state secretaries are apt to sustain a relation
with the other organs of government which is
somewhat closer than might be inferred from what
has been said. Not infrequently they sit in the
Bundesrath, and are by reason of that fact
privileged to defend their measures in person on
the floor of the Reichstag. Not infrequently, too,
they are members of the Prussian ministry.]

[Footnote 313: Laband, Das Staatsrecht des
deutschen Reiches, Secs. 41, 64-66.]

*227. Delegation of Powers.*--There are two arrangements in accordance
with which it is possible for the functions of the Chancellor to (p. 217)
be vested in a substitute. By the constitution the Chancellor is
authorized, as has been observed, to delegate to any other member of
the Bundesrath the power of representing him in that body; and there
is a special agreement to the effect that, in such a contingency,
should no acceptable Prussian substitute be available, the choice
shall fall on a Bavarian. In the second place, under statute of March
17, 1878, the Chancellor is empowered to call for the appointment of a
substitute, or substitutes, in his capacity of Imperial minister. The
appointment in such a case is made, not by the Chancellor himself, but
by the Emperor, and there may be designated either a general
substitute (_Generalstellvertreter_) or a substitute for the discharge
of the Chancellor's functions in some particular department
(_Specialstellvertreter_).[314] In the one case there is no limit upon
the Emperor's freedom of choice; in the other, appointments must be
made from chiefs of the department or departments affected. The
Chancellor may at any time resume functions thus delegated.[315]

[Footnote 314: The law of 1878 was enacted on the
occasion of Bismarck's prolonged absence from
Berlin, during his retirement at Varzin. A
_Generalstellvertreter_ takes the title of
_Reichsvicekanzler_, or Imperial Vice-Chancellor.]

[Footnote 315: On the status and functions of the
Chancellor see Howard, The German Empire, Chap. 7;
Laband, Das Staatsrecht des deutschen Reiches, Sec.
40; L. Dupriez, Les ministres dans le