The prevailing opinion at the time the Constitution was framed was that the consultative function would be exercised by the Senate, which together with the President would form the Administration.
Upon this ground, Mason of Virginia refused to sign the report of the constitutional convention.

It was owing to practical experience and not to the language of the Constitution that the President was soon repelled from using the Senate as his privy council and was thrown back upon the aid of the heads of the executive departments, who were thus drawn close to him as his Cabinet.[Footnote: In this formative process the Postmaster-General was left outside in Washington's time, since his functions were purely of a business nature, not directly affected by the issues on which Washington desired advice.

The Postmaster-General did not become a member of the Cabinet until 1829.] The inchoate character of the Cabinet for a considerable period explains what might otherwise seem to be an anomaly,--the delay of Jefferson in occupying his post.

He did not arrive until March 21, 1790, when Washington had been in office nearly a year.

But this situation occasioned no remark.