Thus far the president has never actually taken the field in command of the army; he has appointed military commanders, and has simply given them general directions, which they have carried out as best they could.  At any time, however, if dissatisfied with the results, he may change the commander.

[2] The president cannot personally see to the carrying out of all the laws, and yet he is the one responsible for their execution.  To assist him, the work is divided up into parts, and each part is placed in the hands of an officer appointed by the president (with the consent of the senate) and responsible to him.  These persons constitute what is known as the cabinet, and all but two have the title secretary.

The one who keeps the originals of the public documents, the great seal, and the public records, is called the secretary of state.  He is to the United States somewhat as the clerk is to the district or town, or the auditor to the county.  But in addition, he is the one who has charge of our relations with foreign countries.  He is the one to whom you would apply for a passport, if you were going to travel in foreign lands.  He has an assistant and many subordinate officers.  In this department are three bureaus, as they are called—­the diplomatic, the consular, and the domestic. (For further information, see pages 321, 349, 350.)

The officer who has general charge of the receiving and paying out of money is called the secretary of the treasury.  He has two assistants and thousands of subordinates, some in Washington and others throughout the country.  Under his direction money is coined, “greenbacks” and other tokens of indebtedness are issued and redeemed.  He also has general charge of all government provisions for making navigation safe along the coast, such as lighthouses, etc.

All that pertains to executive control of the army is in charge of the secretary of war.  The chiefs of bureaus in this department are army officers.  The secretary may or may not be.  The military academy at West Point is also, as we might expect, in charge of this department. (See p. 311.)

The control of the navy is exercised by the secretary of the navy.  The chiefs of bureaus here are navy officers.  The secretary may or may not be.  This department has charge of the construction of war ships and the equipment of them; and, as we would expect it has charge of the naval academy at Annapolis (p. 311).

The department which has the greatest diversity of duties is that of the interior.  This department has charge of patents and trade-marks, of pensions, of United States lands, of the Indians, of the census, and of education.  Its chief officer is called the secretary of the interior.  The chiefs of bureaus in this department, except that of the census, are called commissioners.

The chief officer of the postoffice department is called the postmaster general.  Here there are five bureaus, in charge respectively of appointments, contracts, finances, money orders, and foreign mail.