to act as attorney for the United States in all suits in the Supreme Court; he is also the legal adviser of the President and the heads of departments, and of the Solicitor of the Treasury. He is further charged with the superintendence of all United States district attorneys and marshals, with the examination of all applications to the President for pardons, and with the transfer of all land purchased by the United States for government buildings, etc. The name "Department of Justice," by which this division of the Cabinet is now largely known, was given to it in 1870

The Secretary of Agriculture. This department, which prior to 1889 belonged to the Interior Department, collects and gives useful information on agriculture. From it, new and valuable seeds and plants can be had; for it is the duty of the Secretary to cultivate them and furnish them to the farmers upon application. He also investigates the diseases of plants and animals, makes analysis of soils, minerals, liquids, and fertilizers, and prepares reports on the same, which are distributed in all parts of the country. In 1891, the Weather Bureau was transferred to the Agricultural Department from the War Department.

The Vice-President.-This officer is chosen at the same time and in the same manner as the President, except that when the Presidential electors fail to choose a VicePresident, that duty devolves upon the Senate. The choice must then be made from the two candidates having the highest numbers of votes cast by the Electoral College. Richard M. Johnson, elected in February, 1837, is the only Vice-President that has been chosen by the Senate. The qualifications and term of office are the same as those of the President, but the only duty the

Vice-President is called upon to perform is to preside over the Senate, unless the President cannot, for any cause, perform the duties of his office.

THE JUDICIAL Department.

SUPREME COURT.

Organization. The judicial power of the United States is vested in a Supreme Court and such inferior courts as Congress may establish. Judges of the United States courts are appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, and they all hold their office during life or good behavior. They may retire upon a pension, at the age of seventy or over, after having served continuously for ten years. The Supreme Court holds annual sessions in the Capitol at Washington, commencing on the second Monday in October. The court, at present, consists of a chief justice and eight associate justices, any six of whom constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. The decision of a quorum stands as the decision of the court, although very often the dissenting views of a minority are published.

Jurisdiction. In any suit at law relating to ambassadors, other public ministers, and consuls, and in those in which a State is a party, the Supreme Court has original jurisdiction. It decides cases appealed from the decision of the judges of the inferior courts of the United States, as well as of certain State courts. Any law of Congress or State legislature, if in violation of the provisions of the Constitution of the United States, is unconstitutional, and, if so decided by the Supreme Court of the United States, is null and void.

INFERIOR COURTS.

Names.-The inferior courts established by Congress are the Circuit, Appellate, District, and Territorial courts, the Court of the District of Columbia, the Court of Claims, and the Consular Courts.

Circuit Court.-The Circuit Court of the United States has jurisdiction over certain civil cases in which a State or an alien is a party, or in certain cases when suit is brought by a citizen of one State against a citizen of another. For the purpose of properly dividing the work of this court, the states are divided into nine circuits, each having two or three judges. One judge of the United States Supreme Court is assigned to each circuit, and it is his duty to hold at least one term of the Circuit Court in his circuit, once in every two years, at each of the regular places of meeting of that court.

Appellate Court. So many cases are appealed to the Supreme Court that it is apt to get several years behind in its business. To decide some of these cases, and thus relieve the higher court, an Appellate Court was provided for each of the nine circuits.

District Court.-The District Court has jurisdiction over criminal offences against the federal laws, as well as over many civil cases. There are now sixty-four districts.

Territorial Courts.-A Territory has a Supreme Court, with three judges appointed by the President, and generally three district courts, presided over by one of its Supreme Court judges. There are also courts in some counties; they are presided over by the judge of the district in which the county is located.

Court of the District of Columbia.-The court of the District of Columbia exercises jurisdiction over civil and

criminal matters within the District. It consists of six judges, appointed by the President.

The Court of Claims.-The Court of Claims holds its sessions in Washington and has the power to decide what claims against the United States shall be paid. It reports to Congress, which, if the claim is found correct, orders it paid.

Consular Courts.-The Consular Courts, held by our consuls in foreign countries, have jurisdiction of trivial cases arising between Americans and foreigners in their business transactions.

MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS.

Privileges of Citizens.-The citizens of each State are entitled to all the privileges of citizens of the other States. The term citizen as here used makes citizenship in the State depend upon citizenship in the United States. In the fourteenth amendment to the Constitution of the United States, citizenship is defined in the following language: "All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside." Citizenship and suffrage are often confused. The former is determined by the statement above quoted; the latter is conferred upon certain classes enumerated in the Constitution of each of the several States; thus, in some States women vote, in others not; and in some, aliens having declared to become citizens, vote, in others

not.

Naturalization.-To become a citizen, an alien must declare upon oath, before a United States or a State Court, at least two years before his naturalization, that he intends to become a citizen and to renounce his allegiance

to his own country, and to any title of nobility, should he have one. If he has complied with this requirement and has been a resident within the United States for at least five years, and one year within the State or Territory in which he applies for citizenship, he receives his naturalization papers, provided he has been a person of good moral character while in this country and loyal to the Constitution. A minor who has resided in the United States three years immediately before becoming of age, may, after arriving at his majority and after having been a resident five years, including the three years of his minority, become a citizen, if he makes oath that it has been his intention for two years to become a citiThe children of persons who have been duly naturalized, being under the age of twenty-one years at the time of the naturalization of their parents, shall, if dwelling in the United States, be considered as citizens thereof. The children of persons who now are or have been citizens of the United States, are, though born out of the limits and jurisdiction of the United States, considered as citizens thereof. The naturalization of Chinamen is expressly prohibited by a law of 1882.

zen.

Requisition. A person who has committed a crime in one State and fled to another, may, if captured, be given up for trial to officers from the State in which the crime was committed. The demand for the delivery of the criminal for trial, is made by the Governor of the State in which the crime was committed, and is addressed to the Governor of the State in which the criminal is found. This demand is called a requisition.

New States. When Congress began its work under the Constitution, only eleven States had given their assent to the new form of government. North Carolina and Rhode