the representatives of the people. Through
the annual report of the Secretary of the Treasury, the people may know
from what sources our revenues are derived and for what purposes the
money is expended.

Titles of Nobility and Gifts.--Clause 8. _No title of nobility
shall be granted by the United States; and no person holding any office
of profit or trust under them shall, without the consent of the
Congress, accept of any present, emolument, office, or title of any kind
whatever from any king, prince, or foreign state._

According to the wording of the clause, Congress may allow gifts, of the
kind mentioned, to be accepted by our National officials. Usually,
however, such gifts pass into the keeping of government.

Powers Denied the States.--We recall the power of the States and
weakness of the general government under the Articles of Confederation.
It was plain to the members of the Constitutional Convention that
hopeless confusion would arise if the States should also be given the
right to coin money, pass ex post facto laws, etc. Therefore, certain
prohibitions were made on the powers of the States. In Section 10,
Clause 1, we note that these prohibitions are absolute, as:--

_No State shall enter into any treaty, alliance or confederation; grant
letters of marque and reprisal, coin money, emit bills of credit; make
anything but gold and silver coin a tender in payment of debts; pass any
bill of attainder, ex post facto law, or law impairing the obligation of
contracts, or grant any title of nobility._[38]

[Footnote 38: In the celebrated Dartmouth College case, it was finally
determined that a State legislature may not modify the terms of a
contract. See Life of John Marshall, by Magruder, "American Statesmen,"
new ed., 188-190.]

In Section 10, Clauses 2 and 3, the prohibitions are only conditional;
thus:--

_No State shall, without the consent of the Congress, lay any impost or
duties on imports or exports except what may be absolutely necessary
for executing its inspection laws; and the net produce of all duties and
imposts laid by any State on imports or exports, shall be for the use of
the Treasury of the United States; and all such laws shall be subject to
the revision and control of the Congress.

No State shall, without the consent of Congress, lay any duty of
tonnage, keep troops or ships of war in time of peace, enter into any
agreement or compact with another State or with a foreign power, or
e