THE EMIGRANT'S HAND-BOOK. 347 



magazines, arsenals, dock-yards, and other needful build- 

 ings: 



The Constitution of the United States is, therefore, a 

 most important document, and it should be read and un- 

 derstood by every emigrant. 



The laws of the United States, made in pursuance of 

 the Constitution, are enacted by the 



CONGRESS, 



which meets annually, on the first Monday in December, 

 at Washington. This body is divided into two houses, 

 the Senate and the House of Representatives. 



The senators are chosen for six years, and must be 

 thirty years old before they be elected. There are two 

 senators for each State, be the State large or small. 



The members of the House of Representatives must be 

 twenty-five years old. They are chosen for two years 

 by the people of the States they represent. At the present 

 time there are two hundred and twenty-seven representa-- 

 lives ; one being chosen for every 70,680 inhabitants. 



The pay of the members of both houses is eight dollars 

 a day while Congress is in session. 



OFFICERS OF THE UNITED STATES. 



The PRESIDENT is the chief. He is elected for four 

 years, at a salary of twenty-five thousand dollars a year. 

 He is connmander-in-chief of the army, the navy, and 

 the militia of the United States. His duty is, to see that 

 all the laws are faithfully executed. He also appoints 

 the chief officers of the army, navy and customs. 



He is assisted by several persons called secretaries, 

 (termed ministers in Europe,) namely : 



THE SECRETARY OF STATE, whose duty it is to manage 

 all the business with foreign Governments; to give in- 



