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.
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.
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 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. Const. U. S. Art. I. Sec. 2.
The provisional apportionments of Representatives made in the Constitution in 1787, and afterwards by Congress, were as follows:—
| 1787 | 1793 | 1801 | 1813 | |
| New Hampshire, | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| Massachusetts, | 8 | 14 | 17 | 20 |
| Rhode Island, | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Connecticut, | 5 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| Vermont, | 2 | 6 | 6 | |
| New York, | 6 | 10 | 17 | 27 |
| New Jersey, | 4 | 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Pennsylvania, | 8 | 13 | 18 | 23 |
| Delaware, | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Maryland, | 6 | 8 | 9 | 9 |
| Virginia, | 10 | 19 | 22 | 23 |
| Kentucky, | 2 | 3 | 10 | |
| Tennessee, | 1 | 6 | ||
| North Carolina, | 5 | 10 | 12 | 13 |
| South Carolina, | 5 | 6 | 8 | 9 |
| Georgia, | 3 | 2 | 4 | 6 |
| Ohio, | 6 |
When vacancies happen in the representation from any State, the executive authority thereof shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies.—Const. U. S. Art. I. Sec. 2.
No Senator or Representative shall, during the time for which he was elected, be appointed to any civil office under the authority of the United States, which shall have been created, or the emoluments whereof shall have been increased during such time; and no person holding any office under the United States shall be a member of either house during his continuance in office.—Const. U. S. Art. I. Sec. 6.
SECTION VI.
QUORUM.
A majority of each House shall constitute a quorum to do business; but a smaller number may adjourn from day to day, and may be authorized to compel the attendance of absent members, in such manner, and under such penalties, as each house may provide.—Const. U. S. Art. I. Sec. 5.
In general, the chair is not to be taken till a quorum for business is present; unless, after due waiting, such a quorum be despaired of, when the chair may be taken, and the House adjourned. And whenever, during business, it is observed that a quorum is not present, any member may call for the House to be counted; and being found deficient, business is suspended.—2 Hats. 125, 126.