Congress has power to levy and collect taxes, duties, imposts, and excises, to provide for the common defence and general welfare of the United States, but is required to make all such impositions uniform throughout the United States. It has power to borrow money on the credit of the United States, to make laws for the regulation of the foreign and inter-State trade of the Union, and to regulate the traffic with the Indian tribes; to make all laws respecting the subjects of naturalization and bankruptcies; to regulate the coinage and value of money, to fix the value of foreign money, and to adjust the standard of weights and measures; to provide for the punishment of persons counterfeiting the money or securities of the United States; to establish post-offices and post-roads; to regulate the granting of copyrights and patents; to regulate the courts of the United States, inferior to the Supreme Court; to define and punish piracies and offences committed on the high seas; to declare war, conclude peace, and regulate all matters appertaining thereto; to raise an army and navy, and provide for their support; to call forth the militia when their services are needed, and provide laws for their government while in the service of the United States; and to exercise exclusive jurisdiction over all forts, arsenals, and other property of the United States, and over the District of Columbia, in which the seat of government is located. A bill must receive a majority of the votes necessary to form a quorum in each house, and receive the signature of the President of the United States before it can become a law. Should the President object to a bill, or a part of its provisions, he must send it, with his objections in writing, to the house in which it originated, when that house must proceed to reconsider it, and if two-thirds of each house sustain the bill, in spite of his objections, it becomes a law without the approval of the President. If the President does not return a bill in ten days, Sabbaths excluded, it becomes a law without his approval, provided Congress is still in session at the expiration of the ten days; but if Congress shall adjourn before the ten days have expired, the President may defeat the bill by keeping it over until after the adjournment. This is usually termed a "pocket veto.” The Judiciary branch of the Government consists of one Supreme Court, 9 Circuit Courts, and 47 District Courts. The Supreme Court is the highest judicial tribunal in the Union, and consists of one Chief Justice and 8 Associate Justices, who are appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, and rctain their offices during good behavior. The Supreme Court holds one session annually, commencing the first Monday in December. A Circuit Court is held twice a year in each State by a judge of the Supreme Court and the District Judge of the State or district in which the court is held. The District Courts are held by special judges, usually one for each district. The United States or Federal Courts have jurisdiction in all cases of law and equity arising under the Constitution and laws of the United States, and treaties made under their authority; in all cases concerning foreign ministers and agents; in all cases of marine jurisdiction; in all cases in which the United States is a party; in all cases between States, or between a State and a citizen of another State, or between citizens of different States, between citizens of the same State claiming lands under the grants of another State, and between a State and citizens thereof, and foreign states, citizens, or subjects. Each District Court of the United States is provided with a prosecuting attorney and a marshal. The States are sovereign in themselves, and as regards their own affairs. The Government of each one is similar to that of the United States, consisting of an Executive or Governor, a Legislature, composed of two houses, all elected by the people, and a judiciary. Each State is independent of all the others, and subject only to the Constitution of the United States. Each is required to accord full faith and credit to the transactions of the others, provided they are not contrary to the supreme law of the land. The States may not enter into any combinations with each other not provided for by the Constitution, nor keep troops in time of peace, nor make war nor conclude peace. A State may not impose any restrictions upon the trade between the States, or levy or collect imposts of any any kind its own citizens. upon any but The Territories are the common property of the United States, and are governed by Legislatures elected by their own inhabitants, and by Governors appointed by the President of the United States. A Territory having a number of inhabitants sufficient to entitle it to one representative in Congress, may be admitted into the Union as a State. It must first adopt a State Constitution, which must be ratified by the people of the Territory at the polls, and submitted to Congress for its approval. If approved