possibility of being without a President. The Vice-President becomes President in case of the death, resignation, impeachment, or disability of the latter. This has happened four times in the history of our government, when Harrison and Taylor died and Lincoln and Garfield were assassinated. DEPARTMENT OF STATE. CREATIVE ACTS.-There is no mention in the Constitution of this department nor any other belonging to the Executive branch of the government. They are all creations of Congress, which was endowed with power to pass all laws necessary to give effect to the Constitution. At the starting of the govern-' ment, foreign relations were intricate and momentous. Therefore the act of July 27, 1789 (1st Congress, extra session), created a Department of Foreign Affairs, whose Secretary should attend to correspondence and negotiations with foreign ministers, and to such other foreign affairs as the President might order and direct. By act of September 15, 1789 (same session), the name of this department was changed to Department of State, and the chief to Secretary of State, and he was, in addition to the above duties, charged with the receipt and publication of the laws of Congress, made custodian of the great Seal, and authorized to use it on civil commissions. In 1853 the office of Assistant Secretary of State was created." NATURE AND DUTIES.-The Department of State usually heads the list of the Executive Departments. The Secretary of State is regarded as the nearest officer to the President, and is usually selected on account of the great confidence reposed in him as a lawyer, diplomatist and safe political adviser. He is sometimes called the President's Premier, or Prime Minister, after the English fashion, because he ranks as first of his counsellors. In monarchies the class of officers we call Secretaries are called Ministers. The Secretary of State conducts all correspondence with and issues all instructions to United States consuls and ministers; negotiates with foreign ministers and representatives on all matters they submit, under the direction of the President; fixes the great seal to all executive commissions; receives and preserves the originals of all bills, orders and resolutions of House or Senate; promulgates and publishes the laws, amendments to the Constitution, and all consular and diplomatic information; lays before Congress annually a report of commercial systems among nations, treaties, diplomacy and all information touching our relations with foreign governments; grants passports. His is indeed an arduous and responsible office. As a cabinet officer the President relies on him more than on any other, because of the delicacy, often intricacy, of the subjects which come under, his consideration. Foreign relations are seldom free from serious complications, and negligence or blunder might at any moment lead to war. MACHINERY.-The machinery for working this important department is ample and intricate. It consists of a number of bureaus, branches and divisions, each of which is designed to attend to one of the many duties of the department. Thus there is a Diplomatic Bureau, Consular Bureau, Bureau of Indexes and Archives, Bureau of Accounts, Librarian, Division of Statistics, Bureau of Law, Division of Translations, Division of Pardons, Passport Division. DIPLOMATIC SERVICE.—The Diplomatic Bureau of the Department of State is the centre of the Diplomatic Service of the United States. This service embraces Envoys Extraordinary and Ministers Plenipotentiary. These high-sounding titles designate our most important ministers to foreign countries. They, like all our foreign ministers of whatever grade, are appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. They do not, however, represent the President but the entire government. It is to be regretted that a service dedicated to diplomacy, which is supposably exact and exacting, should be so loose in its use of terms. The word Embassador has with us none but the most general meaning. It might very properly include all that is meant by the above lengthy titles. The persons sent abroad to represent the government and who are called Envoys Extraordinary and Ministers Plenipotentiary are not only authorized to reside in the country they go to, but are fully commissioned to act for our government there. They are offices of great dignity and responsibility, and are usually filled with men of prudence and knowledge of foreign affairs. By the Law of Nations Embassadors, Envoys, Ministers and duly accredited representatives of any kind are exempt from arrest, imprisonment and prosecution. Violation of the person, property or rights of an Embassador in any civilized country would be a cause for war on the part of the country offended. We have now sixteen Embassadors abroad who rank as Envoys Extraordinary and Ministers Plenipotentiary, viz.: one each to France, Germany, Great Britain and Russia, at a salary of $17,500 each. One each to Austro-Hungary, Brazil, China, Italy, Japan, Mexico and Spain, at a salary of $12,000 each. One each to Central American States, Chili and Peru, at a salary of $10,000 each. One to Turkey, at a salary of $7,500. One to Corea, at a salary of $5,000. They are accredited to the Sovereigns of the countries to which they are sent. MINISTERS RESIDENT.