e election is by the Legislature of each
State, and for 6 years; one-third of their number go out every 2 years.
The qualification for a senator is that he should be 30 years of age,
have been 9 years a citizen, and living in the State for which he is
elected. The House of Representatives originally consisted of one member
for a certain amount of population, and as the increase in population
was very rapid, the number of Representatives increased as a matter of
course. In 1843, it was one member for every 70,000 of population, but,
to prevent the body from becoming unmanageable owing to numbers, in 1853
the House was limited to 234 Representatives, elected _pro rata_ to the
several States. Slaves are reckoned in the proportion of three-fifths of
their number. The preliminary steps are, that every 10 years a census is
taken, after which a bill is passed by Congress, apportioning number of
representatives to each State, according to its population. This done,
each State passes a law, districting the State according to the number
of members assigned it, and each district elects its own representative
for Congress. The election is for 2 years, and the qualification is 7
years a citizen, 25 years of age, and living in the State. The salary is
the same as that of a senator. The names of members composing a division
on any question in either house, are not printed unless they are
demanded by one-fifth of the members present. One of the clauses of
their Constitution is very original, and runs thus:--"Each House may
determine the rules of its proceedings, punish its members for
disorderly behaviour, and, with the concurrence of two-thirds, expel a
member."

All impeachments are tried in the Senate, and a majority of two-thirds
is requisite for a conviction. If the President be on trial, the Chief
Justice, or head of the Supreme Court, presides. While power of trial
rests with the Senate, the power of impeachment rests solely with the
House of Representatives. In addition to the ordinary functions of an
Upper House, the Senate has also what is called "an Executive Session,"
which is held with closed doors; at this Session all treaties and high
appointments are discussed, and the appointments are not held to be
valid till ratified by them. Whenever fresh land becomes sufficiently
populous, the general Government admit it as territory, and appoint an
administration. This was the case with Nebraska and Kansas in 1853; and
the "Misso