Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1880-12-11
DEPARTMENT OF STATE.

WASHINGTON, December9.
The RreisrKR's representative at the
National Capital will, from time to time
sketch the several departments oil the
members Of the Cabinet, as well as de-
fine and describe the duties OF the secre-
ta,ies and their assistants i VIII hrst
take up the department OF the
Secretary Of State
He il charged, under the direction OF
the President, with the duties appertaln-
ing 10 correspondence with the public
ministers, and with the representatives
of foreign powers accredited to the
United States; and to negotiations OF
whatever character relating to the ior-
eign affairs o; the United States. he
is also the medium OF correspondence
between the President and the chiei
executive of the several States OF the
Union; he has the custody OF the great
seal of the United States, and coun-
ter,igns and afiixs such seal
10 all executive proclamatlons,
N various commissions, and 10 warrants
for pardon, and the extradition oil iugi'
tives from Justice. He is regarded as
the first in rank among the members OF
the Cabinet. He is also the custodian
~ tho treaties made with foreign States,
and the laws Of the United states. lie
grants and issues passports, anu exequa,
turs 10 foreign consuls in the Uniled
States are issued through his sotfice. lie
nublishes the laws and resolutions oi
Congress, amendments TO the Constitu-
tiob' and proclamations declaring the
admission of new States into the Union:
He il also charged with certain annual
reports to Congress relating to CONNER
cial information received from dlplo-
matic and Consular officers OF the Uni
ted States.
The Assistant Secretary Of State
becomes the acting Secretary OF State
in the absence Of the Secretary. Under
the organization OF the Department the
Assistant Secretary, Second Assistant
Secretary and Third Assistant Secretary
are respectively charged with the imme'
diate supervision OF all correspondence
with the diplomatic and Consular oih-
GERS in the various countries, and oi the
miscellaneous correspondence relative
thereto, and in general they are lntrust-
ed with the preparation oil the cores
pondence upon any questions arising IN
The course of the public business that
NAV be assigned to them by the Secre'
tary.
The Chief Clerk
has the general supervision d the
clerks and employees, and o' the
business of the Department. 1here
are the different bureaus, sncn
as the bureau OF indexes and archieves;
the diplomatic bureau; the circular
bureau; bureau ot accounts; rolls ana
library. statistics, etc, etc.
description of the Department.
All business in the State Department
is carried on with such secrecy and the
CLERKS and heads OF business are so ex-
elusive, that it is next to Impossible Tor
any one to catch glimpse OF what Is
going on there. l made my way IN,
however, to observe what KIND oil
place il was in which the Secretary OF
State transacted the business OF this
country with the representatives oi
other nations.
Enterin. the building and passing
down long corridor with marble floor
and high arched ceilings, the visitor ar,
riyes at door, over which Is small
siyn bearing the one word, secretary.
The door opens into large. pleasant
room about forty feet square. In the
centre of the room stands the desk oil
Secretary Evarts. At the, left Is a
smaller desk upon which is placed every
day the great mass ot correspondence
which he is required - sign, and at the
other end of the room is the desk oil his
Private Secretary.
The Cfice
il LIGHTED with iour largo windows hung
with heavy lace curtains and dark lam.
breouins. one looking south upon the
Potomac. taking IN the Nashihg'
ton monument, Virginia schooi'
and the "Kedwell Bottoms On
clear day the buildings at Fort Foote,
about ten miles down the river, and the
battle ground OF Fairfax Court House,
are distinctly visible. The floor in Mr..
Evarts' room is oil hard wood, highly
polished, and covered with large rugs
The furniture is very good, the sofas,
chairs. etc, being OF black walnut, COW
cred with light brown leather. Three
beautiful chandeliers OF bronze and gilt
with globes OF frosted glass are suspend
Ell from the ceilings, which arevery high
and handsomely arched and frescoed
Al either end of the room Is tire place
of black marble, with tall mirrors above
them. On the mantel at one SIDE oi Tue
room is placed a small bust oi Caleb
Cushing, and on the othera statue.te ci
Andrew Jackson.
which is a model of the statue IN i.aiay-
cite Square. At the left OF the entrance
stands large bookcase, and AZ the right
a fine wardrobe with large glass doors,
while at different points around the
room are placed several small tables
and desks for books, papers, etc. lhe
general appearance OF the room conveys
the idea that q great amount oil busl-
mesa is transacted in the course OF day.
Immediately TO me left OF the Secre-
,ary's room is smaller ante-chambtr
used for purposes OF private conversa'
ton. In this room hang large
pic,ures OF ex-Secretsries Sew
sri. Webster, John Forsyth
L.wis Cas- and John Marsha
The handsomest and most elegantly
furnished room OF any connected with
the public business in Washington is
the room which opens out OF this ante
chamber, aud which is called the
Diplomatic Reception Room"
Here the secretary transacts all business
with foreign ministers, Thursday oi
each week being devoted to them TO The
exclusion of all other visitors. This re-
cep,ion room is large hall. about nine
" feet long and twenty wide, fitted ny
regardless OF expense. The floors are
so smoothly polished that were 1t not
for the heavy furnished rugs with which
they are covered it would he very diff
cult to avoid slipping while walking on
them. The ceilings are formed OF B. an'
tiiully waved arches, and irescoei III
the highest style OF art. A row OF large
windows, with elegant curtains ana
trimmings, runs along one side oil tne
room, and the spaces in the waA at the
other side are occupied by