Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1890-04-12

others which have been forme,
since that time. In the first Ease
any State so desiring could leav,
the Union, but in the latter and tn,
true sense, such an action Il impos
sible. This instrument forms th,
fundamental law Of the land, anS
prescribes the form, powers anC
Office Of the government. 1t MAY
be changed, but II must not be dis
obeyed, its object being TO plac,
certain limitations upon the officer
OF the government il also protects
the minority against the encroach
ments Of the majority, which woulC
have complete control OF the gov
eminent, were il not for the restric
tons Of the Constitution.
Our government il divided int
three parts, the legislative, the ex,
ecutive and the judicial. This di
vision is necessary, as each Of thesg
branches acts as a check upon the
Others, and thus an undue exercise
OF power in any portion Of the gov
eminent is checked.
The legislative body is divided
into two parts, the Senate and the
House Of Representatives. the men,
bers Of the first being appointed by
the legislatures Of the States from
which they come, that they may not
be influenced too strongly by the
people. Senators are elected for six
years, and one third 10 out OF office
every two years In the case Of the
House Of Representatives, its MEM
bers are elected by the people, and
the entire assembly Is reelected
every two years Each State has
two Senators, but the Representa-
lives are apportioned 10 the States
according 10 population, the num-
beers ranging from one to as many as
thirty. The speaker defined at some
length the powers Of each Of these
bodies, showing that the House Of
representatives look after the in
terests ofthe people OF the individual
states, while the Senators look after
the interests Of the States them
selves.
Congress is restricted in some of
its powers, especially regarding the
taking away Of the rights Of the
people Of the different States. En-
pOst 6dctO laws, bills Of attainder,
laws relating TO the special interests
Of different States-all are prUhib-
tied, such restrictions being Of a
most wholesome character.
The chief executive power is
vested in the President Of the United
states, who Is elected In d peculiar
manner. All the people Of the States
vote for electors, who meet aud cast
their ballots for President, the
returns being sent TO the Vice
President, who announces the
result by declaring the one receiv-
ing the greatest number Of all the
electoral votes to be president-elect
In case no choice is made, the
election Of President is left TO the
House Of Representatives, each
State, however, having but one
vote.
The third branch Of the govern
ment Is the judiciary, which is one
Of the strongest members Of the gov
ernmental body, since it has power,
throHgh the Supreme Court, to |
nuIlify all acts Of CongrcS. This
court is called the 'NUice III the |
Constitution, . since that iu>.ui'l ui !
means no more nor les liau the |
Supreme Court says !, ucin,. u
was thought by the founders q thu I
government that all Necessary |
were placed around
10Th civil and religious rights
lut many of these safe
yuaris have melted away under the
decisions Of this court, many Of its
decisions having been contradictory,
which fact the speaker pointed out
very fully.
The different kinds Of law were
iefined by the speaker, the objects
u each being clearly stated. He
itated that, after all, the law given
~ the great law-giver Moses, lies
It the foundation Of all human gov
.rnment and it is generally con-
,eded by writers on political science
hat no legislation at variance with
Divine Law can stand. But the idea
hat the will Of the people i the
meets with this Obiec-
ion, that ii is difficult to determine
he voice Of the people at large, and
wen when such can be done, the
ieople, after all, may he entirely in
he wrong. The lecturer closed 10y
.xhorting all, and especially the
to a more complete under
and appreciation Of the
principles Of civil government, for
lie time viii soOn come when n
knowledge Of these principles will
,e considered necessary to the proper
Of the youth Of this people.