2. CONGRESS.

THE Congress of the United States consists of a Senate and House of Representatives, and must assemble at least once every year, on the 1st Monday of December, unless it is otherwise provided by law.

The Senate is composed of two members from each State; and of course, the regular number is now 52. They are chosen by the legislatures of the several States, for the term of six years, one third of them being elected biennially.

The Vice President of the United States is the President of the Senate, in which body he has only a casting vote, which is given in case of an equal division of the votes of the Senators. In his absence a President, pro tempore, is chosen by the Senate.

The House of Representatives is composed of members from the several States, elected by the people, for the term of two years. The Representatives are apportioned among the different States, according to population. The 28th Congress is chosen according to the act of Congress of 1842, the ratio being one Representative for every 70,680 persons in each State, and of one additional Representative for each State having a fraction greater than one moiety of the said ratio, computed according to the rule prescribed by the Constitution of the United States." The law of 1842 also requires, that the Representatives of each State "shall be elected by districts composed of a contiguous territory equal in number to the number of Representatives to which said State may be entitled, no one district electing more than one Representative." The present number is 223 Representatives, and 3 Delegates.

Since the 4th of March, 1807, the compensation of each member of the Senate and House of Representatives has been $8 a day, during the period of his attendance in Congress, without deduction in case of sickness; and $8 for every twenty miles' travel, in the usual road, in going to and returning from the seat of government. The compensation of the President of the Senate, pro tempore, and of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, is $16 a day.

TWENTY-EIGHTH CONGRESS. THE SENATE.

WILLIE P. MANGUM, of North Carolina, President pro tempore.

Name.

[The figures denote the expiration of the terms of the Senators.]
Residence.

Name.

Residence.

John Fairfield,

George Evans,

New Hampshire.

Charles G. Atherton, Nashua,

Levi Woodbury,

Saco, 1849 William Upham, Montpelier, 1849
Gardiner, 1847 Samuel S. Phelps, Middlebury, 1845

Portsmouth, 1847 Isaac C. Bates, Northampton, 1847

N. P. Tallmadge, Poughkeepsie, 1845 Alex. Barrow, Baton Rouge,

1847

James Buchanan, Lancaster,
Daniel Sturgeon, Uniontown, 1845 Spencer Jarnagin, Athens, 1847

1849 Ephraim H. Foster, Nashville, 1845

R. H. Bayard, Wilmington, 1845 John J. Crittenden, Frankfort, 1849 Thomas Clayton, Newcastle, 1847 J. T. Morehead,

Maryland.

do.

1847

Ohio.

Wm. D. Merrick, Allen's Fresh, 1845 William Allen, Chillicothe, 1847 1849 Benjamin Tappan, Steubenville, 1845

James A. Pearce, Kent Co.

Wm. H. Haywood, Jr., Raleigh, 1849 E. A. Hannegan, Covington,
W. P. Mangum, Red Mountain, 1847 Albert S. White, Lafayette,

1849

1845

George M'Duffie, Edgefield C.H., 1849 Sidney Breese, Clinton Co.
Daniel E. Huger, Charlestown, 1847 James Semple, Alton,

1849

1847

Walter T. Colquitt, Columbus, 1849 David R. Atchison, Platte City, 1849 John M. Berrien, Savannah, 1847 Thomas H. Benton, St. Louis, 1845

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 28TH CONGRESS,

which will expire on the 3d of March, 1845.

[The numbers attached to the names show the Districts in each State from which the members were chosen. When no numbers are given, they were chosen by general ticket.]

JOHN W. JONES, of Virginia, Speaker.