The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1917-08-25

y
elected by the direct vote of the peo-
pie. Every State has two Senators
without any regard to its size or popu-
lation. Our Revolutionary sires in thus
forming the Senate, said that this fea
tuee was purposely intended to act rs
safeguard against the influence of
those paroxisms of heat and passion
which prevail occasionally in the most
enlightened communities. and frequent
ly enters into the deliberations of pop
ular assemblies.
years, longer period than do members
of the House. Senators represent the
whole State, and the dignity conferred
on them is the highest emanating from
any constituency. Senators must be at
least thirty years old. must have resid-
ed in the United States fer nine years,
and must be citizens of the States for
which they are chosen.
The House of Representatives is
known as the popular branch Of Con-
gress. Its members are elected every
two years, on basis of one Represent
alive for every 10000 voters. The in
tention of our fathers was to allow
sufficient number of representatives
from all parts of the Union for the
purposes of information, discussion,
and reflection of the wants of the peo-
pie, and at the same time not to make
a body too unwieldly for debate and
legislation. Owing to the growing den
sity of our population it is now claimed
by some that, the House is too big, and
that the basis of representation should
be increased to 10000, to keep it from
becoming too unwieldly. The powers
of the House are equal and coordinate
with the Senate, and extends to all ma
tional affairs. The House has one pow
err that the Senate does not have, how
ever. In case the electors chosen fail
to elect a President by majority vote,
the House has, the power to elect the
President. This failure to elect may
occur any time when there are three
or more candidates. Thomas jefferson
was so elected in 1901, and also, John
Quincy Adams in 1925.
There are many more peculiar and IN
teresting features that might be men,
toned about our national Legislative
body, but enough has been said to out
line their most important functions.
The Congress of the United States,
which constitutes its legislative de-
partment, is organized on the double
plan have outlined, and it required
many years of patient study to frame
it. 1t has taken time and thought and
the most thorough discussion to bring
our great legislative body up to its
present perfection. The articles of
confederation first adopted in l776 were
found defective. because Congress was
then composed of single body of rep
resentatives, and although it was re-
modelled and ratified five years later,
in 1881, it was still unsatisfactory and
proved failure. The present consti-
tuition of the United States was framed
at Philadelphia in 1887, eleven years
after the Declaration of Independence.
Even then it was not finally adopted
by all of the thirteen original States
until 1890, little Rhode Island being
the last State to vote upon and accept
it. From the hour of the adoption of
its constitution the destiny of the
United States became fixed, and from
that day to this good hour its power
and benign influence has grown and in
creased, until it is now the pattern of
the civilized world for its republics.
Self government has become the slogan
of the people of all enlightened nations.
The foundation of good government
was laid in these United States when
the autonomy of the individual States
was recognized by the organization of
the two houses of Congress-, the majes-
ty of the State being recognized and
personified in the Senate. and the pow
er, privilege and rights of the people
being guaranteed in the House of Rep
resentatives-an their powers being
equally divided the interests of the
whole are beautifully preserved.
Under our constitution the people
constitute the udfiOn and we are not a
confederation of States. The objects
of our government are concisely and
grandly stated in the six short sentences
which constitute the preamble to the
constitution. This preamble reads thus:
1--WE the people of The United States,
in order: First-to form more per-
feet union; second-to establish JUS
tice; third-to insure domestic tran