referred to its appropriate committee. If at any time a matter arises having no relation to those subjects upon which standing committees are appointed, it is usually proposed to refer it to a select committee, appointed for the special purpose of considering such subject.

§ 4. The members of the several committees meet from time to time during hours when the house is not in session, to consider the matters referred to them. At the meeting of a committee, any person wishing to be heard in favor of or against a proposed measure, may appear before the committee for this purpose. Persons from all parts of the state are usually in attendance during the sessions of the legislature to urge or oppose the passage of laws in which they are interested.

§ 5. After due inquiry and consideration, committees make their reports to the house. A report of a committee contains a statement of the facts that have been ascertained, and of the reasons why the law prayed for ought or ought not to be passed. If a committee reports against a measure, the house generally dismisses the subject: if the commitee reports in favor of such a measure, it usually brings in a bill with the report. A bill is a draft or form of an intended

law.

§ 6. Not all bills, however, which are brought before the house, are reported by committees. Any member of the house desiring the passage of a law, gives notice that he will, on some future day, ask leave of the house to introduce a bill for that purpose; and, at the time specified, if the house shall grant leave, he may introduce the bill. But in all cases, at least one day's previous notice must be given of his intention to ask leave, before leave can be granted to introduce a bill.

§ 7. A bill must go through many stages and forms of deliberation before it can become a law; all of which it is not deemed important to detail in this place. These forms of deliberation and action are, with some unimportant exceptions, the same in all legislative bodies in the Union. Before a bill is passed, it must be read three times; but it may not be read oftener than once on the same day without the consent of the whole house, in some states; in others, three

fourths or two-thirds of the house. Nor can it be altered or amended before its second reading.

§ 8. After a bill has been read twice, it is referred to a committee of the whole house, to be taken up for discussion and amendment. When a house resolves itself into a committee of the whole to consider a bill thus committed, the speaker appoints another menber to the chair, and the speaker takes part in the debate, if he chooses, as an ordinary member. When either house is in committee of the whole, the person presiding is addressed as "chairman." When not in committee of the whole, the person occupying the chair, whether he be the speaker himself, or some person temporarily appointed to the chair, is called "speaker." In senates, however, whose presiding officer is called president of the senate, the person thus appointed to fill the chair, when the senate is not in committee of the whole, is addressed as "president.'

§ 9. After a bill has been fully discussed and amended, it is proposed to be engrossed, and to be read on a future day the third time. To engross a bill is to copy it in a large, fair hand, after it has been amended in committee of the whole. On the proposition to engross a bill for a third reading, is the proper time for those opposed to the bill to take their stand against it. If the question on the engrossment and third reading of a bill is not carried, the bill is lost, unless revived by a vote of the house to reconsider. But if the question to read a third time is carried, the bill is accordingly read on a future day, and the question taken on its final passage. Farther amendments are sometimes made to a bill on its third reading.

§ 10. When the final vote is to be taken, the speaker puts the question: "Shall the bill pass.?" and requests those in favor of it to say "aye," and those opposed to say "no." If a majority of the members present vote in the affirmative, (the speaker also voting,) the bill is passed; if a majority vote in the negative, the bill is lost. Also if the ayes and noes are equal, it is lost, for lack of a majority in its favor. In a senate where a lieutenant-governor presides, not being properly a member, he does not vote, except when the ayes and noes are equal; in which case there is said to be a tie.

He then determines the question by his vote, which is called the casting vote.

§ 11. When a bill has passed one nouse, it is sent to the other to be considered and acted upon in the same manner; and if agreed to by that house also, without alteration, the bill is passed. If a bill be amended in the second house, it must be returned to the first, and the amendments agreed to, or the bill is lost. Some bills are sent several times from one house to the other with amendments, before they are agreed to by both.

