tions under the supervision and control of the head of the Department of Justice. The superintendent of the Treasury building, from time to time, provides such rooms as may be suitable and necessary for the accommodation of the Department of Justice in some building in the vicinity of the Treasury building. The seal of the Department of Justice has been approved by the President.

The Attorney-General gives his advice and opinion upon questions of law whenever required by the President. No public monies are expended upon any site or land purchased by the United States for the purpose of erecting thereon any armoury, arsenal, fort, fortification, navy yard, customhouse, lighthouse, or other public building of any kind whatever, until the written opinion of the AttorneyGeneral has been had in favour of the validity of the title, nor until the consent of the legislature of the state, in which the land or site may be, to such purchase has been given. The district attorneys of the United States, upon the application of the Attorney-General, furnish any assistance or information in their power in relation to the titles of the public property lying within their respective districts. And the secretaries of the departments, upon the application of the Attorney-General, procure any additional evidence of title which he may deem necessary, and which may not be in the possession of the officers of the Government, and the expense of procuring it is paid out of the appropriation made for the contingencies of the departments respectively.

The head of any executive department may require the opinion of the Attorney-General on any question of law arising in the administration of his department. Whenever a question of law arises in the administration of the Department of War, or the Department of the Navy, the cognisance

of which is not given by statute to some other officer from whom the head of the department may require advice, it is sent to the AttorneyGeneral, to be by him referred to the proper officer in his department, or otherwise disposed of as he may deem proper. Any question of law submitted to the Attorney-General for his opinion, except questions involving a construction of the Constitution of the United States, may be by him referred to such of his subordinates as he deems appropriate; and he may require the written opinion thereon of such subordinate, whose opinion, if indorsed as approved by the Attorney-General, has the same force and effect as belong to the opinions of the Attorney-General. Except when the Attorney-General in particular cases otherwise directs, the Attorney-General and Solicitor-General conduct and argue suits and writs of error and appeals in the Supreme Court, and suits in the Court of Claims in which the United States are interested; and the Attorney-General may, whenever he deems it for the interest of the United States, either in person conduct and argue any case in any court of the United States in which the United States are interested, or may direct the Solicitor-General, or any officer of the Department of Justice, to do so. He may require any solicitor or officer of his department to perform any duty required of the department or any officer thereof.

The officers of the Department of Justice, under the direction of the Attorney-General, give all opinions and render all services requiring the skill of persons learned in the law necessary to enable the President and heads of departments and the heads of bureaux and other officers in the departments to discharge their respective duties, and on behalf of the United States procure the proper

evidence for, and conduct, prosecute, or defend all suits and proceedings in the Supreme Court and in the Court of Claims in which the United States or any officer thereof, as such officer, are parties or may be interested; and no fees are allowed or paid to any other attorney or counsellor-atlaw for any service required by law of the officers of the Department of Justice; but the Attorney-General, whenever in his opinion the public interest requires it, employs and retains, in the name of the United States, such attorneys and counsellors-at-law as he thinks necessary to assist the district attorneys in the discharge of their duties, and stipulates with such assistant attorneys and counsel the amount of compensation, and has supervision of their conduct and proceedings. He exercises general superintendence and direction over the attorneys and marshals of all the districts in the United States, and the territories, as to the manner of discharging their respective duties; and the several district attorneys and marshals are required to report to him an account of their official proceedings, and of the state and condition of their respective offices in such time and manner as the Attorney-General may direct. Whenever the head of a department or bureau gives the AttorneyGeneral due notice that the interests of the United States require the service of counsel upon the examination of witnesses touching any claim, or upon the legal investigation of any claim pending in such department or bureau, he provides for such service. No compensation is allowed to any person besides the respective district attorneys and assistant district attorneys for service as an attorney or counsellor to the United States, or to any branch or department of the government thereof, except in cases specially authorised

