Military officers, by land and sea, may be subjected to criminal or civil proceedings in the courts of law, to criminal proceedings in the courts martial, to calls and detentions from places of authority and importance, and to executive removals from office.
A numerical census of the people of the United States was taken, after the commencement of government, un der the federal constitution, to fix, by polls, the propor tion of representatives. The same operation has been twice repeated after lapses of ten years, for the same purpose, in execution of a rule of the constitution. It is ever hereafter to be performed once within ten years.
The senatorial branch is made to represent the seven teen* several states or members of the American union, by two senators from each ; in order that the great may not injure the small, and that this important branch of the government may ever faithfully and effectually pre serve the due weight and the existence of the states. They are respectively chosen once in six years, by the state legislatures; but death and resignation have occa sioned them to be more frequent. No representative in congress can be sent by a district with less than thirty thousand inhabitants. The representatives' districts are required to be equal. The members of the senate are thirty-four; and they cannot delibet ate without the pre sence of a majority of the whole body.—The house of representatives are subjected to the same constitutional rule; and their whole number is one hundred and forty two. The legislature must assemble once in every year, and cannot be adjourned, prorogued, or dissolved, nor debarred from meeting by the president of the United States. Ile has no pattp.ipation in the ehoice of then speakers or preside its. The chairman of the represen tatives is called their speaker, and is chosen by them selves. Thu vice-president of the United States is, ,,fficio, president of the senate. In his absence that body chooses, uncontrolled, a president prf., tern/[ err. The legislature, in each house, judges of the freedom of speech of its members. No other authority can inter fere.
Seventeen chambers or colleges of presith utial eke tors are chosen by the seventeen states in every fourth year. These colleges are equal to the whole number of representatives and senators, which the several states are respectively entitled to scud to the national legisla ture. They meet, on the same day, in distinct colleges; in their own proper state ; under the prote,:tion of its government and its freemen or militia; and choose by ballot one person as president of the United States, and another person as vice-president of the United States, each to serve four years. In the CI. cnt of the death,
resignation, or removal of the president of the United States, (for he may be removed on impeachment and conviction) the vice-president becomes our chief nation al executive magistrate, for the remaining part of the four years. The salaries of these officers are fixed at the commencement of their respective terms of office, and cannot afterwards be increased or diminished. The president's salary has invariably been five thou sand American dollars per annum, witmresponding provision of about fifteen thousand dollars, for the pur chase of furniture during his term of office. The emo luments of the vice-president have been five thousand dollars per annum. Neither of these officers can deli\ e any other compensation from any other office.
"The militia of the United States embraces every free male white inhabitant between eighteen and forty-five years, and may be accurately considered as the stand ing army of the constitution. As it embraces all free white persons of that age, in every state, county, cit, town, and section, it roust be, every where and at all times, present. In cases of actual national service, the president of the United States is its commander whenever present, as captain-general and commander in chief of all the forces of the United States by sea and land. The governors of the states command their re spective grand divisions, or the militia of their ow n states ; and they generally appoint their major-generals and adjutants general. The other officers are either appointed by the governments or elected by the militia of the states. All officers of the militia are commissioned by the chief executive magistrates of the several states. Ministers of religion of every church may be elected to seats in either branch of the national legislature; but they have no extraordinary power or influence, in virtue of their ecclesiastical character, the national government being restrained by the people and the states front all concern in ecclesiastical power. _Religion, like morals. and (cranes of land within the limits of each state, is exempted from the jurisdiction of the national legisla ture, unless any attempt should be made to make an anti-republican church establishment. Whenever such an attempt is made by any state, the general govern ment must interpose its prevention.