Room. MAIN BUILDING. 33. House Document Room. 34. Index-Room. 35. House Committee on Banking and Currency. 36. Clerk House Representatives. It 37. Office of the Clerk of the Supreme 38. Robing-Room of the Judges of the 39. Withdrawing-Room of the Supreme Court. 40. Office of the Marshal of the Su- The Supreme Court formerly the The Old Hall of the House of Rep- The Congressional Library contains Room. SENATE WING. 16. Office of the Secretary of the Senate. 20. Engrossing and Enrolling Clerks of 21. Committee on Appropriations. 22. Closets. 23. Committee on Enrolled Bills. 25. Room of the President, etc. 29. Official Reporters of Debates. 31. Committee on District of Columbia. 33. Elevator. CHAPTER XX. THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES. THE ENACTING CLAUSE1 OR PREAMBLE. 5 6 We, the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union,3 establish justice, insure domestic tranquillity, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this constitution for the United States of America. 8 1The preamble or enacting clause is very important, because it states the purposes for which the constitution was framed, and is, therefore, a valuable aid in interpreting its provisions. 2 These words are important, because: First, they recognize the people as the source of power. Second, they show that the constitution is different in nature from the articles of confederation. The latter was a compact between states, adopted by state legislatures acting for the states as such; the former was "ordained and established" by "the people of the United States," one people, acting as a unit. And the expression, which was inserted in the preamble after due deliberation, is, therefore, an argument in favor of the proposition that this is a nation and not a mere confederacy. "More perfect" than under the articles of confederation, in which the states were declared sovereign and independent. The sovereignty is given by the constitution to the general government, which is clothed with ample power to maintain its independence. At the same time such limitations are placed upon its power as will prevent its becoming despotic. To establish justice is one of the primary purposes of government. Under the articles of confederation there had been no national judiciary, and state courts often discriminated against foreigners and citizens of other states. To remedy this, to establish fair-handed justice throughout the land, the national judiciary was created by the constitution. 5"Domestic tranquillity" means here peace among the states and within each state. The condition of affairs during the confederation period had been woeful. A long war had impoverished the people, and unable to pay their taxes they had in several places broken out in rebellion. Each state by commercial regulations was trying to better its fortunes even at the expense of the others. These regulations, and disputes about boundaries, kept the states quarreling among themselves. By transferring to the general government the power to regulate commerce with foreign nations and among the states, by giving it power to enforce treaties, and by creating a tribunal with authority to settle controversies between states, the framers of the constitution removed in a large measure the irritating causes of discord. But to insure peace, the general government was expressly given power to put down insurrections in the states. "To defend the country is another of the important duties of government. The United States could do this better than each state could defend itself. Several reasons are obvious. Therefore the general government was empowered to raise and maintain an army and navy, and it thus became "competent to inspire confidence at home and respect abroad.” "To promote the general welfare" was the great object for which the government was organized, and all the provisions of the constitution have that in view. This expression was intended to cover all those things which a government may properly do for the good of the people. It is very elastic, as it was intended to be, and has covered acts as different as the purchase of Louisiana, and the endowment of agricultural colleges, the granting of a patent, and the establishment of postoffices. This is a worthy climax to the preamble. The great struggle, which began in the mother country, continued through colonial times, and culminated in the revolution, had been for liberty. The love of liberty had illumined the pathway of the pilgrims crossing unknown seas; it had glowed in the Declaration of Independence; it had warmed the hearts of the half-clad soldiers at Valley Forge. Liberty had now been won; the problem was how to render it secure. The desired security was to be found only in the formation of a government having all powers necessary for national sovereignty and independence, while retaining in the states all powers necessary for local self-government. CHAPTER XXI ARTICLE I.-THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH.1 SECTION I.-CONGRESS. All legislative powers herein granted, shall be vested in a congress of the United States, which shall consist of a senate and house of representatives.2 1 The division of governmental functions among three branches has already been discussed on page 79. The legislative branch comes first and occupies most space in the constitution because its framers regarded the legislative as the most important department. And laws must be made before they can be interpreted or executed. 2 The reason for the creation of two houses or chambers was that thus only could the conflicting claims of the large and small states be reconciled. It was, in fact, a compromise, the first of a series. Only a few in the convention thought at first of having two houses, the plan being to continue as under the articles of confederation with one house. On the question of apportioning representatives, it was found that there was a decided difference of opinion. The small states wished to continue the principle of the articles of confederation, which gave the several states equal power. But the large states insisted that the power of a state should be in proportion to its population. The differences were finally settled by the creation of two houses, in one of which the states should have equal power, and in the other the representation should be based upon population. Connecticut has the honor of furnishing this valuable compromise. In her legislature, representation in one house was based on population; in the other, the towns had equal representation. Among the advantages of having two houses, aside from that mentioned on page 80, are these: It tends to prevent a few popular leaders from carrying through laws not designed for the common good; it secures a review of any proposed measure by men elected in different ways and looking at it from different standpoints. As our congress is organized, the members of |