THE CONDUCT OF FOREIGN IN TERCOURSE PRIOR to the adoption of the Constitution, the executive as well as the legislative power of the United States resided in the Congress. For the purpose of conducting foreign intercourse, the Continental Congress established on November 29, 1775, a Committee of Secret Correspondence. This committee was superseded on April 17, 1777, by the Committee for Foreign Affairs. The committee plan having proved to be utterly inefficient, there was created on January 10, 1871, the Department of Foreign Affairs, to be presided over by a Secretary of Foreign Affairs. The first person to fill this office was Robert R. Livingston, who was elected August 10, 1781. He entered upon his duties October 20, 1781, and served till June 4, 1783. His successor was John Jay, who assumed charge of the office on September 21, 1784. By the act of July 27, 1789, under the Constitution, the Department of Foreign Affairs was reorganized and expanded, while by the act of September 15, 1789, its name was changed to the Department of State, and the title of the head became Secretary of State. Jay, who had been |