by Congress, the President shall issue his proclamation declaring the Territory duly admitted as a State, and the new State shall ratify the Constitution of the United States. Titles of nobility, acts of attainder, and ex-post facto laws are for bidden by the Constitution of the United States, and by the States. No criminal can be sheltered by the authorities of a State or Territory in which he may take refuge, from the authorities of the State or Territory in which his offence was committed. Citizenship of a State confers all such privileges in the several States. Trial by jury is secured for all offences. No preference shall be shown to any religion. by the Government, but equal rights and privileges are secured to all sects. The privacy of the house of a citizen is secured against unlawful violation by search, seizure, or by quartering a soldier upon him in time of peace. Excessive bail or fines, and cruel and unusual punishments are forbidden, and no one may be tried twice for a capital offence. THE ARMY. The military establishment of the United States, as reorganized by the Act of July 28th, 1866, consists of 10 regiments, or 120 companies, of cavalry, 5 regiments, or 60 companies, of artillery, and 45 regiments, or 450 companies, of infantry, making an effective force (should the maximum strength of all the regiments be attained) of 76,000 men, divided as follows: artillery 7000, cavalry 14,000, infantry 55,000. At present the effective strength of companies has been fixed as follows: for infantry, cavalry, and artillery (heavy), 64 privates, and for light artillery 122 privates; making an aggregate strength of 54,302 men. Besides this force, the militia of the States, which in many of them is well organized and effective, may be called into service by the General Government in case of emergency. The promptness with which such appeals have always been responded to by the States, shows that the real available force of the Republic is more than 1,000,000 men, the majority of whom are at present veteran soldiers. The President of the United States is the Constitutional Commander-in-Chief of the army, but it is usual for him to relinquish the active management of its affairs to the War Department and to the General of the Army, who is its immediate Commander-in-Chief, and has his headquarters in Washington City. The other officers of the regular establishment are: One lieutenant-general; 5 major-generals; 10 brigadier-generals; 1 chief of staff to the general, brigadier-general; 1 adjutant-general, brigadier-general; 1 judge-advocate-general, brigadier-general; 1 quartermaster-general, brigadier-general; 1 commissarygeneral, brigadier-general; 1 surgeon-general, brigadier-general; 1 paymaster-general, brigadier-general; 1 chief of engineers, brigadier-general; 1 chief of ordnance, brigadier-general; 87 colonels ; 99 lieutenant-colonels; 327 majors; 835 captains; 857 1st lieutenants; 583 2d lieutenants; 6 chaplains. A considerable force is required at all times on the western frontier to protect the settlers against the attacks of the Indians. The remainder of the army is employed in garrisoning and protecting the forts, arsenals, and other public property of the Republic. THE NAVY. The naval establishment of the United States consists of 206 vessels, carrying 1743 guns. Of these, 35 are first-rates, carrying 662 guns. Each vessel is of at least 2400 tons; the second-rates, of from 1200 to 2400 tons, are 37 in number, and carry 483 guns; the thirdrates, of from 600 to 1200 tons, number 76 vessels, and carry 414 guns; the fourth-rates, under 600 tons, are 38 in number, and carry 184 guns. Of the above force, 52 are iron-clads, carrying 129 guns; 95 are screw steamers, carrying 938 guns; 28 are paddle-wheel steamers, carrying 199 guns; and 31 are sailing vessels, carrying 477 guns. The active list of the service is as follows: One admiral, 1 vice-admiral, 10 rear-admirals, 25 commodores, 49 captains, 89 commanders, 139 lieutenant-commanders, 45 lieutenants, 30 masters, 52 ensigns, 157 midshipmen, 67 surgeons, 37 passed assistant-surgeons, 36 assistant-surgeons, 79 paymasters, 56 passed assistant-paymasters, 52 chief-engineers, 90 first assistant-engineers, 137 second assistant-engineers, 24 third assistant-engineers, 19 chaplains, 11 professors, 7 naval constructors, 5 assistant naval constructors, 52 boatswains, 57 gunners, 39 carpenters, 31 sailmakers. In the Naval Academy, there are 348 midshipmen undergoing instruction, 16 third assistant-engineers, and 1 cadet engineer. The retired list is as follows: Eighteen rear-admirals, 60 commodores, 31 captains, 17 commanders, 3 lieutenant-commanders, 6 masters, 1 midshipman, 24 surgeons, 3 passed assistant-surgeons, 3 assistant-surgeons, 14 paymasters, 14 assistant-engineers, 8 chaplains, 2 professors, 6 boatswains, 6 gunners, 6 carpenters, 5 sailmakers. On the 1st of January, 1867, there were 115 vessels, carrying 1029 guns, in commission. The following is a list of vessels comprising the squadrons on active duty: |