Section 2. _the Federal Congress._

In the federal House of Representatives the great states of course have much more weight than the small states. In 1790 the four largest states had 32 representatives, while the other nine had only 33. The largest state, Virginia, had 10 representatives to 1 from Delaware. These disparities have increased. In 1880, out of thirty-eight states the nine largest had a majority of the house, and the largest state, New York, had 34 representatives to 1 from Delaware.

In accordance with the notion that an upper house should be somewhat less democratic than a lower house, the term of office for senators was made longer than for representatives. The tendency is to make the Senate respond more slowly to changes in popular sentiment, and this is often an advantage. Popular opinion is often very wrong at particular moments, but with time it is apt to correct its mistakes. We are usually in more danger of suffering from hasty legislation than from tardy legislation. Senators are chosen for a term of six years, and one third of the number of terms expire every second year, so that, while the whole Senate may be renewed by the lapse of six years, there is never a "new Senate." The Senate has thus a continuous existence and a permanent organization; whereas each House of Representatives expires at the end of its two years' term, and is succeeded by a "new House," which requires to be organized by electing its officers, etc., before proceeding to business. A candidate for the senatorship must have reached the age of thirty, must have been nine years a citizen of the United States, and must be an inhabitant of the state which he represents.

The constitution leaves the times, places, and manner of holding elections for senators and representatives to be prescribed in each state by its own legislature; but it gives to Congress the power to alter such regulations, except as to the place of choosing senators.

Here we see a vestige of the original theory according to which the Senate was to be peculiarly the home of state rights.

Each house is judge of the elections, qualifications, and returns of its own members; determines its own rules of procedure, and may punish its members for disorderly behaviour, or by a two thirds vote expel a member. Absent members may be compelled under penalties to attend. Each house is required to keep a journal of its proceedings and at proper intervals to publish it, except such parts as for reasons of public policy had better be kept secret. At the request of one fifth of the members present, the yeas and nays must be entered on the journal. During the session of Congress neither house may, without consent of the other, adjourn for more than three days, or to any other place than that in which Congress is sitting.

QUESTIONS ON THE TEXT.

What is to be said with regard to the following topics?

1. The House of Representatives:--

a. Its relation to the people. b. The term of service. c. Qualifications of those who may vote for representatives. d. Qualifications for membership. e. The three fifths compromise.

2. The Connecticut Compromise.

a. The powers of the different states in the House. b. Opposition to the scheme of a new government. c. What the advocates of a strong government wanted the Senate to represent. d. A peculiar Connecticut system. e. The suggestion of the Connecticut delegates. f. The effect of the compromise.

3. The Senate:--

a. The number of senators. b. The method of electing senators. c. The voting of senators. d. The term of service. e. The maintenance of a continuous existence. f. A comparison with the House in respect to nearness to the people. g. Qualifications for membership.

4. Elections for senators and representatives:--

a. Times, places, and manner of holding elections. b. The power of Congress over state regulations. c. Electoral districts. d. The temptation to unfairness in laying out electoral districts. e. Illustrations of unfair divisions. f. "Gerrymandering." g. Representatives at large. h. The advantage of the district system. i. The British system and its advantage.

5. The assembling of Congress:--

a. The time of assembling. b. The interval between a member's election and the beginning of his service. c. The disadvantage of this long interval.

6. What is the duty of each house in respect (1) to its membership, (2) its rules, (3) its records, and (4) its adjournment.

7. Give an account (1) of the pay of a congressman, (2) of his freedom from arrest, (3) of his responsibility for words spoken in debate, and (4) of his right to hold other office.

8. Tell (1) who preside in Congress, (2) how the name speaker originated, (3) what the speaker's duties are, and (4) what his power in the government is.

9. Impeachment of public officers:--

a. Old English usage. b. The conduct of an impeachment trial in England. c. The conduct of an impeachment trial in the United States. d. The penalty in case of conviction.

10. The provisions of the Constitution for legislation:--

a. Bills for raising revenue. b. How a bill becomes a law. c. The president's veto power. d. Passage of a bill over the president's veto. e. The "pocket veto." f. The veto power in England. g. The value of the veto power.