CHAPTER XVIII.

OFFICIAL OATHS OF STATE AND UNITED STATES OFFICERS.

UNITED STATES senators and representatives, and members of the several State legislatures, and all executive and judicial officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by oath or affirmation to support the constitution of the United States.

Special oaths are provided by the constitution for the president, and by law for the justices of the Supreme Court, which will be found under the proper heads.

CHAPTER XIX.

PRIVILEGES AND DISABILITY OF MEMBERS OF CON

GRESS.

PUNCTUAL attendance of senators and members of the House is essential to prompt dispatch of their duties. At the time the constitution was framed, imprisonment for debt prevailed in all the States, and if debtors, members could be detained by creditors from attendance. Hence it was provided that they should in all cases, except treason, felony, and breach of the peace, be privileged from arrest during their attendance at the session of their respective houses, and in going to and returning from the same.

In order to secure perfect freedom of debate, and to avoid libel and slander suits, it was provided that they should not be questioned in any other place for any speech or debate in either house.

With the view of avoiding selfish influences, it was provided that no senator or representative should, during the time for which he was elected, be appointed to any civil office under the authority of the United States, which should have been created, or the emoluments whereof should have been increased during such time.

CHAPTER XX.

QUALIFICATIONS AND RESTRICTIONS CONCERNING

OFFICE-HOLDING.

It was a high object in preparing the constitution to secure the proper qualifications for the principal agencies under it. Hence it was provided that

No person except a natural-born citizen, or a citizen of the United States at the time of the adoption of the constitution, should be eligible to the office of President, nor should any person be eligible to that office who has not attained to the age of thirty-five years, and been fourteen years a resident within the United States.

No person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President is eligible to that of Vice-President of the United States.

The electors for President and Vice-President are required to vote for persons, one of whom shall not be an inhabitant of the same State with themselves.

The effect of this is to require the President and Vice-President to be inhabiters of different States.

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 United States, and who shall

not, when elected, be an inhabitant of the State for which he shall be chosen.

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.

No person holding any office under the United States shall be a member of either House during his continuance in office.

No person holding any office of profit or trust under the United States shall, without the consent of Congress, accept any present, emolument, office, or title of any kind whatever from any king, prince, or foreign state.

CHAPTER XXI.

I. POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE JUDICIAL DEPARTMENT.

THE judicial power of the United States is vested in one Supreme Court, and in such inferior courts as Congress may from time to time ordain and

establish.

The judges, both of the Supreme and inferior courts, hold their offices during good behavior, and at stated times receive for their services a compensation which can not be diminished during their continuance in office.

The judicial power extends to all cases in law and equity arising under the constitution, the laws of the United States, and treaties made or which shall be made under their authority; to all cases affecting ambassadors, or other public ministers and consuls; to all cases of admiralty and maritime jurisdiction, (relating to business and occurrences at sea ;) to controversies to which the United States shall be a party; to controversies between two or more States; between a State and citizens of another State; between citizens of different States; between citizens of the same State claiming lands under grants of different