government

& a. [Fr. gouvernement, from gouverner =to govern; Ital. govern a men to.] IMG:content-0659.png:[blocks in formation] "The kingly government of this your land." Shakesp.: Richard III., iii. 7. 2. Guidance, regulation, direction; as, Precepts serve for the government of the conduct. 3. Self-control, evenne of temper. "Defect of manners, want of government." Shakesp.: Henry IV., Pt. I., iii. 1. 4. Control; restraint; regulation; moderation. *5. Manageablene ; docility; obedience. "Each part deprived of supple government , Shall stiff and stark and cold appear, like death." Shakesp.: Romeo and Juliet , iv. 1. *6. The power of controlling or regulating. "Quite beyond the government of patience." Shakesp.: Cymbeline , ii. 4. 7. The form of policy in a state; the mode or sys tem according to which the legislative, executive, and judicial powers are vested and exercised; a system of laws and customs; a constitution (q. v.). There are numerous forms of government, aris tocracy, democracy, despotism, monarchy, oli. garchy, republicanism, . (See these words.) "That ancient constitution and government which is our only security for law and liberty."-Burke: On the French Revolution. 8. The right or power of governing, or of exerting supreme power. "I here resign my government to thee." Shakesp.: Henry VI., Pt. III., iv. 6. 9. An empire, kingdom, or other state; a body politic under one authority; a territory, province, or district under a governor. 10. The council or body of persons intrusted with the administration of the laws; the management of home and foreign affairs, and generally the public busine of a state; the administration; the ministry; the executive power. Government of the United States : The executive power is vested in the President, who holds office for four years and receives annually $50,000. The Vice-President, as President of the Senate, discharges the duties of that office, except in case of the removal or death of the President, in which event he a umes the executive powers. He is elected for the same term of office as the President, and receives $8,000 annually. The President and Vice-President are elected by electors chosen by the people. The number of electors from each State is equal to the whole number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled. The electors vote by ballot. These votes are sent sealed to the President of the Senate, who opens them in the presence of Congre . If there are two parties who have received an equal number of votes, the House of Representatives choose by bal. lot one of them for President, provided a po ible third candidate has not received a majority of the votes, in which case he is entitled to the office. The various Cabinet officers are appointed by the President. They are eight in number, and receive $8,000 each annually. The Cabinet is arranged in the following order of succe ion named in the Presidential Succe ion Act of January 19, 1886, which provides for a succe or for the President and Vice-President should they both die during their term of office: 1. Secretary of State. 2. Secretary of the Treasury. 3. Secretary of War. 4. Attorney-General. 5. Postmaster-General. 6. Secretary of the Navy. 7. Secretary of the Interior. 8. Secretary of Agriculture. The legislative power is vested in Congre , of which there are two branches; the Senate, which is 2052 composed of two members from each State, who hold office for six years, at an annual salary of $5,000; and the House of Representatives, who are elected by a majority of votes cast in the various congre ional districts of each State, to hold office two years, and receive $5,000 annually. The President of the United States is commander in-chief of the army and navy; but the direct supervision of them belongs to the Secretaries of War and of the Navy. The judiciary of the United States consists of a Supreme Court, which sits at Washington, and which is composed of a Chief Justice, who receives $10,500 annually, and eight A ociate Justices, who receive $10,000 annually. They are appointed by the President, and hold office during good behavior. The United States is divided into nine judicial circuits, each of which has a circuit judge, who is paid $6,000 a year. There are also fifty-eight district courts, from which an appeal lies to the circuit court. Each State and Territory has its own local gov ernment, not unlike the general government in its e ential features. The executive authority is vested in the Governor, whose term of office and salary vary in different States. The revenue of the government is chiefly derived from customs duties, proceeds of sales of public lands, and internal revenue taxes upon distilled spirits, fermented liquors, tobacco, etc. In conformity with several acts of Congre , the surplus revenue is devoted to the gradual redemp. tion of the public debt. II. Gram.: The influence of one word in determin ing the case of a second; especially of nouns, verbs, and prepositions; the influence of a word in regard to construction. B. As adj .: Of or pertaining to a government; employed in, by, or for a government; as, a govern ment office, a government official. (1) Crabb thus discriminates between govern ment and administration : "Both these terms may be employed either to designate the act of govern ing and administering, or the persons governing and administering . In both cases government has a more extensive meaning than administration: the government includes every exercise of authority; the administration implies only that exercise of authority which consists in putting the laws or will of another in force: hence, when we speak of the government, as it respects the persons, it implies the whole body of constituted authorities; and the administration , only that part which puts in execution the intentions of the whole." (2) He thus discriminates between government and constitution : "Government implies generally the act of governing or exercising authority under any form whatever; constitution implies any con stituted or fixed form of government : we may have a government without a constitution; we cannot have a constitution without a government ." (Crabb: Eng. Synon.) gov-ern-měnt-al, a. [Eng. government; -al.] Of or pertaining to a government. "Members icy."-London Times. favorable to the governmental pol