n general, have no right to take part in its
political affairs. Throughout the Union aliens have full social and
moral rights; in some States their property rights are restricted; and
in a few States they have certain political rights.

NATURE OF THE CONSTITUTION.

The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the whole
land. It is a written instrument, and is often called the fundamental
law.

Neither the laws of any State nor the laws of the United States must
conflict with the Constitution. It is the basis of our system of
government, the model upon which all State constitutions are framed,
and the foundation of our greatness as a people. It defines the limits
of the national government, and enumerates the powers of each of its
departments. It declares what public interests are within the scope of
the national government, reserves certain powers to the States, and
provides that neither State nor nation shall enact certain specified
laws.

FORMATION.--The national Constitution was framed by a convention of
delegates from twelve of the thirteen original States, Rhode Island
alone being unrepresented. The convention was called for the purpose
of revising the Articles of Confederation under which the States were
at the time united.

The convention met at Philadelphia, on Monday, May 14, 1787, and
organized on the 25th day of the same month by electing as its
president George Washington, one of the delegates from Virginia. The
Articles of Confederation were readily seen to be inadequate to the
purposes of a national government, and the convention proceeded to
draught a "Constitution for the United States of America."

The convention completed its labors, submitted the Constitution to the
several States for their ratification, and adjourned on the 17th of
September, 1787. All the States ratified the Constitution, the last
being Rhode Island, whose convention, called for the purpose, passed
the ordinance of ratification, May 29, 1790.

NECESSITY.--The necessity for a written national constitution is
readily seen. The preamble states the purposes of the Constitution,
which are also the purposes of the national government. The
Constitution defines the limits of State and of national power, and
thus prevents conflicts of authority which would otherwise arise
between the State and the United States. Through the Constitution, the
people, who are the sources of all just authority, grant to the