In 1909 it having been announced that President-Elect Taft intended to nominate Senator Philander C. Knox as Secretary of State, it was pointed out that he was constitutionally ineligible, the salary of the Secretary's office having been increased by a law passed while Knox was a Senator. In order to render Senator Knox eligible to the Secretaryship an act was passed by Congress reducing the salary in question to that which it had been before the increase mentioned. The strict constitutionality of this action by Congress was questioned by many.22

20 Hinds, § 402. 21 Hinds, § 504.

22 In a minority report from a House Committee (House Rpt., No. 2155, 60th Cong., 2d Sess.) it is said: "We do not believe that a provision of the