St. Clair County, Illinois - Biographical sketches, 1881 (part 13 of 13)

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press ; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

Article Il

A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.

Article Iii

No soldier shall in time of peace be quartered in any house without the consent of the owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

No person shall be held to answer for a capital or otherwise Infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment by a Grand Jury, except in. cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the militia when in actual service in time of war or public danger; nor shall any per son be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public »se, without just compensation.

In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and Cause of the accusation ; to be confronted with the witnesses against him ; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the assistance of counsel for his defense.

In suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury thall be otherwise re-examined in any court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law.

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

The judicial power of the United Slates shall not be construed to extend to any suit in law or equity commenced or prosecuted against one of the United States by chizens of another State, or by citizens or subjects of any foreign State.

The electors shall meet in their respective States, and vote by ballot lor President and Vice President, one of whom at least shall not be an inhabitant of the same State with themselves; they shall name in their ballots the person to be voted for as President, and in distinct ballots the persons voted for as Vice President, and they shall make distinct lists of all persons voted for as President, and of all persons voted for as Vice President, and of the number of votes for each, which list they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the seat of government of the United States, directed to the President of the Senate. The President of the Senate shall, in 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 for President, shall be the President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of electors appointed ; and if no person have such majority, then from the persons having the highest number not exceeding three on the list of those voted for as President, the House of Representatives shall choose immediately, by ballot, 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 memberj from two-thirds of the States, and a majority of all the States shall be necessary to a choice. And if the House of Representatives shall not choose a President whenever the right of choice shall devolve upon them, before the fourth day of March next following, then the Vice President shall act as President, as in the case of the death or other Consti;utional disability of the President. The person having the greatest number of votes as Vice President, shall be the Vice President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of electors appointed and if no person have a majority, then from the two highest numbers on the list, the Senate shall choose the Vice President; a quorum for the purpose shall consist of two-thirds of the whole number of Senators, and a majority of the whole number shall be necessary to a choice. But no person Constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice President of the United States.

Article Xiii

Section l. Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a puuishment for crime, whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States or any place subject to their jurisdiction. - '

Article Xiv

Section I. All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the iur>sd.c .on thereof, are ot.zens of the United States, and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of otizens of the Umted States ; nor shall any State deprive any person of lif^ri^ber^ or pro["c"^L^of °he ?aws!"°''" '"' "°'' ""'"^ '° '"^ P"^°" within^ts jurisdiction Ihe^ua'

Section 2. Representatives shall be appointed among the several States accordinp- tri their respective numbers, counting the whole number of persons in each State excludinpl Indians not taxed ; but when the right to vote at any election for the choice of ^wi r ^» President and Vice President of the United States, Representat ves in Cor^^res, ,h! ^ .H and judicial officers of a State or the members of the Lgislafure therSf fs f'n ^M ^'^^ the male inhabitants of such State, being twenty-one years of age and chizens of fhln"^/! States, or in any way abridged except for participation in rebellfon o, o'^rSmes thYb of representation therein shall be reduced in the proportion which the numb/r^f' '\^^^H dtizens shall bear to the whole number of -iLFtizens t^en^-lt S^flgrin 3

Section 3. No person shall be a Senator or PvCpresentative in r«« President and Vice President, or hold any office civil or miUtarv unde^^K^lT^"-/]^"'"'" °' under any State who, having previously taken an oath ^TUllllT^^r "^ ^'^'^ officer of the United States, or as a member of any S'ate LeS.t Congress, or as an judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution oTtWTT'-.°S ''J ^" ^^^ecutive o( engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same or ^iv/n i^H """=<* States, shall hav< thereof. But Congress may, by a votlof two-thirds of eJb V, °^ '° ^^^ «="«mies

Section 4. The validity of the public debt of tb^n 'iTt: '"^'"°''^ ^""^^ disability. 1 including debts incurred for payment of pensions -id hn?,n,- ^""" authorized by law, insurrection or rebellion, shall not be questioned "" But n^'n! lu ' "5,"""= »" suppressing State shall assume or pay any debt or obliealion incnrr^^ I - , United States nor any lion against the United States, or any loss or eniinrlt " /"^ of insurrection or rebelobligations and claims shall be held illegal and voir '^ ""^ ^'^^^' '^"^ such <leb&