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senators, who by their mode of election and length of term are made
somewhat independent, can comparatively without fear do what seems right,
even if temporarily unsupported by public opinion.

SECTION II.--HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.[1]

_Clause 1.--Composition and Term._

_The house of representatives shall be composed of members chosen every
second year[2] by the people[3] of the several states, and the electors[4]
in each state shall have the qualifications requisite for electors of the
most numerous branch of the state legislature.[5]_

[1] So called because it represents the people.

[2] The term under the confederation had been one year. This was too short
to permit any adequate study of the subjects to be legislated upon. This
longer term, two years, is still short enough to impose upon
representatives the feeling of responsibility.

The term begins March 4, at noon. The time covered by a representative's
term is called _a congress;_ thus we speak of the fortieth congress,
meaning the fortieth two years of our constitutional existence. The name
also applies to the body constituting our national legislative department
during that time. Thus we say that a certain person is a member of
congress.

"A congress" includes two regular sessions and any number of extra
sessions which the president may see fit to call or which may be provided
for by law. The first regular session is called "the long session,"
because congress may remain in session through the summer, if it choose.
The second is called "the short session," because it must end March 4, at
noon. Expiring thus by limitation, it lasts not more than about three
months.

[3] The word _people_ here means _voters_.

Each state is divided by its legislature into congressional districts
equal in number to the representatives to which it is entitled, and the
people of each district elect one representative. Sometimes when a state
has its representation increased after a new census, the old congressional
districts are left for a time undisturbed, and the added representatives
are elected "at large," while the others are chosen by districts as
before.

[4] Voters.

[5] The qualifications for voting in any state are fixed by the state
itself, and different states require different qualifications. When the
constitution was framed, but not now, some states required higher
qualifications in voters for the upper house of the state legislature than
in voters