Each member of the cabinet, as well as the President and Vice-President, has the franking privilege. They rank next to the President and Vice-President. Members of both houses of Congress often resign to take these positions, which are exceedingly laborious when the duties are efficiently and thoroughly performed.

On the last night of a session of Congress, it is usual for them to attend with the President at the Vice-President's room in the Capitol, to advise him on the subject of signing bills which may then be passed.

2. When the President attends on any public occasion, some or all the cabinet accompany him; and especially at funerals of members of Congress or other distinguished persons.

Members of the cabinet call upon the President and each other without ceremony.

Their general duties are wholly distinct from each other.

It is through these officers that the President causes the laws to be executed. Each is charged, either specially or generally, with the execution of those which pertain to his own department. In the early days of the government, the President gave special directions to each department what acts it should execute. This appropriate and safe practice is now seldom resorted to. All the acts of the departments are, in theory and in law, in the name of

the President, whether so stated or not, except where Congress specially devolves a duty upon them, as sometimes occurs. Each receives a salary of eight thousand dollars.

CHAPTER XXVII.

I. THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.

THIS office is created and its most important duties. prescribed by the constitution. Other duties have been imposed by statute under various powers conferred upon Congress.

The executive power of the government is in terms vested in him.

He holds his office for the term of four years, unless removed on impeachment.

No person not a native-born citizen, thirty-five years of age, and resident for fourteen years in the United States, can become president.

2. HOW THE PRESIDENT IS ELECTED.

Each State appoints, in such manner as the legislature thereof may direct, a number of electors equal to the whole number of senators and representatives to which the State may be entitled in Congress.

Congress having the power to do so, has fixed the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November as the time of choosing electors, and the first Wednesday in December as the time of casting their votes throughout the United States.

The electors meet in their respective States on the day thus fixed and vote separately for president and vice-president.

The electors make distinct lists of all persons voted for as president and all persons voted for as vice-president, and of the number of votes for each, which lists they sign and certify and transmit, sealed, to the seat of government of the United States, directed to the president of the Senate. By law, a duplicate is delivered to the district judge of the district in which the electors assemble. The same act provides that Congress shall be in session on the second Wednesday in February succeeding the meeting of the electors, at which time the certificates are to be opened and the votes counted.

By the constitution, the president of the Senate, in the presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, opens all certificates, and the votes are then counted by him. The person having the greatest number of votes, if a majority of the whole number of votes given, is declared elected.

If no person has such majority, then, from the three highest on the list, the House of Representatives voting by ballot and by States, each State having one vote, elects a president.

3. The President's official term, by law, commences on the fourth of March, when he publicly takes the following oath of office:

"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United

States, and will, to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the constitution of the United States."

Either immediately before or after taking this oath each of our presidents has delivered an inaugural address, setting forth more or less fully the principles upon which he proposes to administer the govern

ment.

4. The cabinet of his predecessor usually tender their resignations; and among the first duties of a new president is to appoint a new cabinet from among those whose political views harmonize with his own.

The outgoing president convenes, by proclamation, the Senate to meet the day after inauguration, to act upon the nominations for a new cabinet, and such. other officers as the incoming president may desire. The most important period of an administration is during its organization and commencement of operations.

5. HOW A PRESIDENT IS REMOVED.

No President of the United States has ever been removed from office by impeachment. This can only be done by impeaching him for and "on conviction of treason, bribery, or other high crime or misdemeanor."

The House of Representatives has the sole power of impeachment.

The Senate has the sole power to try all impeach