sentatives. The balloting continued in the House from February 11 to February 17, 1801, and, upon the thirty-sixth ballot, the Speaker declared that the votes of ten States had been given to Thomas Jefferson, who was thus chosen President by the House of Representatives. Aaron Burr became Vice President by the vote of the Electors—after Jefferson had been chosen President and not by the vote of the Senate. The certificate which the Senate directed its president to sign set forth that Jefferson and Burr had each received the same number of Electoral votes; but that Jefferson had been elected President by the House of Representatives. It stated in conclusion: "By all of which it appears that Aaron Burr, Esq., of New York, is duly elected Vice President of the United States of America." As early as January 6, 1797, an amendment had been offered in the House of Representatives requiring Electors to distinguish in their ballots between candidates for the Presidency and the Vice Presidency. Nothing resulted from this and similar proposed amendments until the country was taught its necessity by the actual peril of 1801. The Twelfth Amendment (1804) changed the method of choosing the Vice President, but has developed further complications which set forth this weak link in the chain of our government. The political convention, which has now become an American institution, was unknown to the framers of the Constitution. In such conventions, the Vice President is now nominated to conciliate the unsuccessful minority of the party. In one or two cases the political "bosses" have used the office to obstruct the career of a strong and popular man, since it seems to have become an accepted fact that no Vice President can ever be President except by the death of the President. The attempt to harmonize the party puts in the office of Vice President a man who will certainly reverse the policy of his predecessor, and it is nothing more than human nature that he should do so. He does not believe in the policies of the President, and was nominated by the opponents of the majority. Thus the death of the President may suddenly change the designs of a great people and the very course of the Nation's progress. It is plain that the best way to strengthen the chain of government would be to abolish the office of Vice President, but such amendments are quite out of the question and are virtually impossible. The Federal Constitution has for a century resisted peaceful alteration, and, with the increase in the number of States, its rigidity becomes greater. It has been suggested, also, that the powers of the Vice President should be enlarged either from an executive or a legislative point of view. While it may not be practical to talk of meeting such questions through an Amendment to the Constitution, it is certainly true that such is the only way to dispose of them fairly and squarely. "It is a very dangerous practice," said Pinckney in the Senate in 1800,"to endeavor to amend the Constitution by making laws for the purpose." Chs. XXVIII and XXXII. QUESTIONS What is said concerning the advantages of coördination in history and civics? Discuss any topic in civics mentioned in a recent newspaper or other periodical. In determining the qualifications of the voter, what two aims are apparent? Has the State the right to teach morals in the public schools? May the teaching be based wholly or in part upon Biblical Ethics? What were the three forms of government in the colonies at the time of the Declaration of Independence? Under what circumstances does Congress become a "city council"? What does one loyal educator in our State say concerning the present school system? What is said about the conservation of our forests? What was Penn's ordinance concerning forests? Discuss the topics: "Equity," "Injunctions." Should the President be elected by popular vote? What is the relation of residents of Washington, D. C., in regard to election privileges? What is meant by the term "minority representation"? Compare it with cumulative voting and the limited vote used in Pennsylvania. What is the initiative? What is the referendum? To what extent is the initiative and referendum in use in the United States? Give some recent examples of such voting. What are some of the arguments in favor of the direct vote? What is the recall? Who gave the loose construction of the Constitution its broadest interpretation? What does Governor Hughes of New York say about direct nominations? What is the single tax? What provision does the Federal Constitution make for the establishment and maintenance of a school system? State some of the important clauses of the Magna Charta. What is the manner of organization of the House of Representatives? What section of the Federal Constitution expressly requires that when a bill is passed over the President's veto, the vote shall be taken by yeas and nays? What is the meaning of the expression "Senatorial courtesy"? Has the government of the United States the right to become the owner of the railroad and telegraph lines of the country? What remedies have been proposed for the evils connected with trusts? The law of 1792 says: "Every fifteen pounds weight of pure silver shall have equal value in all payments with one pound of pure gold." Why not 16 to 1 or 20 to I? If you are worth your weight in gold, how many dollars are you worth? For what amount may a National bank issue bank notes? How does the Library of Congress compare with other great libraries? What powers of a creative nature has the Congress of the United States? When was the Court of Claims established? Which amendment was submitted to President Lincoln for his approval? What has been the example of the United States in respect to arbitration? Where are the officers of the army educated? Of the navy? When was the National flag adopted? Explain definitely what is meant by the "Monroe Doctrine." What was the cause of the war between the United States and Spain? What was gained in this war by the United States? Make an expansion map of the United States, marking and dating the several purchases and cessions. What Chief Justice of the United States has been called "a second author of the Constitution"? Why? How does he define implied powers? When did Lincoln suspend the writ of habeas corpus? Describe the joint meeting of the houses of Congress to canvass the Presidential vote. What was the great issue of the last Presidential campaign? What is likely to be the issue of the next campaign? What are the chief weapons in the strife between capital and labor? What is a board of arbitration? In what way have the States attempted to settle labor disputes? Upon what ground did President Cleveland intervene in the Chicago strike of 1894? State some facts concerning the inauguration of the President. What may be said of this ceremony? What is the Constitutional provision for admitting new States? How may a State be admitted into the Union? What was the Ordinance of 1787? Name some advantages which lead the people living in a Territory to desire Statehood for their section of the country. What change should be instituted in regard to our consular properties in the Orient? Who are the committing magistrates of the Federal District Courts? How are they appointed? What are their duties? Describe the Panama Canal. When will it be open for business? What is the meaning of the term "contraband of war”? What is the relation of the Thirteenth Amendment to the Wilmot Proviso and the Ordinance of 1787? What change did the Fourteenth Amendment make in the character of citizenship in the United States? Is the approval of the President necessary in the case of an amendment to the Constitution? To what legislative actions besides bills is the approval of the President necessary ? What were Lincoln's views on reconstruction? Give the Southern view of the limitation of negro suffrage. What do you regard as the right view? Give reasons for and against an educational qualification for suffrage. Describe the return of the "Fighting Tenth" Cavalry. What words of Lincoln are recalled? What great works has the sculptor St. Gaudens left? What were the words of the mother of Colonel Robert G. Shaw? Discuss the Civil War and its issues. What great political principles are set forth in the Declaration of Independence? What is Gladstone's saying in regard to the Constitution of the United States? What American statesman won the title "Father of the Constitution "? Which State was first to adopt the Constitution of the United States? Which one of the original States was the last to ratify the instrument? Upon what grounds did Patrick Henry oppose the adoption of the Constitution? Was his statement concerning the National Government correct? What words in the Constitution of the United States reveal the Federal feature? Point out an important distinction between the Constitution of the United States and the constitution of Pennsylvania. Trace the order of the succession of Cabinet officers to the Presidency in the historical order of establishment of the executive departments. What amendment has been recently sent out to the States for ratification? What methods have been suggested for the regulation of the liquor traffic? When was the corner stone of the Capitol building laid? When was the structure completed? |