ed to two Senators, who serve for six years and are
elected by the respective State Legislatures; the Representatives are
apportioned according to the population, are voted for directly by the
people, and serve for two years. In this admirable manner, each State is
protected by its Senators against any encroachment upon its rights,
while the populous States receive the recognition to which they are
entitled through the House of Representatives.

Congress, the two branches acting together, lay taxes, borrow money,
regulate commerce, coin money, establish post offices, declare war,
raise and support armies and navies, and employ militia to suppress
insurrections. All States are forbidden to do any of these things,
except to impose their own taxes, borrow for themselves, and employ
their own militia. A majority of each house is enough to pass any bill,
unless the President within ten days thereafter vetoes the act (that is,
objects to it), when a two-thirds vote of each branch is necessary to
make it a law. Treaties made by the President do not go into effect
until approved by a two-thirds vote of the Senate.

[Illustration: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.]

The executive department is vested in the President, chosen every four
years by electors, who are voted for by the people. The President is
commander-in-chief of the army and navy and appoints the majority of
officers, it being necessary that most of the appointments shall be
confirmed by the Senate. In case of misconduct, the President is to be
impeached (charged with misconduct) by the House of Representatives and
tried by the Senate. If convicted and removed, or if he should die or
resign or be unable to perform the duties of his office, the
Vice-President takes his place and becomes President. With this
exception, the Vice-President presides over the Senate, with no power to
vote except in case of a tie. No provision was made for a successor in
the event of the death of the Vice-President, but in 1886 the
Presidential Succession Law was passed, which provides that, in case of
the death or disability of the President and Vice-President, the order
of succession shall be the secretaries of State, of the treasury, of
war, the attorney-general, the postmaster-general, and the secretaries
of the navy and of the interior.

The judiciary department, or power to decide upon the constitutionality
of laws, was given to one supreme court and such inferior courts as
Congress shou