SENATE 337 SENECA RIVER concerns of the republic. Under the em- pire, the Senate gradually lost its political consideration, but till the time of Con- stantine the Great many of its decrees took the place of the laws enacted by the people. In France the upper legislative cham- ber under Napoleon I. and Napoleon III. was called the Senate, and the name is still in use in the French republic. The Senate is composed of 314 members; they are elected indirectly for a term of nine years. SENATE, UNITED STATES, the higher branch of Congress; composed of two senators from each State, irrespec- tive of the population therein. Up to May 31, 1913, they were elected by the State legislatures. On that date the 17th amendment to the United States Con- stitution providing for the election of senators by direct popular vote and for the filling of vacancies by appointment from the Governors of the States, went into effect. Some of the most important functions of the Senate, as distinct from the House, are the supervision of the presidential appointments of the highest grade of public officers, the passing of judgment on all treaties contracted with foreign powers, and the sole power to try all impeachments. In the latter case impeachment proceedings must originate in the House, which presents the charges to the Senate; this, in turn, acts as the court. The Vice-President of the United States is president of the Senate, but has no vote therein excepting in the case of a tie, and is really an officer with very limited power. It is customary after the Vice-President has been installed as pre- siding officer of the Senate, for him to preside over a few sessions of that body and then ask for a leave of absence, when the Senate elects one of its own members as president pro tern., and the member so chosen acts as presiding officer when- ever the Vice-President does not wish to exercise that privilege. SENECA, a lake in the W. part of New York State; 25 miles S. of Lake Ontario, into which its waters flow. It is about 37 miles long, from 2 to 4 miles broad, and 630 feet deep. It communi- cates with the Erie canal, and steamers ply on it. SENECA, LUCIUS ANNJEUS, a Ro- man philosopher, son of M. Annaaus Seneca, an eminent rhetorician; was born in Cordoba, Spain, about the beginning of the Christian era. Taken early to Rome, he became an advocate, gained some distinction, and was made quaestor. But under Claudius, an accusation brought against him by the infamous Messalina, led to his being banished to Corsica. Returning after an exile of eight years, he was intrusted by Agrip- pina with the education of her son Nero. He acquired over the youth an influence as strong as it was salutary, and, having already at Agrippina's instance become praetor, he was, at that of Nero (now emperor), made consul, A. D. 57. His high moral aims and intellectual gifts incurred the jealousy and hatred of the emperor, while his wealth excited Nero's rapacity. An attempt on Nero's part to poison him having failed, he was drawn into the Pisonian conspiracy, accused, convicted, and condemned. Left free to choose his mode of death, he opened his veins, and gradually succumbed to syn- cope, A. D. 65. His writings were very numerous, and many are still extant; among them are treatises on "Anger"; on "Consolation"; on "Providence"; on "Tranquillity of Mind"; "The Blessed Life"; 124 letters to Lucilius; 10 trage- dies, and a remarkable work entitled "Speculations on Natural Phenomena." Seneca attached himself chiefly to the Stoic school but adopted elso principles from other systems. SENECA, MARCUS ANH^JUS, a Ro- man rhetorician; father of the preceding; a native of Cordoba, in Spain ; born about 61 B. C. He went to Rome during the reign of Augustus, and there taught rhetoric with great success for several years. He died in Rome toward the close of the reign of Tiberius (a. d. 37). He was the author of a collection of extracts showing the treatment of school themes by contemporary rhetoricians. SENECA FALLS, a village in Seneca co., N. Y.; on the Seneca river, near Cayuga Lake, and on the New York Central and Hudson River railroad; 16 miles N. of Auburn. It contains a public library, the Convent of St. Patrick, Na- tional and other banks, and several news- papers. The river here falls 50 feet and furnishes motive power for flouring, woolen and knitting mills, foundries, and manufactories of steam fire engines, pumps, and agricultural implements. Pop. (1910) 6,588; (1920) 6,389. SENECA INDIANS, a tribe of North American Indians belonging to the Iro- quois, and formerly occupying western New York and a portion of northwestern Pennsylvania. They were once powerful; and their most famous chief was Sagoye- watha, or "Red Jacket." They mostly re- side in New York State still, numbering between 3,000 and 4,000. SENECA RIVER, a river of New York State; flows E. from the N. end of Seneca Lake to the N. end of Lake Cayuga, then turns N. and is joined on
