The following table taken with a few slight changes to render it more readily understood by English readers, from the official Com pendium to the Census,' will show at a glance the extent of the terri torial acquisitions, and the occasions on which they were made :— went, to which was intrusted all those general measures which had regard to the relations of the Union with foreign countries, and the common interests of the govern' states; to the local government of each separate state being left the management of its immediate con cerns. Both the general and state governments are essentially democratic. By the constitution the power of the general, or federal, government is divided into a legislative, an executive, and a judicial branch.
The legislativo authority is vested in a Congress, consisting of a Senate and House of Representatives ; it must by law assemble at least once a year, on the first Monday of December. Tito Senate is composed of two members from each state, and of course at the present time consists of 62 members; they are chosen by the legisla tures of each state for six years, one-third of them being elected biennially. The vice-president is president of the Senate ex-officio. The House of Representatives is composed of 233 members from the several states (with one additional accorded for the present to California), elected by the people for the term of two years. The representatives are apportioned among the different states according to population ; one member being returned, according to the present ratio of representa tion, for every 93,423 of the representative population,' which consists of all the free persons in the several states with three-fifths of the doves. The number of representatives apportioned to each ' state is shown in the table at the commencement of this article. The Congress has power to raise, maintain, and regulate a navy and army; to declare war and grant letters of marque and reprisals ; to consti tute tribunals inferior to the supreme courts; to define and punish piracies and felonies on the high seas and against the laws of nations ; to frame general laws of naturalisation ; to establish post-offices and post-roads ; to coin money and make laws for punishing forgers; to regulate commerce with foreign nations, the Indian tribes, and among the states; to impose and collect taxes for the common defenco and welfare of the United States. All money-bills must originate in the House of Representatives.
The executive power is vested in a president ; the vice-president is ex-officio president of the Senate, and successor to the president should he die during his term of office. The presidcut is elected for four years, aud may be re-elected ; but the usage has been never to elect the same person for more than two terms. He is chosen by electors, who are themselves chosen by an electoral college in each state ; the number of these electors being equal to the representatives which such state sends to both houses of Congress. The president has a salary of 25,000 dollars, and the use of the White House' (with its furniture) at Washington. The vice-president has a salary of 8000 dollars. The president is commander-in-chief of the army and navy of the United States, and of the militia of the several states when called into active service of the United States ; he has power to mako treaties, provided two-thirds of the Seuate concur; he appoints the officers of state, ambassadors, consuls, aud judges of the supreme court ; be receives foreigu ambassadors; ho can grant reprieves and pardons for offences against the United States, except in cases of impeachment.
The principal officers of the executive department of the governmeut are the secretaries of state, of the treasury, of war, of the navy, and of the interior, the postmaster-general, and the attorney-general, whose respective duties are sufficiently indicated by their titles. They form the cabinet, and hold office at the will of the president. Their salary is 8000 dollars each.
The judicial authority of the United States is vested in oue supreme court, forty-six district courts, and nine circuit courts. The eupromo court cousists of one chief justice, with a salary of 5000 dollars, and eight associate justices, with salaries of 4500 dollars each, who hold a court in Washington annually; an attorney-general, reporter, clerk, and marshal. Each district court consists of one judge, an attorney, marshal, and clerk. The circuit courts are composed of one associate justice, and the judge of the district in which it is held. The supremo court has exclusive jurisdiction in all cases to which a state is party, except cases between a state and its citizens ; in suits or proceedings against ambassadors, it has appellate jurisdiction from the circuit courts, and authority to issue writs of prohibition to the district courts. The circuit courts have original jurisdictiou in all suits of a civil nature at law or equity, concurrent with the courts of the several states, where the value in dispute exceeds 500 dollars, where the United States or an alien is a party, or where the suit is brought by a citizen of one state against a citizen of another. The circuit courts have appellate jurisdiction from the district courts. They have exclu sive cognisance of offences against the United States. The district courts have jurisdiction in admiralty and maritime cases, iu all suits against consuls and vice-consuls, in some minor offences against the United States, and in causes where an alien sues for a tort' in viola tion of the law of nations.
Provision is made by the constitution for its own amendment. Such amendment can however only be made when it is proposed by a majority consisting of two-thirds of both houses of Congress, or by a convention called on the application of two-thirds of the states; but in either ease the amendment must be ratified by three fourths of the states to give it effect.
Auntie, Army, and total receipts of the United States for the year ending June 30th, 1854 (exclusive of a balance in hand from the previous year of 21,942,S92 dollars), was 73,549,705 dollars; the total expenditure for the same period was 75,354,630 dollars. The entire outstanding public debt, October 1st, 1854, was 45,640,606 dollars.
The regular army in 1S53 comprised in all 964 commissioned officers and 9234 non-commissioned officers and privates. The militia force of the several states amounted to an aggregate of 2,259,037 men, of whom 66,259 were commissioned officers. The navy in 1853 con sisted of 11 vessels of the line, mounting in all 860 guns, 14 frigates mounting 618 guns, and 49 other vessels,—the whole fleet mounting 2026 guns.
(Histories of America by Bancroft, Crahame, Stedman, &c.; History of England by Lord Mahon ; Biograpkies of Washington, Jefferson, dc., by Sparks, Marshall, Irving, Tucker, &c. ; Serena. Census of the United States; Statistical View of the United States ; Official Reports; American Almanac, 1855; Gazetteers of United States, &c.) UNNA. [Aaxsiszno.]