defence ?" Ans. The raising and maintain.. ing of armies and navies, the building of forts and arsenals, and the manufacture of ammunition and arms. What are some of the particular things included in promoting "the general welfare?" Ans. It includes all the other objects specified in the preamble and some not specified, as for example, the regulation of commerce, with foreign nations and with the Indian tribes, the coining of money, the establishment and regulation of the post office, and numerous other things either enumerated expressly in the body of the constitution, or to be inferred from some of its rules. Explain the expression, "to secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and to our posterity. Explanation. There seems to be some allusion in it to the evils which afflicted the country under the confederation. From the weakness of the union, there was great danger, that our liberties, which had cost us so much, would fall a prey either to foreign enemies, or to anarchy, and through anarchy to domestic tyrants. The innumerable blessings of a good and a free government were in danger of being lost. To secure these blessings was one object of the people of the United States in establishing this Constitution. It should rather

be said it was their great object and one which embraced all the others enumerated.

This instrument is called, not a Confederation, but a CONSTITUTION; what is the difference between the two things? Ans. A Confederation is an agreement between two or more sovereigns, and it depends for its fulfilment either on the will of the parties or on some forcible compulsion. Our confederation depended entirely on the will of the parties. A Constitution is a system of government which does not depend for its efficacy on the will of any sovereigns except that of the sovereign people, and it contains provisions within itself for accomplishing its own purposes. confederation depended for the accomplishment of its purposes on the will of the state governments. In the Articles of Confederation there was no plan for enforcing either their own stipulations or the determinations of congress.

Our

Remark. The scholar should commit to memory the exact words of the preamble to the Constitution. It comprises with admirable brevity the substance of the whole instrument.

ARTICLE I.

SEC. 1. In whom are the legislative powers granted by the constitution vested? What are

legislative powers? Ans. Powers of making laws. What is the meaning of the word congress ? Ans. A meeting together, an assembly; it properly signifies an assembly of sovereigns; in this sense it was applied to the meeting of sovereign states by their delegates, under the confederation and in forming the constitution, the term was retained though in a sense somewhat altered. Of what two branches does congress consist? What was the object of dividing the legislative body into two branches? Ans. That in making laws one might serve as a check upon the other. If the whole power of making laws be vested in a single body of men, there is greater danger that laws will be enacted without due deliberation, and also that the law makers will go beyond the powers vested in them, than there is, where after the excitement of the first discussion of a subject is over, it is still to be acted upon by another body of men, so constituted that it will naturally restrain the other from exceeding its just authority.

SEC. 2. By whom and how often are the members of the house of representatives chosen? What is the meaning of the word representative? Ans. One who is present on any

occasion in behalf of another or of others; it is derived from two Latin words, re, signifying in fact, and presens, present-the people of the United States are considered as being virtually present in the persons of their representatives. What are the qualifications of the electors of the representatives? Why was not one uniform rule adopted, making these qualifications the same throughout the United States? Ans. It was impossible to fix upon any such rule suited to the circumstances of all the states; circumstances in one state might render a person fit for an elector which in another state would be insufficient for such a purpose.

What are the qualifications of representatives? What is the object of the qualification as to age? Ans. To make laws, requires a degree of wisdom and judgment which very young men cannot be supposed to have. Why was it required by the constitution that representatives should have been seven years citizens of the United States? Ans. It was to prevent foreigners, ignorant of our institutions, unacquainted with the interests and wants of the country, from obtaining a seat in the national councils. After a seven years citizenship, it may be supposed that foreigners would be much

better fitted for the office. Why was it required that representatives should be inhabitants of the state in which they are chosen? Ans. It is that they may be acquainted with the circumstances and interests of those by whom they are chosen. Although the representatives are to act for the best interests of the whole country, they can understand these interests only by a knowledge of the local interests of all the parts. It is probable also that in making this rule, some respect was paid to the idea of the confederation under which, the members of congress represented the states.

Remark. No person born a foreigner can be a representative in the British Parliament. Our constitution is more liberal in this respect, requiring only a citizenship of seven years. This is to encourage the population of the country by holding out inducements to foreigners to settle in it. Also, at the time of the adoption of the constitution, there were many persons, foreigners born, who had deserved much of the country, that would have suffered injustice by being excluded from seats in the national councils. The country also would have suffered by the loss of their services. The idea, too, of America being an asylum for