9


CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES.


                               AMENDMENTS.



  [The first ten amendments were proposed at the first session of the first
Congress of the
United States, which was began and held at the city of New York, on the 4th
of March, 1789,
and were adopted by the requisite number of States.- 1 vol. Laws of U. S.,
p. 72.]
  [The preamble and resolution following, preceded the original proposition
of the amend-
ments, and, as they have been supposed by a high equity judge (8 Wendell's
reports p. 100)
to have an important beariug on the construction of those amendments, they
are here
inserted. They will be found in the journals of the first session of the
first Congress.]
  CONGRESS OF THE U-NITED STATES, begun and held at the city of New York,
on Wednesday,
the 4th of March, 1789. The conventions of a number of the States having
at the time of
their adopting the Constitution, expressed a desire, in order to prevent
misconstruction or
abuse of its powers, that further declaratory and restrictive clauses should
be added; and
as extending the ground of public confidence in the government, will best
insure the benefi-
cent ends of its institution,-
  Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States
of America, in
Congress assembled, two-thirds of both houses concurring, That the following
articles be
proposed to the legislatures of the several States, as amendments to the
Constitution of the
United States, all or any of which articles, \vhen ratified by three-fourths
of said legisla-
tures, to be valid to all intents and purposes as part of said Constitution,
namely:
                                      ARTICLE I.

  Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or
prohibiting the
  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 II.

  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.
                                      ARTICLE IV.

   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.
                                      ARTICLE V.

   No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous
crime, unless on a
 presentment or indictment of 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 person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of
llfe 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 use, withoufjust compensation.
                                      ARTICLE VI.

   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.
                                      ARTICLE VII.

    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
shall be otherwise re-
  examined in any court of the United States, than according to the'rules
of the common law.