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ADVERTISEMENT.

THIS work contains the Constitution of the United States and of Pennsylvania, the whole of Mr. Sutherland's Manual, corrected up to the present session, the Rules of both Houses of Congress, and the Manual of Mr. Jefferson. It will therefore be a very useful assistant to old as well as new members of our State Legislatures; embracing as it does, a mass of important Parliamentary Practice, worthy the attention of every Representative desirous of serving his constituents with ability and fidelity.

PREFACE.

HAVING for several years occupied a seat in the House of Representatives of Pennsylvania, and having presided over that body and since served as State Senator, it occurred to me, that a work on the Practice and Method of proceeding adopted in the two branches of the General Assembly would not be unacceptable to the members. The excellent Manual of Thomas Jefferson contains the landmarks of order, and must always be a useful guide; but it is well known to all conversant with the business of public bodies, that it does not supply all that is wanting to State Legislatures. The Manual I present is intended as far as practicable to explain the detail so necessary to a new member, and to note the exact words which custom has sanctioned in the order of business. In the short time allotted for this work, it cannot be expected to be perfect; yet I shall be greatly disappointed, if it does not prove serviceable to the members.

THE

CONSTITUTION

OF THE

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

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. [See 1 Wheat. 324. 4 Wheat. 403.]

ARTICLE I.

OF THE LEGISLATURE.

SECTION 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.

SECT. II. 1. The House of Representa

A

tives 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 to the age of twentyfive 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.

s. 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

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