peace, enter into any agreement or compact with another State or with any foreign power, or engage in war unless actually invaded or in such imminent danger as will not admit of delay.

These restrictions on the States mean that Congress alone can regulate the commercial interests of the people of the United States, maintain an army and navy, make treaties or alliances with foreign States or declare war. There cannot be two sovereign powers exercising these rights in the United States; the States are subject to the United States.

On the 30th of May, 1787, when the Constitutional Convention began the making of the Constitution of the United States, a resolution passed, "That a national Government ought to be established, consisting of a supreme judicial, legislative and executive." The term "supreme" required. explanation, and it was asked whether it was intended to annihilate State Governments. It was answered that should the powers granted to the new Government clash with the States, the States were to yield.

315. The Relation of the Federal Government to the State Governments." The Government proceeds directly from the people. When thus adopted by them the Constitution was of complete obligation and bound the State sovereignties. The Government of the Union is emphatically and truly a government of the people. The Government of the Union, though limited in its powers, is supreme within the sphere of its action. Its laws, when made in pursuance of the Constitution, form the supreme law of the land. . . . The Government of the Union and those of the States are each sovereign with respect to the objects committed to it, and neither sovereign with respect to the objects committed to the other."*

*Chief-Justice Marshall.

CHAPTER VI.

THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.

316. National Conventions.-The candidates for the Presidency and the Vice-Presidency of the United States are nominated in a national convention, which is an assembly of delegates from all the States and Territories. Each political party holds its own convention, which usually consists of twice as many delegates as the Congress of the United States has members.*

317. The President of the United States represents the unity, the power and the purpose of the nation. He is the executive officer of the Federal Government. His office is the highest in the power of the people to bestow.

* The development of the political convention in America has kept pace with the growth of the conveniences in internal transportation. Before 1790 a convention consisted of representatives who could conveniently gather on horseback from a few adjoining towns. With the introduction of stage-coaches came county conventions. When the canal and the post brought people in closer association, groups of States began assembling in convention, a period culminating in 1825. A national convention was not possible until after 1850, the period of the beginning of railroads, and became a convention in a truly national sense only when the telegraph had brought all parts of the country into closest relations. In the early conventions the delegates were simply known as men from a certain State. When Polk was nominated for the Presidency some of his political opponents objected to this promiscuous State representation, and gave to them, as distinguished from the county delegates, the name 'outsiders," a coined word caught up in a political campaign, and borne since that time in the body of our language.

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318. Qualifications.-No person except a natural-born citizen is eligible to the Presidency. He must be thirtyfive years of age and a resident within the United States fourteen years. He is elected to serve for four years.

A person of foreign birth might be subject to foreign influences. Tenure of office for life or for a very long term would tend to a monarchy.

319. His Election.-The President is chosen by the Electoral College, which is composed of Presidential electors elected in the several States. Each State has as many Presidential electors as it has Senators and Representatives in Congress, and each elector has one vote. No Senator or Representative or person holding an office of trust or profit under the United States can serve as a Presidential elector. The purpose of this restriction is to provide an Electoral College free from Federal influence. Each political party in the State nominates its own Presidential electors, who are morally bound, if elected, to vote for the Presidential candidate of the party. The people elect the Presidential electors on the Tuesday next after the first Monday of November in the year of the Presidential election, which occurs once in every fourth even year. The first Presidential election was in 1788. Soon after election day it is known what electoral ticket, and consequently what Presidential candidate, has been elected.

320. The Electoral College.-But the choice of a President is not made until three more steps have been taken. On the second Monday in January the Presidential electors meet in their respective States, usually at the capital of the State, and vote by ballot for President and Vice-President, one of whom at least cannot be an inhabitant of the same State with themselves. When the vote has been counted three lists are made of all the persons voted for as President and as Vice-President, and the number of votes which each received. These three lists are certified to and signed by all the