美国宪法全文(中、英文版)
背影原文-大会总结
《美国宪法》（中、英文版）
（中文） 序言 我们美利坚合众国的人民，为了
组织一个更完善的联邦，
树立正义，保障国内的安宁，建立共同的国防，增进全民福利和确保我们自己<
br>及我们後代能安享自由带来的幸福，乃为美利坚合众国制定和确立这一部宪法。
第一条
第一款 本宪法所规定的立法权，全属合众国的国会，国会由一个参议院和一个
众议院组成。
第二款 众议院应由各州人民每两年选举一次之议员组成，各州选举人应具有该
州州议会中人数
最多之一院的选举人所需之资格。凡年龄未满二十五岁，或取
得合众国公民资格未满七年，或於某州当选
而并非该州居民者，均不得任众议
员。众议员人数及直接税税额，应按联邦所辖各州的人口数目比例分配
，此项
人口数目的计算法，应在全体自由人民－－包括订有契约的短期仆役，但不包
括末被课税
的印第安人－－数目之外，再加上所有其他人口之五分之三。实际
人口调查，应於合众国国会第一次会议
後三年内举行，并於其後每十年举行一
次，其调查方法另以法律规定之。众议员的数目，不得超过每三万
人口有众议
员一人，但每州至少应有众议员一人；
在举行人囗调查以前，各州得按照下列
数目选举众议员 : 新罕布什尔三人、麻萨诸塞八人、罗德岛及
普罗维登斯垦殖
区一人、康涅狄格五人、纽约州六人．新泽西四人、宾夕法尼亚八人、特拉华
一
人、马里兰六人、弗吉尼亚十人、北卡罗来纳五人、南卡罗来纳五人、乔治
亚三人。任何一州的众议员有
缺额时，该州的行政长官应颁选举令，选出众议
员以补充缺额。众议院应选举该除议长及其他官员；
只有众议院具有提出弹劾
案的权力。
第三款 合众国的参议院由每州的州议会选举两名参
议员组成之，参议员的任期
为六年，每名参议员有一票表决权。参议员於第一次选举後举行会议之时，应
当立即尽量均等地分成三组。第一组参议员的任期，到第二年年终时届满，第
二组到第四年年终
时届满，第三组到第六年年终时届满，俾使每两年有三分之
1
一的参议员改选； 如果在某州州议会休会期间，有参议员因辞职或其它原因出
缺，该州的行政长官得任命临时参议员，等到州议会下次集会时，再予选举补
缺。凡年龄未满三十岁，或
取得合众国公民资格未满九年，或於某州当选而并
非该州居民者，均不得任参议员。合众国副总统应为参
议院议长，除非在投票
票数相等时，议长无投票权。参议院应选举该院的其他官员，在副总统缺席或执行合众国总统职务时，还应选举临时议长。所有弹劾案，只有参议院有权审
理。在开庭审理弹劾案
时，参议员们均应宣誓或誓愿。如受审者为合众国总统，
则应由最高法院首席大法官担任主席； 在末得
出席的参议员的三分之二的同意
时，任何人不得被判有罪。弹劾案的判决，不得超过免职及取消其担任合
众国
政府任何有荣誉、有责任或有俸给的职位之资格
；但被判处者仍须服从另据法
律所作之控诉、审讯、判决及惩罚。
第四款
各州州议会应规定本州参议员及众议员之选举时间、地点及程序 ； 但
国会得随时以法律制定或变更此
种规定，惟有选举议员的地点不在此例。国会
应至少每年集会一次，开会日期应为十二月的第一个星期一
，除非他们通过法
律来指定另一个日期。
第五款 参众两院应各自审查本院的选举、选举
结果报告和本院议员的资格，每
院议员过半数即构成可以议事的法定人数 ；不足法定人数时，可以一天
推一天
地延期开会，并有权依照各该议院所规定的程序和罚则，强迫缺席的议员出席。
参众两院
得各自规定本院的议事规则，处罚本院扰乱秩序的议员，并且得以三
分之二的同意，开除本院的议员。参
众两院应各自保存一份议事记录，并经常
公布，惟各该院认为应保守秘密之部分除外； 两院议员对於每
一问题之赞成或
反对，如有五分之一出席议员请求，则应记载於议事记录内。在国会开会期间，
任一议院未得别院同意，不得休会三日以上，亦不得迁往非两院开会的其他地
点。
第六款
参议员与众议员得因其服务而获报酬，报酬的多寡由法律定之，并由合
众国国库支付。两院议员除犯叛国
罪、重罪以及扰乱治安罪外，在出席各该院
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会议及往返各该院途中，有不受逮捕之特权； 两院议员在议院内所发表之演说
及辩论，在其它场合不受质询。参议员或众议员不得在其当选任期内担任合众
国政府任何新添设的职位，
或在其任期内支取因新职位而增添的俸给； 在合众
国政府供职的人，不得在其任职期间担任国会议员。
第七款 有关徵税的所有法案应在众议院中提出 ； 但参议院得以处理其它法案
的方式，以修
正案提出建议或表示同意。经众议院和参议院通过的法案，在正
式成为法律之前，须呈送合众国总统；
总统如批准，便须签署，如不批准，即
应连同他的异议把它退还给原来提出该案的议院，该议院应将异议
详细记入议
事记录，然後进行复议。倘若在复议之後，该议院议员的三分之二仍然同意通
过该法
案，该院即应将该法案连同异议书送交另一院，由其同样予以复议，若
此另一院亦以三分之二的多数通过
，该法案即成为法律。但遇有这样的情形时，
两院的表决均应以赞同或反对来定，而赞同和反对该法案的
议员的姓名，均应
由两院分别记载於各该院的议事记录之内。如总统接到法案後十日之内
(星期日
除外) ，不将之退还，该法案即等於曾由总统签署一样，成为法律¨准有当国会
休会
因而无法将该法案退还时，该法案才不得成为法律。任何命令、决议或表
决 (有关休会问题者除外)
，凡须由参议院及众议院予以同意者，均应呈送合众
国总统 ； 经其此准之後，方始生效，如总统不予
批准，则参众两院可依照对
於通过法案所规定的各种规则和限制，各以三分之二的多数，再行通过。
第八款 国会有权规定并徵收税金、捐税、关税和其它赋税，用以偿付国债并为
合众国的共同防
御和全民福利提供经费 ；但是各种捐税、关税和其它赋税，在
合众国内应划一徵收
；以合众国的信用举债；管理与外国的、州与州间的，以
及对印第安部落的贸易
；制定在合众国内一致适用的归化条例，和有关破产的
一致适用的法律 ；铸造货币，调议其价值，并厘
定外币价值，以及制定度量衡
的标准；制定对伪造合众国证券和货币的惩罚条例
；设立邮政局及延造驿路 ；
为促进科学和实用技艺的进步，对作家和发明家的著作和发明，在一定期限
内
给予专利权的保障 ；设置最高法院以下的各级法院；界定并惩罚海盗罪、在公
3
海所犯的重罪和违背国际公法的罪行；宣战，对民用船苹颁发捕押敌船及采取
报复行动
的特许证，制定在陆地和海面虏获战利晶的规则 ；募集和维持陆军，
但每次拨充该项费用的款项，其有
效期不得超过两年；配备和保持海军；制定
有开管理和控制陆海军队的各种条例
；制定召集民兵的条例，以便执行联邦法
律，镇压叛乱和击退侵略 ；规定民兵的组织、装备和训练，以
及民兵为合众国
服务时的管理办法，但各州保留其军官任命权，和依照国会规定的条例训练其
民
团的权力；对於由某州让与而由国会承受，用以充当合众国政府所在地的地
区 (不逾十哩见方)
，握有对其一切事务的全部立法权 ； 对於经州议会同意，
向州政府购得，用以建筑要塞、弹药库、兵
工厂、船坞和其它必要建筑物的地
方，也握有同样的权力； －－并且为了行使上述各项权力，以及行使
本宪法赋
予合众国政府或其各部门或其官员的种种权力，制定一切必要的和适当的法律。
第九款 对於现有任何一州所认为的应准其移民或入境的人，在一八O八年以
前，国会不得加以
禁止，但可以对入境者课税，惟以每人不超过十美元为限。
不得中止人身保护令所保障的特权，惟在叛乱
或受到侵犯的情况下，出於公共
安全的必要时不在此限。不得通过任何褫夺公权的法案或者追溯既往的法
律。
除非按本宪法所规定的人口调查或统计之比例，不得徵收任何人口税或其它直
接税。对各州
输出之货物，不得课税。任何有关商务或纳税的条例，均不得赋
予某一州的港口以优惠待遇； 亦不得强
迫任何开往或来自某一州的船苹，驶入
或驶出另一州，或向另一州纳税。除了依照法律的规定拨款之外，
不得自国库
中提出任何款项 ；
一切公款收支的报告和帐目，应经常公布。合众国不得颁
发任何贵族爵位: 凡是在合众国政府担任有俸
给或有责任之职务者，末经国会许
可，不得接受任何国王、王子或外国的任何礼物、薪酬、职务或爵位。
第十款
各州不得缔结任何条约、结盟或组织邦联；不得对民用船苹颁发捕押敌
船及采取报复行动之特许证
；不得铸造货币 ；不得发行纸币；不得指定金银
币以外的物品作为偿还债务的法定货币； 不得通过任
何褫夺公权的法案、追溯
既往的法律和损害契约义务的法律；也不得颁发任何贵族爵位。未经国会同意，
4
各州不得对进口货物或出口货物徵收任何税款，但为了执行该州的检查法
律而
有绝对的必要时，不在此限；任何州对於进出囗货物所徵的税，其净收益应归
合众国国库使
用 ； 所有这一类的检查法律，国会对之有修正和监督之权。未
经国会同意，各州不得徵收船舶吨位税
，不得在和平时期保持军队和军舰，不
得和另外一州或国缔结任何协定或契约，除非实际遭受入侵，或者
遇到刻不容
缓的危急情形时，不得从事战争。
第二条 第一款
行政权力赋予美利坚合众国总统。总统任期四年，总统和具
有同样任期的副总统，应照下列手续选举 :
每州应依照该州州议会所规定之手
