The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-04-08
WASHINGTON.
4 NF Usual Weekly Budget From the Ma.
,<SRsl CapitaI-Commissione sparks,
,S0Eptrouer Durham, Assistant
EscretaTy Muldrow.

entirely asked about 49, -,
GERS ard their numerous assistants. -
course the portraits of good many of them
haye been published, but they do not show
In all cases the characteristics OF the men as
they sit at their desks and Srestle with their
new duties. II is curious and interesting
: fact that the longer the nan has been II
public life the easier Re is to reach. IL you
want to see the Secretary of State you have
little t-ou Die in doing so. BE occupies g
large room in the csatsr of the State De-
partment building, wei furnished, but not
marked by any special sigDs of extrays-
gance. II you want 70 sse him give your
card to the slender, side.whiskered dsrkey
who site ST desk outside his door, and you
will be likely to get an opportunity to state
your case in few minutes. When you do
meet him you find man with frank, in
tslligent face, a quiet bat rather pleas
ant manner, easy to approach, and
not half so frigld in his manner as
you had expected to ind the man OF
highest rank after the President. The Sec
retsry of State is charged, under direction OF
the President, with the duties appertaining
20 correspondence with the public Ministers
md Consuls Of ths United States and with
the representatives of foreign powers &C
credited to the United States, aud to negoti-
atiors Of whatever character relating to the
foreign affairs Of the United States. II : is
also the medium Of correspondence between
the President and the Chief Executive OF tAe
several States Of the United States. The As
sisiant Secretary, Governor Porter, OF Ten
b. nessee. has for his speSial duties tse i'm
mediate supervision Of ell correspondence
with diplomatic and consular officers OF the
United States in France, Germany and Great
Britain, sn6 he further duty Of acting g
Secretary OF Slate in the absence OF ths Sec
rotary himself. Governor Porter you find
when you have occasion to call on him a tall,
slender man of fifty, with grey chin whisk-
eYs sEd mustache, easily approached, bright
ard intelligent upon the duties OF his POSI-
ton. To see Secretary Manning is more
q ficult than 10 see the Secretary OF Slate.
he is newer in the business, and besides has
many more callers. His room is ovsrrun at
all times with politicians who want favors
in the appointment of this or that man to
position. BE has two large rooms in tbs
plessaDtest part OF the Treasury, the corner
overlooking Pennsylvania avenus. He
makes his first room a general reception
room for all callers; here he receives every
boey, and when be wants TO talk privately to
any one be retreats 10 the inner room, lesv-
ing the crowd of Others who are always in
the room waiting end wondering Whist that
fellow is going TO get. With MS portrait
you are familiar. His duties are TO have
charge of the National finance. Ee digests
and prepares plans for the Improvement and
management Of the revenue Gad support of
the public credit; he superintends tbs col.
lection OF revenue, and prescribes the
forms Of keeping and rendering all
public accounts, and making returns; grants
all warrants for money to bs insued from the
Treasury in pursuance OF appropriations by
law; makes reports and gives infor nation to
either brancE OF Congress a. may be re-
qUiJed, respecting all matters referred TO
him by the Senate or House of Representa-
tiyes, and generally performs all such serv-
ices relative 60 the finances as he is directed
to perform controls the erection of public
buildings, the coinsge and printing of
money, the collection Of commercial static
tics, the marine hospitals. the revenue cutter
service and the life saving service.
With the fece of one of the most i'm port
ant Of the Treasury officials the public is not
so familiar. That one is TIE new Comptroll-
er Of the Treasury, Hon. Milton J. Ddrhsm.
He is typical Kentuckian, standing six
feet in his stockings, with broad shoulders, a
kindly and agreeable face, pleasant
manner, and the air of man who has
made close study of his profession, and is
thus entitled tG the EonOIs paid him in his
selection for this very important place.
And it is most important one; more so
than many people suppose. The Third
Comptroller cOuntersigns all warrants iasned
by the Secretary of the Treasury covering
the public revenues into the Treasury, and
authorizing all payments therefrom. All
accounts examined by the first Auditor, ex-
cept those which 60 to the Commissioners of
q Customs and al examined by the Fifth
Auditor, end accounts of Registers ald Re.
ceivers of Land Offices examined by the
Commissioners OF the General LaUd Office,
are re-examiEed and revised in the First
Conptrollers office. Here also, are exam
iDed and reported on the drafts for salaries
and expenses drawn by Ministers aud Con.
suls abroad, and the acquisitions for sd-
vaDces drawn by Aarshals, Collectors OF In
terral Revenue, Secretaries OF the Terrific
ries, and other Disturbing officers. Powers
OF attorney for the collection of drafts on the
Treasury are examined, and many other da-
ties having reference to the adjustment Of
claims sgainst the United States pertaining
TO the office. but are of too varied a char
Rcter to be enumerated.
OF course every body knows how the head
of the Department of Justice, Mr.. Garland,
looks. A smo0th-iaced man with rather
thin hair-s face that is not especially strik.
ing. he is one OF the most easily reached of
the Cabinet officers. There is not tbs delay
and red tsre that there was ia reaching his
predecessor. Mr.. Garland. who signaliz I'D
his entrance into the department by the sale
OF all the DEPARTMENT horses and carriages,
still clings 20 the gorgeous curtains that his
predecessor had put up in the large AID
handsomely furnished room that serves for
an Office for the head OF the Law
Department Of the United States
Government. He is the head of the
department, and tie chief law officer OF the
Government He represents the United
States in matters involving legal questions;
he gives his advice and opinion on questions
of law when they are required By the Pfesi-
dent or by the heads of the other executive
departments on questions OF law arising
npon the administration OF their respective
departments; he exercises Q general superin-
tendence md direction over United States
attorre ys ana marshals in all jadlc'al dis
tricts in the States and territories; aud be
provides special counsel for the United
States wherever required By any department
OF the Government.
The heads of the War and Navy Depart
ments ere, of course, rather hard to reach
They are supposed to maintain the dignity Of
the United States Government, and beins
new in the business make a speciality OF thu
dignity feature. They have gorgeous roo ms
both OF them, the handsomest OF all the Cab
met officers, with arched ceilings, handsome