- '
Patent Office, and the whole nernher tut clerks
was eixteen;the salary and coMpensation of the
Smeary and all his clerks and messengers,
amounted to $27,750.
The whole number of clerks now employed
In the State Department and the Patent Office
is forty. The ;mint wearies and compensation
amount to $56,51$ I I !
The Patent office, in 1328, Was managed by
• '•a Superintendent, with a !Wary of $1,500
and two clerks and a messenger, whose joint
compensatiorawas.s3,7oo. it is now tinder
the charge one of the refortsers, the title of
.3eperintendent'ls exchanged for that of :Com
misetorere and with the change of titles comes
f r om $1,500 to s3,ooot
'the change of salary,
The number of clerks is increased from two
to twenty-four, and the compensation from SI
800 t 0521,000, and not content with one
mewenger, and his eel salary of $4OO, they
provide a salary of $3lO for a messenger, and
tbon give him an assistant, to whom is also
paid $l5 per month.
The Secretary of the Treasury, in the' year
1828, employed eight clerk; and two meseen•
gene His salary and the compensation of the
clerks and Messengers; amounted to $18,600.
The present Secretary of that Department
(and he was taken from the body of relhrtners
who made proclaniatioh from the Senate cham
ber,) employe fifteen clerks and two messen
gers. Ills salary and their compensation a•
mount to $27,100 ! ! A similar result will bo
found in comparing the present with the for
mer state of the several eubdivlsions of the
Treasury Department. But, by way of in
economy, econoy. end tlesplet' in the Tree-
Bury Department the committee proposed to
simplify the forms of business,and to te-organ
lee its subordinate branches, so as to dis
pense with one fourth, it not one thied, of the
officers in the Treasury.' Nov. sir no reor
ganization ol the Department has yet been at
tempted. Instead of reducing, they have in
creased the number of officers, and the forms
of business; under the new mode of simplify
ing have become so complicated, that the gen
tleman from New York,(Mr. Canbreleng.)now
chair:nen of the committee of ways and means
declared hare, during the last special session,
that, after fifteen rears' expenence.as a mem
ber of this Ileum, he found it difficult
'to understand these Treaenry accounts, and_
the manner ir, which the Secretary's annual re
port on the finance is stated.
Next, as to the War Department. In 1823,
• the Secretary of. War employed a chief clern
besides seventeen clerks and two messengers.
His salary and their compensation amounted
to $28,630. The business of Indian affairs
was then managed by hire also. In 1833 the
Secretary of that Department employs, inclu
iive of the Indian bierinesseabon t clerks .40 besi
des messengers. The joint sal ides and com
pensation of the whole amount to $63,810.
In 1328, we hear trotter, of a Commanding
General's Office; with its clerk, and messenger.
In 1833, the Commanding General is allow
ed a elerk,at $1,200; and a messenger at $6OO
per year.
In 1823. the Adjelant General's Office cm.
't ployed three clerks, whose joint compensation
, was $1:950.
in 1338,the Adjutant General employs seven
clerks and a messenger, whose joint compen
sation is VA&
In 1828, thdePaymatter General employed
three clerke e .whose united compensation was
$3.900. ~-sie." $2OO 75
In 1839, the salary of the „ame 'ember of
Here is a display of the 'fashionable litera•
clerk; is $4,290; besides the messenger's sa
ter & 31
in which 31r Secretary Dickerson "undid
lary. .
ges himself and his clerks, at the public ex-
In 1828; I have been unable to discover any
pence.el wish the gentleman from new York
tallow ante for clerks to the Quartermaster Ge.
(elr Cambreleng,) who aided in concoct
neml,
In 1933, that officer employs in the office ing the report from which 1 have just quoted,
at Washington seven clerks, whose united coo- would inform tts 'whet appropriate retie ion,
pensation if $7,300. the books and reviews just mentioned have
1n.1823, the alliance Office employed three to the naval service? llnt e eehat means the
clerks, whose joint salary was $2 1150. item'one fourth of Andribon'e flirdso Why,
• In 1938, the Ordnance Office employs nine sir I understand that neither of the four Sec
clerks; besidei a messenger, and their 5t2.7,m - relay ies being willing 'to take the ree pone'.
gals compensation is $9,225. bility,' as a unit they agreed to divide it.
In 1929. the Suted.tence Departmerit employ"l'lie cost to the peoplb is the same it all come
ed four clerks, whose joint compensation was from the public coffers. And the mode of
$2;950. doing the thing proves that the Sec etaries
In 1833. the Subsistence Department employs felt that Its expediency and propriety were
four clerks and a messenger,whose joint coin- questionable. I have read somewhere, per
pensatinn is $5.830. has in Sterna's work an incident whic h mdst
In 1823, the Sturgeon General was allowed hnpil yillustrate; this transaction. As I re
&clerk, at $1,150 per year.
collected the story, the Abbess of Andnuil tell
In 1838, the Surgeon General is allowed a
n 1 Mareretta a * nrivice, made a little jour
clerk, at sl;266,and a messenger, at $650 per a ' e . '
ney together in e vehicle drawn by mules.—
year.
