Department of State
(Not complete.)
Duty of Secretary of State of procuring copies of all statutes of the States, as provided for in act of Sept. 28. 1789 (R. S. 206), abolished by Reorg. Plan No. 20 of 1950, effective May 24, 1950. Functions of numbering, editting, and distributing proclamations and Executive orders transferred from State Department to Division of the Federal Register, National Archives, by EO 7298 of Feb 18, 1936. Duty of Secretary of State of publishing Executive proclamations and treaties in newspapers in District of Columbia, provided for in act of July 31, 1876 (19 Stat. 105), abolished by Reorg. Plan No. 20 of 1950, effective May 24, 1950. Functions concerning publications of U.S. Statutes at Large, acts and joint resolutions in pamphlet form known as slip laws, and amendments to the Constitution; electoral votes for President and Vice President; and Territorial papers transferred from State Department to General Services Administrator by Reorg. Plan No. 20 of 1950. (See also Archives Establishment, National) (U.S. Government Manual, Appendix C.)
From the index to federal statutes, under the heading 'STATE, WAR AND NAVY BUILDING' there are two fascinating entries:
*Assignment of rooms in, joint committee to determine ……………………………………. 22:256¤6 Ag 5 1882
Branch printing office abolished ……………………..…….…………………………………....... 39:1083 Mr 3 1917
Employees, distribution among different buildings ………………….……………. 40:831a Jl 8 1918 (U.S.C. 40:7)
Heating, etc., from central power plant …………………………………..……….. 38:25b Je 23 1913 (U.S.C. 40:22)
Name changed to "Department of State Building" ....…………………......………………….…... 46:907 Jl 3, 1930
Reapportionment of space authorized; provisos ………………………………………….…… 39:94a My 10 1916
Superintendent appointed from Army or Navy; duties; supervision by Secretaries . 22:553a Mr 3 1883 (U.S.C. 40:9)
Superintendent, duties transferred to Director of Public Buildings and Public Parks of the National Capital;
commission abolished …………………………..…………. 43:983¤1, 2 Fb 26 1925 (U.S.C. 40:2, 3)
Superintendent to act also as superintendent of Navy and State Department Annexes . 35:218b My 22 1908
(U.S.C. 40:10)
Superintendent to be responsible for additional department buildings, etc …….... 42:1239-1240a Fb 13 1923
(U.S.C. 40:13-15, 17, 18)
Superintendent to be responsible for building at 1800 E Street NW …………………………. 42:771b Jl 1 1922
Superintendent to be responsible for Interior Department buildings ……… 42:554a My 24 1922 (U.S.C. 40:12)
Superintendent to be responsible for Treasury Annex, No. 2, and Cox and Winder Buildings . 43:66a Ap 4 1924
(U.S.C. 40:16)
Superintendent to have charge of certain temporary office building; control of char force of other builings
40:598a Je 4 1918 (U.S.C. 40:11)
Superintendent to have control of certain squares …………………………………..…..……. 42:646a Je 12 1922
Superintendent to have supervision of certain temporary office buildings . 40:482a, 483a Mr 28 1918 (U.S.C. 40:10, 11)
*Supplies; advertsements for, when to be made …………….……………………………. 28:33 c. 22 Ja 27 1894
War Department offices removed to .....................………………………………………………... 24:618 Mr 3, 1887
a Amended or doubtful. See Table of Repeals and Amendments.
b Possibly temporary or obsolete in fact.
What does this mean? Are we still being governed under Civil War Reconstruction?
Interesting thing here that the Secretary of State's flag and colors to be in conformance with military customs:
http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_99/22cfr1_99.html
22 CFR 1.1
The official flag indicative of the office of Secretary of State shall be as follows: On a blue rectangular field a white disk bearing the official coat of arms of the United States adopted by the act of June 20, 1782, in proper colors. In each of the four corners a white five-pointed star with one point upward. The colors and automobile flag to be the same design, adding a white fringe. For the colors a cord and tassel of blue and white to be added. The sizes to be in accordance with military and naval customs.
