The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1889-01-23
ExecuruE woRk.



The great mass of work imposed
upon the executive power Of tho gov
ernment- embracing so many distinct
subjects and requiring so many thou-
sands of agents to perform be
arranged and treated IN an orderly and
systematic manner. To expect the
president to give It his close personal
attention and directly superintend the
doings OF each agent would be absurd.
The magnitude and diversity Of the
work demand Its separation into parts,
and the general supervision or manage
naent of each part must be intrusted to
a separate officer
On this business basis and in accord
ance with the design OF the constitu-
ton congress has divided the work
among seven executive departments,
each IN charge of a general officer, or
head of department, known respect
lively Us the secretary of state, the sec
war the attorney general. the post
master general. tho secretary OF the
navy and the secretary of the interior,
and the work Of each department Is
still further subd divided and distributed
among bureaus and divisions and
minor offices, IN charge of lesser heads
or chiefs. designated as commissioners
superintendent, directors and by vaTi-
GUS other general or special titles. An
executive department, then, properly
means one of the grand divisions of
government work boldly marked out
or suggested by the express provisions
of the constitution.
These grand divisions readily ar
range themselves. The sovereign re-
lations of the republic with foreign
a. .s~N -
with the governments of the states at
homo may be regarded as one distinct
grand division; accordingly we hnvc
the department Of state. The coinage,
currency, revenue and general fiscal
affairs suggest another great branch OF
work; hence we have the department
of the treasury. The mention of
armies suggests work that in time of
trouble is likely to tax the energy of a
separate division; thus we very ap-
propriatcly have department of war.
The prosecution of otfcnses against
the United States, md other judicial
matters wherein the interests of the
republic are concerned constitute a
general division, represented by the
department of justice. The postal
service, as one of the most intricate
and important branches of government
WORK, certainly iOrTnS ailOtnef grand
division; therefore we have the post
Office department. Maritime protec-
ton, like the military or land defense,
forms separate division: and thus
we have the department of the navy.
The various matters of domestic con-
Germ not covered in these other de-
partments but contemplated by the
constitution, such as the census, public
lands, patents and odds and ends, may
be conveniently grouped into another
general division; and thus We have
the very miscellaneous. yet not mis-
named, department of the interior.
To some of these executive depart
rnents arc intrusted matters which, ON
their face at least, do not strictly be-
long to the grand division to which
they have been assigned by law. For
instance, the weather bureau is a bu-
rcau of the war department; the work
being intimately connected With tho
peaceful interests of agriculture and
commerce, it is very generally de-
manded that it should be taken from
military control and placed elsewhere.
st. Nicholas.