Publius Blog – Page 9 – Taking the U.S. Constitution seriously

Article I, Section 3, Clause 2: Rotation of the Senate and filling of vacancies

Posted on May 11, 1787
/Under Clause 2: Rotation of the Senate and filling of vacancies
/With 0 Comments

Immediately after they shall be assembled in Consequence of the first Election, they shall be divided as equally as may be into three Classes. The Seats of the Senators of the first Class shall be vacated at the Expiration of the second Year, of the second Class at the Expiration…continue reading →

Article 1, Section 3, Clause 1: Composition of and election of Senators

Posted on May 10, 1787
/Under Clause 1: Composition and election of Senators
/With 0 Comments

The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, chosen by the Legislature thereof, for six Years; and each Senator shall have one Vote. We have argued that both history and the structure of the Constitutional text itself indicate that Congress was intended to…continue reading →

Article 1, Section 2, Clause 5: Officers of the House; impeachment

Posted on May 9, 1787
/Under Clause 5: Officers of the House; impeachment
/With 0 Comments

The House of Representatives shall chuse their Speaker and other Officers;and shall have the sole Power of Impeachment. This Clause specifies two prerogatives of the House of Representatives that are seemingly unrelated. The first is the power to choose their own officers, including their Speaker; the second is to exercise…continue reading →

Article 1, Section 2, Clause 4: Vacancies

Posted on May 8, 1787
/Under Clause 4: Vacancies
/With 0 Comments

When vacancies happen in the Representation from any State, the Executive Authority thereof shall issue Writs of Election to fill such Vacancies. The Vancancies Clause is short, straightforward, and uncontroversial, but nonetheless significant. It directs that whenever a vacancy occurs in the House of Representatives, the state governor has the…continue reading →

Article 1, Section 2, Clause 3: Apportionment

Posted on May 7, 1787
/Under Clause 3: Apportionment
/With 0 Comments

Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union, according to their respective Numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole Number of free Persons, including those bound to Service for a Term of Years, and excluding Indians not…continue reading →

Article 1, Section 2, Clause 2: Qualifications of Representatives

Posted on May 6, 1787
/Under Clause 2: Qualifications of Members
/With 0 Comments

No Person shall be a Representative who shall not have attained to the Age of twenty five Years, and been seven Years a Citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabitant of that State in which he shall be chosen. The Qualifications of Members…continue reading →

Article 1, Section 2, Clause 1: Composition and election of Members

Posted on May 5, 1787
/Under Clause 1: Composition and election of Members
/With 0 Comments

The House of Representatives shall be composed of Members chosen every second Year by the People of the several States, and the Electors in each State shall have the Qualifications requisite for Electors of the most numerous Branch of the State Legislature. Article 1, Section 2 creates the House of…continue reading →

Article III, Section 3: Treason

Posted on May 4, 1787
/Under Section 3: Treason
/With 0 Comments

Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort. No Person shall be convicted of Treason unless on the Testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt Act, or on Confession in open Court. The…continue reading →

Article 1, Section 1: Congress

Posted on May 3, 1787
/Under Section 1: Congress
/With 0 Comments

All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives. Article I, Section 1, is sometimes described as the Legislative Vestment Clause, but it actually consists of two clauses. The first clause declares that the…continue reading →

The preamble

Posted on May 2, 1787
/Under 0. Preamble
/With 0 Comments

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States…continue reading →