Civil Government of Virginia Part 5

The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court of the United States. Its members or judges are appointed by the President and hold office for life, and it sits at Was.h.i.+ngton and tries cases in which any person or persons are accused of violating the Const.i.tution of the United States. The members of the district and circuit courts of the United States are also appointed by the President. These courts sit in various districts of States, and try cases in which persons are accused of violating the laws of the United States--that is, the laws made by Congress.

The word circuit means a going round. A district in which the same judges go round at certain times and hold courts in several places is called a circuit, and the courts so held are called circuit courts.

QUESTIONS.

1. For how many years and by whom is the governor elected?

2. Where must the governor reside?

3. Is the governor eligible for a second term?

4. What is the governor's salary?

5. What is the seat of government?

6. What qualifications are necessary in a candidate for governor?

7. Mention some of the powers and duties of the governor.

8. Why is the governor called the chief executive officer?

9. What is the governor's message?

10. What is the militia?

11. Define naval forces, invasion, insurrection.

12. What is a fine?

13. What is a reprieve?

14. What are political disabilities?

15. What is capital punishment?

16. Define commissions and grants.

17. What is the veto power?

18. When does the lieutenant-governor act as governor?

19. In case of the inability of both the governor and lieutenant- governor, who acts as governor?

20. How is the lieutenant-governor chosen?

21. What are the qualifications of the lieutenant-governor?

22. Does the lieutenant-governor ever vote in the Senate?

23. What is an equal division?

24. What is an attorney?

25. For how long is the attorney-general elected?

26. What is his salary?

27. What are his duties?

28. What are circuit courts?

IV.

EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT--Continued.

Secretary of the Commonwealth.

Elected. By the people at the General Election for a term of four years. Salary, $2,500.

Duties. Shall keep a record of all executive acts; shall attest the signature of the Governor on all official doc.u.ments; shall keep the seals of the commonwealth; shall arrange and preserve all records and papers belonging to the Executive Department; shall be charged with the clerical duties of that department, and render the Governor such services as he may require in the dispatch of executive business; shall be general librarian, and have charge of the library fund; shall receive and transmit election returns directed by law to be sent to him, and keep a record of the certified statements and determinations of the Board of State Canva.s.sers; issue certificates of election; collect tax on State seal; keep on file the reports of other departments and make and record a summary of each; record all charters of incorporation; shall make quarterly reports to the Governor.

COMMISSIONS are fees or payments for certain work done. The secretary of the commonwealth may charge fees for making out copies of any public papers or doc.u.ments kept hi his office, or for issuing commissions (letters of appointment) to certain public officers. The person who receives the copy or commission must pay the fee.

A RECORD is a written account or description of any business or work done. EXECUTIVE ACTS are official acts of the governor. The secretary of the commonwealth must make records of such acts and preserve them in his office. He must sign his own name after the signature of the governor on all official doc.u.ments. This is called ATTESTING the signature.

There are two SEALS OF THE COMMONWEALTH. One is called the GREAT SEAL, and the other the LESSER SEAL. (For form and description of seal, see under POWERS AND DUTIES of governor, page 28.) The great seal is much larger in size than the lesser. It is affixed to doc.u.ments signed by the governor which are to be used for purposes outside the jurisdiction of the State, or, for example, in a United States court, or in another State or foreign country. The lesser seal is affixed to public doc.u.ments signed by the governor which are issued for use within the State.

CLERICAL DUTIES are the duties of writing letters, records, and other papers or doc.u.ments. A GENERAL LIBRARIAN is one who has general charge or control of a library. The LIBRARY FUND is the books and maps belonging to the State. These are kept in the State library at the capital, and the secretary of the commonwealth is the librarian.

ELECTION RETURNS when made up by the judges of election are sent to the commissioners of elections and afterwards to the Board of State Canva.s.sers. The board determines and decides who have been elected, and the secretary must KEEP A RECORD of the Board's DETERMINATIONS.

After the election returns are examined by the State board, the secretary makes out CERTIFICATES OF ELECTION for certain State officers elected at the polls. The certificate is a paper certifying or stating that the person has been elected. There is a TAX or charge on the use of the State seals on certain doc.u.ments, and this tax is collected by the secretary of the commonwealth.

The secretary must KEEP ON FILE--that is, preserve--in his office the reports of other public departments of the State, and make a summary, or sketch, of the contents of each.

A CHARTER OF INCORPORATION is a paper or doc.u.ment granted by the General a.s.sembly, and giving power to a number of persons to carry on business as a corporation, or to the people of a town or city to carry on the business of government within their own districts.

TREASURER.

Elected. At the General Election for term of four years. Salary, $2,000 and commissions allowed by law.

Duties. Shall receive and disburse, only upon a warrant from the proper Auditor, all moneys paid into the Treasury of the State; shall pay interest on certain bonds as they become due and payable; shall be the custodian of bonds held by the Commissioners of the Sinking Fund, and of bonds deposited by foreign express and insurance companies doing business in the State; shall make quarterly and annual reports to the Governor.

The treasurer is the person who receives and takes charge of money belonging to the State. The building in which the money is kept and in which the treasurer has his office is called the treasury.