The first Catholic Bishop in the United States (John Carroll, D. D., of Baltimore) was consecrated in 1790. The Catholics increase rapidly, mostly by emigration from Europe. They have now 21 dioceses, 1 archbishop, and 26 bishops; and, according to the "Catholic Almanac" for 1845, 675 churches and chapels, 592 stations, 572 clergymen on missions, and 137 clergymen otherwise employed, 22 ecclesiastical seminaries, 220 clerical students, 28 literary institutions for young men, 63 female academies, 29 female religious institutions, and 94 charitable institutions. Summary of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. [From the Metropolitan Catholic Almanac for 1845.] REMARK.- The population here marked, as far as it extends, is from official sources; and if we suppose the aggregate Catholic population of the other dioceses to amount to 260,000, (which cannot fall short of the truth,) we will have 1,071,800, an estimate considerably less than that furnished for several years past. Progress of Romanism in the United States in ten years. 1834. Dioceses, 13; Bishops, 14; Churches, (houses of worship,) 272; Priests, 327; Ecclesiastical Seminaries, 12; Colleges, 9. 1840. Dioceses, 16; Bishops, 17; Churches, 454; Priests, 482; Ecclesiastical Seminaries, 16; Colleges, 11. 1845. — Dioceses, 21, and one Apostolical Vicarate; Bishops, 26; Churches, 675; Priests, 709; Ecclesiastical Seminaries, 22; Colleges, 15. 4. SUMMARY OF THE PRINCIPAL RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS, According to returns made in 1843-5, and by estimate. Churches in New York.-There are 206 churches and places of public worship in New York, of which 36 are Protestant Episcopal, 29 Presbyterian, 24 Methodist Episcopal, 21 Baptists, 16 Roman Catholic, 17 Dutch Reformed, 8 Jewish, 8 African, 5 Congregational, 5 Associate Reformed Presbyterian, 4 Universalist, 4 French, 3 Lutheran, 3 Reformed Presbyterian, 2 Unitarian, 2 Welch, 1 Methodist Protestant, 18 Miscellaneous. Connected with the various congregations are 39 moral and religious societies. Churches in Philadelphia.-- There are in Philadelphia 17 Baptist churches, 11 Roman Catholic, 1 "Christian chapel," 12 for colored congregations, 1 Disciples of Christ, 2 Dutch Reformed, 20 Episcopal, 7 Friends', 3 German Reformed, 2 Jews' Synagogues, 5 Lutheran, 2 Mariners,' 22 Methodist Episcopal, 4 Methodist Protestant, 1 Moravian, 2 New Jerusalem, 33 Presbyterian, 1 Unitarian, 4 Universalist, 1 Independent. Total 150. XXV. 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 54. 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 29th 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 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 224 Representatives, and 2 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 Rep resentatives, is $16 a day. TWENTY-NINTH CONGRESS. THE SENATE. [The figures denote the expiration of the terms of the Senators.] John Fairfield, Saco, George Evans, New Hampshire. 1851 William Upham, Montpelier, 1849 Gardiner, 1847 Samuel S. Phelps, Middlebury, 1851 Massachusetts. Charles G. Atherton, Nashua, 1849 Daniel Webster, Marshfield, Levi Woodbury, Portsmouth, 1847) John Davis, 1851 Worcester, 1847 |