Sec.4.  The secretary of state keeps the seal of the United States; and he makes out, records, and seals all civil commissions to officers appointed by the president and senate, or by the president.  His duties in relation to the publishing and distributing the laws, and certain other matters, are similar to the duties of a secretary of state of a state government.

Sec.5.  The secretary of the treasury has charge of the finances of the nation.  He superintends the collection of the revenue, and performs certain other duties of the nature of the controller or auditor of a state. (Chap.  XIII, Sec.3.) He lays before congress annually a report of the finances, containing a statement of the public revenue and expenditure during the past year, the value of the imports and exports, and estimates of the revenue and expenditures for succeeding years, and plans for improving the revenues.  He also makes annually a statement of appropriations of money, and of sums remaining, in the treasury.

Sec.6.  The vast amount of business in this department requires a great number of assistants; among whom are several controllers and auditors of accounts; a treasurer, a register, who keeps the accounts of goods imported and exported, and of the shipping employed in our foreign trade; a solicitor; a recorder; and numerous clerks.

Sec.7.  The secretary of the interior superintends the business relating to the public lands, public buildings, the lead mines and other mines of the United States, Indian affairs, patents, and pensions.  A pension is a yearly allowance to a person by the government for past services.  In this country pensions are granted for services in war.  They were at first allowed only to such as had been disabled in the war of the revolution and in the war of 1812; and subsequently to all who had served at least six months in the revolutionary war, and to their widows during their lives.  Those disabled in the late war with Mexico have also been added to the pension list.  And by recent acts of congress, bounties of lands were to be allowed to all the surviving soldiers of the war of 1812, who had served one month therein.

Sec.8.  The secretary of war performs duties relating to military commissions, or to the land forces and warlike stores of the United States.  The standing army of the nation consists at present of about 15,000 men, who are distributed among the several military stations, armed and ready for service.  He reports annually a statement of the expenditure and application of moneys drawn from the treasury for his department, and makes such suggestions relative to its condition as he thinks proper.  He is assisted by subordinate officers and clerks.

Sec.9.  The secretary of the navy executes the orders of the president for procuring naval stores and materials, and for equipping and employing vessels of war, and performs such other duties pertaining to the naval establishment as are required of him.  Three officers are appointed by the president and senate, who constitute a board of commissioners for the navy, and discharge the ministerial duties of the office of the secretary, and furnish estimates of the expenditures of the department.