Page:Debates in the Several State Conventions, v5.djvu/472

446 "No religious test or qualification shall ever be annexed to any oath of office, under the authority of the United States.

"The United States shall be forever considered as one body corporate and politic in law, and entitled to all the rights, privileges, and immunities, which to bodies corporate do or ought to appertain.

"The legislature of the United States shall have the power of making the great seal, which shall be kept by the President of the United States, or, in his absence by the president of the Senate, to be used by them as the occasion may require. It shall be called the Great Seal of the United States, and shall be affixed to all laws.

"All commissions and writs shall run in the name of the United States.

"The jurisdiction of the Supreme Court shall be extended to all controversies between the United States and an individual state, or the United States and the citizens of an individual state."

These propositions were referred to the committee of detail, without debate or consideration of them by the House.

Mr. GOUVERNEUR MORRIS, seconded by Mr. PINCKNEY, submitted the following propositions, which were, in like manner, referred to the committee of detail:—

"To assist the President in conducting the public affairs, there shall be a council of state composed of the following officers:—

"1. The chief justice of the Supreme Court, who shall from time to time recommend such alterations of, and additions to, the laws of the United States, as may, in his opinion, be necessary to the due administration of justice; and such as may promote useful learning, and inculcate sound morality throughout the Union. He shall be president of the council, in the absence of the President.

"2. The secretary of domestic affairs, who shall be appointed by the President, and hold his office during pleasure. It shall be his duty to attend to matters of general police, the state of agriculture and manufactures, the opening of roads and navigations, and the facilitating communications through the United States; and he shall from time to time recommend such measures and establishments as may tend to promote those objects.

"3. The secretary of commerce and finance, who shall also be appointed by the President during pleasure. It shall be his duty to superintend all matters relating to the public finances; to prepare and report plans of revenue, and for the regulation of expenditures; and also to recommend such things as may, in his judgment, promote the commercial interests of the United States.

"4. The secretary of foreign affairs, who shall also be appointed by the President during pleasure. It shall be his duty to correspond with all foreign ministers, prepare plans of treaties, and consider such as may be transmitted from abroad; and, generally, to attend to the interests of the United States in their connections with foreign powers.

"5. The secretary of war, who shall also be appointed by the President during pleasure. It shall be his duty to superintend every thing relating to the war department, such as the raising and equipping of troops, the care of military stores, public fortifications, arsenals, and the like; also, in time of war, to prepare and recommend plans of offence and defence.

"6. The secretary of the marine, who shall also be appointed during pleasure It shall be his duty to superintend every thing relating to the marine department, the public ships, dock-yards, naval stores, and arsenals; also, in the time of war, to prepare and recommend plans of offence and defence.

"The President shall also appoint a secretary of state, to hold his office during pleasure; who shall be secretary to the council of state, and also public secretary to the President. It shall be his duty to prepare all public despatches from the President, which he shall countersign. The President may from time to time submit any matter to the discussion of the council of state, and he may require the written opinions of any one or more of the members. But he shall in all cases exercise his own judgment, and either conform to such opinions, or not, as he may think proper; and every officer above mentioned shall be responsible for his opinion on the affairs relating to his particular department.

"Each of the officers above mentioned shall be liable to impeachment and removal from office, for neglect of duty, malversation, or corruption."