by law, and then only on the certificate of the Attorney-General that such services were actually rendered, and that the same could not be performed by him or the Solicitor-General, or the officers of the Department of Justice, or by the district attorneys. Every attorney or counsellor specially retained to assist in the trial of any case receives a commission from the head of the Department of Justice as a special assistant to the Attorney-General, or to some one of the district attorneys, as the nature of the appointment requires, and takes the oath required by law to be taken by the district attorneys, and is subject to all the liabilities imposed by law. The SolicitorGeneral, or any officer of the Department of Justice, may be sent by the Attorney-General to any state or district in the United States to attend to the interests of the United States in any suit pending in any of the courts of the United States, or in the courts of any state, or to attend to any other interest of the United States. The Attorney-General exercises general supervisory powers over the accounts of district attorneys, marshals, clerks, and other officers of the courts of the United States. He signs all requisitions for the advance or payment of moneys, appropriated for the Department of Justice out of the Treasury, subject to the same control as is exercised on like estimates or accounts by the first auditor or first comptroller of the Treasury. Whenever the Solicitor-General, or any officer of the Department of Justice, is sent by the Attorney-General to any state, district, or territory, to attend to any interest of the United States, the person so sent receives, in addition to his salary, his actual and necessary expenses while absent from the seat of government, the account thereof to be verified by affidavit.

nates.

The Solicitor of the Treasury has charge within the Department of Justice of the books, papers, and records formerly appertaining to the office of Agent of the Treasury, or to the superintendence of the collection of outstanding direct taxes and internal duties, which have been transferred to him by the Act of May 29, 1830, and remain in his charge, and of the seal adopted for the office of the Solicitor of the Treasury. Whenever he receives information from a collector of duties that such collector has delivered any bond for duties to a district attorney for suit, he makes such entry thereof as that the attorney may duly appear chargeable therewith until the amount has been paid to the United States, or he has obtained judgment thereon and delivered execution to the marshal, or otherwise been duly discharged therefrom. He makes constant and strict examination and comparisons of the reports made by collectors of bonds for duties delivered by them to district attorneys for suit, and of the returns made by district attorneys of such bonds so received by them. Whenever it appears that any collector has made return of any bond as in suit, or delivered for suit, which is not at the time in suit or delivered for suit, or has returned any bond as in suit for the whole amount thereof when part thereof has been paid to him, or as in suit for more than is actually due thereon, the Solicitor of the Treasury, immediately on discovery thereof, communicates the facts to the President of the United States. The Solicitor, under direction of the Secretary of the Treasury,

tempted frauds upon the revenue, and exercises a general supervision over the measures for their prevention and detection, and for the prosecution of persons charged with the commission thereof. He establishes such regulations not inconsistent with law, with the approbation of the Secretary of the Treasury, for the observance of collectors of the customs, and, with the approbation of the Attorney-General, for the observance of district attorneys and marshals respecting suits in which the United States are parties, as are deemed necessary for the just responsibility of those officers, and the prompt collection of all revenues and debts due and accruing to the United States. But this does not apply to suits for taxes, forfeitures, or penalties arising under the internal revenue laws. He reports all moneys recovered or collected under his direction to the officer from whom the bond or other evidence of debt was received, who gives proper credit therefor; and he reports in like manner all credits allowed by due course of law, on any suits under his direction. has power to instruct the district attorneys, marshals, and clerks of the circuit and district courts in all matters and proceedings appertaining to suits in which the United States are parties or interested, except suits for taxes, penalties, or forfeitures under the internal revenue laws, and to cause them or either of them to report to him from time to time any information he may require in relation to the same. All suits and proceedings arising out of the provisions of law governing national banking associations, in which the United States or any of its officers or agents are parties, are conducted by the district attorneys of the several districts, under the direction and supervision of the Solicitor of the Treasury.

He

In the prosecution of any suit for money due the Post-Office Department, the United States attorney conducting the same obeys the directions given him by the Department of Justice. When proceedings at law for money due the Post-Office Department are fruitless, the Department of Justice may direct the institution of a suit in Chancery in any United States district or circuit court to set aside fraudulent conveyances or trusts, or attach debts due the defendant, or obtain any other proper exercise of the powers of equity to have satisfaction of any judgment against such defendant.

The Attorney - General

from time to time causes to be edited, and printed at the Government printing-office, an edition of 1000 copies, such of the opinions of the law officers authorised to be given as he deems valuable for preservation in volumes, which, as to size, quality of paper, printing, and binding, are of uniform style and appearance; each volume to contain proper headnotes, a complete and full index, and such footnotes as the Attorney-General approves. These volumes are distributed in such manner as the Attorney-General from time to time prescribes.

