Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Lately Published
- LETTER I To the Count Jules de Béthizy
- LETTER II To the Abbate Giromachi
- LETTER III To the Same
- LETTER IV To the Count Jules de Béthizy
- LETTER V To the Baron Von Kemperfelt
- LETTER VI To the Abbate Giromachi
- LETTER VII To the Same
- LETTER VIII To the Count Jules de Béthizy
- LETTER IX To the Professor Christian Jansen
- LETTER X To Sir Edward Waller, Bart
- LETTER XI To the Same
- LETTER XII To the Professor Jansen
- LETTER XIII To the Count Jules de Béthizy
- LETTER XIV To the Abbate Giromachi
- LETTER XV To the Professor Christian Jansen
- LETTER XVI To Sir Edward Waller, Bart
- LETTER XVII To the Same
- LETTER XVIII To the Same
- LETTER XIX To the Count Jules de Béthizy
- LETTER XX To the Same
- LETTER XXI To Sir Edward Waller, Bart
- NOTES
LETTER III - To the Same
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 29 August 2010
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Lately Published
- LETTER I To the Count Jules de Béthizy
- LETTER II To the Abbate Giromachi
- LETTER III To the Same
- LETTER IV To the Count Jules de Béthizy
- LETTER V To the Baron Von Kemperfelt
- LETTER VI To the Abbate Giromachi
- LETTER VII To the Same
- LETTER VIII To the Count Jules de Béthizy
- LETTER IX To the Professor Christian Jansen
- LETTER X To Sir Edward Waller, Bart
- LETTER XI To the Same
- LETTER XII To the Professor Jansen
- LETTER XIII To the Count Jules de Béthizy
- LETTER XIV To the Abbate Giromachi
- LETTER XV To the Professor Christian Jansen
- LETTER XVI To Sir Edward Waller, Bart
- LETTER XVII To the Same
- LETTER XVIII To the Same
- LETTER XIX To the Count Jules de Béthizy
- LETTER XX To the Same
- LETTER XXI To Sir Edward Waller, Bart
- NOTES
Summary
I have been a daily visiter at the capitol. The proceedings of the two houses are never without interest, since they control the entire foreign policy of this growing republic, which is daily becoming of more importance in the eyes of Christendom. Some of the peculiar practice of American legislation may be of interest, and before I write of individuals, I will attempt a brief outline of their forms.
You probably know already that the president of the United States is assisted by a cabinet. It is composed of four secretaries, (state, treasury, war, and navy,) and of the attorney-general. As the president is alone answerable for his proper acts, these ministers have no further responsibility than as their own individual agency is concerned. They have no seats in congress, since the constitution forbids that any officer of the general government should be a representative either of a state (a senator), or of the people (a member of the house of representatives). Thus, the judges and generals, and colonels, of which one reads in congress, are not officers of the United States, but of the states themselves. The difference is material, since the authorities by whom they are commissioned have no power over the measures on which they are called to legislate. You will understand me better if I go a little into detail.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Notions of the AmericansPicked Up by a Travelling Bachelor, pp. 47 - 57Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2009