1. at the first general census, in 1790, there were but little over three millions and a half of inhabitants in the united states, and these mostly settled along the atlantic seaboard; the country was oppressed with debt, and not recovered from the effects of a desolating war. its public business, therefore, was comparatively small in amount, and was readily managed by the three departments, of state, of the treasury, and of war. the energy of the people, and the great resources at their command, enabled them to surmount all their difficulties[320] in a short time, and the country entered on a career of remarkable prosperity. its public business kept pace with the general expansion, and new departments were from time to time created, to improve the efficiency of the public service.

2. in 1849 congress passed a law creating the department of the interior, and a secretary of the interior, having a seat in the cabinet, appointed in the same manner, and possessing the same rank, as the other members of the cabinet, was installed in office.

3. the bureau of the commissioner of patents was transferred from the department of state, and the general land office from that of the treasury.

the supervisory power before exercised by the secretary of the treasury over the accounts of the marshals, clerks, and other officers of all the courts of the united states, was placed in the hands of the new secretary. the office of the commissioner of indian affairs, heretofore attached to the war department, was also transferred to this; and the powers and duties of the secretary of war, in relation to indian affairs, were devolved on the secretary of the interior.

4. the secretaries of war and of the navy were by the same act relieved of their duties in regard to the commissioner of pensions, and those duties were thereafter to be performed by the secretary of the new department.

the census bureau, heretofore attached to the state department, and the duties of the secretary of state in relation thereto, were also transferred to this department.

to the secretary was also given the supervisory power over the lead and other mines belonging to the united states, heretofore executed by the secretary of the treasury.

the powers of the president over the commissioners of public buildings were also transferred to him.

5. he was also charged with the control over the board of inspectors and warden of the penitentiary of the district of columbia.

the secretary of the interior has the same power in appointing[321] and removing clerks and other subordinates in his department, that the secretaries of the other departments had over these several bureaus before they were transferred to this department.

this office has a seal, which must be affixed to the commissions of all its subordinate officers.

the president and senate appoint the assistant secretaries.

from the foregoing it is easy to understand what branches of the public service are conducted in this office, and what are the duties of its secretary.

6. the following is a list of all who have filled the office of secretary of the interior since the establishment of the department:

thomas h. ewing, ohio, march 7, 1849.

t. m. t. mckennan, pa., 1850.

alexander h. h. stuart, va., sept. 12, 1850.

robert mcclelland, mich., march 5, 1853.

jacob thompson, miss., march 6, 1857.

caleb b. smith, ind., march 5, 1861.

john p. usher, ind., jan. 7, 1863.

james harlan, iowa, 1865.

orville h. browning, ill., 1866.

jacob d. cox, ohio, march 5, 1869.

columbus delano, ohio, nov. 1, 1870.

” ” reappointed march 17, 1873.