The .vice-president is chosen at the same time and in the same way as the president, to whose office, if vacated during the term for which he was elected, he succeeds. His only function. in the mean while, is to preside over the deli berations of the Senate, in which he has a casting vote, which is given when the votes of the senators are equal. His salary is 5000 dollars.
The judicial power is vested by the constitution in a supreme court, and such inferior tribunals as Congress may from time to time establish. The supreme court consists of a chief-justice and eight associate justices. It sits in Washington, and has one session annually, which commences on the first Monday in De cember. The United States are divided into nine judicial circuits, in each of which a circuit court is held twice every year, for each State within the circuit, by a justice of the supreme court assigned to the circuit, and by the district judge of the State or district in which the court sits. There are also thirty-four district courts, each State containing one, and some of them two; and each of these dis trict courts has a separate judge, with some few exceptions, where one judge presides in several district courts in the same State. The several courts have either original or appellate jurisdiction in all admiralty cases, breaches of the revenue laws, controversies between citi zens of different States, or citizens and foreigners ; cases affecting ambassadors and other public ministers ; and in all cases criminal or civil, in law or equity, arising under the constitution or the laws of the United States. The judges all hold their offices during good behaviour; and their salaries, which vary from 5000 to 1000 dollars, cannot be diminished even by the legislature, during their con tinuance in office. All public officers are removable by impeachment, and the Senate is the tribunal for the trial of im peachments; but the in these cases extends no further to removal from office.
The constitution provides for its own amendment, whenever such amendment shall be proposed by two-thirds of both Houses of Congress, or by a convention called on the application of two-thirds of the States : but in either case, the amend ment must be ratified by three-fourths of the States to give it effect. There have been twelve amendments in fifty years: ten were made immediately after the con stitution went into operation, and were meant to provide some additional security for the protection of the rights of indi viduals, or of the States; the eleventh was for restricting the liability of a State to be sued in a federal court ; and the twelfth altered the mode of electing the president and vice-president.
This instrument also imposes express restrictions on the state governments. They cannot enter into a treaty or alli ance; coin money; emit bills of credit;' make anything but gold and silver a legal tender; pass a bill of attainder or ex post flute law ; impair the obligation of con tracts ; grant any title of nobility ; lay a duty either on Imports or exports ; nor can they, without the consent of Congress, enter into a compact with another State; keep troops or ships of war in time of peace ; nor engage in war, except in case of invasion or of similar urgency.
The State governments, with a few great features in common, have great di versities in their laws, and in their written constitutions. In all of them, the legis lative, executive, and judicial powers are separate. In all the legislature consists of two branches ; one usually called the senate, and a more numerous branch, which is variously designated.
The time for which the senators are elected varies from one to five years. In the more numerous and popular branch the members are elected annually, except in South Carolina, Tennessee, and Mis souri, where they are elected for two years. The number of members in the popular branch varies considerably. The number of the senate is usually from about one-fourth to one-half the number of the other branch.
In all the States the executive power is vested in a governor, who, in some of the States, is assisted by a council. In some he has the power of appointment to state offices ; in others, merely the power of nominating persons to his council; but in most States, he has neither the one nor the other. He is chosen by the people in all the States, except in Maryland, Vir ginia, North and South Carolina, in which he is chosen by the legislature. His term of service varies in the different States from one to four years, and he is in some States re-eligible, and in others not.