which, before the said day shall have ratified the said constitution; that the first Wednesday in February next be the day for the electors to assemble in their respective states, and vote for a president; and that the first Wednesday in March next be the time, and the present seat of congress the place, for commencing proceedings under the said constitution."

The first Wednesday in March, 1789, happened to be the fourth day of the month, and as one presidential term and two congresses occupied, by the constitution, exactly four years, it follows that the inauguration of the president is to take place on the fourth day of March every fourth year, beginning with 1789.

Washington was elected president by unanimous vote. John Adams was declared elected vice-president, and the new government went into operation quietly and with the general sanction of the people of the country. It is not a little remarkable that the first president should have been elected unanimously, and re-elected unanimously. No president since his day has received a unanimous vote of all the electors.

PART III.

CHAPTER I.

THE GOVERNMENT UNDER THE CONSTITUTION: ITS HISTORY AND PRACTICAL OPERATION.

THE LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT.- We have seen that the government is practically divided into three departments. Of these the legislative department is in some respects of primary importance. This department is organized in two houses, the senate and house of representatives.

The representatives are elected by the people of their several districts for the term of two years.

The state is divided into as many districts as it is entitled to representatives in congress. Each of these is termed a congressional district. The people of that district elect one member to congress. The senators are elected by the state legislatures, and hold their office for six years. No state elects its two senators at the same time. One senator is elected within the year preceding the beginning of his term, and the other senator from that state is elected either two or four years later.

We have seen that the compensation of members of congress and senators is the same, five thousand dollars a year; with mileage at the rate of twenty cents a mile, in going and returning.

THE SENATE. The vice-president of the United States is the presiding officer of the senate, under the name of president of the senate. He has no vote unless the senate is equally divided; in that case he has a casting vote. Many consider this a mistake, since it operates only in one way, and that in the wrong direction. If the senate is equally divided and there is not a majority in favor of the bill, it ought to fail. If the casting vote of the vice-president, who is not a member of the senate, is thrown in favor of the bill, then he makes the law. If it is thrown against the bill it has no influence whatever, since the bill would have failed equally if he had not voted.

The president of the senate signs all bills and resolutions that are passed by the senate. His salary is eight thousand dollars.

The constitution makes no provision for the succession to the vice-presidency. If the vice-president dies, or if he succeeds to the presidency, the senate chooses a president pro tempore; but strictly this does not constitute him vice-president, although that term has been frequently applied in such cases, and may by force of precedent come to be an established usage. The constitution, however, is silent in reference to this matter, and no law has been passed by congress for filling the vacancy in the office of vice-president.

Several vacancies have occurred in this office; the first was occasioned by the death of George Clinton in 1812, during the term of Jackson's administration. John C. Calhoun resigned as vice-president in December, 1832. This was during the troublous days of nullification in South Carolina, when Mr. Calhoun preferred to be on the

floor of the senate, as a member, rather than in the chair as presiding officer. He therefore resigned, and was immediately elected senator. A vacancy was occasioned by the death of President Harrison in 1841, when John Tyler, the vice-president, became president. Again, on the death of President Taylor in 1850, Millard Fillmore became president, and the office of vice-president was

vacant.

William R. King was elected vice-president for the four years beginning March 4, 1853; at that date he was in ill health and out of the country. It is understood, however, that he took the oath of office, March 4, 1853, before a United States consul. He died the 18th of April following.

Andrew Johnson, by the death of President Lincoln, became president in 1865, and the vice-presidency was vacant then for nearly four years. Henry Wilson died in 1875, and the office was vacant until March 4, 1877. The other officers of the senate, with their salaries, are as follows:

(1) The secretary of the senate, salary four thousand. eight hundred and ninety-six dollars.

(2) The sergeant-at-arms, salary four thousand three hundred and twenty dollars.

(3) Chaplain, salary nine hundred dollars.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. — The presiding officer is called the speaker of the house. Like the president of the senate pro tempore, the speaker is a member of the body over which he presides, and has a vote on all questions. It is his duty to sign all bills and resolutions passed by the house.

In the senate, the standing committees are elected