Elementary Catechism on the Constitution of the United States. For the Use of Schools.

by Arthur J. Stansbury

Each House has power to alter its own Rules of Order; or to suspend them, that is to say, a particular rule may be disobeyed for a certain time; after which it is again in force.

Are these Journals published? that is, printed and sold? A. Yes; excepting such parts as either House of Congress may think proper to keep secret for a time, when the public good requires it.

But if one fifth of the Members present when any measure is proposed, require that the names of those who voted for and against it, be put down in the Journal, it must be done.

Is this still true?

Their chief and best reward is the honor of serving their country;

Ought they to be allowed to fix their own wages? A. It cannot be avoided; the rate must be fixed by law, and there is none who have power to make law for this country but the Congress only.

When is a person guilty of treason? A. When he makes war against the United States—(that is, when he endeavors by force to overturn or to resist the Government,) or when he helps or comforts others who are making war against them.

Treason

A Member usually proposes that some other Members, called a Committee, shall consider whether it will not be proper to make a law for some particular matter, which he explains.

It is hard to conceive how greater care could be taken that no wicked, unjust, oppressive, hasty, or unwise Law should pass.

Nothing of human contrivance is wholly free from some defect or other;

But it is far better to put up with this, than to lose the precious blessing of so free and safe a mode of Legislation.

You have said that no Laws can be made for the United States, but by Congress; may Congress make any Laws they please? A. No. Their power is limited by the Constitution; that is, they have no power, but what the Constitution says they have. It must always be remembered, that the States, when they united to form the General Government, had full power to govern themselves; and that they gave up only a part of their power, for the general welfare. Whatever power, therefore, is not given by the Constitution, to the General Government, still belongs either to the State Governments, or to the people of the United States.

What power is given to Congress, by the...

It may "lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts, and Excises."

What are Duties? A. Duties are sums of money, which must be paid by persons who bring goods of any kind from another country, into the United States, and which are in proportion to the quantity or value of such goods. It is paid at certain places called Custom-houses, and is sent from these to the Treasury of the United States.

Every Government must have large sums of money, to use for the public good, and this is the proper way of getting it.

Ought the people to complain of having to pay Taxes and Duties? A. Certainly not; because they all receive the benefit. If nobody would pay Taxes, nobody could be defended by armies, fleets, or forts; nobody could be paid for making or for executing the laws; the whole country would soon be without law, safety, or order; and we should all be miserable. Whoever, therefore, cheats the Government of its duties, does in reality cheat himself and his neighbor, and acts like the enemy of his country.

"To borrow money on the credit of the United States."

It may make rules according to which the Commerce of the citizens of the United States with other nations (that is the exchange of our goods for theirs, or for money, by means of vessels or other conveyances) shall be carried on;

You recollect what was before said about naturalization, which means the admitting of a foreigner (that is, a native of some other country) to become a citizen of the United States:—Congress has power to make one uniform rule according to which this shall be done throughout the country.

It may coin money;

may also fix what shall be the value of coin that has been marked or stamped in any other country, when it is used in the United States. It may likewise declare one uniform size for the weights and measures used throughout our country.

They may "establish Post Offices and Post Roads."

It may grant what are termed Patent Rights and Copy Rights.

Congress may give him an exclusive right to make and sell what he has contrived, for a certain number of years; during that time nobody else may make or sell that article without leave from the man who contrived it,

This is called a Patent Right.

Whoever writes a book may also have the exclusive right to print and sell...

this is called a Co...

it may appoint as many Courts as it thinks fit;

it has one most solemn and important power, the power of Declaring War between the United States and any other nation.

If they attempt to aid the enemy, or forcibly hinder the success of the war, they commit treason.

Treason

can they raise Armies; that is, can they hire soldiers to fight for the country? A. They can; and pay, clothe, and feed them, at the public expense.

Can Congress in like manner, provide and maintain a Navy? that is, buy or build ships of war; and hire, clothe, and feed men to navigate and fight them? A. Yes; and make Rules to govern both Army and Navy.

the people themselves, who are of a proper age to bear the fatigues and hardships of War, are obliged to bear arms and defend their Country when need requires; they are called the Militia.

Militia

they have power to make all the Laws for a certain District, not more than ten miles square, where Congress meets, and where the Chief Officers of Government reside. This is called the Seat of Government.

Washington, District of Columbia

the District of Columbia;

all Forts, Magazines, (that is, places where powder and other things used by an army are laid up) Arsenals, (that is, buildings where arms are kept) and Dock-yards; (that is, places where vessels of war are built) which belong to the United States, are governed, not by the Legislatures of the States in which they may be, but by the General Government alone.

May slaves be imported, that is, brought into the United States? A. No, whoever engages in the slave trade is a pirate.

Slaves

writ of Habeas Corpus.

Writ of Habeas Corpus

It is a command from Court, by which the jailor is forced to allow the prisoner to be brought up before a Judge, that the cause of his being put in prison may be examined into; in order, that if there is no law to keep him there, he may immediately be set at liberty.

When may this right of having a writ of Habeas Corpus, which belongs by the Constitution to every citizen, be suspended? A. Only in cases of rebellion by our own citizens, or invasion of the country by an enemy; when the public danger is so great as to require persons to be kept in prison, who might otherwise be set at liberty. As soon as this extreme danger is past, the right of Habeas Corpus must be immediately restored.

Writ of Habeas Corpus

It is one of the greatest rights of a freeman—and Americans must never surrender it, under any pretext, if they value and would preserve their liberty.

Writ of Habeas Corpus