The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-02-05
NATIVES ron GA orrIoEs.
Few Nsturniisea Citizrus Found A.ene
the Prestde.t's a ADVISERS.

tno Frontaentu - dvteerns
The Constitution Of the United States makes
no provision for Cabinet Officers. but section 9
Of Article I. Of the Constitution declares that
the President may require tho opinion, In
writing, of the principal oflcer 10 each OF the
executive departments upon any subject re-
lstinu to the duties Of their respective %onloes.'
Suoh is tho constitutional origin of the Cabinet.
and. as there 10 no express provision as to the
number of Cabinet officers. 30 there is no pro-
hibition. either, of the appointment OF natural
lied citizens as Cabinet officers. Nevertheless,
IL has grown to be an acknowledged though
unwritten political rule Of action In the United
States that each President should choose his
advisers among native citizens. excluding from
consideration those naturalized citizens who
are we'll represented in Congress and in the
various State capitals.
The last Democratic Speaker OF the House OF
Representatives was not q nntive-born citizen,
as a President to DO eligible must De. and In the
early years OF Government II was no uncommon
thing for naturalixed ~citixens to be selected for
for Presidential, ONCE. Alexander Hamilton.
the nrst seoretsry OF the Treasury, was = native
most distinguished successor. was born in Gene
va. switzerland. James Wilson. whose qualin-
cations for Secretary of Agriculture have been
but q native Of Ayrshire. scotland, and cam to
There have bsen no 'foreirn.Sorn Secretaries Of
Agricuiture heretofore. but when the DEPART
parttnent Of the Interior there was o natural
lied American at the head of Il. Carl Schurz, q
native OF the Kingdom OF Prussia.
The only reason discernible for the apparent
exclusion Of naturalixed citizens from tho
honor OF appointment 80 Cabinet officers APP
pears to be this: That those officers have, for
the most part, been chosen from among those
who were aspirants for the Presidential nomina-
ton. and as no naturalized citizen could be In
the nsid for that ONCE. II has come to 10
accepted as n matter OF course that nativs born
citisens only should be appointed TO Cabinet
posts. Moreover. several Of the States have re-
tanned for many years q constitutional pro.
Governor . naturalized citizen. The effect
Of this exclusion was to limit tho distribution
Of high political .honors to mon born
In this country, and q President desiring to
recognize the claims OF . State found
his choice practically limited to its more
prominent nstivo-born citizens. The new
States. too, in which the foreign born popuia-
tion 10 largest, are rarely called upon for Cab
met nominees. When they are, perhaps nAtu-
ralized citizens may secure a larger represents
ton In the Cabinet. 1t IN a fact not generally
known that In the early years OF tho Govern
ment the Treasury business OF tho United States
Robert Morris, one OF the signers of the Decla-
ration of Independence. was born In Lanca-
shire. England. He was an associate of Hamil-
ton. in raising money for the Revolution. and,
a. uperlntenden OF Finance. had charge OF tho
affairs Of the United states navy until the close
OF 1874. The nrst Secretary Of the Navy was
not appointed until fourteen years later.