The need for two chambers in a federal state has become an axiom of political science. Where there is a twofold sovereignty, that of the whole nation, and that of the states or Cantons, which are joined together to form it, each sovereignty must be represented in the legislature. With the two chambers, one representing the people as a whole, the other the integral parts as constituent members of the whole, each element is a check upon the other by the coexistence of equal authority. By the Constitution of 1874, “With reservation of the rights of the people and of the Cantons the supreme authority of the Swiss Confederation is exercised by the Federal Assembly, which consists of two sections or councils, to wit: “1. The National Council (_Nationalrath_; _Conseil National_). 2. The Council of States (_Ständerath_; _Conseil des États_).” Relating to the National Council, the Constitution has eight articles, viz.: 1. The National Council is composed of representatives of the Swiss people, chosen in the ratio of one member for each twenty thousand persons of the total population. Fractions of upward of ten thousand persons are reckoned as twenty thousand. Every Canton, and in the divided Cantons every half-Canton, chooses at least one representative. 2. The elections for the National Council are direct. They are held in federal electoral districts, which in no case shall be formed out of parts of different Cantons. 3. Every male Swiss who has completed twenty years of age, and who in addition is not excluded from the rights of active citizenship by the legislation of the Canton in which he is domiciled, has the right to take part in elections and popular votes. Nevertheless, the Confederation by law may establish uniform regulations for the exercise of such right. 4. Every lay Swiss citizen who has the right to vote is eligible as member of the National Council. 5. The National Council is elected for three years, and entirely renewed at each general election. 6. Members of the Council of States, or of the Federal Council, or officials appointed by the latter, shall not at the same time be members of the National Council. 7. The National Council chooses from among its members, for each regular or extraordinary session, a President and a Vice-President. A member who has held the office of President during the regular session is not eligible either for President or Vice-President of the next regular session. The same member may not be Vice-President for two consecutive regular sessions. The President shall have the casting vote in case of a tie; in elections, he votes in the same manner as any other member. 8. The members of the National Council receive a compensation from the federal treasury.