续，指定选举人若干名，其人数应与该州在国会之参议员及众议员之总
数相等；
但参讥员、众议员及任何在合众国政府担任有责任及有俸给之职务的人，均不
得被指
定为选举人。各选举人应於其本身所属的州内集会，每人投票选举二人，
其中至少应有一人不属本州居民
。选举人应开列全体被选人名单，注明每人所
得票数； 他们还应签名作证明，并将封印後的名单送至合
众国政府所在地交与
参议院议长。参议院议长应於参众两院全体议员之前，开拆所有来件，然後计
算票数。得票最多者，如其所得票数超过全体选举人的半数，即当选为总统；
如
同时不止一人得票过半数，旦又得同等票数，则众议院应立即投票表决，选毕
其中一人为总统
； 如无人得票过半数，则众议院应自得票最多之前五名中用
同样方法选举总统。但依此法选举总统时，
应以州为单位，每州之代表共有一
票；
如全国三分之二的州各有一名或多名众议员出席，即构成选举总统的法定
人数 ； 当选总统者需获全部
州的过半数票。在每次这样的选举中，於总统选
出後，其获得选举人所投票数最多者，即为副总统。但如
有二人或二人以上得
票相等时，则应由参议院投票表决，选学其中一人为副总统。国会得决定各州
选出选举人的时期以及他们投票的日子；
投票日期全国一律。只有出生时为合
众国公民，或在本宪法实施时已为合众国公民者，可被选为总统 ；
凡年龄未
满三十五岁，或居住合众国境内未满十四年者，不得被选为总统。如遇总统被
免职，或
因死亡、辞职或丧失能力而不能执行其权力及职务时，总统职权应由
5
副总
统执行之。国会得以法律规定，在总统及副总统均被免职，或死亡、辞职
或丧失能力时，由何人代理总统
职务，该人应即遵此视事，至总统能力恢复，
或新总统被选出时为止。总统得因其服务而在规定的时间内
接受俸给，在其任
期之内，俸金数额不得增加或减低，他亦不得在此任期内，自合众国政府和任
何州政府接爱其它报酬。在他就职之前，他应宣誓或誓愿如下: －－「我郑重宣
誓(或矢言)
我必忠诚地执行合众国总统的职务，并尽我最大的能力，维持、保
护和捍卫合众国宪法。 第二款
总统为合众国陆海军的总司令，并在各州民
团奉召为合众国执行任务的担任统帅 ；
他可以要求每个行政部门的主管官员
提出有关他们职务的任何事件的书面意见 ，除了弹劫案之外，他有
权对於违犯
合众国法律者颁赐缓刑和特赦。总统有权缔订条约，但须争取参议院的意见和
同意，
并须出席的参议员中三分之二的人赞成； 他有权提名，并於取得参议院
的意见和同意後，任命大使、公
使及领事、最高法院的法官，以及一切其他在
本宪法中未经明定、但以後将依法律的规定而设置之合众国
官员 ；国会可以制
定法律，酌情把这些较低级官员的任命权，授予总统本人，授予法院，或授予
各行政部门的首长。在参议院休会期间，如遇有职位出缺，总统有权任命官员
补充缺额，任期於参议院
下届会议结束时终结。 第三款
总统应经常向国会
报告联邦的情况，并向国会提出他认为必要和适当的措施，供其考虑 ； 在特
殊情况下，他得召集两院或其中一院开会，并得於两院对於休会时间意见不一
致时，命令两院休会到他
认为适当的时期为止； 他应接见大使和公使 ；他应
注意使法律切实执行，并任命所有合众国的军官。
第四款 合众国总统、副
总统及其他所有文官，因叛国、贿赂或其它重罪和轻罪，被弹劾而判罪者，均<
br>应免职。 第三条 第一款 合众国的司法权属於一个最高法院以及由国会
随时下令设立的低
级法院。最高法院和低级法院的法官，如果尽忠职守，应继
续任职，并按期接受俸给作为其服务之报酬，
在其继续任职期间，该项俸给不
得削减。 第二款 司法权适用的范围，应包括在本宪法、合众国法律
、和合
众国已订的及将订的条约之下发生的一切涉及普通法及衡平法的案件 ；一切有
6
关大使、公使及领事的案件 ；一切有关海上裁判权及海事裁判权的案件；
合
众国为当事一方的诉讼； 州与州之间的诉讼，州与另一州的公民之间的诉讼，
一州公民与另
一州公民之间的诉讼，同州公民之间为不同之州所让与之土地而
争执的诉讼，以及一州或其公民与外国政
府、公民或其属民之间的诉讼。在一
切有关大使、公使、领事以及州为当事一方的案件中，最高法院有最
初审理权。
在上述所有其它案件中，最高法院有关於法律和事实的受理上诉权，但由国会
规定为
例外及另有处理条例者，不在此限。对一切罪行的审判，除了弹劫案以
外，均应由陪审团裁定，并且该审
判应在罪案发生的州内举行；
但如罪案发生
地点并不在任何一州之内，该项审判应在国会按法律指定之地点或几个地点学
行。
第三款 只有对合众国发动战争，或投向它的敌人，予敌人以协助及方
便者，方构成叛国罪。无论何人，
如非经由两个证人证明他的公然的叛国行为，
或经由本人在公开法庭认罪者，均不得被判叛国罪。国会有
权宣布对於叛国罪
的惩处，但因叛国罪而被褫夺公权者，其後人之继承权不受影响，叛国者之财
产亦只能在其本人生存期间被没收。 第四条 第一款 各州对其它各州的
公共法案、记录、和司法
程序，应给予完全的信赖和尊重。国会得制定一般法
律，用以规定这种法案、记录、和司法程序如何证明
以及具有何等效力。 第
二款 每州公民应享受各州公民所有之一切特权及豁免。凡在任何一州被控犯
有
叛国罪、重罪或其它罪行者，逃出法外而在另一州被缉获时，该州应即依照该
罪犯所逃出之州
的行政当局之请求，将该罪犯交出，以便移交至该犯罪案件有
管辖权之州。凡根据一州之法律应在该州服
役或服劳役者，逃往另一州时，不
得因另一州之任何法律或条例，解除其服役或劳役，而应依照有权要求
该项服
役或劳役之当事一方的要求，把人交出。
第三款 国会得准许新州加入联邦 ；
如无有关各州之州议会及国会之同
意，不得於任何州之管辖区域内建立新州 ； 亦不得合并两州或数州
、或数州
之一部分而成立新州。国会有权处置合众国之属地及其它产业，并制定有关这
些属地及
产业的一切必要的法规和章则；本宪法中任何条文，不得作有损於合
7
众国或任何一州之权利的解释。 第四款
合众国保证联邦中的每一州皆为共
和政体，保障它们不受外来的侵略 ；并且根据各州州议会或行政部门
(当州议
会不能召集时) 的请求，平定其内部的暴乱。 第五条
举凡两院议员各以
三分之二的多数认为必要时，国会应提出对本宪法的修正案 ； 或者， 当现有诸州三分之二的州议会提出请求时，国会应召集修宪大会，以上两种修正案，
如经诸州四分之三的州
议会或四分之三的州修宪大会批准时，即成为本宪法之
一部分而发生全部效力，至於采用那一种批准方式
，则由国会议决； 但一八○
八年以前可能制定之修正案，在任何情形下，不得影响本宪法第一条第九款
之
第一、第四两项 ；任何一州，没有它的同意，不得被剥夺它在参议院中的平等
投票权。
第六条 合众国政府於本宪法被批准之前所积欠之债务及所签
订之条约，於本宪法通过後，具有和在邦
联政府时同等的效力。本宪法及依本
宪法所制定之合众国法律；
以及合众国已经缔结及将要缔结的一切条约，皆为
全国之最高法律； 每个州的法官都应受其约束，任何
一州宪法或法律中的任何
内容与之抵触时，均不得有违这一规定。前述之参议员及众议员，各州州议会<
br>议员，合众国政府及各州政府之一切行政及司法官员，均应宣誓或誓愿拥护本
宪法；但合众国政府
之任何职位或公职，皆不得以任何宗教标准作为任职的必
要条件。 第七条
本宪法经过九个州的制宪大会批准後，即在批准本宪
法的各州之间开始生效。
本宪法于公元
１７８７年，即美利坚合众国独立后第１２年的９月１７日，
经出席制宪会议的各州在会上一致同意后制
定。我们谨在此签名作证。
THE CONSTITUTION OF
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
March 4,
1789 Preamble We the people of the United
States, in order to
form a more perfect union,
establish justice, insure domestic tranquility,
provide
for the common defense, promote the
general welfare, and secure the blessings of
8
liberty to ourselves and our
posterity, do ordain and establish this
Constitution
for the United States of America.
Article I
Section 1. 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.
Section
2. 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. 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.
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 taxed, three
fifths of all other Persons.
