GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS 



633 



July 28, 1868; and a fifteenth. March 30, 18?0. 

 The government "is entrusted to three separate 

 authorities the Executive, the Legislative, and 

 the Judicial. The Executive is vested in the 

 President, who holds his office during the term 

 of four years. He is commander-in-chief of 

 the army and navy and of the militia in the 

 service of the United States. The Vice-Presi- 

 dent is, ex-ojftcio, president of the Senate, and, 



of the death or rr>ii:nation of the Presi- 

 dent, he becomes President for the remainder 

 of the term. Klectors for President and Vice- 

 nt are chosen in all States the Tuesday 



the first Monday in November of every 

 fourth year (leap year), and the President is 

 inaugurated on the 4th of March next following. 



i act which became a law January 19, 



1886, in case of the removal, death, resignation, 



or inability of both President and Vice-President, 



retary of State succeeds, and after him 



other members of the Cabinet in this order: 



iry of Treasury, Secretary of War, Attor- 



:ieral, Postmaster-General, Secretary of 

 y. Secretary of the Interior (the Secre- 

 tary of Agriculture cannot succeed, as his office 

 was created after the passaire of the Acts of the 

 Forty-ninth Congress, Chapter IV). The in- 

 cumbent shall act as President until the dis- 

 ability of the President is removed or a new 

 President shall be elected. In case of death or 

 removal of the Vice- President the duties of the 



-hall fall upon the pro tempore president 

 of the Senate, wno receives the salary of Vice- 

 President. Memlx'rs of the Cabinet are ap- 

 pointed by the President, but are confirmed by 

 the Senate. The legislative power is vested in 



.iress, which consists of a Senate and a 



of Representatives. The judicial power 



d in a Supreme Court consisting of a 



chief justice and right associate justices, ap- 



IH tinted by the President and approved by the 



. The United States is composed of thir- 

 teen original States, seven States wnich were ad- 

 mitted without having been organized as Terri- 

 and twenty-six States which have been 

 Territories. States are admitted into the Union 

 by special acts of Congress, either in the form 



of "enabling acts," providing for the drafting 

 and ratification of a State Constitution, in which 

 case the Territory becomes a State as soon as 

 the conditions are fulfilled, or by accept in g a 

 Constitution already framed, and at once gain- 

 ing admission. In four of the six Territories, 

 including Hawaii, there are local Legislatures, 

 the form of which has been prescribed by the 

 Federal Government. Acts made by 'he 1 

 latures may be modified or annulled by the 

 Federal Congress. Territorial governors are ap- 

 pointed by the President for terms of four years. 

 The unit of local government in New Bogjbuid 

 is the township, governed directly by the voters. 

 In large cities the city government takes its 

 place. Townships arc united to form counties. 

 In the South the unit is the county. In the 

 Middle and Northwestern States the two sys- 

 tems of local government are mixed. In the 

 West the township system is used and public 

 lands are divided into townships six miles square. 

 Representatives to the Federal Congress must 

 not be less than 25 years of age and must 

 have been citizens of the United States for 

 seven years, and residents of the State in 

 which they are elected. In addition to the 

 Representatives from the States, each Territory 

 is allowed a "delegate." who has a right to 

 speak on any subject and make motions, but 

 not to vote. Senators must be 30 years of 

 age, must have been citizens* of the United 

 States for nine years and residents of the State 

 in which they are chosen. The franchise is not 

 absolutely universal. In most States residence 

 for at least one year is necessary; in Ken- 

 tucky and Rhode Island two years' residence 

 is necessary; in Michigan and Maine three months 

 is the minimum. In some of the Western States 

 unnaturalized persons who have declared their 

 intention of becoming citizens are admitted to 

 the franchise. Four States admit women to tin- 

 franchise on equal terms with men. l"nta\ed 

 Indians arc excluded from the right to vote, 

 ami in some States convicts, duellists, and fraud- 

 ulent voters are debarred. The following is a 

 synoptical outline of the main features of the 

 constitutional government of the United 



THE LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT 



Tin: SKNATB 

 from each. State. 

 Elected. By the State LegNar 



\ years; one-third of the Senate bein^ rlecte.l everv two y< 



Citizen of the United States nine years; resident of the State; minimum age, 



Salary. Fixed by law at $7,500 per year. 

 President of the Senate. The Vice-President. 

 Powers <>f the Srnatc: 



nominations of the President. 

 Ratifies OF rejects treat ie- with Foreign l',,v. 



President j>r<> t<-tn]>r, of the S-nate. and its other officers. 

 Elects V. '.< nt of the Fnited St -ilar rlretioii tail*. 



Acts as a Court for the Trial of ImjK-achni. 



THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 



r. Time hundred and richly --i\ members, according to the present apportionment.* 

 Elected. By the voter- of the Congressional Districts. 



- Two years, the entire I louse being elected every two yean. 



Citizen of the United States seven years; resident of the State; minimum age, 

 are. 

 m are, besides, two Territorial Delegate* from the Philippine*, and one each from Porto Rico, Hawaii. 



