§ 1. The Assembly shall consist of persons to be called
representatives, who shall be chosen, except in the first
instance, by the free male citizens & inhabitants of the
several States comprehended in the Union, all of whom of the
age of twenty one years & upwards shall be entitled to an
equal vote.
§ 2. But the first Assembly shall be chosen in the manner
prescribed in the last article and shall consist of one
hundred members of whom N. Hampshire shall have five,
Massachusetts thirteen, Rhode Island two, Connecticut seven,
N. York nine, N. Jersey six, Pennsylvania twelve, Delaware
two, Maryland eight, Virginia sixteen, N. Carolina eight, S.
Carolina eight, Georgia four.
§ 3. The Legislature shall provide for the future elections
of Representatives, apportioning them in each State, from
time to time, as nearly as may be to the number of persons
described in the 4§ of the VII article, so as that the whole
number of Representatives shall never be less than one
hundred, nor more than ---- hundred. There shall be a Census
taken for this purpose within three years after the first
meeting of the Legislature, and within every successive
period of ten years. The term for which Representatives
shall be elected shall be determined by the Legislature but
shall not exceed three years. There shall be a general
election at least once in three years; and the time of
service of all the members in each Assembly shall begin,
(except in filling vacancies) on the same day, and shall
always end on the same day.
§ 4. Forty members shall make a House sufficient to proceed
to business; but their number may be increased by the
Legislature, yet so as never to exceed a majority of the
whole number of Representatives.
§ 5. The Assembly shall choose its President and other
officers, shall judge of the qualifications & elections of
its own members, punish them for improper conduct in their
capacity of Representatives not extending to life or limb;
and shall exclusively possess the power of impeachment
except in the case of the President of the United States;
but no impeachment of a member of the Senate shall be by
less than two thirds of the Representatives present.
§ 6. Representatives may vote by proxy; but no
Representative present shall be proxy for more than one who
is absent.[A]
[A] Quere, ? (to provide for distant States).--Note
in Madison's hand.
§ 7. Bills for raising revenue, and bills for appropriating
monies for the support of fleets and armies, and for paying
the salaries of the officers of Government, shall originate
in the Assembly; but may be altered and amended by the
Senate.
§ 8. The acceptance of an office under the United States by
a Representative shall vacate his seat in the Assembly.