substance of the Constitutions of the UNITED STATES and all the INDIVIDUAL STATES, within the scope of TWENTY SMALL PAGES, though occupying at length, about five hundred pages of the same size. Let every young man, then, who desires to increase his stock of useful knowledge, pursue some such plan, for abstracting, arranging, and familiarizing that which is essentially useful, to the exclusion of all that is not useful. EXPLANATION.

The learner will here perceive, that any, and all the matter embraced in the following 20 pages, may be instantly referred to by its appropriate key-viz: C. o. the characteristic letters for the word Constitutions. In section C. o. of the index table, should be placed the figures 100, referring to this page. Here is found, under the word Constitutions, an index to each particular State and Constitution, and the marginal words against each subject complete the reference to the abstract. But for all the constitutions at full length, see "The AMERICAN'S GUIDE," published by Towar & Hogan, Philadelphia.

ABSTRACT OF THE CONSTITUTIONS OF THE UNITED STATES.

UNITED STATES.

Date of Constitution. 1787. (Amended.)

LEGISLATURE.

Name and Term of Congress; house of representatives, and one third of senate, chosen biennially.

Office.

Time of stated Meeting. Qualifications.

Apportionment.

First Monday in December.

Senators, age 30, 9 years' citizenship; representa. tives, age 25, 7 years' citizenship. Both inhabitants of state for which chosen.

Senators, 2 for each state, appointed by the legis latures. Representatives according to population, excluding 2-5 of the slaves.

EXECUTIVE.

Election Term of By electors, appointed as the respective state legislatures may direct; 4 years.

Office.

Qualifications.

Powers.

Successor on Death,
Absence, &c.

Appointment and
Term of Office.

Being a natural born citizen, or a citizen at the adoption of constitution; age 35; 14 years' residence.

Qualified negative; by consent of senate makes treaties, appoints ambassadors, and principal of ficers of the U. States; pardoning power.

Vice-president, who is, ex officio, president of the senate.

JUDICIARY.

By president, with advice and consent of senate; during good behaviour.

MISCELLANEOUS.

Qualifications of Those requisite for the most numerous branch of the respective state legislatures.

Voters.

Day of

General Regulated by legislatures of the respective states.

Election.

Provision for amending Constitution.

Two thirds of congress may propose amendments; or, on application of two thirds of state legislatures, shall call a convention. Amendments to be ratified by three fourths of the states.

Date of Constitution. 1819.

MAINE.

LEGISLATURE.

Name and Term of Legislature of Maine, annually; senate and house

Office.

of representatives.

Time of stated Meet-First Wednesday in January.

ing.

Qualifications.

Apportionment.

Five years' citizenship, 1 year state and 3 months' district residence. Senators, age 25.

In proportion to population.

EXECUTIVE.

Election; Term of By the people, annually.

Office.

Qualifications.

Powers.

Citizenship; 5 years' state residence; age 30.

Qualified negative; official patronage, and pardoning power, jointly with council.

Successor on Death, President of senate.

Absence, &c.

Council; Number; Seven; by legislature; citizenship and state resi Election; Qualifi-dence; to advise the governor in the executive part cations; Powers.

of government.

JUDICIARY.

By governor and council; during good behaviour till age of 70. Justices of peace for 7 years.

By impeachment.

MISCELLANEOUS.

Qualifications of Citizenship, and 3 months' state residence.

Voters.

General Second Monday in September.

Day of
Election.

Provision for amend-The sense of the people may be taken on amending Constitution. ments proposed by two thirds of legislature.

NEW HAMPSHIRE.

Date of Constitution. 1792.

LEGISLATURE.

Name and Term of General court, annually; senate of 12, and house of

Freehold; district residence, Senators, age 30, 7 years' state residence; representatives, two years'.

Apportionment.

Senators, in proportion to taxation; representatives, to number of ratable polls.

EXECUTIVE.

Election; Term of By the people; annually.

Office.

Qualifications.

Powers.

Successor on Death,
Absence, &c.

Freehold; age 30; 7 years' residence.

Qualified negative; official patronage, and pardon. ing power, jointly with council.

President of senate.

Council; Number; Five; by the people; freehold, age 30, 7 years' state Election; Qualifi- residence; official patronage and power to reprieve cations; Powers. and pardon jointly with the governor.

JUDICIARY.

Appointment and By governor and council; judges of supreme court during good behaviour till age of 70.

Term of Office.

How removable.

By impeachment.

Provision for amend-The sense of the people to be taken septennially on ing Constitution. the subject of a revision of the constitution.

MASSACHUSETTS.

Date of Constitution. 1780. (Amended 1821.)

LEGISLATURE.

Name and Term of General court, annually; senate of 40, and house of Office.

Time of stated Meet ing.

Qualifications.

Apportionment.

representatives.

Last Wednesday in May and in January.

Senators, freehold of £300 or personal estate of £600, 5 years' residence. Representatives, freehold of £100 or ratable estate of £200, 1 year's residence. Senators, in proportion to taxation; representa. tives, to number of ratable polls.

EXECUTIVE.

Election; Term of By the people; annually.

Office.

Qualifications.

Freehold of £1000; 7 years' residence; of the Christian religion.

Powers.

|Qualified negative; official patronage and pardoning power, jointly with council.

Successor on Death, Lieutenant-governor.

Absence, &c.

Council; Number; Nine, besides the lieutenant-governor; by legisla Election; Qualifi- ture, from those elected by the people as counsel. cations; Powers. lors and senators; those left constitute the senate.

Appointment and
Term of Office.

How removable.

Qualifications

Voters.

JUDICIARY.

By governor and council; during good behaviour.
Justices of the peace for 7 years.

By impeachment; by governor and council, on ad-
dress of both houses of the legislature.

MISCELLANEOUS.

of Citizenship, 1 year's state, and 6 months' district residence, and payment of taxes.

Day of General Governor and senate, first Monday in April. Representatives, May.

Election.

Provision for amending Constitution.

The sense of the people to be taken on any amendments agreed to by a majority of senate and two thirds of representatives, at two successive sessions.

RHODE ISLAND.

Date of Constitution. Charter of Charles II. 1663.

LEGISLATURE.

Name and Term of General assembly; council of 12, including governor and deputy-governor, and house of representatives.

Office.

Time of stated Meet- First Wednesday of May and last Wednesday of Ocing. tober.

Election.

Powers.

By the people.

EXECUTIVE.

A vote in the council; but no negative on acts of both houses.

Successor on Death, Deputy-governor.

Absence, &c.

JUDICIARY.

Appointment and Annually elected by the legislature.
Term of Office.

Note.

Rhode Island has no written constitution, being still governed by the original charter granted by king Charles II. of Great Britain,