-These like the former reside abroad. By this word "reside" is not meant permanent residence, but only until their commissions expire. They do not go on a special mission, to return when it is ended. The Resident Ministers are instructed and clothed with authority, the same as those of a higher grade, but the countries to which they are sent being of less importance, and their salaries smaller, they do not rank so high. They are one each to Argentine Republic, Belgium, United States of Colombia, Hawaiian Islands, Netherlands, Sweden and Norway, and Venezuela, salary $7,500; and one each to Bolivia, Hayti, Denmark, Liberia, Persia, Portugal and Switzerland (who are also Consuls-General), salary $5,000. The Minister Resident to Greece, salary $6,500, also represents the country in Roumania and Servia. CHARGE D'AFFAIRES.-These are officers like Ministers Resident, though not accredited to sovereigns, but to ministers of foreign affairs. Their authority is full, but they go to countries without intricate diplomacy. One is sent to Paraguay and Uruguay, salary $5,000. SECRETARIES OF LEGATION.-These are usually com missioned attendants of the more important ministers and act as their secretaries and interpreters. In the absence of their principal they supply his place, and sometimes they are the only American representative in a foreign country, as, till lately, the Secretary of Legation and Interpreter at Pekin, salary $5,000. There are other Secretaries of Legation, as follows: One at Constantinople, salary $3,500, and one Interpreter, salary $3,000; two at Paris, salaries $2,625 and $2,000; two at Berlin, salaries $2,625 and $2,000; two at London, salaries $2,625 and $2,000; one at St. Petersburg, salary $2,625; one Secretary of Legation and one Interpreter at Yędo, Japan, salary $2,500 each; one each at Vienna and Rome, salary $3,500; one each at Rio de Janeiro and Mexico, salary $1,800; and one at Madrid, salary $3,000. CONSULAR SERVICE-The second Bureau in the State Department is the Consular Bureau. It is a large and important Bureau, and through its consuls the government finds a representation in every important city and country in the world. Like Ministers, Envoys and Secretaries of Legation, they are appointed by the President and Senate. They hear all complaints of American captains, masters, crews and passengers, and adjudicate their cases; hear protests of American merchants, also of foreigners respecting American citizens; certify to the correctness of all invoices of goods shipped to this country; gather commercial information of the country and send it to the Consular Bureau; take charge of deceased Americans, their effects and estates, and properly dispose of the same. They have no representative or diplomatic status, but are nevertheless protected under the Law of Nations, the raised flag of the country being their safeguard. They may determine all matter of wages for seamen on board American ships, receive ships' papers and see that they are correct, provide for sick or destitute seamen and send them home, dismiss crews if mutinous or disobedient, settle questions of wreck and salvage, assist in defence of American criminals on trial in their jurisdiction; and in some countries aid in adjudicating civil disputes. There is a full code of laws and instructions for their government. They are of three grades. No. I embraces Consuls-General and Consuls with fixed salaries, who are not allowed to transact any other business. No. 2 includes those with fixed salaries (lower than the first), who are allowed to transact other business. No. 3 embraces all who are paid by fees, and allowed to transact other business. Some of the third-class find a large profit from fees, some find nearly nothing. Besides those in these classes there are Commercial Agents and Consular Clerks with similar duties and powers. It will be readily seen the Consular Service embraces many hundred persons. They are appointed usually at the instance of Senators and Representatives, but many through the influence of commercial men, and for their knowledge of foreign languages and business usages. Name. SECRETARIES OF STATE. Appointed. Thomas Jefferson, Va.... Sept. 26, 1789 Edmund Randolph, Va..Jan. 2, 1794 Timothy Pickering, Pa... Dec. 10, 1795 John Marshall, Va. . May 13, 1800 James Madison, Va.. Mar. 5, 1801 Robert Smith, Md.. ..Mar. 6, 1809 James Monroe, Va... .April 2, 1811 John Quincy Adams, Mass. Mar. 5, 1817 Henry Clay, Ky.. .Mar. 7, 1825 Martin Van Buren, N. Y.. Mar. 6, 1829 Edward Livingston, La... May 24, 1831 Louis McLane, Del.. May 29, 1833 John Forsyth, Ga.. June 27, 1834 Daniel Webster, Mass. Mar. 5, 1841 Hugh S. Legaré, S. C.... May 9, 1843 Abel P. Upshur, Va......July 24, 1843 Name. Appointed. John Nelson, Md. Feb. 29, 1844 TREASURY DEPARTMENT. .Mar. 6, 1857 ..Dec. 17, 1860 Y.Mar. 5, 1861 .Mar. 5, 1869 .Mar. 11, 1869 CREATIVE ACTS.-The Treasury of the Continental Congress was conducted under the auspices of a Committee of Congress. Under the Confederation the office of "Secretary of the Treasury" was created by act of Feb. 11, 1779. By act of June 30, 1779, it was resolved into a Board of Commissioners. By act of Feb. 7, 1781, the Board of Commissioners gave way to a Superintendent of Finance, who was given (Sept. 11, 1781) the assistance of a Comptroller, Register, Treasurer and Auditors. By act of May 28, 1784, the old Board of Commissioners was reinvested with control. This was very changeable legislation |