153. The heads of the church represent that establishment in the house of peers; and consist of the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, and of twenty-four English, and four Irish bishops. Other dignities of the church are Deans, or assistants of the bishops.

Arch-Deacons, or subordinate bishops.

Rural Deans, who preside over part of the dio

cese.

Rectors or Vicars of parishes, according as they receive the great or small tythes.

And Curates, who receive a salary for doing the clerical duty.

154. The twelve Judges sit occasionally in the house of lords, but they do not vote. In the law, there are also Recorders, or judges of corporations; Sergeants at law; Barristers, or counsel; and Solicitors or Attornies.

The Attorney and Solicitor-general are barristers, who plead on the legal business of the crown. 155. Sheriffs are officers, who are the executive deputies of the king in their county; they serve all writs and process; keep the prisons; name and summon juries; execute sentences of the law. Coroner's are officers appointed to enquire into the causes of sudden deaths.

Justices of the peace hear complaints; commit offenders for trial, to the sheriffs' public prison; and redress many grievances.

Headboroughs are constables of hundreds: and petty constables execute the warrants of justices.

GOVERNMENT AND LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

156. The government of the United States, is a representative democracy. All power resides

ultimately in the people; but they exercise it by means of their representatives, or persons chosen by them for that purpose. The constitution is a written one; and to its provisions all the departments of the government are bound to conform; and the act of any one of them, even an act of congress, if contrary thereto, is void.

157. The executive power is vested in “THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES." He is chosen every fourth year by electors appointed by the several states. He is the commander in chief of the army and navy; and by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, makes treaties, appoints judges, foreign ministers and other officers. -He is liable to be impeached and removed from office for misbehaviour.-He is re-eligible as often as the people please to re-elect him.

158. The legislative power resides in a CONGRESS, consisting of a Senate and House of Representatives. The Senate consists of two members from each state in the union, chosen by the legislature thereof, and remain in office six years. The members of the House of Representatives are chosen by the people of each state for two years. The Senate has the power to try all impeachments-the house of representatives prefers

them.

159. Every law must be passed by both the Senate and House of Representatives, and also receive the approbation of the President; or if he dissent, two thirds of each house must after his dissent, concur in passing it.

160. The judicial power is vested in a Supreme Court, established by the constitution, and in such inferior courts as congress may think fit to esta

blish. Besides the ordinary exercise of its power of deciding controversies, it is incident to the judicial power of the United States to pass upon the acts of congress and decide upon their constitutionality; a power essential to the maintenance of the rights of the people, but not known in any of the governments of Europe. In England the power of parliament is said " by a figure rather too bold" to be omnipotent; and the people are bound by its acts however arbitrary. In the United States, the legislative power is wisely limited.

161. Besides the general government, whose powers for many purposes extends over the whole union, each state has a separate local government, whose jurisdiction is confined to the regulation of its own concerns. These separate governments are all republican, and consist generally of a governor, and two legislative branches; though the powers of the different departments are variously modelled in the several

states.

162. The rights of personal security, personal liberty, and private property are equally protected in this country as in England, and by much the same means. The Magna Charta, the bulwark of English liberty, is acknowledged in most, probably in every one of the states. The privilege of the Habeas Corpus, the right of trial by jury, to be heard in criminal cases by himself and counsel, to meet the witnesses face to face, to be protected from giving testimony against ones-self, and the other great and essential prin ciples of liberty are firmly established.