1. The House of Representatives 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 twenty-five 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.
3. 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 have at least one
representative; and until such enumeration shall be made, the state
of _New Hampshire_ shall be entitled to choose 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; _North Carolina_ five;
_South Carolina_ five; and _Georgia_ three.
4. When vacancies happen in the representation from any state, the
executive authority thereof shall issue writs of election to fill up
such vacancies.
5. The House of Representatives shall choose their speaker and other
officers, and shall have the sole power of impeachment.