The actual
Enumeration shall be made within three years after
the first meeting
of the Congress of the
United States, and within every subsequent term of
ten
years, in such manner as they shall by law
direct. The number of Representatives
shall
not exceed one for every thirty thousand, but each
state shall have at least
one Representative；
and until such enumeration shall be made, the
state of New
Hampshire shall be entitled to
choose three, Massachusetts eight, Rhode Island
and Providence Plantations one, Connecticut
five, New York six, New Jersey four,
Pennsylvania eight, Delaware one, Maryland
six, Virginia ten, North Carolina
five, South
Carolina five, and Georgia three. When vacancies
happen in the
Representation from any state,
the executive authority thereof shall issue writs
of
election to fill such vacancies.
9
The House of Representatives shall
choose their speaker and other officers；
and
shall have the sole power of impeachment.
Section 3. The Senate of the United States
shall be composed of two Senators
from each
state, chosen by the legislature thereof, for six
years； and each
Senator shall have one ately
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 of the
fourth
year, and the third class at the
expiration of the sixth year, so that one third
may
be chosen every second year； and if
vacancies happen by resignation, or
otherwise,
during the recess of the legislature of any state,
the executive thereof
may make temporary
appointments until the next meeting of the
legislature,
which shall then fill such
vacancies. No person shall be a Senator who
shall
not have attained to the age of thirty
years, and been nine years a citizen of the
United States and who shall not, when elected,
be an inhabitant of that state for
which he
shall be chosen. The Vice President of the
United States shall be
President of the
Senate, but shall have no vote, unless they be
equally divided.
The Senate shall choose
their other officers, and also a President pro
tempore, in
the absence of the Vice President,
or when he shall exercise the office of President
of the United States. The Senate shall have
the sole power to try all
impeachments. When
sitting for that purpose, they shall be on oath or
affirmation. When the President of the United
States is tried, the Chief Justice
shall
preside: And no person shall be convicted without
the concurrence of two
thirds of the members
present. Judgment in cases of impeachment shall
not
extend further than to removal from
office, and disqualification to hold and
enjoy
any office of honor, trust or profit under the
United States: but the party
10
convicted shall nevertheless be liable
and subject to indictment, trial, judgment
and
punishment, according to law. Section 4. The
times, places and manner
of holding elections
for Senators and Representatives, shall be
prescribed in each
state by the legislature
thereof； but the Congress may at any time by law
make
or alter such regulations, except as to
the places of choosing Senators. The
Congress shall assemble at least once in every
year, and such meeting shall be on
the first
Monday in December, unless they shall by law
appoint a different
n 5. Each House shall be
the judge of the elections, returns and
qualifications of its own members, and a
majority of each shall constitute a
quorum to
do business； but a smaller number may adjourn from
day to day,
and may be authorized to compel
the attendance of absent members, in such
manner, and under such penalties as each House
may provide. Each House
may determine the
rules of its proceedings, punish its members for
disorderly
behavior, and, with the concurrence
of two thirds, expel a member. Each
House
shall keep a journal of its proceedings, and from
time to time publish the
same, excepting such
parts as may in their judgment require secrecy；
and the
yeas and nays of the members of either
House on any question shall, at the desire
of
one fifth of those present, be entered on the
journal. Neither House,
during the session
of Congress, shall, without the consent of the
other, adjourn
for more than three days, nor
to any other place than that in which the two
Houses shall be sitting.
Section 6. The
Senators and Representatives shall receive a
compensation
for their services, to be
ascertained by law, and paid out of the treasury
of the
United States. They shall in all cases,
except treason, felony and breach of the
peace, be privileged from arrest during their
attendance at the session of their
respective
Houses, and in going to and returning from the
same； and for any
11
speech or
debate in either House, they shall not be
questioned in any other place.
No Senator or
Representative shall, during the time for which he
was elected, be
appointed to any civil office
under the authority of the United States, which
shall
have been created, or the emoluments
whereof shall have been increased during
such
time； and no person holding any office under the
United States, shall be a
member of either
House during his continuance in office.
Section 7. All bills for raising revenue shall
originate in the House of
Representatives； but
the Senate may propose or concur with amendments
as on
other Bills. Every bill which shall
have passed the House of Representatives
and
the Senate, shall, before it become a law, be
presented to the President of the
United
States； if he approve he shall sign it, but if not
he shall return it, with his
objections to
that House in which it shall have originated, who
shall enter the
objections at large on their
journal, and proceed to reconsider it. If after
such
reconsideration two thirds of that House
shall agree to pass the bill, it shall be
sent, together with the objections, to the
other House, by which it shall likewise
be
reconsidered, and if approved by two thirds of
that House, it shall become a
law. But in all
such cases the votes of both Houses shall be
determined by yeas
and nays, and the names of
the persons voting for and against the bill shall
be
entered on the journal of each House
respectively. If any bill shall not be
returned by the President within ten days
(Sundays excepted) after it shall have
been
presented to him, the same shall be a law, in like
manner as if he had signed
it, unless the
Congress by their adjournment prevent its return,
in which case it
shall not be a law. Every
order, resolution, or vote to which the
concurrence
of the Senate and House of
Representatives may be necessary (except on a
question of adjournment) shall be presented to
the President of the United
States； and before
the same shall take effect, shall be approved by
him, or being
12
disapproved by
him, shall be repassed by two thirds of the Senate
and House of
Representatives, according to the
rules and limitations prescribed in the case of a
bill. Section 8. The Congress shall have
power to lay and collect taxes,
duties,
imposts and excises, to pay the debts and provide
for the common defense
and general welfare of
the United States； but all duties, imposts and
excises shall
be uniform throughout the United
States； To borrow money on the credit of
the
United States； To regulate commerce with foreign
nations, and among
the several states, and
with the Indian tribes； To establish a uniform
rule of
naturalization, and uniform laws on
the subject of bankruptcies throughout the
United States； To coin money, regulate the
value thereof, and of foreign
coin, and fix
the standard of weights and measures； To provide
for the
punishment of counterfeiting the
securities and current coin of the United
States； To establish post offices and post
roads； To promote the
progress of science
and useful arts, by securing for limited times to
authors and
inventors the exclusive right to
their respective writings and discoveries； To
constitute tribunals inferior to the Supreme
Court； To define and punish
piracies and
felonies committed on the high seas, and offenses
against the law of
nations； To declare war,
grant letters of marque and reprisal, and make
rules concerning captures on land and water；
To raise and support armies,
but no
appropriation of money to that use shall be for a
longer term than two
years； To provide and
maintain a navy； To make rules for the
government and regulation of the land and
naval forces； To provide for
calling forth
the militia to execute the laws of the union,
suppress insurrections
and repel invasions；
To provide for organizing, arming, and
disciplining,
the militia, and for governing
such part of them as may be employed in the
service of the United States, reserving to the
states respectively, the appointment
13
of the officers, and the authority of
training the militia according to the
discipline prescribed by Congress； To
exercise exclusive legislation in all
cases
whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten
miles square) as may, by
cession of particular
states, and the acceptance of Congress, become the
seat of
the government of the United States,
and to exercise like authority over all places
purchased by the consent of the legislature of
the state in which the same shall be,
for the
erection of forts, magazines, arsenals, dockyards,
and other needful
buildings； To make all
laws which shall be necessary and proper for
carrying into execution the foregoing powers,
and all other powers vested by this
Constitution in the government of the United
States, or in any department or
officer
thereof. Section 9. The migration or importation
of such persons as
any of the states now
existing shall think proper to admit, shall not be
prohibited
by the Congress prior to the year
one thousand eight hundred and eight, but a
tax or duty may be imposed on such
importation, not exceeding ten dollars for
each person. The privilege of the writ of
habeas corpus shall not be
suspended, unless
when in cases of rebellion or invasion the public
safety may
require it. No bill of attainder
or ex post facto Law shall be passed. No
capitation, or other direct, tax shall be
laid, unless in proportion to the census or
enumeration herein before directed to be
taken. No tax or duty shall be laid
on
articles exported from any state. No preference
shall be given by any
regulation of commerce
or revenue to the ports of one state over those of
another:
nor shall vessels bound to, or from,
one state, be obliged to enter, clear or pay
duties in another. No money shall be drawn
from the treasury, but in
consequence of
appropriations made by law； and a regular
statement and
account of receipts and
expenditures of all public money shall be
published from
time to time. No title of
nobility shall be granted by the United States:
and
14
no person holding any
office of profit or trust under them, shall,
without the
consent of the Congress, accept of
any present, emolument, office, or title, of any
kind whatever, from any king, prince, or
foreign state. Section 10. No state
shall
enter into any treaty, alliance, or confederation；
grant letters of marque
and reprisal； coin
money； emit bills of credit； make anything but
gold and
silver coin a tender in payment of
debts； pass any bill of attainder, ex post facto
law, or law impairing the obligation of
contracts, or grant any title of nobility.
No state shall, without the consent of the
Congress, lay any imposts or duties on
imports
or exports, except what may be absolutely
necessary for executing it s
inspection laws:
and the net produce of all duties and imposts,
laid by any state
on imports or exports, shall
be for the use of the treasury of the United
States；
and all such laws shall be subject to
the revision and control of the Congress.
No
state shall, without the consent of Congress, lay
any duty of tonnage, keep
troops, or ships of
war in time of peace, enter into any agreement or
compact
with another state, or with a foreign
power, or engage in war, unless actually
invaded, or in such imminent danger as will
not admit of delay. Article II
Section 1.
The executive power shall be vested in a President
of the United States
of America. He shall hold
his office during the term of four years, and,
together
with the Vice President, chosen for
the same term, be elected, as follows:
Each
state shall appoint, in such manner as the
Legislature thereof may direct, a
number of
electors, equal to the whole number of Senators
and Representatives
to which the State may be
entitled in the Congress: but no Senator or
Representative, or person holding an office of
trust or profit under the United
States, shall
be appointed an elector. The electors shall meet
in their
respective states, and vote by ballot
for two persons, of whom one at least shall
not be an inhabitant of the same state with
themselves. And they shall make a list
15
of all the persons voted for, and of
the number of votes for each； which list they
shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to
the seat of the government of the
United
States, directed to the President of the Senate.
