Island ratified the Constitution soon after, and other States have been admitted from time to time, until in 1895 there are forty-four in all. It is provided by the Constitution that no new State shall be formed within the jurisdiction of any other State. Notwithstanding this provision, the forty-eight counties in western Virginia that remained loyal during the Rebellion, were organized as the State of West Virginia, in 1863. It was claimed that Virginia having placed itself outside of the Constitution by the act of secession, the only legislative body within the State was that at Wheeling, which consented to the organization of the new State, and that the provision of the Constitution above referred to had therefore been complied with. No new State can be formed from two or more States without the consent of the legislatures of all the States concerned, as well as of Congress.

Method of Admission.—It is usual for Congress to pass an enabling act, authorizing the people of the Territory in question to frame and adopt a constitution, and providing for the admission of the State by proclamation of the President, when the conditions named in the enabling act are complied with.

Territories.—Congress has power to make rules for the government of the Territories. A Territorial government has been provided for each of the Territories, including Alaska. Each Territory has the privilege to elect a delegate to Congress for a term of two years. These delegates receive the same compensation as the regular members, but while they are permitted to take part in debates relating to the Territories they represent, they have no vote.

Congress also has the power to dispose of the public

domain and of such other property as may come into the possession of the government. It exercises control over the District of Columbia, in which Washington, the capital of the United States, is located.

State Government.-Each State is guaranteed a republican form of government by the Constitution, and the United States must protect each of the States against invasion or insurrection.

Amendments. The Constitution provides two methods for its own amendment. By the first method, Congress by a two-thirds vote of both honses, proposes the amendment to the legislature of each State, or to a convention called in each of the States, for the purpose of ratifying or rejecting the proposed amendment. The assent of three-fourths of all the States is necessary for the adoption of an amendment. By the second method, the amendment may be requested by the legislatures of two-thirds of all the States, and Congress must then submit the amendment the same as in the first instance.

More than seven hundred amendments to the Constitution have been proposed in Congress, but thus far only fifteen have been adopted, all of which have been submitted to the State legislatures for ratification. The first eleven were adopted during Washington's administration, and they secure to the people some of their dearest rights. Among these are religious freedom, freedom of speech and of the press, and the right to petition the government for a redress of grievances. They also provide for the protection of the rights of the people, and for trial by jury in criminal cases. The tenth amendment provides that all powers not delegated to the general government, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States, or to the people.

The twelfth amendment changed the manner of electing the President and Vice-President. The thirteenth abolished slavery and involuntary servitude except as a punishment for crime. The fourteenth defines citizenship, and forbids the States to deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law, or to deny to any person within its jurisdiction the full protection of the law.

The fifteenth amendment asserts that the right of citizens to vote shall not be denied or abridged on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

ANALYTICAL REVIEW.-What was the first bond of the Union? What was the second step taken towards the formation of our government? The third step? Wherein were The Articles of Confederation defective? What led to the call for the Constitutional convention? How did the Constitution become binding? Why should a Senator have been a citizen longer than a Representative? Why should a President be a native-born citizen, while other offi. cers are not? Why should the Vice-President not preside when a President is impeached? How are vacancies in the Senate filled? in the House? in the White House? Why should a Senator's term be three times as long as a Representative's? Why was it provided that the House can impeach but not try civil officers? Explain "ratio of apportionment," and "Congressman-at-large." Why has the Vice-President no vote? What makes the speaker of the House the second officer in power? Why is there a difference in filling vacancies in the Senate and in the House? Why should the House alone originate revenue bills? Define direct tax. Why is indirect taxation preferred? Explain internal revenue. dent inform the people of the condition of the country? Why has the Senate power to reject or approve the President's appointments? What advantages and disadvantages are in re-electing a President? Explain Electoral College. Give entire number in it, and the number in Pennsylvania. Why are office holders prohibited from serving as Presidential electors? Explain how a man votes for President and Vice-President. What is a divided Electoral College? State how the electors proceed to elect a President,

How does the Presi

also how the votes are counted and how Congress elects in case the electors fail to do so. Is the Cabinet a Constitutional provision? Which is the most important portfolio in the Cabinet? Which departments were originally one? Which does the most business? Which controls the weather bureau? The light house service? The Indian affairs? The pension bureau? The Congressional proceedings? The pardon of convicts? How is a Vice-President elected, if the electors fail to elect? Why should Supreme Court judges hold office during good behavior and not for a term of years? Under what circumstances can a case under a State law be appealed to the United States Supreme Court? What cases are tried in the District Courts? How many of these courts are there? How many in Pennsylvania? Where is a citizen tried if he commits an offense in the District of Columbia? In Alaska? In Germany? What is a citizen? Can States naturalize foreigners? How do children of foreigners become naturalized? Can a foreigner vote before he is naturalized? What is a requisition? How was it claimed that the Constitution had been complied with, when West Virginia was formed in Virginia? Why cannot a Territory be finally admitted as a State before it has adopted a Constitution? How are the Territories governed? How is an amendment to the Constitution made? Which are the "

ments?"

war amend

CHAPTER IX.

COMMON THINGS NOT COMMONLY UNDERSTOOD.

Acknowledgment is the declaration, before a competent officer, by one who has executed any instrument in writing, which by the laws of Pennsylvania may be recorded, that the instrument so executed is his act and deed, and that he desires it to be recorded as such. Deeds of conveyance, by which the title to real estate is transferred, and mortgages are the most common instruments acknowledged, but all written instruments which are designed to be recorded must be acknowledged, except in cases in which another method of proof is provided by law. Acknowledgments may be taken by the judges of the Supreme Court, the judges of the courts of common pleas, justices of the peace, notaries public, and other officers designated by law. Deeds of conveyance made jointly by husband and wife must be acknowledged by the wife separate and apart from the husband.

Administrator is a person appointed by the register of wills of the proper county to settle the estate of one who has died intestate, or of one who has died testate, but who has failed to appoint an executor, or who has appointed an executor who has died, or declined to act, or has been removed by the court.

Attainder is the stain or corruption of blood of a criminal capitally condemned. It is the immediate and inseparable consequence, by the common law, of sentence of death, or of outlawry for a capital offence. Its conse