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.And later, especially during the presidencies of Lyndon Johnson and RichardNixon, many people feared that governmental power had become concentrated in an "imperial presidency."The framers felt that the legislative branch might tend to predominate.Thus they wanted a strong executive, for they believed,as Hamilton wrote in The Federalist, that "energy in the executive is a leading character in the definition of good government."They hoped to establish a government in which the three branches would be coordinate in power, but they felt that in fact thejudiciary, though not subordinate, did not actually share in the exercise of real power.Harold W.ChaseTHE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES--TEXT AND ANALYSISThe text of the Constitution is printed below retaining the original spelling and capitalization.Comments by Harold W.Chaseare preceded and followed by double asterisks.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 ourPosterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.**These stated objectives make clear the framers' commitment to the proposition that government should serve to enhance thevalue and dignity of the individual, as opposed to the proposition to which authoritarian governments have traditionallyadhered, that the individual's highest duty is to serve the state.**Article ISection 1.All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of aSenate and House of Representatives.Section 2.The House of Representatives shall be composed of Members chosen every second Year by the People of theseveral States, and the Electors in each State shall have the Qualifications requisite for Electors of the most numerous Branch ofthe 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 Citizenof 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, includingthose bound to Service for a Term of Years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of all other Persons.The actualEnumeration shall be made within three Years after the first Meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within everysubsequent Term of ten Years, in such Manner as they shall by Law direct.The Number of Representatives shall not exceedone 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 chuse 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, NorthCarolina 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 tofill such Vacancies.The House of Representatives shall chuse 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 Legislaturethereof, for six Years; and each Senator shall have one Vote.Immediately after they shall be assembled in Consequence of the first Election, they shall be divided as equally as may be intothree Classes.The Seats of the Senators of the first Class shall be vacated at the Expiration of the second Year, of the secondClass at the Expiration of the fourth Year, and the third Class at the Expiration of the sixth Year, so that one third may bechosen every second Year; and if Vacancies happen by Resignation, or otherwise, during the Recess of the Legislature of anyState, the Executive thereof may make temporary Appointments until the next Meeting of the Legislature, which shall then fillsuch 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 UnitedStates 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 chuse their other Officers, and also a President pro tempore, in the Absence of the Vice President, or when heshall 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 orAffirmation.When the President of the United States is tried, the Chief Justice shall preside: And no Person shall be convictedwithout 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 enjoyany Office of Honor, Trust or Profit under the United States: but the Party convicted shall nevertheless be liable and subject toIndictment, 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 eachState by the Legislature thereof; but the Congress may at any time by Law make or alter such Regulations, except as to thePlaces of chusing Senators.The Congress shall assemble at least once in every Year, and such Meeting shall be on the first Monday in December, unlessthey shall by Law appoint a different Day.Section 5.Each House shall be the Judge of the Elections, Returns and Qualifications of its own Members, and a Majority ofeach shall constitute a Quorum to do Business; but a smaller Number may adjourn from day to day, and may be authorized tocompel 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 Behaviour, and, with theConcurrence of two thirds, expel a Member [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]