It is the duty of the AttorneyGeneral to make to Congress, at the commencement of each regular session, a report of the business of the Department of Justice for the last preceding fiscal year, and of any other matters appertaining thereto that he

deems proper, including a statement of the several appropriations placed under its control, the amount appropriated, and a detailed statement of the amounts used for defraying the expenses of the United States courts in each judicial district; also the statistics of crime under the laws of the United States, and a statement of the number of causes, civil and criminal, pending during the preceding year in each of the several courts of the United States.

He also makes an annual report to Congress of the names of all persons employed or retained as attorneys or counsellors-at-law to assist any district attorneys in the performance of their duties, stating where and upon what business each was employed, and the compensation paid to each.

The Department of Justice is charged with the distribution to the various judges and courts of the statutes, reports, and other judicial documents provided by law. A register of the statutes of the United States, and reports of the Supreme Court, are kept under the authority of the head of the Department of Justice, showing the quantity of each kind received by him from the Secretary of the Interior; and it is his duty to cause to be entered in this register, and at the proper time, when, where, and to whom the same, or any part of them, have been distributed and delivered, and to report the same to Congress in his annual report.

At the seat of government is an executive department known as the Post-Office Department, and at its head a Postmaster-General, who is appointed and may be removed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, and whose term is for and during the term of

the President by whom he is appointed, and for one month thereafter unless sooner removed. There are three assistant postmasters-general, also appointed and removable by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. Before entering upon the duties of

his office, and before he receives any salary, the Postmaster-General, and each of the persons employed in the postal service, respectively take and subscribe, before some magistrate or other competent officer, the following oath: "I, A. B., do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully perform all the duties required of me, and abstain from everything forbidden by the laws in relation to the establishment of post-offices and post-roads within the United States, and that I will honestly and truly account for and pay over any money belonging to the said United States which may come into my possession or control. So help me God.' Any officer, civil or military, holding a commission under the United States is authorised to administer and certify this oath.

The Postmaster-General keeps the seal adopted for his department, which is affixed to all commissions of postmasters and others, and used to authenticate all transcripts and copies required from his department. It is his duty (1) to establish and discontinue post-offices; (2) to instruct all persons in the postal service with reference to their duties; (3) to decide on the forms of all official papers; (4) to prescribe the manner of keeping and stating accounts; (5) to enforce the prompt rendition of returns relative to accounts; (6) to control according to law, and subject to the settlement of the auditor of the Treasury for the Post-Office Department, all expenses incident to the service of the department; (7) to superintend the disposal of the moneys of the department; (8) to direct the manner in which balances shall be paid over, issue warrants to cover money into the Treasury, and to pay out the same; (9) to superintend generally the business of the department, and execute all laws relative to the postal service. He also makes out, and keeps in proper books, full and com

plete inventories and accounts of all the property belonging to the United States in the buildings, rooms, offices, and grounds occupied by him and under his charge; and adds thereto from time to time an account of such property as may be procured subsequently to the taking of the same and also an account of the sale or disposal of any such property, and reports the same to Congress during the first week of each annual session; but this does not apply to stationery and fuel.

For the purpose of making better postal arrangements with foreign countries, or to counteract their adverse measures affecting the United States postal intercourse with them, the Postmaster-General, by and with the advice and consent of the President, may negotiate and conclude postal treaties or conventions, and may reduce or increase the rates of postage on mail matter conveyed between the United States and foreign countries. He can contract for inland and foreign steamboat mail service, when it can be combined in one route, where the foreign office or offices are not more than 200 miles distant from the domestic office, on the same terms and conditions as inland steamboat service, and pay for the same out of the appropriation for inland steamboat service. He trans

mits a copy of each postal convention concluded with foreign Governments to the Secretary of State, who furnishes a copy of the same to the public printer for publication, and the printed proof-sheets of all such conventions are revised at the PostOffice Department. The United States is a member of the Universal Postal Union, of which most if not all civilised countries are members. The central office is known as the International Bureau of the Universal Postal Union, and is conducted under the superintendence of the Swiss Postal Administration, and the ex