states; and the confederation was a union of státes, rather than a union of the people of the states. 15. The constitution, on the other hand, was framed by men appointed expressly for that purpose, and submitted for approval, not to the state legislatures, bu. to the people of the states, and adopted by state conventions, whose members were chosen for that purpose by the people. Hence, the constitution is virtually the act of the people; and the union is not a mere confederation of states, but, as the preamble declares, " a more perfect union," formed by "the PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES." CHAPTER XLII. Of the Legislative Department. 1. THE legislature, called congress, is composed of two branches, a senate and a house of representatives. The senate consists of two members from each state, chosen by the legislature, for six years. This body is constituted upon the same principles, nearly, as the old congress, the members of which were also chosen by the state legislatures; and the several states were entitled to an equal number, which number was not to be less than two nor more than seven; and they were chosen for one year only. 2. A senator must be thirty years of age; and he must have been nine years a citizen of the United States, and must be an inhabitant of the state for which he is chosen. 3. The house of representatives is constituted upon the same principles as a legislative body of a state. As the representatives of a state legislature are apportioned among the counties, in proportion to the number of inhabitants in each, so each state sends to the lower house of congress, a whom approved and adopted? 15. By whom was the constitution framed, approved, and adopted? 1. How is congress composed? How is the senate constituted? For hat term are senators chosen? 2. What are the qualifications of a sonator? 3. Upon what principle is the house of representatives consti number of members proportioned to the number of its inhabitants. Representatives are elected for two years. 4. The constitution does not limit either house to any definite number of members. Whenever a new state is added to the Union, two members are added to the senate, and one or more to the house of representatives. 5. The number of representatives may change, also, while the number of states remains the same. After the taking of a new census, which is done every ten years, congress determines what number of inhabitants shall be entitled to a representative for the next ten years; which number, the constitution declares, shall not be less than 30,000. 6. But a representative for every 30,000 inhabitants, as the population increases, would make the house too large. At this rate there would be, at present, more than 500 representatives. This number would be too great. It would be a needless expense to pay so many men to make laws, when a smaller number can do the business as well, and much more promptly. Hence congress, after the census of 1840, fixed the number of inhabitants as the ratio of representation from each state, at 70,680. This gives to Ohio twenty-one representatives. 7. Representatives are thus chosen: The state is divided by the legislature into districts, called congressional districts, in each of which one member of congress is chosen. Several counties constitute a district. Representatives to congress are chosen in this state, at the annual election, every two years. 8. In the southern states, a large portion of the people are slaves. In ascertaining the number of representatives for the slave-holding states, only three fifths of the slaves are counted. It was contended by some of the delegates in the convention that framed the constitution, that the people tuted? What is the term of office of a representative? 4. What adds to the number of members of each house? 5. What is the least number of inhabitants that can be entitled to a representative? 6. What is the present number? Why is the number so large? How many representatives has Ohio? 7. How are representatives chosen? 8. By what rule are representatives appointed, to the slave-holding states? of the slave states ought not to be represented for their slaves, because slaves were property, and no property, in the free states, entitled its owners to representation. After much debate, it was at length agreed, that every five slaves should be counted as three free citizens. 9. A representative must be twenty-five years of age, and must have been seven years a citizen of the United States. Aliens, or foreigners, therefore, cannot be elected until seven years after they have been naturalized. 10. The manner of organizing the houses, and of passing bills, as will be seen from the first article of the constitution, is similar to that which is practised by the state legislatures. 11. Members of congress receive, for their services, eight dollars a day. The speaker of the house of representatives, and the president of the senate pro tempore, when the vicepresident is absent, receive sixteen dollars a day. Members of congress also receive a day's compensation for every twenty miles travel to and from the seat of government, But this is unreasonable. Such are the present facilities for travelling, that a member may go from Buffalo to Washington in about three days, at an expense of about $30, for which he is entitled to receive pay for more than thirty days' service. 'CHAPTER XLIII. Of the Executive Department. 1. THE executive department of the general government is constituted in a manner similar to that of a state governinent. The chief executive officer is called the president of the United States. He is elected for four years. There is also a vice-president, chosen at the same time, and for the same term. The general duties of these officers are 9. What are the qualifications of a representative? 10. How do the houses of congress do business? 11. What daily compensation do memhers receive? How much for travelling? Is this just? 1. In whom is the executive power of the nation vested? What is the much like those of the governor and lieutenant-governor of a state. [Cons. Art. 2, § 2, 3.] 2. A president must be thirty-five years of age, and natural-born citizen of the United States. When the office of president becomes vacant, the vice-president becomes president; and a president of the senate, pro tempore, chosen by the senate for the purpose, takes the place of the vicepresident. 3. In electing a president, the people do not vote directly for him. The voters of each state choose a number of men, equal to the number of senators and representatives to which it is entitled in congress. These men, thus chosen in the several states, elect the president and vice-president, and are called presidential electors. The state of Ohio, having two senators and twenty-one representatives in congress, is entitled to twenty-three presidential electors. 4. These electors, however, are not chosen in the same manner as members of congress. The names of twentyone men, one from each congressional district in the state, are put on one ballot, together with the names of any other two men, corresponding with the two senators; and each voter in the state votes for the whole number of presidential electors to which the state is entitled. Presidential electors are chosen, in all the states, on the Tuesday next after the first Monday of November, of the year in which they are to be chosen. 5. The electors of president do not all meet in one body. Those of each state meet by themselves, in their own state, on the first Wednesday of December, and vote for president and vice-president; and make a list of the persons voted for, and the number of votes for each; which list is sent to the president of the senate, at the seat of the government of the United States, before the first of January. On the second Wednesday of February, the president of the senate, nature of his duties? 2. What are the qualifications of a president? What is the principal business of a vice-president? 3. Do the people vote directly for president? By whom is he elected? 4. How and when are the presidential electors chosen? 5. How, where, and when, do they meet to vote for president? To whom do they send the list of votes? When, where, and before whom, are the votes from all the |