5192 SHORTER COURSE IN CIVIL GOVERNMENT. ARRANGED IN TOPICS, WITH NUMEROUS QUESTIONS PREPARED FOR THE USE OF COMMON, SELECT, AND GRAMMAR SCHOOLS. BY CALVIN TOWNSEND, COUNSELOR AT LAW, Author of "Analysis of the Constitution of the United States," "Analysis of Civil NEW YORK .: CINCINNATI .: CHICAGO FROM THE PRESS OF IVISON, BLAKEMAN & COMPANY. MERE, ALLEGE LIBRAL by exchange from CETIN COLLEGE LIBRANT TOWNSEND'S CLASS-BOOKS. FOR THE USE OF SCHOOLS, COLLEGES AND PRIVATE LEARNERS. SHORTER COURSE OF CIVIL GOVERNMENT. An elementary text-book for use in Private, Common, Grammar, and other Schools. Cloth, 240 pages. ANALYSIS OF CIVIL GOVERNMENT. For ad vanced classes in Normal and High Schools, and other Institutions. Cloth, 340 pages. COMMERCIAL LAW. A TEXT-BOOK for Business-Col leges and Universities, and a valuable book of REFERENCE for every Law Library, Counting-room, and Business-man. Sheep, 500 pages. ANALYTICAL CHART OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES. A valuable accompaniment to the above works. 52 pages, 15 × 20 inches each, on rollers. ANALYSIS OF LETTER WRITING. Designed fo the use of Schools, and for persons in Business Life. Cloth 189 pages. Copyright, 1875, by CALVIN TOWNSEND. PREFACE. THE HE first attempt ever made to present the subject of Civil Government in a really didactic form, was made by the author a few years ago, through his Analysis of Civil Government. Although the method was entirely new, and therefore open to fair criticism, that work has been received with favor, and is used as the text-book on the subject by many of our most prominent institutions of learning. From its first appearance, the call for it has increased to an extent both flattering to the author, and gratifying to the publishers. But it would be difficult, if not impossible, to prepare a textbook on any subject, equally adapted to all grades of scholarship. A book may meet the wants of a college or university, which may not be convenient for use in preparatory schools. Hence, while the Analysis of Civil Government has proved its entire fitness for the higher institutions, the calls have been numerous from teachers of common, select, and grammar schools, for a shorter text-book; but on the general plan of the Analysis. Thousands of our live, earnest, devoted educators, believe with a working faith, that the day is not distant when Civil Government will be in the list of compulsory studies in the common school. From many of this class of faithful laborers, the author has received letters, urging and encouraging him to the preparation of this little volume. One correspondent says: "The common schools do not call for a better book than your Analysis of Civil Government; but one that is shorter, simpler, and more easily taught to the boys and girls of ages from twelve to sixteen years. Your Analysis is all that could be asked in high schools, normal schools, and even colleges and universities.” This little volume is not intended to take the place of the author's larger work, herein referred to. Every teacher who uses this, will find that book a great convenience, if not a necessity, on his table. It dwells more at large, and in detail, on many matters that are but very briefly noticed in these pages. The peculiarities of this class-book are, in some degree, the result of friendly suggestions from sources already credited; and are as follows: 1. The matter is presented by topics and in analytical form. 2. The chapters are divided into lessons, each of convenient length for class drill. 3. For convenience in teaching, each lesson is immediately followed by questions relating to the subject-matter thereof. Some other suggestions have been urged which have been entirely disregarded. These propose to take up the State governments, treat them one by one, as independent and separate systems, and teach the duties of town, city, county, and State officers, how they are elected, or appointed, and their compensations. To follow such a suggestion, would require not only several ponderous volumes, but each must be, so far as the science of government is concerned, a substantial repetition of the other. Such books might possibly find place on the shelves of a State library; but there is no place for them in the school-room. They would be nothing but a pile of rubbish. To learn the duties of town, city, and county officers, has nothing whatever to do with the grand and noble subject of Civil Government. It may be doubted whether one who proposes such minutia of detail, has any definite idea of the term Civil Government. Whoever understands the history, purposes, philosophy, and grand plan of the general government, comprehends any State government, by a mere glance at its Constitution. There is such a marked similarity of the State governments to each other, and of all, to the government of the United States, that when the last named is understood by the student, he fully comprehends the others. The author submits the result of his effort to the candid and enlightened judgment of the great army of educators in the United States. He has labored under a most painful burden in this last attempt at authorship; one which he fervently prays that neither teacher nor pupil may ever personally realize. He alone can fully appreciate the embarrassment under which this work has been written who has himself attempted a similar task with sightless eyes. ROCHESTER, N. Y. THE AUTHOR. |