The President of the Senate
shall, in the
presence of the Senate and House of
Representatives, open all the
certificates,
and the votes shall then be counted. The person
having the greatest
number of votes shall be
the President, if such number be a majority of the
whole
number of electors appointed； and if
there be more than one who have such
majority,
and have an equal number of votes, then the House
of Representatives
shall immediately choose by
ballot one of them for President； and if no person
have a majority, then from the five highest on
the list the said House shall in like
manner
choose the President. But in choosing the
President, the votes shall be
taken by States,
the representation from each state having one
vote； A quorum
for this purpose shall consist
of a member or members from two thirds of the
states, and a majority of all the states shall
be necessary to a choice. In every case,
after
the choice of the President, the person having the
greatest number of votes
of the electors shall
be the Vice President. But if there should remain
two or more
who have equal votes, the Senate
shall choose from them by ballot the Vice
President. The Congress may determine the
time of choosing the electors,
and the day on
which they shall give their votes； which day shall
be the same
throughout the United States. No
person except a natural born citizen, or a
citizen of the United States, at the time of
the adoption of this Constitution, shall
be
eligible to the office of President； neither shall
any person be eligible to that
office who
shall not have attained to the age of thirty five
years, and been
fourteen Years a resident
within the United States. In case of the removal
of
the President from office, or of his death,
resignation, or inability to discharge
the
powers and duties of the said office, the same
shall devolve on the Vice
16
President, and the Congress may by law
provide for the case of removal, death,
resignation or inability, both of the
President and Vice President, declaring what
officer shall then act as President, and such
officer shall act accordingly, until the
disability be removed, or a President shall be
elected. The President shall, at
stated
times, receive for his services, a compensation,
which shall neither be
increased nor
diminished during the period for which he shall
have been elected,
and he shall not receive
within that period any other emolument from the
United
States, or any of them. Before he
enter on the execution of his office, he shall
take the following oath or affirmation:--do
solemnly swear (or affirm) that I
will
faithfully execute the office of President of the
United States, and will to the
best of my
ability, preserve, protect and defend the
Constitution of the United
States. Section 2.
The President shall be commander in chief of the
Army
and Navy of the United States, and of the
militia of the several states, when called
into the actual service of the United States；
he may require the opinion, in
writing, of the
principal officer in each of the executive
departments, upon any
subject relating to the
duties of their respective offices, and he shall
have power
to grant reprieves and pardons for
offenses against the United States, except in
cases of impeachment. He shall have power,
by and with the advice and
consent of the
Senate, to make treaties, provided two thirds of
the Senators
present concur； and he shall
nominate, and by and with the advice and consent
of the Senate, shall appoint ambassadors,
other public ministers and consuls,
judges of
the Supreme Court, and all other officers of the
United States, whose
appointments are not
herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be
established by law: but the Congress may by
law vest the appointment of such
inferior
officers, as they think proper, in the President
alone, in the courts of law,
or in the heads
of departments. The President shall have power
to fill up all
17
vacancies that
may happen during the recess of the Senate, by
granting
commissions which shall expire at the
end of their next session. Section 3.
He
shall from time to time give to the Congress
information of the state of the
union, and
recommend to their consideration such measures as
he shall judge
necessary and expedient； he
may, on extraordinary occasions, convene both
Houses, or either of them, and in case of
disagreement between them, with
respect to the
time of adjournment, he may adjourn them to such
time as he shall
think proper； he shall
receive ambassadors and other public ministers； he
shall
take care that the laws be faithfully
executed, and shall commission all the
officers of the United States. Section 4.
The President, Vice President and all
civil
officers of the United States, shall be removed
from office on impeachment
for, and conviction
of, treason, bribery, or other high crimes and
misdemeanors.
Article III Section 1. The
judicial power of the United States, shall be
vested
in one Supreme Court, and in such
inferior courts as the Congress may from
time
to time ordain and establish. The judges, both of
the supreme and inferior
courts, shall hold
their offices during good behaviour, and shall, at
stated times,
receive for their services, a
compensation, which shall not be diminished during
their continuance in office. Section 2. The
judicial power shall extend to all
cases, in
law and equity, arising under this Constitution,
the laws of the United
States, and treaties
made, or which shall be made, under their
authority；--to all
cases affecting
ambassadors, other public ministers and
consuls；--to all cases of
admiralty and
maritime jurisdiction；--to controversies to which
the United
States shall be a party；--to
controversies between two or more states；--between
a state and citizens of another
state；--between citizens of different
states；
--between citizens of the same state
claiming lands under grants of different
states, and between a state, or the citizens
thereof, and foreign states, citizens or
18
subjects. In all cases affecting
ambassadors, other public ministers and
consuls, and those in which a state shall be
party, the Supreme Court shall have
original
jurisdiction. In all the other cases before
mentioned, the Supreme Court
shall have
appellate jurisdiction, both as to law and fact,
with such exceptions,
and under such
regulations as the Congress shall make. The
trial of all
crimes, except in cases of
impeachment, shall be by jury； and such trial
shall be
held in the state where the said
crimes shall have been committed； but when not
committed within any state, the trial shall be
at such place or places as the
Congress may by
law have directed. Section 3. 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
Congress shall have power to declare the
punishment of
treason, but no attainder of
treason shall work corruption of blood, or
forfeiture
except during the life of the
person attainted. Article IV Section 1. Full
faith and credit shall be given in each state
to the public acts, records, and
judicial
proceedings of every other state. And the Congress
may by general laws
prescribe the manner in
which such acts, records, and proceedings shall be
proved, and the effect thereof. Section 2.
The citizens of each state shall be
entitled
to all privileges and immunities of citizens in
the several states. A
person charged in any
state with treason, felony, or other crime, who
shall flee
from justice, and be found in
another state, shall on demand of the executive
authority of the state from which he fled, be
delivered up, to be removed to the
state
having jurisdiction of the crime. No person held
to service or labor in
one state, under the
laws thereof, escaping into another, shall, in
consequence of
any law or regulation therein,
be discharged from such service or labor, but
shall
19
be delivered up on claim
of the party to whom such service or labor may be
due.
Section 3. New states may be admitted
by the Congress into this union； but no
new
states shall be formed or erected within the
jurisdiction of any other state；
nor any state
be formed by the junction of two or more states,
or parts of states,
without the consent of the
legislatures of the states concerned as well as of
the
Congress. The Congress shall have power
to dispose of and make all
needful rules and
regulations respecting the territory or other
property
belonging to the United States； and
nothing in this Constitution shall be so
construed as to prejudice any claims of the
United States, or of any particular
state.
Section 4. The United States shall guarantee to
every state in this
union a republican form of
government, and shall protect each of them against
invasion； and on application of the
legislature, or of the executive (when the
legislature cannot be convened) against
domestic violence. Article V
The Congress,
whenever two thirds of both houses shall deem it
necessary, shall
propose amendments to this
Constitution, or, on the application of the
legislatures of two thirds of the several
states, shall call a convention for
proposing
amendments, which, in either case, shall be valid
to all intents and
purposes, as part of this
Constitution, when ratified by the legislatures of
three
fourths of the several states, or by
conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one
or the other mode of ratification may be
proposed by the Congress； provided
that no
amendment which may be made prior to the year one
thousand eight
hundred and eight shall in any
manner affect the first and fourth clauses in the
ninth section of the first article； and that
no state, without its consent, shall be
deprived of its equal suffrage in the Senate.
Article VI All debts
contracted and
engagements entered into, before the adoption of
this
Constitution, shall be as valid against
the United States under this Constitution,
20
as under the Confederation. This
Constitution, and the laws of the United
States which shall be made in pursuance
thereof； and all treaties made, or which
shall
be made, under the authority of the United States,
shall be the supreme law
of the land； and the
judges in every state shall be bound thereby,
anything in the
Constitution or laws of any
State to the contrary notwithstanding. The
Senators and Representatives before mentioned,
and the members of the several
state
legislatures, and all executive and judicial
officers, both of the United States
and of the
several states, shall be bound by oath or
affirmation, to support this
Constitution； but
no religious test shall ever be required as a
qualification to
any office or public trust
under the United States. Article VII The
ratification of the conventions of nine
states, shall be sufficient for the
establishment of this Constitution between the
states so ratifying the same.
Done in
convention by the unanimous consent of the states
present the
seventeenth day of September in
the year of our Lord one thousand seven
hundred and eighty seven and of the
independence of the United States of
America
the witness whereof We have hereunto subscribed
our Names,
G. Washington-Presidt. and deputy
from Virginia New Hampshire: John
Langdon,
Nicholas Gilman Massachusetts: Nathaniel Gorham,
Rufus King
Connecticut: Wm: Saml. Johnson,
Roger Sherman New York: Alexander
Hamilton
New Jersey: Wil: Livingston, David Brearly, Wm.
Paterson, Jona:
Dayton Pennsylvania: B.
Franklin, Thomas Mifflin, Robt. Morris, Geo.
Clymer, Thos. FitzSimons, Jared Ingersoll,
James Wilson, Gouv Morris
Delaware: Geo:
Read, Gunning Bedford jun, John Dickinson, Richard
Bassett,
Jaco: Broom Maryland: James
McHenry, Dan of St Thos. Jenifer, Danl
Carroll
Virginia: John Blair, James Madison Jr. North
Carolina: Wm.
