Key-Notes of American Liberty. Various

hold the rest of mankind, enemies in war—in peace, friends.

      We, therefore, the representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the name and by the authority of the good people of these colonies, solemnly publish and declare that these United Colonies are, and of good right ought to be, free and independent States; that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved; and that, as free and independent States, they have full power to levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances, establish commerce, and to do all other acts and things which independent States may of right do. And for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.

      Signed by order and in behalf of the Congress.

      JOHN HANCOCK, President.

      Attested, Charles Thompson, Secretary.

NEW HAMPSHIRE.	PENNSYLVANIA.
Josiah Bartlett,	Robert Morris,
William Whipple,	Benjamin Rush,
Matthew Thornton.	Benjamin Franklin,
	George Clymer,
MASSACHUSETTS BAY.	John Morton,
Samuel Adams,	James Smith,
John Adams,	George Taylor,
Robert Treat Paine,	James Wilson,
Eldridge Gerry.	George Ross.
RHODE ISLAND, ETC.	DELAWARE.
Stephen Hopkins,	Cæsar Rodney,
William Ellery.	George Read,
	Thomas M'Kean.
CONNECTICUT.	MARYLAND.
Roger Sherman,	Samuel Chase,
Samuel Huntington,	William Paca,
William Williams,	Thomas Stone,
Oliver Wolcott.	Charles Carroll, of Carrollton.
NEW YORK.	VIRGINIA.
William Floyd,	George Wythe,
Philip Livingston,	Richard Henry Lee,
Francis Lewis,	Thomas Jefferson,
Lewis Morris.	Benjamin Harrison,
	Thomas Nelson, jr.,
NEW JERSEY.	Francis Lightfoot Lee,
Richard Stockton,	Carter Braxton.
John Witherspoon,	Thomas Heyward, jr.,
Francis Hopkinson,	Thomas Lynch, jr.,
John Hart,	Arthur Middleton.
Abraham Clark.	GEORGIA.
NORTH CAROLINA.	Button Gwinnett,
William Hooper,	Lyman Hall,
Joseph Hewes,	George Walton.
John Penn.
SOUTH CAROLINA.
Edward Rutledge,

CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES.

       Table of Contents

      We, the People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquillity, 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 of America.

      ARTICLE I.

      § I.—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.

      § II.—1. 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.

      2. No person shall be a representative who shall not have attained 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 the State in which he shall be chosen.

      3. 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