CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES, 24^ 



to the provisions of the constitution, and the act of any one 

 of them, even an act of Congress, if contrary thereto, is void. 



The most fundamental article in every form of government 

 is the legislative branch, w^hich has the power of making all 

 the laws and regulations to which the whole community must 

 be- subject. This, in the United States, consists of a senate 

 and house of representatives, jointly called the Congress^ 

 which must be assembled at least once every year. The 

 senate consists of two members from each of the separate 

 states, chosen by the legislatures of each state to serve foi* 

 six years. The seats of one third of the senators are vacated 

 ever^ two years. The senate tries all persons impeached by 

 the house of representatives ; but they can only punish by 

 deprivation of office, or disqualification in future ; and the 

 conviction must be by the votes of two thirds of the mem- 

 bers present at any trial. The Vice-president presides in 

 the senate, but without a vote, except in case of an equal di- 

 vision of the votes of the other members. No person can 

 be a senator who has not attained to the age of thirty years. 



The members of the house of representatives must be 

 twenty-five years of age, and they are chosen by tlie people 

 at large every two years. The number of the representative 

 body varies according to the number of the separate states, 

 and the population of each state. For this purpose an enu- 

 meration of all the people must be made every ten years, 

 and the number of representatives must never exceed one 

 for every thirty thousand, but each state shall have at least 

 one representative. The senators and representatives re- 

 ceive a compensation for their services, to be ascertained by 

 law, and paid out of the treasury of the United States. All 

 bills for raising revenue must originate in the house of re- 

 presentatives ; but the senate may propose or concur with 

 amendments as on other bills. 



The judicial power is vested by the constitution in a su- 

 preme court, and such inferior courts as Congress shall from 

 time to time appoint ; and all the judges hold their office 

 during good behaviour. Besides the ordinary exercise of its 

 power of deciding controversies, it is incident to the judicial 

 power of the United States to pass upon the acts of Congress 

 and decide upon their constitutionality ; a power essential 

 to the rights of the people, but not known in any of the go- 

 vernments of Europe. 