CHAP. 128.--An act making appropriations for the legislative, executive, and judicial expenses of the government for the fiscal year ending June thritieth, eighteen hundred and eighty-four and for other purposes.
[at 553:]
The President is hereby authorized and directed to designate from the engineer Corps of the Army or the Navy, an officer well qualified for the purpose, who shall be detailed to act as superintendent of the completed portions of the State, War, and Navy Department building, under direction of the Secretaries of State, War, and Navy, who are hereby constituted a commission for the purposes of the care and supervision of said building, as hereinafter specified. * * * [Emphasis added.]
CHAP. 392.--An act making appropriations for the legislative, executive, and judicial expenses of the Government for the fiscal year ending June thritieth, eighteen hundred and eighty-eight, and for other purposes.
[at 618:]
That the offices and clerical force of the Quartermaster General, Commisary-General, Paymaster-General, Chief of Engineers, Bureau of Military Justice, Chief of Ordinance, so much of the clerical force of the Adjutant General's Office now occupying rented buildings, and so much of the office and clerical force of the Surgeon General's Office as cannot be accommodated in the building for the Army Medical Museum and Library, shall on or before the first, day of March eighteen hundred and eighty-eight, be removed to the west and center wing of the State, War and Navy Department building, and to occupy such rooms therein as may be assigned to them by the Secretary of War. [Emphasis added.]
CHAP. 846.--An Act Making appropriations to supply deficiencies in certain appropriations for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1930, and prior fiscal years, to provide supplemental appropriations for the fiscal years ending June 30, 1930, and June 30, 1931, and for other purposes.
* * *
[at 907:]
State, War, and Navy Building: For removal of upper story, refacing and refinishing of exterior, and such remodeling and reconstruction of building and changes in approaches as will make it harmonize generally in architectural appearance with the Treasury Building, and for mechanical equipment and changes therein, at an estimated total cost of $3,000,000; and such building shall hereafter be named the "Department of State Building." [Emphasis added.]
Acts of U.S. Congress
Comment: These are Acts which contain some topic of interest and may be useful in related subjects and documents. Pay close attention to the words used such as "styled' and "called" and note that State is always capitalized as a proper noun.
1 Statute-At-Large 28, FIRST CONGRESS, session I, CH. 4, p. 28, 1789:
"An Act for establishing an Executive Department, to be denominated the Department of Foreign Affairs.(a)"
Section 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That there shall be an Executive department, to be denominated the Department of Foreign Affairs, and that there shall be a principal officer therein, to be called the Secretary for the Department of Foreign Affairs, who shall perform and execute such duties as shall from time to time be enjoined on or entrusted to him by the President of the United States, agreeable to the Constitution, relative to correspondences, commissions or instructions to or with public ministers or consuls, from the United States, or to negotiations with public ministers from foreign public ministers or other foreigners, or to such other matters respecting foreign affairs, as the President of the United States shall assign to the said department; and furthermore, that the said principal officer shall conduct the business of the said department in such manner as the President of the United States shall from time to time order or instruct.
Approved, July 27, 1789.
(a) Before the adoption of the Constitution, a resolution was adopted:
"Resolved, That the department of Foreign Affairs be under the direction of such officer as the United States, in Congress assembled, have already for that purpose appointed, or shall hereafter appoint, who shall be styled, "Secretary to the United States of America for the Department of Foreign Affairs;" shall reside where Congress or a committee of the States shall sit, and hold his office during the pleasure of Congress." ...
1 Statute-At-Large 68, FIRST CONGRESS, Session I, CH. 14, p. 68, 1789:
"An Act to provide for the safe-keeping of the Acts, Records, and Seal of the United States, and for other purposes."
Section 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the executive department denominated the Department of Foreign Affairs, shall hereafter be denominated the Department of State, and the principal officer therein shall hereafter be called the Secretary of State.
Section 3. And be it further enacted, That the seal heretofore used by the United States in Congress assembled, shall be, and hereby is declared to be , the seal of the United States.