Worthy of first mention is the admirable work of James Bryce, The American Commonwealth, 2 vols., 1888.  To the student of American institutions and administration these two volumes are indispensable.  In them is contained the best and latest scientific exposition of our political institutions as they exist to-day.  The only criticism that can be made regarding the work is that the executive departments have not received sufficient attention as regards the details of their administration, nor the practical and scientific value of the work performed by their numerous bureaus.  Interesting from an historical point of view is De Tocqueville’s Democracy in America, now fifty years old.  Lalor’s Encyclopaedia of Political Science, Political Economy and American History is by far the best work for reference.  The principal articles in the field of political science are contributed by Dr. J.C.  Bluntschli, those upon United States History by the late Prof.  Alexander Johnston, and those upon Federal Administration by A.R.  Spofford, Librarian of Congress.

Bannatyne’s Hand-book of Republican Institutions in the United States is an authoritative work based upon federal and state laws, and other authoritative sources of information.  It is entirely descriptive and very complete.  Other general works are Mulford’s The Nation:  the Foundation of Civil Order and Political Life in the United States; Laboulaye’s Histoire Politique des Etats-Unis, 3 vols.; and Lamphere’s The United States Government:  Its Organization and Practical Workings, this last being chiefly valuable for its statistical and tabulated information.

Among foreign works that consider the theory and practice of the United States Government, are Bagehot’s English Constitution; Sir Henry Maine’s chapter on the Constitution of the United States in his Popular Government; E.A.  Freeman’s article Presidential Government contained in his Historical Essays (1871); Lord Brougham’s chapter on the Government of the United States in his Political Philosophy, Vol. 3; and E. Boutmy’s Etudes de droit Constitutionel. For current political information McPherson’s Hand-book of Politics, issued every two years since 1870, is valuable.  Besides statistical information regarding government revenues and expenditures, public debts, votes, population, names of congressmen, &c.; these hand-books contain Presidential and Gubernatorial messages, transcripts from the Congressional Record relating to leading matters discussed in Congress; and decisions of the Supreme Court that are of general importance. The Statesman’s Year-Book, published annually by Macmillan & Co., is valuable for reference in matters concerning both foreign and American governments.  Bibliographical references are also given to each existing government.

John Fiske’s recent volume on Civil Government in the United States, stands in merit far above other manuals bearing this name, most of which are simply running commentaries on the constitution.  An excellent feature of Mr. Fiske’s book is the addition of bibliographical notes at the ends of the chapters.