GOVERNMENT. a law. A bill which has passed both branches, must be signed by the presiding officers, which being done, it is sent to the President for his signature. If he signs it, it is established as law--should he refuse, he returns it with objections. Should two thirds of both branches concur, it becomes a law notwithstanding the want of the President's signature. The House of Representatives is composed of members from the several states, chosen by the people, for the term of two years, in such manner as each state, by law, determines. They are apportioned among the different states, according to the population-each state, at the present time, according to an act of Congress, of the 3d of March, 1823, sending one representative for every 40,000 persons, computed according to the constitution. No person can be a representative who is not 25 years old, and who has not been a citizen seven years, and who does not reside in the state in which he is elected. The present number of representatives is 216, including three delegates. The Senate is composed of two members from each State. The present number is forty-eight. They are chosen by the State Legislatures for six years, one third being elected biennially. To be eligible to a seat in the Senate, a person must be thirty years of age, a resident citi. zen 9 years, an inhabitant of the State in which he is chosen. The House of Representatives has a presiding officer called a Speaker, who is elected from their own body. The President of the senate is the Vice President of the United States. Besides the legislative power, which the Senate has in common with the House of Representatives, it belongs to that body to approve or disapprove of appointments made by the President. Treaties, also, with foreign powers, are submitted to them by the President; two thirds are essential to the ratification of a treaty. The Senate also acts as a judicial court for the trial of impeachments, the House of Representatives being the prosecutor. 64 It belongs to Congress to make such laws, compatible with the constitution, as in their opinion will advance the general welfare of the country. They are to lay and collect taxes, imposts and excises; borrow money, regulate commerce, establish uniform rules of naturalization, coin money, establish post roads and post offices, promote the arts and sciences, institute tribunals inferior to the supreme court, define and punish piracy, declare war, and make reprisals, raise and support armies, provide a navy, regulate the militia, and make all laws necessary to car. ry these powers into effect." Executive power. The executive power of the United States is vested in a President, who holds his office for four years. He is chosen by electors, who are themselves chosen in each state, in such a manner as the legislature may direct, and are in number equal to the number of Senators and Representatives in each State. The importance of the mode in which the election of President is made, induces us to insert the provisions of the constitution, on this subject, as amended: "The electors shall meet in their respective States, and vote by ballot for President and Vice President, one of whom, at least, shall not be an inhabitant of the same State with themselves. They shall name in their ballots the person voted for as President, and in distinct ballots the person voted for as Vice President: GOVERNMENT. and they shall make distinct lists of all persons voted for as president, and of all persons voted for as vice president, and of the number of votes for each; which lists they shall sign and certify, and transmit, sealed, to the seat of government of the United States, directed to the president of the Senate. The president of the Senate shall, in the presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, open all certificates, and the votes shall then be counted. The person having the greatest number of votes for president shall be the president, if such number be a majority of the whole number of electors appointed; and if no person have such majority, then, from the persons having the highest numbers, not exceeding three, on the list of those voted for as president, the House of Represen tatives shall choose immediately, by ballot, the president. But in choosing the president, the votes shall be taken by states, the representation from each state having one vote. A quorum for this purpose shall consist of a member, or members, from two thirds of the states; and a majority from all the states shall be necessary to a choice. And if the House of Representatives shall not choose a president, whenever the right of choice shall devolve upon them, before the fourth day of March next following, then the vice president shall act as president, as in the case of the death or other constitutional disability of the president. "(2) The person having the greatest number of votes as vice president, shall be the vice president, if such a number be a majority of the whole number of electors appointed, and if no person have a majority, then from the two highest numbers on the list, the Senate shall choose the vice president. A quorum for the purpose shall consist of two thirds of the whole number of Senators, and a majority of the whole number shall be necessary to a choice. "(3) But no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of