speaker 1: to render it at once an example and fit instrument.
• 1:16:34
  Speaker 1: For introducing the same absolute rule into these colonies. For
• 1:16:39
  Speaker 1: taking away our charters, abolishing our most valuable laws and
• 1:16:43
  Speaker 1: altering fundamentally the powers of our governments, For suspending our
• 1:16:48
  Speaker 1: own legislatures and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate
• 1:16:53
  Speaker 1: for us in all cases whatsoever he has abdicated government
• 1:16:58
  Speaker 1: here by declaring us out of his protection and waging
• 1:17:01
  Speaker 1: war against us. He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts,
• 1:17:07
  Speaker 1: burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.
• 1:17:12
  Speaker 1: He is at this time transporting large armies of foreign
• 1:17:15
  Speaker 1: mercenaries to complete the works of death, desolation, and tyranny
• 1:17:19
  Speaker 1: already begun, with circumstances of cruelty and perfidy scarcely paralleled
• 1:17:24
  Speaker 1: in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the head
• 1:17:28
  Speaker 1: of a civilized nation. He has constrained our fellow citizens,
• 1:17:33
  Speaker 1: taken captive on the high seas, to bear arms against
• 1:17:36
  Speaker 1: their country, to become the executioners of their friends and brethren,
• 1:17:41
  Speaker 1: or to fall themselves by their hands. He has excited
• 1:17:45
  Speaker 1: domestic insurrections among us, and has endeavored to bring on
• 1:17:49
  Speaker 1: the inhabitants of our frontiers the merciless Indian savages, whose
• 1:17:53
  Speaker 1: known rule of warfare is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes,
• 1:17:58
  Speaker 1: and conditions. In every stage of these oppressions, we have
• 1:18:03
  Speaker 1: petitioned for redress in the most humble terms. Our repeated
• 1:18:08
  Speaker 1: petitions have been answered only by repeated injury, a prince,
• 1:18:12
  Speaker 1: whose character is thus marked by every act which may
• 1:18:15
  Speaker 1: define a tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of
• 1:18:18
  Speaker 1: a free people. Nor have we been wanting an attention
• 1:18:21
  Speaker 1: to our British brethren. We have warned them from time
• 1:18:25
  Speaker 1: to time of attempts made by their legislature to extend
• 1:18:28
  Speaker 1: an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of
• 1:18:32
  Speaker 1: the circumstances of our emigration and settlement. Here. We have
• 1:18:35
  Speaker 1: appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have
• 1:18:39
  Speaker 1: conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to
• 1:18:42
  Speaker 1: disavow these usurpations, which would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence.
• 1:18:49
  Speaker 1: They too, have been deaf to the voice of justice
• 1:18:51
  Speaker 1: and consanguinity. We must therefore acquiesce in the necessity which
• 1:18:56
  Speaker 1: denounces our separation, and hold them as we hold the
• 1:19:00
  Speaker 1: rest of mankind enemies in war in peace. Friends. We, therefore,
• 1:19:09
  Speaker 1: the representatives of the United States of America in General,
• 1:19:12
  Speaker 1: Congress Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the World
• 1:19:16
  Speaker 1: for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the name
• 1:19:19
  Speaker 1: and by the authority of the good people of these
• 1:19:21
  Speaker 1: colonies solemnly publish and declare that these United Colonies are,
• 1:19:26
  Speaker 1: and of right ought to be free and independent states.
• 1:19:31
  Speaker 1: That they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown,
• 1:19:34
  Speaker 1: and that all political connection between them and the State
• 1:19:37
  Speaker 1: of Great Britain is and ought to be totally dissolved.
• 1:19:42
  Speaker 1: And that as free and independent states, they have full
• 1:19:45
  Speaker 1: power to levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances, establish commerce,
• 1:19:51
  Speaker 1: and to do all other acts and things which independent
• 1:19:54
  Speaker 1: states may of right do. And for the support of
• 1:19:58
  Speaker 1: this declaration, with a reliance on the protection of Divine providence,
• 1:20:03
  Speaker 1: we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes,
• 1:20:08
  Speaker 1: and our sacred honor. End of the Declaration of Independence.
• 1:20:17
  Speaker 1: This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in
• 1:20:21
  Speaker 1: the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please
• 1:20:25
  Speaker 1: visit LibriVox dot org. This reading by Michael Scherer www
• 1:20:31
  Speaker 1: dot Americanophonic dot com. The Gettysburg Address. Four score and
• 1:20:39
  Speaker 1: seven years ago, our fathers brought forth upon this continent
• 1:20:43
  Speaker 1: a new nation, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the
• 1:20:46
  Speaker 1: proposition that all men are created equal. Now we are
• 1:20:51
  Speaker 1: engaged in a great civil war testing whether that nation,
• 1:20:55
  Speaker 1: or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure.
• 1:21:00
  Speaker 1: We are met on a great battle field of that war.
• 1:21:03
  Speaker 1: We have come to dedicate a portion of it as
• 1:21:05
  Speaker 1: a final resting place for those who here gave their
• 1:21:09
  Speaker 1: lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting
• 1:21:13
  Speaker 1: and proper that we should do this. But in a
• 1:21:17
  Speaker 1: larger sense we cannot dedicate, We cannot consecrate, We cannot
• 1:21:21
  Speaker 1: hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who
• 1:21:27
  Speaker 1: struggled here have consecrated it far above our poor power
• 1:21:31
  Speaker 1: to add or detract. The world will little note nor
• 1:21:35
  Speaker 1: long remember what we say here, but it can never
• 1:21:38
  Speaker 1: forget what they did here. It is for us the living,
• 1:21:42
  Speaker 1: rather to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which
• 1:21:46
  Speaker 1: they have thus far so nobly carried on. It is
• 1:21:50
  Speaker 1: rather for us to be here dedicated to the great
• 1:21:53
  Speaker 1: task remaining before us, that from these honored dead we
• 1:21:57
  Speaker 1: take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave
• 1:22:00
  Speaker 1: the last full measure of devotion. That we here highly
• 1:22:04
  Speaker 1: resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain,
• 1:22:08
  Speaker 1: that this nation under God shall have a new birth
• 1:22:12
  Speaker 1: of freedom, and that this government of the people, by
• 1:22:16
  Speaker 1: the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth.
• 1:22:25
  Speaker 1: End of the Gettysburg Address,