Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1880-12-21

He Is assisted by cnlei cieik snu
other clerks and employees in the
executive management Of the business
OF the Department.
The law clerk, who is also an exam
iuer of titles, assists the Attorney-Gen-
eral in the investigation oil legal ques-
tions and in the preparation oil opin-
ions.
assists the A;tornt y-Generai IN the per
iormancr of his general duties, ana oy
special provision OF law in the case oi
yacancv in the Office oi Attorney-G General
or i'm his absence, exercises all these
duties. Except when the Attorney
General in particular cases otherwise
directs, the Attorney General and ooiic-
r.General conduct and argue sil cases
in the Supreme Court and in the Court
of Claims in which the United States IS
interested; and when the Attorney.Gen-
eral so directs, any such case in any
court of the United States may be con-
Quoted and argued by the Solicitor. Cen
eral; and in the same way the Soiicitor-
General may be sent by the Attorney
General to attend to the interests OF the
United States in any State, court OF else
where.
pbs Assistant tAttorneys-General
assist the Attorney-ieneral anu the
Solicitor General in the performance OIL
their duties. One assists in the argu'
ment of cases in the Supreme Court,
and in the preparation oil legal opln-
ions; the other is charged with the con-
duct OF the defense OF the l nited States
in the Court OF Claims.
Under the Act OF 1870, the different
law officers OF the Executive Depart
ments exercise their functions under the
supervision and control OF the Attorney
General. They are: The Assistant At
torney-(ienerai for the Department OF
the Interior: the Assistant Attorney
General for the Postofiire Department.;
the Solicitor OF the Treasury; ana the
Solicitor OF Internal Revenue, treasury
DEPARTMENT: the Naval Solicitor, Navy
Department; and the Examiner q
Claims, State Department.
The Chef aw-Oficer's Room sketched.
The Attorney General is the only
cabinet officer whose office IS not IN
Government building. He ia, however,
very comfortably situated in the Freed.
mems bank building, where he has
very fine suite Of rooms. The building
is on Pennsylvania avenue. just oPpo'
site the Treasury, and is the same IN
which the court ot claims Is located.
General Deven's room is on the second
floor, and he occupies, together with
the chief clerk OF his department, the
entire front. |. is large room with hve
windows, two of which look out upon
Pennsylvania avenue and the treasury.
At the left OF the entrance is large
book case, filed mostly with works
on law. Next to tins Is
a fire place oil variagated
marble, and on the mantle above stands
a handsome bronze clock. In the CEN
ire Of the room stands the desk OF Gener-
al Devens, which is covered with papers
and books, giving il very business like
aspect. Several work baskets confront
him, marked Cabinet Business, Per
sonal," immediate" Applications,
etc. AZ his left is large revolving BOOK
case. filled with law volumes. A large
chandelier, attached to which is a stu
dents lamp, is suspended from the cell
inc over the desk oil the Attorney Gen-
eral, indicating that he occasionally
burrs midnight OIL The furniture Is
not quite up TO the standard OF the other
Cabinet rooms, but will soon be replaced
By new and better supply. lhe
three sofas and hall dozen
chairs are of mahogany and green reps
The floor is covered with a plain brus-
sells carpet. There are several tables
and desks in different parts OF the room.
A tall mirror, encased in black walnut
frame, rises behind the attorney geneT-
ais chair, an ice pitcher stands in the
corner near the door leading to the
clerks room, 4 large silk cord is sus'
pended convenient to the attorney gen
erals desk, and is used for the purpose
of ringing bell when he desires the ser
vices oione o! the assistants. or messen-
gers.
The handsomest and most interesting
feature OF the room in the b. autiful
collection OF oil poItr,t', embracing all
the attorney .cnerdl irDm tie tnLe Il
Randolph, who held the office ~ l'eJ
The portraits are arranged on
the walls in chronological order. Alter
Randolph cjmes Lee. who was IN the
Office from 1895 until 1901; Lincoln. OF
Massachusetts, from lSJl 10 lSO5; Rob-.
n. smith. ior u few months IN lS0o;
breckenridge from 1906 10 1907; Rodney
from lSO1 to 1911; Pinkey, of Maryland,
from 1871 10 1914; Rish, 1911 10 lSlI;
VIM. Writ, lSl7 to 1929: B'rrien, lS29
To- 1881: Taney, 1881 tn lSJS; Butler,
lSSS-SS: Grundv, 1883 10; Gilpin, lSio-
Al; Leyare, lSil ~; John Ralson, lSi3
~: Nathan Chilord. at present one OF
the Judges oi the Cnited States Supreme
Court. was Attorney General from 1876
I, ISIS: Torcey, lSiS50; Cri'tenden,
lS5O-5S; Caleb Gushing, 1885 %; Judge
Jeremiah :. Black, OF Pennsy lvanla,
1890; Edwin NJ. Stanton, 1850 81:
Bates, OF Missouri, ls6l-oi; Speed, oi
Kentucky, 1854 65; Henry Storoerry,
1865; William VI. Evsrts 1865 y; r Il
Hear, of Massachusetts,, 1859 40: Amos
T. Ackerman 1870 -; George II. VIII
liams 1928; Edward Pierrepont 1870.
.6; Judge TAFT, oil Cincinnati, Tor few
weeks in 1876
Quite number of these gentlemen
now hold prominent positions under the
government or have held them since
they lett the Department o! Justice
William VI. EvartS IS at present Secre-
,arv of State. Judge Tait was Secretary
OF War under Grant. Edward Pierre
pont was Minister to England. Ianey
|. was Chief Justice OF the supreme Court;
Nathan Clifford is at present Judge
ON the bench Of that court; stanton Was
Lincoln's Secretary Of War; Caleb Cush-
ing held the Office OF United States Min
ister to Spsia, and f. Il, Hoar was
member OF Congress from Masslchu-
sc,ts. This collection OF portraits Is
complete with the exception OF that oi
Mason. who held the office for several
wears, aud his likeness is soon to be
procured by the Government.
River and Harbor Bill-Conkiing aud
Lamar Arrive
WASHINGTON. December 2o.-Ihe
House Committee on Commerce Was
engaged to-jay on the river and harsor
bill. and the subcommittee oi the APP
preparation Committee upon the army
ann.on.;a,;op hills The latter bill Will