by men of talent, learning, and industry, as well as integrity. In some cases, they have been promoted to be head of departments.

In the Navy Department there are six: Bureau of docks and yards, of equipment and recruiting, of navigation, ordnance, construction and repair, steam engineering, and of medicine and surgery.

In the State and Post-Office Departments, and Attorney-General's office, although the labor is subdivided, there are no separate bureaus having separate and independent duties to perform. In both, the business is conducted under the general direction of the official head.

Each bureau will be separately considered under the head of the department to which it properly belongs.

The Department of Justice, although it has several assistants, has no bureaus, according to the general meaning of that term.

CHIEF CLERKS.

Each of the departments, and most of the bureaus, has a chief clerk, whose duties are of the most important character. He usually receives and opens the mails, and distributes their contents among the clerical force for examination and such action as the law, or the head of the office, may require. He has the general custody of the books and papers in the office, and reports upon the manner in which the

clerks perform their duties. He is expected to have a thorough knowledge of the duties of the department or bureau. He is the person called upon and consulted in relation to a large portion of the business, and especially of a routine character. He knows to what sources to apply for information upon each particular subject, and gives such directions. concerning it as he deems proper. He is the proper organ for most of the oral communications relating to the business of the office. When a written. answer is necessary, he receives the proper directions, and causes it to be prepared for signature. He bears a relation to the head of the office similar to that of an orderly sergeant to the commander of a company.

In the absence of the head of the department or bureau, he has the exclusive charge of the office, unless otherwise provided by law, and, in many cases, by statute, performs all his duties. He is often appointed to act ad interim, in cases of vacancy or protracted absence of the head of the office. In practice, chief clerks are seldom changed, when found competent and unexceptionable in deportment. Many of them have shown themselves qualified for the head of the office. Some of them have remained in for fifty years, and in one case over sixty.

Their salaries vary from eighteen to twenty-five hundred dollars.

CLERKS IN THE DEPARTMENTS, BUREAUS, AND PUBLIC

OFFICES.

These are a most useful class of employees. They are the heads and hands through which the high officials work out the business of government. When selected for their ability, fidelity, and industry, they render important and indispensable services in the management of public affairs. The heads of departments, bureaus, and other public offices have time only to solve special problems and give general directions. The actual preparation of business, from necessity, devolves upon clerks. Among these are found persons competent for the highest positions, and whose experience is invaluable in the management of details. Clerks appointed to reward partisan labors, or to enable politicians to pay debts, are seldom of much real service to the public. But those who have been wisely selected, and proved industrious and attentive, constitute the very working men of the government. They are usually devoted to one branch of business, and are the depositaries of all the knowledge concerning it which study and experience have produced. Some have devoted more than half a century to one class of business. Those having good capacity and considerable experience become masters, not only of the leading features, but of all the nice details of the matters they have in charge. When business is presented, by letter or otherwise, it is distributed among the clerks, and is first investigated by them. They

either prepare a written answer for the signature of the head of the office, or report the case for special instructions. In either case, the responsible official has the advantage of their knowledge and experience to aid him in acting. They report the action of the past, and point out the consequences of any action that may be taken. They present points for consideration which are raised by the facts and law. The responsibility of final action rests with the head of the office. Our archives contain many important reports and documents mainly, if not wholly, the production of talented and experienced clerks. One class of clerks keeps the books showing the income. and expenses of the government. Upon their fidelity and care the accuracy of our public accounts depends. Some are engaged in routine business, like drawing warrants on the treasurer for money, or preparing checks upon sub-treasurers. Others work year after year in settling the public accounts, which embrace the collection and disbursement of our whole national revenue. Some receive and others pay out our entire income, while others keep the hundreds of millions of trust funds held by the government. In whatever aspect we may look at the duties performed by clerks, we can not fail to believe that they are a most useful and indispensable class of persons, upon whose ability and integrity the affairs of the federal government largely depend.

CHAPTER XXX.

I. THE SECRETARY OF STATE.

THE office of Secretary of State was created by a law passed at the first session of the first Congress. Next to the President, it is the highest executive office in the government.

The duties of secretary are partly provided by statute, but they mainly grow out of the law of nations and instructions prescribed by the President.

He has the custody of all records, books, and papers of the old Department of Foreign Affairs under the government of the Confederation, and others which accumulated during the war of the Revolution, except those relating to the Treasury and War Departments. The latter were, soon after the formation of the present constitutional government, deposited in those departments.

All treaties are deposited in this office.

The secretary receives all acts and resolutions passed by Congress that become laws, and causes them to be recorded.

He certifies copies of records and papers under the seal of the department, for which ten cents for each one hundred words is paid.