THE legislative power granted by the Constitution of the United States is vested in a Congress, which consists of a Senate and House of Representatives. The Congress must meet at least once in every year, which meeting must be on the first Monday in December, unless they by law appoint a different day.

The Senate of the United States is composed of two Senators from each State, chosen by the Legislature thereof for six years. At their first meeting under the Constitution, the Senators were divided into three classes, so that the terms of one-third of the Senators might expire every second year. By this means one-third of the Senate is renewed biennially. No person can be a Senator who is under thirty years of age, nor unless he has been nine years a citizen of the United States, and when elected an inhabitant of the State for which he is chosen. When vacancies happen in any State, temporary appointments may be made (if the Legislature be not in session) by the Executive of the State, until the next meeting of the Legislature. The Vice-President of the United States is President of the Senate, but has no vote unless they be equally divided. The Senate is required to choose also a president pro tempore, who presides in the absence of the Vice-President or when the latter shall exercise the office of President.

The House of Representatives is composed of members chosen every second year by the people of the several States. No person can be a Representative who is under twenty-five years of age, nor unless he has been seven years a citizen of the United States, and, when elected, an inhabitant of the State for which he is chosen. Representatives are apportioned among the several States according to their respective numbers, which numbers are ascertained by an actual enumeration, or census, of all the inhabitants, made within every term of ten years. When by this means the whole number of free persons is ascertained, excluding Indians not taxed, there is added to such number three-fifths of all other persons, and the aggregate thus found is the representative population. By the law of 23d of May, 1850, under which the existing apportionment of Representatives was made, it was enacted that the number of Representatives in Congress should be 233, that the representative population determined by the census of that year, viz. 21,767,673, should be divided by said number 233, and that the quotient so found should be the ratio of representation for the several States. The ratio thus ascertained was 93,423; and upon this basis the 233 Representatives were apportioned among the several States, one Representative for every district containing that number of persons; but each State must have at least one Representative. Several new States having been admitted into

the Union since the enactment of the law of 1850, the number of Representatives is now 239,-Minnesota being allowed two, Oregon and Kansas each one, and California being allowed two additional by special enactments. The apportionment under the Census of 1860, made by act of Congress of March 4, 1862, increases the number of Representatives to 241, the distribution of which among the several States will be seen by reference to the table relating to that subject.

Besides Senators and Representatives, there is a class of members of Congress, called Delegates, who sit in the House and represent the organized Territories of the United States. These Delegates may present subjects for legislation and address the House, but, not representing States, they have no votes. In the present Congress there are seven, one each from the Territories of Washington, New Mexico, Utah, Nebraska, Colorado, Nevada, and Dakota.

Under the law of August 16, 1856, the compensation of a Senator, Representative, or Delegate in Congress is $6000 for each Congress, at the rate of $3000 per annum, and mileage at the rate of $8 for every twenty miles of estimated distance by the most usual road from his place of residence to the seat of Congress, at the commencement and at the end of every session; but this mileage is allowed for two sessions only in each Congress. The compensation of the Speaker of the House is double that of a Representative, and the President pro tempore of the Senate, when there is no VicePresident, is entitled to the compensation allowed by law to the Vice-President, $8000 per annum.

The times, places, and manner of holding elections for Senators and Representatives are prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof; but Congress may at any time by law alter such regulations, or make new ones, except as to the places of choosing Senators. No Senator or Representative can, during the time for which he was elected, be appointed to any civil office under authority of the United States, which shall have been created or the emoluments of which 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.

The period usually termed "a Congress," in legislative language, continues for two years; as, for example, from the 4th of March, 1861, until the 3d of March, 1863, at which latter time the term of the Representatives to the Thirty-Seventh Congress expires, and the term of the new House of Representatives begins. Congresses always commence and expire in years terminating with odd numbers; as 1789-91, which was the term of the First Congress, or 1861-63, the term of the Thirty-Seventh Congress, or 1863-65, the term of the Thirty-Eighth Congress.