with his objections, to that house in which it shall have originated, who shall enter the objections at large on their journal, and proceed to reconsider it. If, after such reconsideration, two thirds of the house shall agree to pass the bill, it shall be sent, together with the objections, to the other house, by which it shall likewise be reconsidered, and, if approved by two thirds of that house, it shall become a law. If any bill shall not be returned by the president within ten days (Sundays excepted) after it shall have been presented to him, the same shall be a law, in like manner as if he had signed it, unless the congress, by their adjournment, prevent its return, in which case it shall not be a law."

The provision giving to the president power to negative bills which shall have passed both houses, otherwise called the veto power, was not adopted without much discussion. It was opposed on the ground that the action of congress upon any subject ought to be regarded as the acof the people, and must be presumed to be the expression of their will; and that, with this power, a single individual might defeat the represented will of a majority of the people. On the other hand, it was believed to be improb able that a president would ever so far forget his responsibility to the people, as to abuse this power. This power was meant to afford additional security against the passage of improper laws through want of due reflection; but it was thought necessary chiefly to defend the executive department against usurpation by the legislative power. Without this check, the president might gradually be stripped of his authority.

What is the power of an executive to negative a bill called? Why is the power given?

CHAPTER V.

Revenue.-Taxes, Duties, &c.

By revenue is understood the annual income of a nation, or those contributions to its treasury which are levied to defray the expenses of government. The money required for this purpose is usually raised by taxation. The constitution therefore authorizes congress "to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts, and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the common defence and general welfare." It was necessary that congress should possess this power, as no government can be supported without the means of procuring an adequate supply of revenue.

Taxes are that portion of the property of its subjects, which a government exacts from them to supply the public necessities. These are called direct taxes, and are either taxes on land, or capitation or poll taxes, The treasury of the United States has been several times supplied by tax on landed property. But it is many years since direct taxes were resorted to. The income derived from duties on importations, from the sales of public lands, and from the post office, has proved sufficient to pay all the charges of the government, and to diminish rapidly the public debt. Duties on imported goods, however, constitute the chief portion of the revenue. They are called indirect taxes, because they are not directly levied upon property, but they merely affect the expense or consumption of goods. Duties, customs, excises and imposts,

What is revenue? Whence does congress derive power to raise a revenue? For what purpose is a national revenue needed? What are taxes? What are direct taxes? What kind of taxes are duties, excises, &c.? Why called indirect taxes? On what are du

are words of nearly the same meaning. They are laid on imports and tonnage.

Duties on Imports. Imports are articles brought into a country from a foreign place. A duty on imports is not merely a tax on the act of importation, but an impost on the article imported. Duties are either specific or ad valorem. A specific duty is a tax of a certain, specified amount, laid upon an article by weight or measure, or in the gross. Thus a duty of ten cents on a pound of tea, or fifty cents on a yard of cloth, is called a specific duty. Ad valorem is a Latin phrase, signifying according to the value. Ad valorem duties are therefore such as bear a certain proportion to the value of the goods. A duty of fifty per cent., that is, at the rate of fifty cents on every dollar, or fifty dollars on every hundred dollars of the cost or estimated value of goods, is an ad valorem duty. Thus, if a yard of cloth, valued at one dollar, were subject to a duty of fifty per cent., such duty would be fifty cents a yard; if the value of the cloth were two dollars, the duty at the same rate would be one dollar a yard the amount of duty on the yard varying according to the value of the article.

Tonnage Duties. Tonnage is the amount of goods that a ship will carry; the contents or burthen of a ship; or the amount of weight she may carry. The duty charged on ships according to their burthen, or the number of tons at which they are rated, is called tonnage duty. These duties are usually fixed by congress. Some of the regulations with regard to tonnage duties are the following:

By acts of 1790 and 1817, vessels of the United States, when entered in the United States from a foreign port or place, are made subject to a duty of six cents a ton; but

ties usually laid? What are imports? What are specific duties? What are ad valorem dutics? What is the meaning of tonnage?

if the officers and two thirds at least of the crew of a vessel be not citizens of the United States, there shall be paid on such vessel fifty cents a ton. On every such vessel, entered in a district in one state, from a district in another state, the duty is six cents; but unless three fourths of the crew be American citizens, fifty cents a ton shall be paid. But the law imposes a higher duty on foreign. than on American vessels. The above acts provide that on vessels built within the United States, but which belong wholly or in part to subjects of foreign powers, a duty of thirty cents a ton shall be paid; on other vessels, fifty cents a ton. On foreign vessels, entered in the United States from a foreign port at which American vessels are not ordinarily permitted to trade, there shall be paid a duty of two dollars a ton. Duties imposed on the tonnage of vessels, must in all cases be paid to the collector at the time of making entry, and before any goods may be unladen.

Drawback. A drawback is an allowance made to importing merchants on the re-exportation of certain goods. This allowance consists either of the whole or a part of the duties which had been paid upon the importation In England, the practice prevails to some extent, of allowing the merchant who imports a commodity which he may wish to export again, to deposit it in the public warehouses, giving a bond for the payment of the duties should he dispose of it for home consumption. This is called bonding. In the United States, a drawback is allowed on all such as shall be re-exported to a foreign place, within twelve months after the duties on the importation shall have been paid, or security given for the payment of the same provided the exportation be made by the sea, in vessels of not less than thirty tons burthen.

To what duty are vessels of the United States subject? In what cases is a higher duty levied? Why is this preference given t American vessels? What is a drawback? Under what circum

No drawback may be allowed on goods, unless the duties thereon amount to fifty dollars, nor unless they be exported in the original packages in which they were imported. For all goods entitled to drawback, the exporter receives from the collector a debenture for the amount of the drawback to which the goods are entitled. A debenture is a certificate stating the sum due to the exporter for the drawback of duties. It is made payable at the time when the duties on the goods shall become due; and the collector shall discharge the debenture out of the products of the duties arising on the importation of the goods.

CHAPTER VI.

Revenue-continued.-Collection of the Customs.

Officers of the Customs. There is appointed in every district of the United States, a collector, whose duty it is to receive, at the port within his district, all reports, manifests and documents to be made or exhibited on the entry of any vessel, to record all manifests, and to receive the entries of all vessels and the goods imported in them. He is also required to estimate the duties, to receive all moneys paid for duties, and to take bonds for securing the payment thereof. He grants all permits for the unlading and delivery of goods; and, with the approbation of the principal officer of the treasury, he employs proper persons as weighers, measurers, gaugers and inspectors at

stances are drawbacks allowed? What is a debenture?

What are the duties of a collector of the customs? Of a surveyor?