The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1873-10-24

er to make all the laws. The head ruler,
! called the Governor recommends laws TO
the councils, and signs them when the
| councils adopt them. These laws are car
ried into effect by subordinate magistrates,
| and, i'll cases of litigation controversies
are decided first in the inferior tribunals
and afterwards, if appeal be taken, they
are finally decided by the tribunal called
the Supreme Court. The general govern
ment has also a tribunal called the Su-
preme Court, and this Supreme Court of
the general government hears, in certain
cases, appeals from the Supreme Court of
the local goverfIments-and from the Su-
Preme Courts of the general government
| there is no appeal on any account what
ever. A fuller description of the arrange
ment of the t-ibunals-the aggregate of
which the Americans themselves call the
Judiciary be impossible, unless
l descended to preliminary explanations
which would enlarge the size of my letter
too much.
Now, my words are these, and hearloen
to them with attention In electing their
leglslators-that is, the members of their
high councils called the Senate and House
of Representatives-the States are usually
divided into smaller localities for election
purposes. Each of these localities elects
one or more legislators, according to the
number of people, so that if one place has
three times as many people as another
place, it will elect three times as many
legislators if it has four times as many
people, it will elect four times as many
Legislators, and so on-that is to say, repre-
sentation in the Legislature is proportional
to population. However, it is not even
pretended that the arrangement is mathe-
matlcally precise, because 1t Is impractical
BILE to have it so. However the rule |
have given is the one which predominant
ly regulates the influence of each locality
in the high councils of State; and every
variation from it is rather submission to
necessity than an act of choice. Now,
bear i'll mind this political rule, and also
hearken to what say when tell you that
the general government Of America rules,
not only over the people, but also over the
States OF local principalities. This system
of government, which in the American Ian
guage is called Federative, obtains not only
here and in other parts of the American
Continent, but also in some countries in
Europe, and it seems to be additionally
known to the Caucasian race.
In the Federativo system of government
the local governments, which | shall here
after call States, are entirely independent
of the general gOvcrnmcnt-a relationship
very like to that which families bear to the
local governments; that is to say, they are
autonomous organizations, and they are in
no sense representative of the general gov
ernment, either in the possession or the
exercise of their authority. Still they can
in no manner whatever contravene the
rightful authority of the general govern
ment, and, notwithstanding their magni-
tude and Importance, they are subject to
the general government as the humblest
individual i'll the land. The general gov
erumeut of America, therefore, is a gov
ernment of governments, and the President
or, as the English would say, he is 4 king
of kings-and this single consideration
must give us high idea of the exalted
dignity of the American President.
The above description of the political
state of America is, of course, deficient in
in its details, partly from my own deficien-
cy of language to express what knowledge
| have, but | cannot describe it any better
at present. When | return to Japan may
give you much information in speech which
l find it impossible to give in writing. l
will here, also, remark that the States
themselves are variouSly subdivided into
further petty local governments, but such
petty governments are liable to any kind
of interference on part of the State govern
ment, although such interference is rarely
resorted to. This, also, would need full
er explanation than can give in writing.
Now, again hearken to my words, and
give attention to what 1 say: AS l have
said, the American government is gov
ernment of governments, and it also gov
eTns the people; and as the American gov
ernments are based on election, the general
government OF America, which is gov
ernment of governments and also gov
ernment Of the people, ought to be based
on election, as well by the local govern
ment as by the people. And, again, you
must remembear that all the State govern
ments are mutually independent, and are
equal to each other that is, they stand
toward each other in the same attitude as
independent nations stand toward each
other. And all this will prepare you to
understand the principles on which the
general government is based.
This general government, like the local
governments, Is composed of the Presi-
dent, whom l have already described, and
of two great general councils, the one called
the Senate and the other called the House
of Representatives. The two general coun-
ellis must concur in the enactment of every
law, and in the repeal of every law when it
is once enacted, and the President can at
all times recommend the enactment of any
law or the repeal of any law, and he Is 9TH
erwise possessed of much authority and in
fuence in the whole business of legislation
so much so, indeed, that laws are seldom,
if ever either enacted or repealed without
thirds of the two councils combine to over
rule him in this matter, they have the pow
er to do so. This description of the legis-
latiye power of the President may be re-
e;,rde6 as Vaguely. and, in some cases, ae-
curately similar to the Legislative power of
the government of the States. The two
GREAT councils together are called the Con-
gress of the United States, and All act of
Congress means an exercise of authority
which is sanctioned by the two councils,
and which is also sanctioned by the Presi-
dent, or resanctioned by two-thirds of the
councils. The superior council is called
the Senate and the inferior council is called
the House of Representatives, and both to-
octber are called the Congress-all of which
I have described. The inferior character
of one council to the other is matter OF
dignity rather than authority. The SEN
ate represents the State governments, and
as the State governments are all equal to
= \. otLor +hev are all euually re presented