Part 19 (2/2)

Judges of the U. S. Circuit Courts.

Judges of the District Courts.

Postmasters.

And many other officers.

Q. What cla.s.s of officers in the State performs nearly the same duties as the Cabinet officers in the Nation?

A. Those cla.s.sed as ”Administrative,” on page 55; in the State they are elected by the people; in the Nation they are appointed by the President.

DUTIES

Q. What are some of the duties of the Cabinet officers?

A. I. THE SECRETARY OF STATE, at the head, of the State Department, preserves the public archives, records, laws, arguments and treaties, and supervises their publication; conducts all business and correspondence arising out of foreign relations, makes out and records pa.s.sports, commissions, etc.

II. THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY, at the head of the Treasury Department, receives and has charge of all moneys paid into the United States Treasury, has general supervision of the fiscal transactions of the Government, the collection of revenue, the auditing and payment of accounts and other disburs.e.m.e.nts; supervises the execution of the laws relating to Commerce and Navigation, the Revenues and Currency, the Coast Survey, the Mint and Coinage, the Lighthouse Establishments, Custom Houses, etc.

III. THE SECRETARY OF WAR, at the War Department, has charge of business growing out of military affairs, keeps the records of the army, issues commissions, directs the government of troops, superintends their payment, stores, clothing, arms, equipments and ordnance, constructs fortifications and conducts works of military engineering, river and harbor improvements.

IV. THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY, at the head of the Navy Department, has charge of the Naval establishments and all business connected therewith, issues Naval commissions, instructions and orders, supervises the enlistment and discharge of seamen, the construction of Navy Yards and Docks, the construction and equipment of vessels, Coast Surveys, etc.

V. THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR, at the head of the Department of the Interior, has charge of the survey, management, sales and grants of Public Lands, the examination of Pension and Bounty Land claims, the management of Indian affairs, the award of Patents, the distribution of Seeds and Plants, the taking of Censuses, the management of Government mines, etc. The Bureau of Education is a branch of this department.

VI. THE POSTMASTER GENERAL, at the head of the Post-office Department, has charge of the Postal System, the establishment and discontinuance of Post-offices, the appointment of Agents, the contracts for carrying the mails, etc.

VII. THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, at the head of the Department of Justice, is the legal adviser of the President and members of the Cabinet, examines t.i.tles, applications for pardons and judicial and legal appointments, conducts and argues suits in which the Government is concerned, etc.

Q. Name the present Cabinet officers.

AMBa.s.sADORS, MINISTERS AND CONSULS.

Q. What is an Amba.s.sador?

A. An Amba.s.sador is a minister of the highest rank, appointed to represent the interests of a country at the court, or seat of government of some other country.

Q. What is a Minister Plenipotentiary?

A. A Minister Plenipotentiary is an Amba.s.sador or Envoy, invested with full powers to negotiate a treaty, or do some other special business, without being a permanent resident of such country.

Under such circ.u.mstances, he is called Amba.s.sador extraordinary.

Q. What is a Consul?

A. A person commissioned to reside in a foreign country as an agent or representative of a government, to protect the rights, commerce, merchants and seamen of the country, and to aid in commercial, and sometimes in diplomatic transactions, with such foreign country; he is sometimes called Amba.s.sador or Minister ORDINARY.

SALARIES.

Q. What are the salaries of the Cabinet officers?

A. Each member receives eight thousand dollars a year.

Q. What are the salaries of Senators, and Representatives in Congress?

A. Each receives an annual salary of five thousand dollars a year, and an allowance of twenty cents per mile for travel in going to and returning from Was.h.i.+ngton.

<script>