Blount, Richd. Dobbs Spaight, Hu
Williamson South Carolina: J. Rutledge,
21
Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, Charles
Pinckney, Pierce Butler Georgia:
William
Few, Abr Baldwin
22
《美国宪法》（中、英文版）
（中文） 序言 我们美利坚合众国的人民，为了组织一个更完善的联邦，
树立正义，保
障国内的安宁，建立共同的国防，增进全民福利和确保我们自己
及我们後代能安享自由带来的幸福，乃为
美利坚合众国制定和确立这一部宪法。
第一条
第一款
本宪法所规定的立法权，全属合众国的国会，国会由一个参议院和一个
众议院组成。
第二款 众议院应由各州人民每两年选举一次之议员组成，各州选举人应具有该
州州议会中人数
最多之一院的选举人所需之资格。凡年龄未满二十五岁，或取
得合众国公民资格未满七年，或於某州当选
而并非该州居民者，均不得任众议
员。众议员人数及直接税税额，应按联邦所辖各州的人口数目比例分配
，此项
人口数目的计算法，应在全体自由人民－－包括订有契约的短期仆役，但不包
括末被课税
的印第安人－－数目之外，再加上所有其他人口之五分之三。实际
人口调查，应於合众国国会第一次会议
後三年内举行，并於其後每十年举行一
次，其调查方法另以法律规定之。众议员的数目，不得超过每三万
人口有众议
员一人，但每州至少应有众议员一人；
在举行人囗调查以前，各州得按照下列
数目选举众议员 : 新罕布什尔三人、麻萨诸塞八人、罗德岛及
普罗维登斯垦殖
区一人、康涅狄格五人、纽约州六人．新泽西四人、宾夕法尼亚八人、特拉华
一
人、马里兰六人、弗吉尼亚十人、北卡罗来纳五人、南卡罗来纳五人、乔治
亚三人。任何一州的众议员有
缺额时，该州的行政长官应颁选举令，选出众议
员以补充缺额。众议院应选举该除议长及其他官员；
只有众议院具有提出弹劾
案的权力。
第三款 合众国的参议院由每州的州议会选举两名参
议员组成之，参议员的任期
为六年，每名参议员有一票表决权。参议员於第一次选举後举行会议之时，应
当立即尽量均等地分成三组。第一组参议员的任期，到第二年年终时届满，第
二组到第四年年终
时届满，第三组到第六年年终时届满，俾使每两年有三分之
1
一的参议员改选； 如果在某州州议会休会期间，有参议员因辞职或其它原因出
缺，该州的行政长官得任命临时参议员，等到州议会下次集会时，再予选举补
缺。凡年龄未满三十岁，或
取得合众国公民资格未满九年，或於某州当选而并
非该州居民者，均不得任参议员。合众国副总统应为参
议院议长，除非在投票
票数相等时，议长无投票权。参议院应选举该院的其他官员，在副总统缺席或执行合众国总统职务时，还应选举临时议长。所有弹劾案，只有参议院有权审
理。在开庭审理弹劾案
时，参议员们均应宣誓或誓愿。如受审者为合众国总统，
则应由最高法院首席大法官担任主席； 在末得
出席的参议员的三分之二的同意
时，任何人不得被判有罪。弹劾案的判决，不得超过免职及取消其担任合
众国
政府任何有荣誉、有责任或有俸给的职位之资格
；但被判处者仍须服从另据法
律所作之控诉、审讯、判决及惩罚。
第四款
各州州议会应规定本州参议员及众议员之选举时间、地点及程序 ； 但
国会得随时以法律制定或变更此
种规定，惟有选举议员的地点不在此例。国会
应至少每年集会一次，开会日期应为十二月的第一个星期一
，除非他们通过法
律来指定另一个日期。
第五款 参众两院应各自审查本院的选举、选举
结果报告和本院议员的资格，每
院议员过半数即构成可以议事的法定人数 ；不足法定人数时，可以一天
推一天
地延期开会，并有权依照各该议院所规定的程序和罚则，强迫缺席的议员出席。
参众两院
得各自规定本院的议事规则，处罚本院扰乱秩序的议员，并且得以三
分之二的同意，开除本院的议员。参
众两院应各自保存一份议事记录，并经常
公布，惟各该院认为应保守秘密之部分除外； 两院议员对於每
一问题之赞成或
反对，如有五分之一出席议员请求，则应记载於议事记录内。在国会开会期间，
任一议院未得别院同意，不得休会三日以上，亦不得迁往非两院开会的其他地
点。
第六款
参议员与众议员得因其服务而获报酬，报酬的多寡由法律定之，并由合
众国国库支付。两院议员除犯叛国
罪、重罪以及扰乱治安罪外，在出席各该院
2
会议及往返各该院途中，有不受逮捕之特权； 两院议员在议院内所发表之演说
及辩论，在其它场合不受质询。参议员或众议员不得在其当选任期内担任合众
国政府任何新添设的职位，
或在其任期内支取因新职位而增添的俸给； 在合众
国政府供职的人，不得在其任职期间担任国会议员。
第七款 有关徵税的所有法案应在众议院中提出 ； 但参议院得以处理其它法案
的方式，以修
正案提出建议或表示同意。经众议院和参议院通过的法案，在正
式成为法律之前，须呈送合众国总统；
总统如批准，便须签署，如不批准，即
应连同他的异议把它退还给原来提出该案的议院，该议院应将异议
详细记入议
事记录，然後进行复议。倘若在复议之後，该议院议员的三分之二仍然同意通
过该法
案，该院即应将该法案连同异议书送交另一院，由其同样予以复议，若
此另一院亦以三分之二的多数通过
，该法案即成为法律。但遇有这样的情形时，
两院的表决均应以赞同或反对来定，而赞同和反对该法案的
议员的姓名，均应
由两院分别记载於各该院的议事记录之内。如总统接到法案後十日之内
(星期日
除外) ，不将之退还，该法案即等於曾由总统签署一样，成为法律¨准有当国会
休会
因而无法将该法案退还时，该法案才不得成为法律。任何命令、决议或表
决 (有关休会问题者除外)
，凡须由参议院及众议院予以同意者，均应呈送合众
国总统 ； 经其此准之後，方始生效，如总统不予
批准，则参众两院可依照对
於通过法案所规定的各种规则和限制，各以三分之二的多数，再行通过。
第八款 国会有权规定并徵收税金、捐税、关税和其它赋税，用以偿付国债并为
合众国的共同防
御和全民福利提供经费 ；但是各种捐税、关税和其它赋税，在
合众国内应划一徵收
；以合众国的信用举债；管理与外国的、州与州间的，以
及对印第安部落的贸易
；制定在合众国内一致适用的归化条例，和有关破产的
一致适用的法律 ；铸造货币，调议其价值，并厘
定外币价值，以及制定度量衡
的标准；制定对伪造合众国证券和货币的惩罚条例
；设立邮政局及延造驿路 ；
为促进科学和实用技艺的进步，对作家和发明家的著作和发明，在一定期限
内
给予专利权的保障 ；设置最高法院以下的各级法院；界定并惩罚海盗罪、在公
3
海所犯的重罪和违背国际公法的罪行；宣战，对民用船苹颁发捕押敌船及采取
报复行动
的特许证，制定在陆地和海面虏获战利晶的规则 ；募集和维持陆军，
但每次拨充该项费用的款项，其有
效期不得超过两年；配备和保持海军；制定
有开管理和控制陆海军队的各种条例
；制定召集民兵的条例，以便执行联邦法
律，镇压叛乱和击退侵略 ；规定民兵的组织、装备和训练，以
及民兵为合众国
服务时的管理办法，但各州保留其军官任命权，和依照国会规定的条例训练其
民
团的权力；对於由某州让与而由国会承受，用以充当合众国政府所在地的地
区 (不逾十哩见方)
，握有对其一切事务的全部立法权 ； 对於经州议会同意，
向州政府购得，用以建筑要塞、弹药库、兵
工厂、船坞和其它必要建筑物的地
方，也握有同样的权力； －－并且为了行使上述各项权力，以及行使
本宪法赋
予合众国政府或其各部门或其官员的种种权力，制定一切必要的和适当的法律。
第九款 对於现有任何一州所认为的应准其移民或入境的人，在一八O八年以
前，国会不得加以
禁止，但可以对入境者课税，惟以每人不超过十美元为限。
不得中止人身保护令所保障的特权，惟在叛乱
或受到侵犯的情况下，出於公共
安全的必要时不在此限。不得通过任何褫夺公权的法案或者追溯既往的法
律。
除非按本宪法所规定的人口调查或统计之比例，不得徵收任何人口税或其它直
接税。对各州
输出之货物，不得课税。任何有关商务或纳税的条例，均不得赋
予某一州的港口以优惠待遇； 亦不得强
迫任何开往或来自某一州的船苹，驶入
或驶出另一州，或向另一州纳税。除了依照法律的规定拨款之外，
不得自国库
中提出任何款项 ；
一切公款收支的报告和帐目，应经常公布。合众国不得颁
发任何贵族爵位: 凡是在合众国政府担任有俸
给或有责任之职务者，末经国会许
可，不得接受任何国王、王子或外国的任何礼物、薪酬、职务或爵位。
第十款
各州不得缔结任何条约、结盟或组织邦联；不得对民用船苹颁发捕押敌
船及采取报复行动之特许证
；不得铸造货币 ；不得发行纸币；不得指定金银
币以外的物品作为偿还债务的法定货币； 不得通过任
何褫夺公权的法案、追溯
既往的法律和损害契约义务的法律；也不得颁发任何贵族爵位。未经国会同意，
4
各州不得对进口货物或出口货物徵收任何税款，但为了执行该州的检查法
律而
有绝对的必要时，不在此限；任何州对於进出囗货物所徵的税，其净收益应归
合众国国库使
用 ； 所有这一类的检查法律，国会对之有修正和监督之权。未
经国会同意，各州不得徵收船舶吨位税
，不得在和平时期保持军队和军舰，不
得和另外一州或国缔结任何协定或契约，除非实际遭受入侵，或者
遇到刻不容
缓的危急情形时，不得从事战争。
第二条 第一款
行政权力赋予美利坚合众国总统。总统任期四年，总统和具
有同样任期的副总统，应照下列手续选举 :
每州应依照该州州议会所规定之手
续，指定选举人若干名，其人数应与该州在国会之参议员及众议员之总
数相等；
但参讥员、众议员及任何在合众国政府担任有责任及有俸给之职务的人，均不
得被指
定为选举人。各选举人应於其本身所属的州内集会，每人投票选举二人，
其中至少应有一人不属本州居民
。选举人应开列全体被选人名单，注明每人所
得票数； 他们还应签名作证明，并将封印後的名单送至合
众国政府所在地交与
参议院议长。参议院议长应於参众两院全体议员之前，开拆所有来件，然後计
算票数。得票最多者，如其所得票数超过全体选举人的半数，即当选为总统；
如
同时不止一人得票过半数，旦又得同等票数，则众议院应立即投票表决，选毕
其中一人为总统
； 如无人得票过半数，则众议院应自得票最多之前五名中用
同样方法选举总统。但依此法选举总统时，
应以州为单位，每州之代表共有一