president, shall be eligible to that of vice president of the United States." The qualifications and duties of the president will be noticed in another page. Judiciary. The judicial power of the United States is at present vested in a Supreme Court, thirty-one District Courts, and seven Circuit Courts. The Supreme Court is composed of a chief justice and six associate justices, who hold a court in the city of Washington annually. The Circuit Courts, comprising two or more Districts, are attended by these justices, to each of whom one is appropriated. He is assisted by the judge of the district in which the Court is held. The District Courts are held by the district judge. Appeals lie from the District to the Cir. cuit Courts, and from the Circuit Courts to the Supreme Courts. Each court has a clerk, a public attorney, and a marshall, all of whom receive their appointment from the President of the United States, with the exception of the clerks, who are appointed by the courts. The judges hold their offices during good behavior, and their salaries cannot be diminished during their continuance in office. The power of these courts extends to all cases in law and equity, arising under the constitution, or laws of the United States, and under treaties; to cases of public ministers and consuls; to all cases of admiralty and maritime jurisdiction; to controversies between the states, in which the United States are a party; between a state and a citizen of another state; and between citizens of. different states; between citizens of the same state, claiming under grants of different states; to causes between one of the states or an American citizen, and a foreign state or citizen. STATISTICS. PART IX. STATISTICS. By statistics is meant a collection of facts respecting the state of society, the condition of the people in a nation or country, their health, longevity, domestic economy, arts, property, and political strength, the state of the country, &c. Although the ancients appear to have had some practical knowledge of this subject, yet it was extremely limited, and doubtless very imper. fect. As a science, statistics is of very recent origin, having for its founder, Achenwall, a professor of Gottingen University. In 1748 he published a valuable work on statistics, the plan of which has served as the basis of several other still more valuable and later treatises.. Hitherto, individuals have paid more attention to statistical information than governments; yet it would obviously be for the advantage of every regular government, to provide for detailed reports on those subjects, which would elicit a view of the statistical condition of the countries where they are established. Most governments provide for an elume. ration of their inhabitants and the revenue; but in respect to a periodical census, extending to all the important branches of statistical knowledge, it is believed that England and the United States are the only two gov ernments which have made legal provision. In the former country, the first census of the above kind was made in 1811. In the latter, in 1790. In both countries, the census is repeated every ten years. STATISTICS." DATES OF THE FIRST SETTLEMENT OF THE SEVERAL COLONIES. During the war of the revolution, commerce, being interrupted, no rev. enue was raised from this branch of industry, nor had the Continental Congress the power to lay a general tax on commerce, this being the exclusive prerogative of the several States. Resort was therefore necessarily had to loans and paper money. Owing to various causes the precise amount of expenditures for the war cannot be ascertained. The following estimate is supposed to approximate to the expense incurred. Estimated expenditures, of 1775 and 1776, in specie, Dolls. 90ths. .1777 1778 1779 1780 1781 1782 1783 To Nov. 1st. 1784 20,064,666 66 24,986,646 85 24,289,438 26 10,794,620 65 3,000,000 00 1,942,465 30 3,632,645 85 3,226,583 45 548,525 63 Forming an amount total of $92,485,693 15 Dolls. 90ths. To which should be added Army debt upon Commissioners' certificates, Other supplies, certificates for which were issued by STATISTICS. LOANS AND GRANTS OF MONEY FROM FRANCE, 1778. February 6-Cash received from sundry individuals up to this day, including a loan from the Farmers General, Loan by the Court of France for this year, 3,000,000 555,555 1779.-Loan for this year, 1,000,000 185,185 4,000,000 740,740 4,000,000 740,740 6,000,000 1,111,111 1783.-Loan, 10,000,000 1,851,851 6,000,000 1,111,111 6,000,000 1,111,111 43,000,000 7,962,959 TROOPS EMPLOYED DURING THE REVOLUTION. [From Dr. Holmes' Annals.] Land forces employed by Great Britain in America, 1774-1780. 6,884 | Died and deserted 19,381 | Lost of the army 24,717 5,336 Lost of the navy 4,314 1774 Men and Marines employed by Great Britain during the American War. Raised for his Majesty's navy, marines included, from September 29, 1774, to September 29, 1780, 175,990 Of whom in 5 years, beginning with 1776, and ending with 1780, Troops raised in Great Britain and Ireland, for his Majesty's Land Ser. vice, (Militia and Fencible Men in North Britain not included) from September 29, 1774, to September 29, 1780, Taken prisoners, including those under the Convention Of which died in North America and the West Indies of Saratoga Deserted Discharged the service 76,885 10,012 8,629 3,801 3,885 26,327 |