§ 12. In a majority of the states, a bill, after it has passed both houses, is to be sent to the governor to be approved and signed by him. If he refuses to sign it, it is no law. This power of a governor to negative a bill, is called the veto power. Veto is a Latin word, signifying I forbid. No executive, however, in this country, has the power of an absolute, but only a qualified negative upon acts of legislation. If no laws could be enacted without a governor's assent, the people in this country would be in a condition much the same as that of a people who live under a monarchy.

§ 13. Provision is therefore made in all constitutions which require bills to be presented to the governor, for the enactment of laws without his approval. If he refuses to sign a bill, he must return it to the house in which it originated, stating his objections to it; and if it shall be again passed by both houses, it will be a law, without the governor's approval. But in such cases greater majorities are required to pass a law. In some states, a majority of two-thirds of the members present is required to pass a bill returned by the governor; in others a majority of all the members elected to each house. Or if the gonernor does not return a bill within a certain number of days, it becomes a law without his approval, or without being considered a second time.

§14. In eight states of the Union,.bills are not submitted to the governor for his approval, but become laws as soon as they are signed by the officers of both houses.

§ 15. It may be asked, Why should a bill ever be sent to the governor for his approval? For reasons similar to those for which a legislature is made to consist of two branches. Bills are often passed hastily, and without due information.

pass a

Or, a house may, after the most careful deliberation, bill without discovering all its errors. It is a wise provision, therefore, to require a bill having passed one house to be sent to another, where any mistakes committed by the first house may be detected, and the bill either amended or wholly rejected.

§ 16. But errors are sometimes committed by both houses. Therefore to guard still more effectually against the enactment of bad laws, it is provided that the governor also shall examine and approve bills. But that it may not depend on one man what laws the people shall have, the governor is required to return to the legislature all bills which he does not approve, to be passed, if possible, in the manner prescribed by the constitution.

§ 17. The compensation of members of the legislature is fixed by the constitution in some states, in others by law, and paid out.of the treasury of the state.

EXERCISES.

§ 1. What communication does a governor make to the legislature ?

§ 2. What is a committee? Name some of the subjects on which committees are appointed? By whom are they appointed?

§3. For what purpose are committees appointed? State briefly how business is expedited by committees. What are standing and select committees ?

§ 4. How and when are the labors of committees performed?

§ 5. When and what do committees report to the house? Define a bil..

§ 6. In what other way are bills introduced?

7. How often must a bill be read before it is passed? May it be read oftener than once on the same day?

§ 8. When is a bill referred to a committee of the whole? How does a house get into a committee of the whole? For what purpose does it resolve itself into such committee? What change then takes place in the chair? By what title

is the presiding officer addressed?

addressed as "president?"

In what case is he

§ 9. In what stage of the proceedings is a bill ordered to be engrossed for a third reading? Define engross. When are the merits of a bill discussed?

§ 10. Describe the manner of taking the final vote upon a bill-also a tie, and casting vote. Does the lieutenant-gov

ernor preside in the senate in this state?

§ 11. After a bill has passed one house, what is done with it?

§ 12. After it has passed both houses, what course does it take? Define veto-absolute negative-qualified negative. § 13. What provision is made to pass bills without a governor's assent? What in this state?

§ 14. Does the veto power exist in this state? In what

states does it not?

§ 15, 16. State the reasons why bills are required to pass through both houses; and why submitted to the governor.

CHAPTER XIII.

Of the Executive Department.-Governor and Lieutenant Governor.

§ 1. THE chief executive power of a state is, by the constitution, vested in a governor. He is assisted in the administration of the government by several subordinate executive officers. The governor is chosen at the general annual election. In Virginia and South Carolina, the governor is chosen by the legislature. The terms of office are not the same in all of the states. In the six New England states, the governor is chosen annually; in the other states for different terms of two, three, and four years.

§ 2. The qualifications of governors are also different in different states. To be eligible to the office of governor, a person must have been for a certain number of years a citizen (in some states a native born) of the United States; and for a term of years preceding his election a resident of the state.