tatives to which each state may be entitled in Congress; but no senator or representative, or person holding an office of trust or profit under the United States, shall be appointed an elector."- Art. II. § 1. 2.

4. In what manner do the electors proceed to make the election?

"The electors shall meet in their respective states, and vote by ballot for President and Vice-President, one of whom, at least, shall not be an inhabitant of the same state with themselves; they shall name in their ballots the person voted for as President, and in distinct ballots the person voted for as Vice-President; and they shall make distinct lists of all persons voted for as President, and of all persons voted for as Vice-President, and of the number of votes for each, which lists they shall sign, and certify, and transmit, sealed, to the seat of government of the United States, directed to the President of the Senate; the President of the Senate shall, in the presence of the Senate and the House of Representatives, open all the certificates, and the votes shall then be counted; the person having the greatest number of votes for President shall be President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of electors appointed; and if no person shall have such majority, then, from the persons having the highest numbers, not exceeding three, on the list of those voted for as President, the House of Representatives shall choose immediately, by ballot, the President. But in choosing the President, the votes shall be taken by states, the representation from each state having one vote; a quorum for this purpose shall consist of a member or members of two thirds of the

states, and a majority of all the states shall be necessary to a choice. And if the House of Representatives shall not choose a President, whenever the right of choice shall devolve upon them, before the fourth of March next following, then the Vice-President shall act as President, as in case of the death or other constitutional disability of the President."- Amend. Art. XII. 1.

5. What is said as to the Vice-President?

"The person having the greatest number of votes as Vice-President shall be the Vice-President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of electors appointed; and if no person have a majority, then, from the two highest on the list, the Senate shall choose the Vice-President: a quorum for the purpose shall consist of two thirds of the whole number of senators, and a majority of the whole number shall be necessary to a choice." Amend. Art. XII. 2.

"But no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of VicePresident of the United States."- Amend. Art. XII.3.

6. Is this the orginal method prescribed by the Constitution for choosing the President and VicePresident?

It is not, but is the result of an Amendment to the Constitution, proposed by Congress in October, 1803, and ratified before September, 1804.

7. What is the provision of the Constitution in regard to the choice of electors?

"The Congress may determine the time of choosing the electors, and the day on which they shall give their votes; which day shall be the same throughout the United States."- Art. II. § 1. 4.

8. Why was this power conferred upon Congress? That the time of choosing electors may be the same throughout the Union.

9. Why is this desirable?

It has a tendency to repress political intrigues and corruption.

10. How does that appear?

Suppose the electors for President were to vote in different states at different times, and that the electors of all the states except one had voted, and that the result of the election depended upon the vote of that state, great efforts would be made to secure the vote of that state.

CHAPTER XVII.

ELECTION OF PRESIDENT AND VICE-PRESIDENT,

CONTINUED.

1. What states have the advantage when the President is chosen by the electors?

The most populous states, as they have more electoral votes than the smaller states.

2. What happens when the choice devolves on the House of Representatives?

Each state has then an equal voice in the choice of the President, because the house votes by states.

3. How many times has the choice devolved on the house?

Twice. Jefferson's first election was by the house, and John Quincy Adams was chosen by the house.

4. What are the qualifications of the President? "No person except a natural born citizen, or a citizen of the United States at the time of the adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the office of President; neither shall any person be eligible to that office who shall not have attained to the age of thirty-five years, and been fourteen years a resident within the United States." Art. II. § 1. 5.

5. Suppose a man has lived abroad several years in the service of his country?

That would not interrupt his residence so as to disqualify him for the office of President.

6. How often may the President be reëlected? As often as the people please.

7. What is done in case of the inability or death of the President, or his removal from office?

"In case of the removal of the President from office, or of his death, resignation, or inability to discharge the powers and duties of the said office, the same shall devolve on the Vice-President; and the Congress may by law provide for the case of removal, death, resignation, or inability both of the President and Vice-President, declaring what officer shall then act as President; and such officer shall act accordingly until the disability be removed, or a President shall be elected.". - Art. II. § 1. 6.

8. In what cases has the Vice-President succeeded to the office of President?

By the death of William Henry Harrison, John Tyler became President; by the death of Zachary Taylor, Millard Fillmore; and by the death of Abraham Lincoln, Andrew Johnson.

9. What officer has Congress declared shall act as President in case of the removal, death, or resignation both of the President and Vice-President?

Congress has provided that the President pro tempore of the Senate shall act as President, and in case there is no president pro tempore, the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

10. What provision does the Constitution make for the compensation of the President?

"The President shall, at stated times, receive for his services a compensation which shall neither be increased nor diminished during the period for which he shall have been elected, and he shall not receive within that period any other emolument from the United States, or any of them.” — Art. II. § 1. 7.

11. What is the salary of the President as fixed by Congress?

Twenty-five thousand dollars a year were voted by the first Congress under the Constitution, and the amount has never been changed.

12. What oath or affirmation must the President take before entering on the execution of his office?

"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will, to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States." Art. II. § 1. 8.