Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1906-02-01

Its chief la..ei sometimes though
loosely che ALc-.ean premier" is
not only aest among The cabinet of
ficers. but also, as It Is scarcely neces-
sary to call to mind, in the event of
the death o. the president and the
gice-president succeeds to the presi-
dency, tie oA-er CABINET officers
ranking after h n in succession.
The dco-.tt.lcnt CT state, in strict
historical accuracy was created by
act Of congress signed by President
George Washington, Sept Is, 1888.
But probably the committee of secret
correspondence appointed in ITS by
the continental congress In Philadel-
phia may be considered as the real
beginning of the state department, for
the duties OF that committee, whose
chairman was Benjamin Franklin
were ESSENTIALLY these of a committee
of foreign affairs. 1t began the nego.
tiation5 with France which resulted
three years later In the historic ALI
ance. "Tae committee of secret cor
respoad(nce' was succeeded in 1.7
by the committee for foreign affairs"
also created by the continental
congress Tie f,sl secretary of the
committee "es he famous Thomas
Paine who vas dismissed in 1779 be-
cause he made an ofiieigi matter pub
lie. The chief function OF the COM
mltteo VIDA To keep agents abroad ad-
vised respecting the progress of events
In America, and to simply execute the
orders of congress James Lowell,
Boston school teacher whose eccen.
tricities were such that grave doubts
were entertained as to his sanity, was
the only man who served on this COM
mittee continuously and. sane or in
sane. for time was himself the whole
committee.
In 1881 a department of foreign al
fairs was organized by the congress
and Robert Il. Livingston of New
York was elected It's first secretary.
After Livingstons retirement in 1888
the department went practically out
of existence, It's functions were per-
formed by congress. and though 1t
was revived in 1884, when John Jay
was elected secretary on motion OF
Elbr dye Gerry of Massachusetts,, it was
without great authority and that
which II possessed was ill-defined.
Things went on in this unsatisfactory
manner until the adoption of the con-
sttutlon.
The new government under the
constitution assembled In New York
early in April 1889. After Washing
ton had been elected president and
John Adams vice-president, the bust
ness of providing executive depart
ments was taken up, and the first one
considered was a department for
foreign affairs The bill finally in.
PRODUCED for the creation of the de-
partment provided among other things
that the secretary should be remov.
able from office by the president of the
United States" This gave rise to o
debate of the highest historic and
constitutional Importance 1t was
contended that as the senate under
the constitution participated in ap
pointments it should also have part
in removals. But It. was pointed out
that this would permit the senate e
sit as judges to determine whether
sufficient cause of removal existed
and would put the senate over tn,
president in a question between hin
and his subordinate agent, The bill
creating the department passed boil
houses and became law July %
1889, and in 1t was contained an ex
preston of the presidents right of re
moval. In this way was establishe,
the principle of the American cabine
as distinct from that of European
cabinets. There the sovereign o
president is irresponsible while tn
ministry is responsible for the act
which 1t performs in his name. Il