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personal nature should restrain him from a faithful dis~harge of those high and imperious obligations imposed as well by conscience as by th•i station which he occupies. To be silent on a subject involving not only the deepest interests of the country, but also its character and credit, would be a dereliction of duty which the nation must despise; and to speak at all, without giving the honest convictions of his mind, would not only be a still more despicable retreat from responsibility, but would be a positive depravity which, however well concealed to the world, would not be hidden from himself. But whether his views be sustained -or dissented from, by the superior wisdom of Congress, whatever policy that body may think proper to adopt, the President will deem it im- perative to execute without delay, In the organization of the different Departments of Government, there was such an assignment of duties to each, as was no doubt most :appropriate at the time; and so long as the affairs of the nation were limited to comparatively a few subjects, no difficulty was experienred in their transactions by those to whom they were confided. But as the various relations of the country increase in numbers and complexity, these duties become more onerous and difficult; and experience has al- ready shown that those attached to the depDrtment of State in por- iicular, are becoming too multifarious to be performed by any one indi- vidual with entire satisfaction to himself, and with that full measure •of benefit which is expected to flow to the Government. As at present organized, the State Department is charged with a ·great variety of objects, embracing the highest and the lowest concerns ·of Government, and presenting an assemblage of matter of singular ·diversity and incongruity. Among the duties of its chief, we find that be has to issue instructions to our Ministers and Consuls abroad- to see that those instructions are pursued- digest public treaties- con- duct our diplomatic intercourse with foreign powers-and at the same time carry on an extensive correspondence at home with the Jud~ei:;, Justices, S~eriffs and all the civil officers of Government; sending thi:lm ~ommissions, forwarding instructions, and issuing writs of election. He 11as also to affix the great Seal of the Republic, with appropriate cer- tificates, to all public documents to which such authentication belongs- make out and furnish estimates of the expenses and appropriations -required for the Civil List- examine and pass all new inventions, for which patents are claimed- grant passports- take bonds-receive €lection returns- issue proclamations, and make out pardons. BesidC's, he is required to superintend the printing and distribution of the Laws -and Journals- bas to make various contracts- pass upon accounts of many subordinates- purchase fire wood for Congress- take care of the Capitol, and furnish pen, ink and paper to the different departments. Indeed, his duties embrace almost the whole circle of our foreign and domestic pblicy, not directly pertaining to the Military, Naval, and Financial operations of the country. When we reflect upon these multifarious and wide}y extended duties. we are forcibly impressed with the impossibility of their [sic] being performed advantageously to the country, by any single individual; and when we consider their heterog-eneous nature, f'O diversified and incon- gruous, we are still more forcibly struck with the necessity of separatin§! and arranging them into two classes, assigning to each an appropriate
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