Congress consists of two branches: the Senate and the House of Representatives. THE SENATE is composed of two Senators from each state, chosen by the legislature thereof, for a term of six years. No person can be elected Senator who is under thirty years of age, and who has not been a citizen of the United States for nine years, and who is not, when elected, a citizen of the state for which he is chosen. The Senate has sole power to try impeachments, and when sitting. for that purpose is under oath like courts of justice. If the President be tried, the Chief Justice of the United States is to preside. The Senate has power to ratify or reject treaties with foreign powers, and it requires the concurrence of two-thirds of the senators present to authorize the President to make a treaty. The advice and consent of the Senate is necessary to confirm appointments made by the President. The Senate cannot originate any bill for raising revenue, but may propose amendments or concur in such bill. The Vice-president of the United States is ex officio president of the Senate. In his absence the Senate elects a president por tempore. It further elects a secretary to record its proceedings, a sergeant-at-arms to attend and to arrest offenders, and a door-keeper to guard the entrance to the Senate Chamber. THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES is composed of members chosen every second year by the people of the several states. The representatives are apportioned among the several states according to their respective number of inhabitants. After each decennial census, Congress re-adjusts the proportion of population entitled to a representative, and fixes anew the whole number of representatives, leaving the manner and time of state apportionment to the states themselves. Under the apportionment fixed subsequent to the census of 1870, the states became entitled to the following number of representatives respectively: Ala. 8; Ark. 4; Cal. 4; Conn. 4; Del. 1; Fla. 2; Ga. 9; Ill. 19; Ind. 13; Iowa, 9; Kan. 3; Ky. 10; La. 6; Me. 5; Md. 6; Mass. 11; Mich. 9; Min. 3; Miss. 6; Mo. 13; Neb. 1; Nev. 1; N. H. 3; N. J. 7; N. Y. 33; N. C. 8; Ohio 20; Oreg. 1; Pa. 27; R. I. 2; S. C. 5; Tenn. 10; Texas 8; Vt. 3; Va. 9; W. Va. 3; Wis. 8. Total, 292. A representative must have attained the age of 25 years, and must be a citizen and an inhabitant of the state for which he is chosen. The House chooses its own speaker, clerk, sergeant-at-arms, door-keeper, and other officers. It has exclusive power to originate bills for raising revenue. In ordinary legislative matters the powers and duties of both houses of Congress are legislative and advisory, but not judicial and executive. THE EXECUTIVE POWER is vested in the President, who is chosen by electors, each state being entitled to as many as it has senators and representatives in Congress. His term of office is four years. The Vice-president, who is ex-officio president of the Senate, is chosen at the same time and in the same manner as the President. The Constitutions requires that both these officers shall be native-born citizens of the United States, and that they shall have attained the age of 35 years, and have been 14 years residents of the United States. The President is Commander-in-chief of the army and navy and of the militia of the several states when called into the service of the United States. He has power to grant reprieves and pardons for the offenses against the United States, except in cases of impeachment. He has also the power, by and with the advice of the Senate, to make treaties, provided two-thirds of the senators present concur. The President nominates, and with the advice and consent of the Senate, appoints the officers of government; as ambassadors or public ministers and consuls, judges of the Supreme Court, and all executive officers of the government, except those whose appointmeni is otherwise provided for by the Constitution. The President receives foreign ministers and grants the exequatur to foreign consuls. He communicates to Congress by message at the opening of every session the condition of the country, and recommends such measures as he deems expedient. Every order, vote, or bill which requires the action of both Houses (except the resolution to adjourn) must be presented to the President for his signature and approval. It becomes a law if he appends his signature. The President has the power to veto any bill or resolution passed by both Houses. He does this by returning it to the House where it originated, with a written message, stating his objections or reasons why be believes it ought not to become a law. If, however, Congress then passes the bill by a majority of two-thirds of the members, it becomes a law notwithstanding the President's veto. The Constitution directs that the President shall take care that the laws be faithfully executed. In the discharge of his duties he is assisted by the highest executive officers, each of whom presides over one of the departments of government. These are collectively called the Cabinet, consisting of: 1, Secretary of State; 2, the Secretary of the Treasury; 3, the Secretary of War; 4, the Secretary of the Navy; 5, the Secretary of the Interior; 6, the Postmaster-General, and 7, the Attorney-General. They are