a slight enlargement of the powers of
congress, so as to give that body the power to lay and collect taxes,
and to regulate commerce. But the friends of a national government
prevailed; and we have now a complete government, consisting of the
three departments, legislative, executive, and judicial.

Sec.10. Under the confederation, there was no executive to execute the
ordinances of congress; nor a national judiciary, the state courts being
used for all judicial purposes. There was only a legislature; and that
consisted of a single body, called the congress, appointed by the state
legislatures, and having scarcely power enough to entitle it to the name
of legislature.

Sec.11. But, although the present government, with these three departments
of power, and controlling, in matters of general concern, the action of
the state governments and of individuals, is properly a national
government; yet it is not wholly such, but partly national and partly
federal; some of the federal features of the confederation having been
retained in the constitution, as will appear on a further examination of
this instrument. Hence the union is still called, with propriety, the
_federal union_, and the government the _federal government_.

Chapter XXIX.

Legislative Department. House of Representatives.

Sec.1. The first article of the constitution describes the manner in which
the legislature is formed, and prescribes its principal powers. It
declares, "All legislative powers herein granted shall be vested in a
congress of the United States, which shall consist of a senate and house
of representatives." Members of the old congress were appointed by the
state legislatures for one year, and might be recalled by them at any
time. Representatives are now chosen for two years. It was thought that
a single session was too short a term for men in general to acquire the
knowledge and experience necessary to a right performance of the
responsible duties of a representative. Besides, measures are often left
unfinished at the close of a session; and those who have once examined
their merits and demerits, can dispose of them more promptly than new
members.

Sec.2. The same clause declares that "the electors in each state shall have
the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of
the state legislature." The qualifications of electors were various in
the different states. (Chap. VI, Sec.8.) In some of them, owners