merely referring those who are curious in such matters to the work of the celebrated French author, M. de Tocqueville, entitled, "Democracy in America," a work which has been translated into almost all the languages of Europe.

By the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union between the States, signed on 4th July 1776, in which they took the title of "The United States of America," they agreed that each state should retain its sovereignty, freedom, and independence, and every power, jurisdiction, and right, not expressly delegated to Congress by the confederation. For the more convenient management of the general interests of the United States, it was declared that delegates should be appointed to meet in Congress. The Union is thus in some respects one nation, and in others 31. An inhabitant of the State of New York, for instance, so far as questions of peace and war, foreign intercourse, &c., are concerned, belongs to the Union. His chief magistrate is a president, his capital is Washington, and so far as these are concerned, he owes his supreme allegiance to the government holding jurisdiction over them, which is generally called the Federal Government. But in respect to the administration of justice, responsibility for crime, tenure of property, &c., he belongs to the State of New York; his chief magistrate is a governor, and his capital is Albany. Each government is, within its own jurisdiction, entirely independent of the other, and every citizen owes his supreme allegiance to both, so far as their respective jurisdictions may extend. The United States Congress cannot interfere with the laws of the individual states, any more than she can with the laws of other nations of the earth with whom she is on terms of amity. The Federal Government has no more power, for instance, to abolish slavery in any of the states,

than she would have had to abolish slavery in the British West Indian Colonies. In Europe, the difficulty is to avoid supposing the state governments to be subordinate, whereas they are co-ordinate departments of one simple and integral whole. Each State government legislates and administers in all affairs which concern its own citizens. To the Federal Government are consigned all matters which concern citizens, as foreigners from other states, or as fellow-citizens with all in certain specified relations.

The

The President's salary, or as it is there called, "compensation," was fixed at 25,000 dollars, and that of the Vice-President at 5000 dollars; and it is a remarkable circumstance that these have never been altered. President holds his situation four years, and the Congress meet annually on a stated day, the first Monday of December. Members of Congress have 8 dollars a day during the sitting of Congress, and the like sum as "mileage" money for every 20 miles they have to travel to or from Washington. Some of the members from the West are of a gigantic stature.

With respect to the stability of the American Commonwealth, there is great probability that its duration will be longer than any empire that has hitherto existed for it is a truth universally admitted, that whilst the advantages which ever attended any of the monarchies of the old world all centre in the new, there are many others which they never enjoyed.

;

Seldom any disputes occur at their elections, the quiet ballot-box being a grand preventative of popular commotion. The ballot sometimes produces curious results. A candidate for an office that was to be elected by ballot having received the assurance of support from almost all

the electors, was astonished on the day of election, to find that not a single ball had been put in for him.

A republic is a government in which the people have established a constitution, and in which they choose some of their fellow-citizens to make and administer laws. Each of the States is therefore a republic. The government of the United States is formed upon a union or confederation of the several States, and is, therefore, called a "Federal Republic."

The distinction between a democracy and a republic is, that in the former, the people act themselves directly in the business of government; whereas in the latter, the people choose men to represent them and act for them. While the constitution takes away from the individual States, and gives to the Federal Government certain powers, as for instance, the power to make treaties; to carry on war against foreign nations; to have a standing army and navy; to establish post-offices, customs, &c., and, in general, to preside over those interests which affect the whole country as a nation; it leaves the different States still, as independent republics, to carry on their several internal governments, to manage all their affairs as they may think proper; and leaves them, in short, in possession of all the powers that are not thus expressly given

away.

There are two parties in America, the whigs, and the democrats, who are occasionally styled the locofocos, a nickname given to them by the whigs. The whigs correspond to the old tory or conservative party in Great Britain, and are occasionally called "federalists," by the democrats, as a term of reproach. The democrats are the go-a-head party, synonymous with the radical party in this country. The aim of the federal party is to strengthen the central authority; whilst the aim of the democratic

party is to increase the power of the citizens in their local courts, and in the separate State legislatures. The word

66

Tory," was a name originally given to the wild Irish robbers, who favoured the massacre of the Irish Protestants in 1641; and it was afterwards applied to all enormous high-fliers of the Church. The term "Whig," was a ludicrous name first allotted to the country-field devotion-meeting, whose ordinary drink was whig, or whey of coagulated sour milk. It was afterwards applied to those who were against the Court interest, in the reigns of Charles II. and James II., and for the Court, in the reigns of King William, and King George.

The members of Senate hold their seats for six years, one-third of its whole number (62) being renewed every second year. The late Alexander Mackay, in his admirable work on America, called the "Western World,” says, "America has been saved from many a precipice by her double chamber." The Senate holds the same rank in the legislature of the State that the House of Lords does in England, and performs essentially the same functions.

CHAPTER XXIII.

System of Divorce in the United States-Visit to Philadelphia-Tenets of the Quakers-The Girard College-Fire Brigades-Hostility to the Coloured Population-The use of Bowie Knives and Revolving Pistols -The Earl of Carlisle's description of Congress-Hospitality of the Slave States.

There are often curious advertisements in the New York papers, and the following is one of them, which appeared in 1850:

TO UNHAPPY WIVES AND HUSBANDS.

The undersigned having had great experience in divorce cases, hereby tenders his services to those who wish to be released from the bonds of matrimony, and become again eligible for marriage. Confidential communications, post paid, promptly attended to. Martin Van Hovenbergh, successor to James McGay. Office 14 Chamber Street, Counsellor-at-law, &c. Residence, 334 Broome Street.

The subject of divorce, mentioned in the above advertisement, leads me to remark that they are more easily procured in the States than with us. The causes for which-besides infidelity-they can be obtained, vary in every different State, the chief reasons being drunkenness, desertion, in some States for two years, in others, three years, and in some five years. In the State of Ohio, desertion by either of the parties, for three years, is a ground of divorce. Cruelty and gross neglect, are causes