票；
如全国三分之二的州各有一名或多名众议员出席，即构成选举总统的法定
人数 ； 当选总统者需获全部
州的过半数票。在每次这样的选举中，於总统选
出後，其获得选举人所投票数最多者，即为副总统。但如
有二人或二人以上得
票相等时，则应由参议院投票表决，选学其中一人为副总统。国会得决定各州
选出选举人的时期以及他们投票的日子；
投票日期全国一律。只有出生时为合
众国公民，或在本宪法实施时已为合众国公民者，可被选为总统 ；
凡年龄未
满三十五岁，或居住合众国境内未满十四年者，不得被选为总统。如遇总统被
免职，或
因死亡、辞职或丧失能力而不能执行其权力及职务时，总统职权应由
5
副总
统执行之。国会得以法律规定，在总统及副总统均被免职，或死亡、辞职
或丧失能力时，由何人代理总统
职务，该人应即遵此视事，至总统能力恢复，
或新总统被选出时为止。总统得因其服务而在规定的时间内
接受俸给，在其任
期之内，俸金数额不得增加或减低，他亦不得在此任期内，自合众国政府和任
何州政府接爱其它报酬。在他就职之前，他应宣誓或誓愿如下: －－「我郑重宣
誓(或矢言)
我必忠诚地执行合众国总统的职务，并尽我最大的能力，维持、保
护和捍卫合众国宪法。 第二款
总统为合众国陆海军的总司令，并在各州民
团奉召为合众国执行任务的担任统帅 ；
他可以要求每个行政部门的主管官员
提出有关他们职务的任何事件的书面意见 ，除了弹劫案之外，他有
权对於违犯
合众国法律者颁赐缓刑和特赦。总统有权缔订条约，但须争取参议院的意见和
同意，
并须出席的参议员中三分之二的人赞成； 他有权提名，并於取得参议院
的意见和同意後，任命大使、公
使及领事、最高法院的法官，以及一切其他在
本宪法中未经明定、但以後将依法律的规定而设置之合众国
官员 ；国会可以制
定法律，酌情把这些较低级官员的任命权，授予总统本人，授予法院，或授予
各行政部门的首长。在参议院休会期间，如遇有职位出缺，总统有权任命官员
补充缺额，任期於参议院
下届会议结束时终结。 第三款
总统应经常向国会
报告联邦的情况，并向国会提出他认为必要和适当的措施，供其考虑 ； 在特
殊情况下，他得召集两院或其中一院开会，并得於两院对於休会时间意见不一
致时，命令两院休会到他
认为适当的时期为止； 他应接见大使和公使 ；他应
注意使法律切实执行，并任命所有合众国的军官。
第四款 合众国总统、副
总统及其他所有文官，因叛国、贿赂或其它重罪和轻罪，被弹劾而判罪者，均<
br>应免职。 第三条 第一款 合众国的司法权属於一个最高法院以及由国会
随时下令设立的低
级法院。最高法院和低级法院的法官，如果尽忠职守，应继
续任职，并按期接受俸给作为其服务之报酬，
在其继续任职期间，该项俸给不
得削减。 第二款 司法权适用的范围，应包括在本宪法、合众国法律
、和合
众国已订的及将订的条约之下发生的一切涉及普通法及衡平法的案件 ；一切有
6
关大使、公使及领事的案件 ；一切有关海上裁判权及海事裁判权的案件；
合
众国为当事一方的诉讼； 州与州之间的诉讼，州与另一州的公民之间的诉讼，
一州公民与另
一州公民之间的诉讼，同州公民之间为不同之州所让与之土地而
争执的诉讼，以及一州或其公民与外国政
府、公民或其属民之间的诉讼。在一
切有关大使、公使、领事以及州为当事一方的案件中，最高法院有最
初审理权。
在上述所有其它案件中，最高法院有关於法律和事实的受理上诉权，但由国会
规定为
例外及另有处理条例者，不在此限。对一切罪行的审判，除了弹劫案以
外，均应由陪审团裁定，并且该审
判应在罪案发生的州内举行；
但如罪案发生
地点并不在任何一州之内，该项审判应在国会按法律指定之地点或几个地点学
行。
第三款 只有对合众国发动战争，或投向它的敌人，予敌人以协助及方
便者，方构成叛国罪。无论何人，
如非经由两个证人证明他的公然的叛国行为，
或经由本人在公开法庭认罪者，均不得被判叛国罪。国会有
权宣布对於叛国罪
的惩处，但因叛国罪而被褫夺公权者，其後人之继承权不受影响，叛国者之财
产亦只能在其本人生存期间被没收。 第四条 第一款 各州对其它各州的
公共法案、记录、和司法
程序，应给予完全的信赖和尊重。国会得制定一般法
律，用以规定这种法案、记录、和司法程序如何证明
以及具有何等效力。 第
二款 每州公民应享受各州公民所有之一切特权及豁免。凡在任何一州被控犯
有
叛国罪、重罪或其它罪行者，逃出法外而在另一州被缉获时，该州应即依照该
罪犯所逃出之州
的行政当局之请求，将该罪犯交出，以便移交至该犯罪案件有
管辖权之州。凡根据一州之法律应在该州服
役或服劳役者，逃往另一州时，不
得因另一州之任何法律或条例，解除其服役或劳役，而应依照有权要求
该项服
役或劳役之当事一方的要求，把人交出。
第三款 国会得准许新州加入联邦 ；
如无有关各州之州议会及国会之同
意，不得於任何州之管辖区域内建立新州 ； 亦不得合并两州或数州
、或数州
之一部分而成立新州。国会有权处置合众国之属地及其它产业，并制定有关这
些属地及
产业的一切必要的法规和章则；本宪法中任何条文，不得作有损於合
7
众国或任何一州之权利的解释。 第四款
合众国保证联邦中的每一州皆为共
和政体，保障它们不受外来的侵略 ；并且根据各州州议会或行政部门
(当州议
会不能召集时) 的请求，平定其内部的暴乱。 第五条
举凡两院议员各以
三分之二的多数认为必要时，国会应提出对本宪法的修正案 ； 或者， 当现有诸州三分之二的州议会提出请求时，国会应召集修宪大会，以上两种修正案，
如经诸州四分之三的州
议会或四分之三的州修宪大会批准时，即成为本宪法之
一部分而发生全部效力，至於采用那一种批准方式
，则由国会议决； 但一八○
八年以前可能制定之修正案，在任何情形下，不得影响本宪法第一条第九款
之
第一、第四两项 ；任何一州，没有它的同意，不得被剥夺它在参议院中的平等
投票权。
第六条 合众国政府於本宪法被批准之前所积欠之债务及所签
订之条约，於本宪法通过後，具有和在邦
联政府时同等的效力。本宪法及依本
宪法所制定之合众国法律；
以及合众国已经缔结及将要缔结的一切条约，皆为
全国之最高法律； 每个州的法官都应受其约束，任何
一州宪法或法律中的任何
内容与之抵触时，均不得有违这一规定。前述之参议员及众议员，各州州议会<
br>议员，合众国政府及各州政府之一切行政及司法官员，均应宣誓或誓愿拥护本
宪法；但合众国政府
之任何职位或公职，皆不得以任何宗教标准作为任职的必
要条件。 第七条
本宪法经过九个州的制宪大会批准後，即在批准本宪
法的各州之间开始生效。
本宪法于公元
１７８７年，即美利坚合众国独立后第１２年的９月１７日，
经出席制宪会议的各州在会上一致同意后制
定。我们谨在此签名作证。
THE CONSTITUTION OF
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
March 4,
1789 Preamble We the people of the United
States, in order to
form a more perfect union,
establish justice, insure domestic tranquility,
provide
for the common defense, promote the
general welfare, and secure the blessings of
8
liberty to ourselves and our
posterity, do ordain and establish this
Constitution
for the United States of America.
Article I
Section 1. 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.
Section
2. 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. 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.
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 taxed, three
fifths of all other Persons.
The actual
Enumeration shall be made within three years after
the first meeting
of the Congress of the
United States, and within every subsequent term of
ten
years, in such manner as they shall by law
direct. The number of Representatives
shall
not exceed one for every thirty thousand, but each
state shall have at least
one Representative；
and until such enumeration shall be made, the
state of New
Hampshire shall be entitled to
choose three, Massachusetts eight, Rhode Island
and Providence Plantations one, Connecticut
five, New York six, New Jersey four,
Pennsylvania eight, Delaware one, Maryland
six, Virginia ten, North Carolina
five, South
Carolina five, and Georgia three. When vacancies
happen in the
Representation from any state,
the executive authority thereof shall issue writs
of
election to fill such vacancies.
