interests of each State. It would be almost impossi ble for Congress to make all the laws which are necessary for the well-being of all the people scattered throughout the vast territory of the United States. If we examine the statutes of any State, we shall find that a large number of them relate to local interests in different parts of the State. One law relates to a township, another to a county. ships and counties there are in the United States, and you will see that it would be impossible for Congress to attend to those numerous interests. It is therefore a wise arrangement by which we have State governments to make laws for the States, and a National Government to make laws for the nation.

Consider how many town

The State governments have certain duties to perform in relation to the National government. They make laws providing for and regulating the election of representatives and senators in Congress, and for the choice of presidential electors. They also determine the qualifications of the electors for representatives in Congress.

All the States are divided into counties, except South Carolina, which is divided into districts; and Louisiana, which is divided into parishes. In each county, there is a county seat where courts are held, and an office kept for recording deeds and other legal documents.

In some of the States, the officers of the county

possess power to legislate in some matters pertaining to the county. In the State of New York, the board of supervisors, elected by the towns, possess certain legislative powers.

The New England States, New York, and some other States, are divided into townships, having certain political powers. The inhabitants meet annually and elect town officers, lay taxes, and make regulations in regard to local matters.

The legislatures of the States incorporate boroughs and cities. To incorporate a borough or city, is to give it a charter conferring certain specified powers. All our large cities are thus incorporated, and have a city government in addition to that of the county and State. Thus the city of New York has, for some objects, a government of its own-forms, as it were, a State within a State.

By the charter of New York, certain legislative powers are vested in a board of aldermen and a board of councilmen, which together constitute the common council. The board of aldermen consists of seventeen members, who are chosen by the people for two years, and the board of councilmen consists of twenty-four members chosen for one year.

The common council have power to make ordinances or laws for the well-being of the city, to make appropriations for every branch and object of city

expenditure. Taxes are laid by the Board of Super visors.

Every legislative act must receive the votes of a majority in both boards, when it must be presented to the mayor for his approval. If he give it his signature, it becomes a law. If he veto it, it may become a law by receiving the votes of two-thirds of both boards.

The members of the common council receive as compensation for their services $2,000 a year.

The executive power of the corporation is vested in the mayor, and in the executive departments. The mayor is elected by the people for two years. The heads of the executive departments, excepting the Croton Aqueduct board, the counsel to the corporation, and the comptroller, are appointed by the mayor, with the advice and consent of the board of aldermen, for four years. They may be removed from office by the governor of the State for certain causes, and in a manner set forth by an act of the legislature.

The executive departments are

1. The department of finance, of which the comptroller is the chief officer. 2. The street department, of which the street commissioner is the chief officer. 3. The law department, of which the counsel to the corporation is the chief officer. 4. The Croton Aqueduct, of which the Croton Aqueduct board, consisting of the president, engineer, and assistant commissioner,

are the chief officers. 5. The almshouse department, of which the governors of the almshouse are the chief officers.

The city chamberlain is appointed by the mayor, with the consent of the board of aldermen. He receives all moneys paid into the treasury of the city, and disburses it on warrants drawn by the comptroller, and countersigned by the mayor and clerk of the common council.

The charter makes no provision for a judiciary distinct from that of the county and the State. The Judges who hold courts in the city are elected by the people in accordance with the laws of the State.

All the large cities of the Union have charter governments similar to that of New York.

A NATION is composed of individuals. Each individual is a moral being. In his conduct as a citizen he is bound by the law of rectitude. Hence the nation is bound by the law of rectitude.

The nations of the earth must have intercourse with each other. That intercourse must be regulated by certain rules. The rules that regulate the intercourse of nations constitute international law. That law should consist of rules prescribed by justice. It does consist of the rules that have received the assent of all the nations of Christendom.

International law is not the result of legislative enactment. There is no international legislature to make laws, no international judiciary to interpret them, and no international executive to enforce them. The usages with respect to national intercourse, recog. nized by all Christian nations, form the body of what is termed international law. These laws have no