44 HAND-BOOK OP WASHINGTON. Government. The total number of persons em ployed in this Department consist of the Secretary, nineteen clerks, two messengers, and five watch men. It is the department through which alone the diplomatic corps and all foreigners can hold any intercourse with the Government of the United States, and is of course the head-quarters of all the American Ministers and Consuls. And in this place it may be well to mention the countries which were represented in Washington at the commencement of the present year by accredited ministers, which were as follows: Russia, Argen tine Republic, Spain, Chili, Mexico, Brazil, Great Britain, France, Portugal, Prussia, Denmark, Austria, Netherlands, the two Sicilies and Parma, Sardinia, Belgium, Chili and Peru. With regard to American Ministers and Consuls, it were enough to say, that they may be found scattered to the four corners of the earth, in every place where they would be likely to do good. In this depart ment are deposited all our Treaties with foreign powers, the original of the Declaration of Inde pendence, the commissions given to General Wash ington with many of his most interesting letters, and also one of the most complete files of news papers to be found in the country, all of which