9
The House of Representatives shall
choose their speaker and other officers；
and
shall have the sole power of impeachment.
Section 3. The Senate of the United States
shall be composed of two Senators
from each
state, chosen by the legislature thereof, for six
years； and each
Senator shall have one ately
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 of the
fourth
year, and the third class at the
expiration of the sixth year, so that one third
may
be chosen every second year； and if
vacancies happen by resignation, or
otherwise,
during the recess of the legislature of any state,
the executive thereof
may make temporary
appointments until the next meeting of the
legislature,
which shall then fill such
vacancies. No person shall be a Senator who
shall
not have attained to the age of thirty
years, and been nine years a citizen of the
United States and who shall not, when elected,
be an inhabitant of that state for
which he
shall be chosen. The Vice President of the
United States shall be
President of the
Senate, but shall have no vote, unless they be
equally divided.
The Senate shall choose
their other officers, and also a President pro
tempore, in
the absence of the Vice President,
or when he shall exercise the office of President
of the United States. The Senate shall have
the sole power to try all
impeachments. When
sitting for that purpose, they shall be on oath or
affirmation. When the President of the United
States is tried, the Chief Justice
shall
preside: And no person shall be convicted without
the concurrence of two
thirds of the members
present. Judgment in cases of impeachment shall
not
extend further than to removal from
office, and disqualification to hold and
enjoy
any office of honor, trust or profit under the
United States: but the party
10
convicted shall nevertheless be liable
and subject to indictment, trial, judgment
and
punishment, according to law. Section 4. The
times, places and manner
of holding elections
for Senators and Representatives, shall be
prescribed in each
state by the legislature
thereof； but the Congress may at any time by law
make
or alter such regulations, except as to
the places of choosing Senators. The
Congress shall assemble at least once in every
year, and such meeting shall be on
the first
Monday in December, unless they shall by law
appoint a different
n 5. Each House shall be
the judge of the elections, returns and
qualifications of its own members, and a
majority of each shall constitute a
quorum to
do business； but a smaller number may adjourn from
day to day,
and may be authorized to compel
the attendance of absent members, in such
manner, and under such penalties as each House
may provide. Each House
may determine the
rules of its proceedings, punish its members for
disorderly
behavior, and, with the concurrence
of two thirds, expel a member. Each
House
shall keep a journal of its proceedings, and from
time to time publish the
same, excepting such
parts as may in their judgment require secrecy；
and the
yeas and nays of the members of either
House on any question shall, at the desire
of
one fifth of those present, be entered on the
journal. Neither House,
during the session
of Congress, shall, without the consent of the
other, adjourn
for more than three days, nor
to any other place than that in which the two
Houses shall be sitting.
Section 6. The
Senators and Representatives shall receive a
compensation
for their services, to be
ascertained by law, and paid out of the treasury
of the
United States. They shall in all cases,
except treason, felony and breach of the
peace, be privileged from arrest during their
attendance at the session of their
respective
Houses, and in going to and returning from the
same； and for any
11
speech or
debate in either House, they shall not be
questioned in any other place.
No Senator or
Representative shall, during the time for which he
was elected, be
appointed to any civil office
under the authority of the United States, which
shall
have been created, or the emoluments
whereof shall have been increased during
such
time； and no person holding any office under the
United States, shall be a
member of either
House during his continuance in office.
Section 7. All bills for raising revenue shall
originate in the House of
Representatives； but
the Senate may propose or concur with amendments
as on
other Bills. Every bill which shall
have passed the House of Representatives
and
the Senate, shall, before it become a law, be
presented to the President of the
United
States； if he approve he shall sign it, but if not
he shall return it, with his
objections to
that House in which it shall have originated, who
shall enter the
objections at large on their
journal, and proceed to reconsider it. If after
such
reconsideration two thirds of that House
shall agree to pass the bill, it shall be
sent, together with the objections, to the
other House, by which it shall likewise
be
reconsidered, and if approved by two thirds of
that House, it shall become a
law. But in all
such cases the votes of both Houses shall be
determined by yeas
and nays, and the names of
the persons voting for and against the bill shall
be
entered on the journal of each House
respectively. If any bill shall not be
returned by the President within ten days
(Sundays excepted) after it shall have
been
presented to him, the same shall be a law, in like
manner as if he had signed
it, unless the
Congress by their adjournment prevent its return,
in which case it
shall not be a law. Every
order, resolution, or vote to which the
concurrence
of the Senate and House of
Representatives may be necessary (except on a
question of adjournment) shall be presented to
the President of the United
States； and before
the same shall take effect, shall be approved by
him, or being
12
disapproved by
him, shall be repassed by two thirds of the Senate
and House of
Representatives, according to the
rules and limitations prescribed in the case of a
bill. Section 8. The Congress shall have
power to lay and collect taxes,
duties,
imposts and excises, to pay the debts and provide
for the common defense
and general welfare of
the United States； but all duties, imposts and
excises shall
be uniform throughout the United
States； To borrow money on the credit of
the
United States； To regulate commerce with foreign
nations, and among
the several states, and
with the Indian tribes； To establish a uniform
rule of
naturalization, and uniform laws on
the subject of bankruptcies throughout the
United States； To coin money, regulate the
value thereof, and of foreign
coin, and fix
the standard of weights and measures； To provide
for the
punishment of counterfeiting the
securities and current coin of the United
States； To establish post offices and post
roads； To promote the
progress of science
and useful arts, by securing for limited times to
authors and
inventors the exclusive right to
their respective writings and discoveries； To
constitute tribunals inferior to the Supreme
Court； To define and punish
piracies and
felonies committed on the high seas, and offenses
against the law of
nations； To declare war,
grant letters of marque and reprisal, and make
rules concerning captures on land and water；
To raise and support armies,
but no
appropriation of money to that use shall be for a
longer term than two
years； To provide and
maintain a navy； To make rules for the
government and regulation of the land and
naval forces； To provide for
calling forth
the militia to execute the laws of the union,
suppress insurrections
and repel invasions；
To provide for organizing, arming, and
disciplining,
the militia, and for governing
such part of them as may be employed in the
service of the United States, reserving to the
states respectively, the appointment
13
of the officers, and the authority of
training the militia according to the
discipline prescribed by Congress； To
exercise exclusive legislation in all
cases
whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten
miles square) as may, by
cession of particular
states, and the acceptance of Congress, become the
seat of
the government of the United States,
and to exercise like authority over all places
purchased by the consent of the legislature of
the state in which the same shall be,
for the
erection of forts, magazines, arsenals, dockyards,
and other needful
buildings； To make all
laws which shall be necessary and proper for
carrying into execution the foregoing powers,
and all other powers vested by this
Constitution in the government of the United
States, or in any department or
officer
thereof. Section 9. The migration or importation
of such persons as
any of the states now
existing shall think proper to admit, shall not be
prohibited
by the Congress prior to the year
one thousand eight hundred and eight, but a
tax or duty may be imposed on such
importation, not exceeding ten dollars for
each person. The privilege of the writ of
habeas corpus shall not be
suspended, unless
when in cases of rebellion or invasion the public
safety may
require it. No bill of attainder
or ex post facto Law shall be passed. No
capitation, or other direct, tax shall be
laid, unless in proportion to the census or
enumeration herein before directed to be
taken. No tax or duty shall be laid
on
articles exported from any state. No preference
shall be given by any
regulation of commerce
or revenue to the ports of one state over those of
another:
nor shall vessels bound to, or from,
one state, be obliged to enter, clear or pay
duties in another. No money shall be drawn
from the treasury, but in
consequence of
appropriations made by law； and a regular
statement and
account of receipts and
expenditures of all public money shall be
published from
time to time. No title of
nobility shall be granted by the United States:
and
14
no person holding any
office of profit or trust under them, shall,
without the
consent of the Congress, accept of
any present, emolument, office, or title, of any
kind whatever, from any king, prince, or
foreign state. Section 10. No state
shall
enter into any treaty, alliance, or confederation；
grant letters of marque
and reprisal； coin
money； emit bills of credit； make anything but
gold and
silver coin a tender in payment of
debts； pass any bill of attainder, ex post facto
law, or law impairing the obligation of
contracts, or grant any title of nobility.
No state shall, without the consent of the
Congress, lay any imposts or duties on
imports
or exports, except what may be absolutely
necessary for executing it s
inspection laws:
and the net produce of all duties and imposts,
laid by any state
on imports or exports, shall
be for the use of the treasury of the United
States；
and all such laws shall be subject to
the revision and control of the Congress.
No
state shall, without the consent of Congress, lay
any duty of tonnage, keep
troops, or ships of
war in time of peace, enter into any agreement or
compact
with another state, or with a foreign
power, or engage in war, unless actually
invaded, or in such imminent danger as will
not admit of delay. Article II
Section 1.
The executive power shall be vested in a President
of the United States
of America. He shall hold
his office during the term of four years, and,
together
with the Vice President, chosen for
the same term, be elected, as follows:
Each
state shall appoint, in such manner as the
Legislature thereof may direct, a
number of
electors, equal to the whole number of Senators
and Representatives
to which the State may be
entitled in the Congress: but no Senator or
Representative, or person holding an office of
trust or profit under the United
States, shall
be appointed an elector. The electors shall meet
in their
respective states, and vote by ballot
for two persons, of whom one at least shall
not be an inhabitant of the same state with
themselves. And they shall make a list
15
of all the persons voted for, and of
the number of votes for each； which list they
shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to
the seat of the government of the
United
States, directed to the President of the Senate.
