Page:Back to the Republic.djvu/144

 of President of the United States, and will, to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States." Powers and Duties of the President

Sec. 2. The President shall be commander-in-chief of the army and navy of the United States, and of the militia of the several States, when called into the actual service of the United States; he may acquire the opinion, in writing, of the principal officer in each of the executive departments, upon any subject relating to the duties of their respective offices; and he shall have power to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States, except in cases of impeachment. He shall have power, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to make treaties, provided two-thirds of the Senators present concur; and he shall nominate, and by and with the advice and consent of the Senate shall appoint, ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls, judges of the Supreme Court, and all other officers of the United States whose appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by law; but the Congress may by law vest the appointment of such inferior offices as they think proper in the President alone, in the courts of law, or in the heads of departments. The President shall have power to fill up vacancies that may happen during the recess of the Senate, by granting commissions which will expire at the end of their next session. The President's Duties Sec. 3. He shall from time to time give to the Congress information of the state of the Union, and recommend to