the President's constitutional advisers, and twice a week attend a meeting at his office for consultation upon the executive duties of the Federal Government, or upon questions of policy. THE JUDICIAL POWER of the United States in vested in one Supreme Court, and in such inferior courts as Congress may from time to time ordain and establish. The judicial power extends over all cases in law and equity arising under the Constitution, the laws of the United States, and treaties made under their authority; to all cases affecting ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls; to all cases of admiralty and maritime jurisdiction; to controversies to which the United States may be a party; to controversies between two or more states, between citizens of different states, between citizens of the same state claiming lands under grants of different states, and between a state and citizen thereof, or of a foreign state. In all cases affecting ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls, and those in which a state may be a party, the Supreme Court has original jurisdiction. In all other cases before mentioned, the Supreme Court has appellate jurisdiction, both as to law and fact, with such exceptions as Congress may make. The Supreme Court is the highest judicial tribunal in the United States. It is composed of a chief justice and eight associate justices. The former presides in the court, regulates the order of business, controls the docket, and assigns to his associates the cases in which they are to prepare opinions. The chief and the associates hold their places for life, or during good behavior. The United States is divided into nine judicial circuits, in each of which a circuit court is held twice every year, for each state within the circuit, by a justice of the Supreme Court assigned to the circuit, and by the district judge of the state or district in which the court sits. The circuit courts have both original and appellate jurisdiction. They have concurrent jurisdiction with the state courts, where the matter in dispute exceeds the sum of $500, and the United States are plaintiff or where an alien is a party, or where the controversy is between citizens of different states. They have exclusive jurisdiction in all crimes against the laws of the United States, except where the law especially confers the power upon other courts. The district courts have original jurisdiction in all admiralty cases, and in most of the cases arising in custom-houses, and those growing out of bankruptcies. The Court of Claims was established in 1856. Before this time, persons who had claims against the government, which the departments refused to pay, had no remedy except by petition to Congress. This remedy, however, was in many cases unavailing or altogether delusive. Since the establishment of this court, a citizen may enforce his claims against the government, as against another citizen, by legal process. The court consists of five judges, who are appointed by the President, and hold their places during good behavior. In all matters and suits the government is represented by the Attorney-General, the Solicitor-General, and two Assistant Attorneys-General. The court has jurisdiction of claims founded upon a law of Congress, the regulation of an executive department, or of contracts express or implied, and of counter claims by the government. In each of the States, the government, as in the case of the United States, is distributed among three departments, the Legislative, Executive and Judicial. Experience has demonstrated this separation to be vital to the existence of healthful government, and, consequently, especial care is taken to prevent, as far as may be, each from trenching upon the peculiar functions of the other. The legislative powers of each State, are lodged in a Legislature consisting of two branches; the common title of the higher being "The Senate," that of the lower, "House of Representatives," "Assembly," or the like. The principal differences existing between these branches, are to be found in the number of members-that of the higher branch being much less than that of the lower; in the age of their members a more advanced period being requisite in the former case; in the extent of their constituency-a greater number of inhabitants uniting to elect to the upper; in the tenure of their officea longer term being generally assigned to the Senate; and in the requirement, in vogue in some States, that the terms of but a portion of the Senators shall expire at any one time, the object being to secure greater stability and certainty in legislation. In most of the States, comparatively slight, if any, requirements as to property qualifications exist, either in the case of members. or those who elect them. In the earlier history of the country the sessions of the various Legislatures were held annually; of late years, however, especially in the States more recently admitted into the Confederacy, the practice has obtained of having biennial sessions. The compensation of members of the Legislature differs greatly, both in amount and in the principles upon which it is based; some being paid a per diem allowance and mileage, irrespective of the length of the session; others having a per diem only for a specific number |