CHAPTER XII.

HOW THE PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES ARE ELECETED.

The people do not vote directly for President and Vice President of the United States, but the voters of each State choose a number of men equal to the number of Senators and Representatives to which it is entitled in Congress. These are called Presidential Electors. The State of Michigan is entitled to two Senators and Representatives in Congress. Hence we choose ten Electors.

These Electors convene at the State Capitol, on the first Wednesday of December, next after the election, and vote for President and Vice President, and make a list of the persons voted for, and the number of votes for each, which is sent to the President of the United States Senate.

On the second Wednesday of February, the President of the Senate, in the presence of all the Senators and Representatives, opens all the certificates, and the votes are counted. The persons having a majority of all the Electorial votes for President and Vice President are declared elected.

In case a person receives a plurality of the Electorial votes for President, but not a majority, the House of Representatives elects a President.

Suppose there are three candidates for the office, and that of the 359 electoral votes, one candidate should receive 150 votes, another 130 votes and the other 79. Now, a majority of 359 cannot be less than 180; consequently neither would be elected. In such case the House of Representatives would elect a President, the members of each State voting by

themselves, and the candidate receiving a majority of the Representatives of a State, has one vote for such majority; that is, there are as many Presidential votes as there are States, and the person who receives the votes of a majority of the States is elected.

If the Electors fail to elect a Vice President, the Senate, in a body, chooses one from the two having the highest number of Electoral votes.

Questions-How do people vote for President and Vice President of the United States? To how many Presidential Electors is the State of Michigan entitled? What is done with the statement of the vote of the electors? When and where is the vote of the various States counted and the result declared? In case no person receives a majority of all the votes cast for President, how is the President elected? What is the difference between a plurality and a majority? In case the Electors fail to elect a Vice President, how is that officer elected?

CHAPTER XIII.

OF THE LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT-ITS POWERS AND DUTIES.

We have already seen how Senators and Representatives in the State Legislature are elected.

The Legislative power is vested in a Senate and House of Representatives.

Senators and Representatives must be citizens of the United States, and qualified electors in the respective Counties and Districts which they represent.

The Legislature meets every two years, at the State Capitol at Lansing, on the first Wednesday in January. The room in which the Senators meet is called the Senate Chamber, and the room in which the Representatives meet is called the Representative Hall.

Every Senator and every Representative takes an oath to support the Constitution of the United States, and the Constitution of the State of Michigan, and that he will faithfully discharge the duties of his office, according to the best of his ability.

A majority of each House constitutes a quorum. Each House determines the rules of its proceedings, and judges of the qualifications, elections and returns of its members. Each House keeps a journal of its proceedings and publishes the same, except such parts as may require secrecy. The yeas and nays, that is, the way in which members vote on any question, must be entered on the journal, at the request of one-fifth of the members elected. The House of Representatives chooses one of its members to preside over it, who is

called a Speaker. The Lieutenant-Governor is the presiding officer in the Senate, and is called a President.

The presiding officer preserves order, and sees that the business of the House is properly attended to. When a question is to be decided, the presiding officer "puts it to vote;" that is, requests the members to express their judgment in favor of or against the measure. Those who favor the measure, say, “aye,” those who oppose it, say “no.”

The officers of the Senate consist of a President, Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Sergeant-at-Arms, Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms, Engrossing and Enrolling Clerk, Assistant Engrossing and Enrolling Clerk, Janitors, Clerks of Committees, and Messengers.

The officers of the House of Representatives, consist of a Speaker, Clerk, Corresponding Clerk, Journal Clerk, Engrossing and Enrolling Clerk, Assistant Engrossing and Enrolling Clerk, Clerks of Committees, Sergeant-at-Arms, Assistant, Sergeant-at-Arms, Postmaster, Fireman, Assistant Fireman, Keeper of the Cloak Room, and Messengers.

What

Questions-In what bodies is the Legislative power vested? are the qualifications of members of the Legislature? At what times does the Legislature meet? Name the Rooms in which the two Houses meet. What oath do members take? What body fixes the rules governing the Legislature and determines the qualifications of its members? What record is kept by the Legislature? What officers preside over the Legislature? What are the duties of the presiding officers? Name the officers of the Senate. Name the officers of the House.

CHAPTER XIV.

OF THE ENACTMENT OF LAWS.

When the two Houses are organized and ready for business, the Governor presents to them his message. This is a written statement of the condition of the State, and calls attention to such subjects as the Governor thinks need legislation.

The presiding officers of the respective Houses appoint committees, to whom are referred the different subjects presented for the consideration of the Legislature. These committees consider and report upon the matters referred to them. In the Senate there are now thirty-nine of these committees, and in the House, forty.

Were it not for these committees it would be almost impossible to transact all the business presented to the Legislature. Some measures are presented by the Governor and others by the members. The people sometimes want a law passed, and proeure a paper to be drawn np, containing their wishes, which is called a petition, and send it to the Legislature. Now suppose this petition asks the Legislature to pass a law in regard to Education; the petition is referred to the Committee on education. If the petition relates to insurance, it is referred to the Committee on Insurance, and so

on.

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Sometimes members or others, draw up bills which they desire to have passed by the Legislature. A bill is a draft of a proposed law; or it may be defined as an instrument presented to a legislative body for its approbation, and enactment." These bills are referred to the appropriate committees. If the bills so referred are considered proper and