Civil Government in the United States | Page 8

amending constitutions
The Swiss "Referendum"
QUESTIONS ON THE TEXT
SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS AND DIRECTIONS
BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE


CHAPTER VIII.
THE FEDERAL UNION.
Section 1. Origin of the Federal Union.
Circumstances favourable to the union of the colonies. The New
England Confederacy (1643-84). Albany Congress (1754); Stamp Act
Congress (1765); Committees of Correspondence (1772-75). The
Continental Congress (1774-89). The several states were never at any
time sovereign states. The Articles of Confederation. Nature and
powers of the Continental Congress. It could not impose taxes, and
therefore was not fully endowed with sovereignty. Decline of the
Continental Congress. Weakness of the sentiment of union; anarchical
tendencies. The Federal Convention (1787).
QUESTIONS ON THE TEXT.
Section 2. The Federal Congress.
The House of Representatives. The three fifths compromise. The
Connecticut compromise. The Senate. Electoral districts; the
"Gerrymander". The election at large. Time of assembling. Privileges

of members. The Speaker. Impeachment in England; in the United
States. The president's veto power.
QUESTIONS ON THE TEXT.
Section 3. The Federal Executive.
The title of "President". The electoral college. The twelfth amendment.
The electoral commission (1877). Provisions against a lapse of the
presidency.
Original purpose of the electoral college not fulfilled
Electors formerly chosen in many states by districts; now always on a
general ticket
"Minority presidents"
Advantages of the electoral system
Nomination of candidates by congressional caucus (1800-24)
Nominating conventions; the "primary"; the district convention; the
national convention
Qualifications for the presidency; the term of office
Powers and duties of the president
The president's message
Executive departments; the cabinet
The secretary of state
Diplomatic and consular service
The secretary of the treasury

The other departments
QUESTIONS ON THE TEXT
Section 4. _The Nation and the States._
Difference between confederation and federal union
Powers granted to Congress
The "Elastic Clause"
Powers denied to the states
Evils of an inconvertible paper currency
Powers denied to Congress
Bills of attainder
Intercitizenship; mode of mating amendments
QUESTIONS ON THE TEXT
Section 5. _The Federal Judiciary._
Need for a federal judiciary
Federal courts and judges
District attorneys and marshals
The federal jurisdiction
QUESTIONS ON THE TEXT
Section 6. _Territorial Government._
The Northwest Territory and the Ordinance of 1787

Other territories and their government
QUESTIONS ON THE TEXT
Section 7. Ratification and Amendments.
Provisions for ratification
Concessions to slavery
Demand for a bill of rights
The first ten amendments
QUESTIONS ON THE TEXT
Section 8. A Few Words about Politics.
Federal taxation
Hamilton's policy; excise; tariff
Origin of American political parties; strict and loose construction of the
Elastic Clause
Tariff, Internal Improvements, and National Bank.
Civil Service reform
Origin of the "spoils system" in the state polities of New Tort and
Pennsylvania
"Rotation in office;" the Crawford Act
How the "spoils system" was made national
The Civil Service Act of 1883
The Australian ballot

The English system of accounting for election expenses
QUESTIONS ON THE TEXT
SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS AND DIRECTIONS
BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

APPENDIX.
A. The Articles of Confederation
B. The Constitution of the United States
C. Magna Charta
D. Part of the Bill of Rights, 1689
E. The Fundamental Orders of Connecticut
F. The States classified according to origin
G. Table of states and territories
H. Population of the United States 1790-1880, with percentages of
urban population
I. An Examination Paper for Customs Clerks
J. The New York Corrupt Practices Act of 1890
K. Specimen of an Australian ballot
INDEX

CIVIL GOVERNMENT IN THE UNITED STATES, CONSIDERED
WITH SOME REFERENCE TO ITS ORIGINS.


CHAPTER I.
TAXATION AND GOVERNMENT.
In that strangely beautiful story, "The Cloister and the Hearth," in
which Charles Reade has drawn such a vivid picture of human life at
the close of the Middle Ages, there is a good description of the siege of
a revolted town by the army of the Duke of Burgundy. Arrows whiz,

catapults hurl their ponderous stones, wooden towers are built, secret
mines are exploded. The sturdy citizens, led by a tall knight who seems
to bear a charmed life, baffle every device of the besiegers. At length
the citizens capture the brother of the duke's general, and the besiegers
capture the tall knight, who turns out to be no knight after all, but just a
plebeian hosier. The duke's general is on the point of ordering the
tradesman who has made so much trouble to be shot, but the latter still
remains master of the situation; for, as he dryly observes, if any harm
comes to him, the enraged citizens will hang the general's brother.
Some parley ensues, in which the shrewd hosier promises for the
townsfolk to set free their prisoner and pay a round sum of money if the
besieging army will depart and leave them in peace. The offer is
accepted, and so the matter is amicably settled. As the worthy citizen is
about to take his leave, the general