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CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES.

out the consent of Congress, accept and retain any present, pension, office, or emolument, of any kind whatever, from any emperor, king, prince, or foreign power, such person shall cease to be a citizen of the United States, and shall be incapable of holding any office of trust or profit under them, or either of them.

[NOTE.-The 11th article of the amendments to the Constitution was proposed at the second session of the third Congress; the 12th article at the first session of the eighth Congress; and the 13th article at the second session of the eleventh Congress.]

CONSTITUTION

OF THE

STATE OF MISSOURI.

WE, the people of Missouri, inhabiting the limits hereinafter designated, by our Representatives, in Convention assembled, at St. Louis, on Monday, the 12th day of June, 1820, do mutually agree to form and establish a free and independent republic, by the name of the "State of Missouri;' and for the government thereof do ordain and establish this Constitution:

ARTICLE I.

Of Boundaries.

SECTION 1. We do declare, establish, ratify and confirm the following as the permanent boundaries of said State, that is to say: "Beginning in the middle of the Mississippi river, on the parallel of thirty-six degrees north latitude; thence west, along said parallel of latitude, to the St. François river; thence up and following the course of that river in the main channel thereof, to the parallel of latitude of thirty-six degrees and thirty minutes; thence west, along the same, to a point where the said parallel is intersected by a meridian line passing through the middle of the mouth of the Kansas river, where the same empties into the Missouri river; thence from the point aforesaid north, along the said meridian line, to the intersection of the parallel of latitude which passes through the rapids of the river Des Moines, making the said line correspond with the Indian boundary line; thence east from the point of intersection last aforesaid, along the said parallel of latitude, to the middle of the channel of the main fork of the said river Des Moines; thence down along the middle of the main channel of said river Des Moines to the

mouth of the same, where it empties into the Mississippi river; thence due east to the middle of the main channel of the Mississippi river; thence down, and following the course of the Mississippi river, in the middle of the main channel thereof, to the place of beginning."

ARTICLE II.

Of the Distribution of Power.

SECTION 1. The powers of government shall be divided into three distinct departments, each of which shall be confided to a separate magistracy; and no person charged with the exercise of powers properly belonging to one of these departments shall exercise any powers properly belonging to either of the others, except in instances hereinafter directed or permitted.

ARTICLE III.

Of the Legislative Power.

SECTION 1. The legislative power shall be vested in a General Assembly, which shall consist of a Senate, and of a House of Representatives.

SEC. 2. The House of Representatives shall consist of members to be chosen every second year by the qualified electors of the several counties. Each county shall have at least one Representative, but the whole number of Representatives shall never exceed one hundred.

SEC. 3. No person shall be a member of the House of Representatives who shall not have attained to the age of twentyfour years; who shall not be a free white male citizen of the United States; who shall not have been an inhabitant of this State two years, and of the county which he represents one year next before his election, if such county shall have been so long established; but if not, then of the county or counties from which the same shall have been taken; and who shall not, moreover, have paid a State or county tax.

SEC. 4. The General Assembly, at their first session, and in the years one thousand eight hundred and twenty-two, and one thousand eight hundred and twenty-four, respectively, and every fourth year thereafter, shall cause an enumeration of the inhabitants of this State to be made; and, at the first session after each enumeration, shall apportion the number of representatives among the several counties according to the number of free white male inhabitants therein.

SEC. 5. The Senators shall be chosen by the qualified electors, for the term of four years. No person shall be a Senator who shall not have attained to the age of thirty years; who shall not be a free white male citizen of the United States; who shall not have been an inhabitant of this State four years, and of the district which he may be chosen to represent one year next before his election, if such district shall have been so long established; but if not, then of the district or districts from which the same shall have been taken; and who shall not, moreover, have paid a State or county tax.

SEC. 6. The Senate shall consist of not less than fourteen nor more than thirty-three members; for the election of whom the State shall be divided into convenient districts, which may be altered from time to time, and new districts established, as public convenience may require; and the Senators shall be apportioned among the several districts according to the number of free white male inhabitants in each; Provided, that when a senatorial district shall be composed of two or more counties, the counties of which such district consists shall not be entirely separated by any county belonging to another district, and no county shall be divided in forming a district.

SEC. 7. At the first session of the General Assembly, the Senators shall be divided by lot, as equally as may be, into two classes. The seats of the first class shall be vacated at the end of the second year, and the seats of the second class at the end of the fourth year; so that one-half of the Senators shall be chosen every second year.

SEC. 8. After the first day of January, one thousand eight hundred and twenty-two, all general elections shall commence on the first Monday in August, and shall be held biennially; and the electors, in all cases, except of treason, felony, or breach of the peace, shall be privileged from arrest during their continuance at elections, and in going to and returning from the same.

SEC. 9. The Governor shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies as may occur in either House of the General Assembly.

SEC. 10. Every free white male citizen of the United States who may have attained to the age of twenty-one years, and who shall have resided in this State one year before an election, the last three months whereof shall have been in the county or district in which he offers to vote, shall be deemed a qualified elector of all elective offices; Provided, that no soldier, seaman, or mariner in the regular army or navy of

the United States, shall be entitled to a vote at any election in the State.

SEC. 11. No judge of any court of law or equity, secretary of State, attorney general, State auditor, State or county treasurer, register or recorder, clerk of any court of record, sheriff, coroner, member of Congress, nor other person holding any lucrative office under the United States, or this State, (militia officers, justices of the peace, and postmasters excepted,) shall be eligible to either House of the General Assembly.

SEC. 12. No person who now is, or who hereafter may be, a collector or holder of public money, nor any assistant or deputy of such collector or holder of public money, shall be eligible to either House of the General Assembly, nor to any office of profit or trust, until he shall have accounted for and paid all sums for which he may be accountable.

SEC. 13. No person, while he continues to exercise the functions of a bishop, priest, clergyman, or teacher of any religious persuasion, denomination, society or sect whatsoever, shall be eligible to either House of the General Assembly; nor shall he be appointed to any office of profit within the State, the office of justice of the peace excepted.

SEC. 14. The General Assembly shall have power to exclude from every office of honor, trust, or profit, within this State, and from the right of suffrage, all persons convicted of bribery, perjury, or other infamous crime.

SEC. 15. Every person who shall be convicted of having, directly or indirectly, given or offered any bribe to procure his election or appointment, shall be disqualified for any office of honor, trust or profit, under this State; and any person who shall give or offer any bribe to procure the election or appointment of any other person, shall, on conviction thereof, be disqualified for an elector, or for any office of honor, trust or profit, under this State, for ten years after such con

viction.

SEC. 16. No Senator or Representative shall, during the time for which he shall have been elected, be appointed to any civil office under this State, which shall have been created or the emoluments of which shall have been increased during his continuance in office, except to such offices as shall be filled by elections of the people.

SEC. 17. Each House shall appoint its own officers, and shall judge of the qualifications, elections, and returns of its own members. A majority of each House shall constitute a quorum to do business; but a smaller number may adjourn from day to day, and may compel the attendance of absent