Elections. Banking and currency. Commerce. Post-office. Claims. Pacific railroads. Indian affairs. Public lands. District of Columbia. Mines and mining. Revision of the laws. Public buildings. Pensions. Agriculture. In discussing a question it is often customary for the house to resolve itself into a committee of the whole. This gives opportunity for free discussion, without the restraint which the strict rules of the house imposes. When the house resolves itself into a committee of the whole, the speaker leaves the chair, and a chairman is appointed. When the discussion closes the committee rises, the speaker resumes the chair, and the chairman reports its proceedings to the house. THE EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS. It is a wise provision of the constitution which places the full executive power in the hands of one man. The constitution makes no provision for a cabinet, but it gives the president anthority to "require the opinion in writing of the principal officer in each of the executive departments, upon any subject relating to the duties of their respective offices." This presupposes that executive departments will be established in order that the various and multiform duties which pertain to the several divisions of the executive work of the national government shall be systematically and efficiently attended to. The various executive departments have been estab lished by law. These are now eight in number:(1) The department of state. (2) The department of the treasury. (3) The department of war. (4) The department of the navy. (5) The department of the post-office. (8) The department of agriculture. The heads of these eight departments constitute the president's cabinet. Their official titles are as follows: (1) The secretary of state. (2) The secretary of the treasury. (3) The secretary of war. (4) The secretary of the navy. (5) The postmaster-general. (6) The secretary of the interior. (7) The attorney-general. (8) The secretary of agriculture. - For the efficient management of the business, several of these departments are subdivided into bureaus. All the heads of departments are appointed by the president, by and with the advice and consent of the senate. The salaries of these officers are eight thousand dollars a year each. THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE. This was originally styled the department of foreign affairs. The name was soon changed to the department of state. The secretary of state is generally considered as the highest officer in rank of the executive departments under the president. It is his duty to keep the seal of the United States, and to affix it to all commissions issued by the president. He issues all proclamations in the name of the presi dent, and furnishes copies of papers and records of his office when required. He keeps the correspondence with foreign powers, and it is his special province, also, to preserve the original of all laws, public documents, and treaties with foreign powers. It is also his duty to conduct the correspondence with our ministers and consuls to other countries, with foreign ministers accredited to our government, and to him is confided the general charge of our foreign relations. He issues passports to our citizens visiting foreign countries, and it is his duty to issue warrants for the extradition of criminals to be delivered up to foreign governments. The department of state has a diplomatic bureau, consular bureau, and a domestic bureau. PUBLIC MINISTERS AND CONSULS. All persons who are sent abroad to represent our government are connected with the department of state. The different ranks of our ministers are as follows: (1) Ambassadors. (2) Envoys extraordinary and ministers plenipotentiary. (3) Ministers resident. (4) Chargés d'affaires. (5) Secretaries of legation. The ambassador, and the envoy extraordinary, and ministers plenipotentiary have the same pay, and appear to be of equal rank. Strictly speaking, we never send ambassadors to foreign governments. Envoys extraordinary and ministers plenipotentiary are sent to thirteen governments. Four are of the |