The President of the Senate
shall, in the
presence of the Senate and House of
Representatives, open all the
certificates,
and the votes shall then be counted. The person
having the greatest
number of votes shall be
the President, if such number be a majority of the
whole
number of electors appointed； and if
there be more than one who have such
majority,
and have an equal number of votes, then the House
of Representatives
shall immediately choose by
ballot one of them for President； and if no person
have a majority, then from the five highest on
the list the said House shall in like
manner
choose the President. But in choosing the
President, the votes shall be
taken by States,
the representation from each state having one
vote； A quorum
for this purpose shall consist
of a member or members from two thirds of the
states, and a majority of all the states shall
be necessary to a choice. In every case,
after
the choice of the President, the person having the
greatest number of votes
of the electors shall
be the Vice President. But if there should remain
two or more
who have equal votes, the Senate
shall choose from them by ballot the Vice
President. The Congress may determine the
time of choosing the electors,
and the day on
which they shall give their votes； which day shall
be the same
throughout the United States. No
person except a natural born citizen, or a
citizen of the United States, at the time of
the adoption of this Constitution, shall
be
eligible to the office of President； neither shall
any person be eligible to that
office who
shall not have attained to the age of thirty five
years, and been
fourteen Years a resident
within the United States. In case of the removal
of
the President from office, or of his death,
resignation, or inability to discharge
the
powers and duties of the said office, the same
shall devolve on the Vice
16
President, and the Congress may by law
provide for the case of removal, death,
resignation or inability, both of the
President and Vice President, declaring what
officer shall then act as President, and such
officer shall act accordingly, until the
disability be removed, or a President shall be
elected. The President shall, at
stated
times, receive for his services, a compensation,
which shall neither be
increased nor
diminished during the period for which he shall
have been elected,
and he shall not receive
within that period any other emolument from the
United
States, or any of them. Before he
enter on the execution of his office, he shall
take the following oath or affirmation:--do
solemnly swear (or affirm) that I
will
faithfully execute the office of President of the
United States, and will to the
best of my
ability, preserve, protect and defend the
Constitution of the United
States. Section 2.
The President shall be commander in chief of the
Army
and Navy of the United States, and of the
militia of the several states, when called
into the actual service of the United States；
he may require the opinion, in
writing, of the
principal officer in each of the executive
departments, upon any
subject relating to the
duties of their respective offices, and he shall
have power
to grant reprieves and pardons for
offenses against the United States, except in
cases of impeachment. He shall have power,
by and with the advice and
consent of the
Senate, to make treaties, provided two thirds of
the Senators
present concur； and he shall
nominate, and by and with the advice and consent
of the Senate, shall appoint ambassadors,
other public ministers and consuls,
judges of
the Supreme Court, and all other officers of the
United States, whose
appointments are not
herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be
established by law: but the Congress may by
law vest the appointment of such
inferior
officers, as they think proper, in the President
alone, in the courts of law,
or in the heads
of departments. The President shall have power
to fill up all
17
vacancies that
may happen during the recess of the Senate, by
granting
commissions which shall expire at the
end of their next session. Section 3.
He
shall from time to time give to the Congress
information of the state of the
union, and
recommend to their consideration such measures as
he shall judge
necessary and expedient； he
may, on extraordinary occasions, convene both
Houses, or either of them, and in case of
disagreement between them, with
respect to the
time of adjournment, he may adjourn them to such
time as he shall
think proper； he shall
receive ambassadors and other public ministers； he
shall
take care that the laws be faithfully
executed, and shall commission all the
officers of the United States. Section 4.
The President, Vice President and all
civil
officers of the United States, shall be removed
from office on impeachment
for, and conviction
of, treason, bribery, or other high crimes and
misdemeanors.
Article III Section 1. The
judicial power of the United States, shall be
vested
in one Supreme Court, and in such
inferior courts as the Congress may from
time
to time ordain and establish. The judges, both of
the supreme and inferior
courts, shall hold
their offices during good behaviour, and shall, at
stated times,
receive for their services, a
compensation, which shall not be diminished during
their continuance in office. Section 2. The
judicial power shall extend to all
cases, in
law and equity, arising under this Constitution,
the laws of the United
States, and treaties
made, or which shall be made, under their
authority；--to all
cases affecting
ambassadors, other public ministers and
consuls；--to all cases of
admiralty and
maritime jurisdiction；--to controversies to which
the United
States shall be a party；--to
controversies between two or more states；--between
a state and citizens of another
state；--between citizens of different
states；
--between citizens of the same state
claiming lands under grants of different
states, and between a state, or the citizens
thereof, and foreign states, citizens or
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subjects. In all cases affecting
ambassadors, other public ministers and
consuls, and those in which a state shall be
party, the Supreme Court shall have
original
jurisdiction. In all the other cases before
mentioned, the Supreme Court
shall have
appellate jurisdiction, both as to law and fact,
with such exceptions,
and under such
regulations as the Congress shall make. The
trial of all
crimes, except in cases of
impeachment, shall be by jury； and such trial
shall be
held in the state where the said
crimes shall have been committed； but when not
committed within any state, the trial shall be
at such place or places as the
Congress may by
law have directed. Section 3. 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
Congress shall have power to declare the
punishment of
treason, but no attainder of
treason shall work corruption of blood, or
forfeiture
except during the life of the
person attainted. Article IV Section 1. Full
faith and credit shall be given in each state
to the public acts, records, and
judicial
proceedings of every other state. And the Congress
may by general laws
prescribe the manner in
which such acts, records, and proceedings shall be
proved, and the effect thereof. Section 2.
The citizens of each state shall be
entitled
to all privileges and immunities of citizens in
the several states. A
person charged in any
state with treason, felony, or other crime, who
shall flee
from justice, and be found in
another state, shall on demand of the executive
authority of the state from which he fled, be
delivered up, to be removed to the
state
having jurisdiction of the crime. No person held
to service or labor in
one state, under the
laws thereof, escaping into another, shall, in
consequence of
any law or regulation therein,
be discharged from such service or labor, but
shall
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be delivered up on claim
of the party to whom such service or labor may be
due.
Section 3. New states may be admitted
by the Congress into this union； but no
new
states shall be formed or erected within the
jurisdiction of any other state；
nor any state
be formed by the junction of two or more states,
or parts of states,
without the consent of the
legislatures of the states concerned as well as of
the
Congress. The Congress shall have power
to dispose of and make all
needful rules and
regulations respecting the territory or other
property
belonging to the United States； and
nothing in this Constitution shall be so
construed as to prejudice any claims of the
United States, or of any particular
state.
Section 4. The United States shall guarantee to
every state in this
union a republican form of
government, and shall protect each of them against
invasion； and on application of the
legislature, or of the executive (when the
legislature cannot be convened) against
domestic violence. Article V
The Congress,
whenever two thirds of both houses shall deem it
necessary, shall
propose amendments to this
Constitution, or, on the application of the
legislatures of two thirds of the several
states, shall call a convention for
proposing
amendments, which, in either case, shall be valid
to all intents and
purposes, as part of this
Constitution, when ratified by the legislatures of
three
fourths of the several states, or by
conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one
or the other mode of ratification may be
proposed by the Congress； provided
that no
amendment which may be made prior to the year one
thousand eight
hundred and eight shall in any
manner affect the first and fourth clauses in the
ninth section of the first article； and that
no state, without its consent, shall be
deprived of its equal suffrage in the Senate.
Article VI All debts
contracted and
engagements entered into, before the adoption of
this
Constitution, shall be as valid against
the United States under this Constitution,
20
as under the Confederation. This
Constitution, and the laws of the United
States which shall be made in pursuance
thereof； and all treaties made, or which
shall
be made, under the authority of the United States,
shall be the supreme law
of the land； and the
judges in every state shall be bound thereby,
anything in the
Constitution or laws of any
State to the contrary notwithstanding. The
Senators and Representatives before mentioned,
and the members of the several
state
legislatures, and all executive and judicial
officers, both of the United States
and of the
several states, shall be bound by oath or
affirmation, to support this
Constitution； but
no religious test shall ever be required as a
qualification to
any office or public trust
under the United States. Article VII The
ratification of the conventions of nine
states, shall be sufficient for the
establishment of this Constitution between the
states so ratifying the same.
Done in
convention by the unanimous consent of the states
present the
seventeenth day of September in
the year of our Lord one thousand seven
hundred and eighty seven and of the
independence of the United States of
America
the witness whereof We have hereunto subscribed
our Names,
G. Washington-Presidt. and deputy
from Virginia New Hampshire: John
Langdon,
Nicholas Gilman Massachusetts: Nathaniel Gorham,
Rufus King
Connecticut: Wm: Saml. Johnson,
Roger Sherman New York: Alexander
Hamilton
New Jersey: Wil: Livingston, David Brearly, Wm.
Paterson, Jona:
Dayton Pennsylvania: B.
Franklin, Thomas Mifflin, Robt. Morris, Geo.
Clymer, Thos. FitzSimons, Jared Ingersoll,
James Wilson, Gouv Morris
Delaware: Geo:
Read, Gunning Bedford jun, John Dickinson, Richard
Bassett,
Jaco: Broom Maryland: James
McHenry, Dan of St Thos. Jenifer, Danl
Carroll
Virginia: John Blair, James Madison Jr. North
Carolina: Wm.
Blount, Richd. Dobbs Spaight, Hu
Williamson South Carolina: J. Rutledge,
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Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, Charles
Pinckney, Pierce Butler Georgia:
William
Few, Abr Baldwin
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