In 1829, the business of Indian affairs was As the evening approached, they were deser
ted by their nitileicer, when ascending a hill.
one
at the Wee department, by some
one or two of the seventeen clerks which I first The mules presently became stubborn and
mentioned. slopped. The travellers were greatly :Oar
- In 1938. this Indian business appears to con- mad and in the dilemma the novice said ;hat
atinito a grand division. We now hear of the there were two certain words which, she had
'lndian Department,' with a Commissioner. been . old, would force these animals on the
whose salary is $3OOO, a chief clerk,at $1,600 moment they heard them,but then the words
and eleven clerks and two messengers, their were sinful--The novice was urged and she
joint compensation and salaries being $19,400' gently whispered the word; 'borigeriandffou
In 1828: there was one Superintendent of ter. The Abbess in her distress,turned cas-
Indtan affairs, who was paid SLSOO .r year, iiist, and said they were only • a venial or
twenty one Indian agents, twenty-eight sub- slight sin, which might be divided, arid by
agents, and thirty-nine interpreters. taking half, and leaving the rest or by taking
• In 1838, we find four, superintendents of In it all and amicably halving it betwixt your.
dice, affairs,' with salaries of $1.500 each per self and another person, would become dine
year; six 'superintendents of emigrationSwith tett into no sin at all. Therefore my deal
salaries 'of $2,000 each per year, ten 'lndian &slighter continued the Abbess,l will say bou
agents,' with salaries of $1,500 each per year,
fourteen 'lndian 'sub•sgents,' with salaries of end thou shalt say ger and thou shall say fore
and I will say ter. Accordingly, the Abbess.
$760 per year, thirty three ' commissioners and
special agents,' who are paid from $5 to $3 gi
per day; and from 81.500 to $3,000 per year; del vii ger; ng 1 he l. not one bou,Me egret ta respon
i pitch aaretta continued with feu. and
fifteen 'conducting and enrolling agents' at the Abbess dra wled out ter-but stilt the mules
$3, $4 anti $5 per day, two coductors of ex- stood. They do not tindersMnd us cried
phoning parties,'at $3 Se ss;perilay, two rattling Maegretta, but the devil does said the Abbess
'agents,' at $4 each per day; eight, 'collecting And,' think, Mr Speaker. that these rehire
agents,' at 62 50 per day each, two eissuiree a• ming Seceetarte swill find that they arc lin.
gents,' at $1 per day each; ore 'disbursing a- derstood in their patent mode of reform, and
gent.'at 66 per day; sixteen 'assistant agents,' particularly that the people will not he gut
at $3 and $4 per day; and from $5OO to $1.200 led into the approval of an unauthorised ex
each per year, thirty one, 'interpreters at aeen• penditure, by dividing its a:nount among the
cies,' at $3OO each per yeartfourteen 'interpre. Deperment.
tera in the emigration of Indians,' at 6,2 50 and ' fly this limo I think it is apparent that
63 per day eactefifleen 'physicians,' at salaries the duty devolves on the gentleman from N.
varying from 83, 5 dollars Bred 6 dollare a day
Y (SI C. hreleng ) not only to account foe'.
to 84 dollars per month: eleven 'clerks.' (other
i " .• ' uri ' • -.
than those in the office at Washingion,)al sala- I tiling against the measure lore and to
ries varying from 3 dollars and 5 dollar; per day tl i te ' c ' ompens.ation of mernhee,s, Mil also why
dollarst .40 andit 50 dollars per month, and 800 is that that"jittliciouss.!stem f or
o refm" has
deltas and $l,OOO per year; fifty-three "blacke' friends, the Exec•
*not beim ipstituted r b us y I .
smiths with salaries varying from 240 dollars utive officers themselves,' whereby the coon-
t .600 dollars per year; twenty 'fanners and try migh t realize what was promised by
the
airistants,' at 2,3, 5 5 and 600 ner year; eigh. . gentleman's report--"a reduction ofone
teen teachers, 'with various salaries from 500 third of the number of clerks in the several
to 800 dollars per year; five 'millers,' with sal Departments; with safety to the public inter
cries of 500 dollars and 600 dollars, one "ear. est.'
veyor," at 8 dollars per day, the whole conch,. We will now look to the Post Office fee
ding with five eniscelaneoes agents,' with sal- partment. The General Post Office, as it
uric; of 1 duller per day,and 610 per year. was then called, had the good fortune not
But even this is not all. The Commission• only to escape the censure, but to enlist the
er of Indian affairs says the het giver. by him praise of that fault finding era. I leave it
in the Blue Book is not accurat e o r corn/'er. for those who were familiar with the mo-
He (cares room to add or alter. Here, indeed, tires and political events of t h at Cl a y, to
t o . _
tic
is a display of patronage! Ought we not to count for this. The commit te e sa i l o f I
be astonished to find this state of things, un
der en adininistratioe whose friend.. professed The e ffi ciency of this branch of the public
service is in a condition highly improved and
to be shocked at a multiplication of officeeeind
republished,in the report of this House in 1823 improving." My fi rst remark on this, is,
the warning of that chief Magietrate,who said that the Post Office Department passed into
—'Considering :he general tendency to multi. to the liana of General Jackson in a healthy
ply offices and depeneeectes ants In increase anti effident state. A few years, under Nis
expenses to the ultimate term of louden which reform, reduced it to chaos anti insolvency.
the citizen can bear, it behooves us to avail The details of its mismanagement have been
ourselves of every occasion which presents it- long since proved. The evidence is on file
self for taking off the surcharge.' It is appro. here ancl in the Senate, with the reports of
priate. too, now,to refer gentlemen to the can- the several committees appointed to invesii
sure which that report cast on .!ho Secretary of gate its abases. I refer gentlemen to the
War in 1923, for paying 733 dollars for addi. files and will not dwell on the various abuses
tional clerk titre to the business of Indian of which were designated and established; Their
fairs, enormity, coupled with the fact of the borrowing
Mr. B. said he was here tempted to name money on public account by the Postmaster Gen
one mew° offices in particular, which have e b ra ,o l, a u s itlmu i t . auiltority,alarmed the country. But.
been treated for special favorits.one ofthem un- t , alt l .. t d rr
b e
ce was,
roofer personal benefits on
der the law authorizing them President to sigr. fa r :•7l .l rFt e es,.until Il l ie t Siserd and lo °lrene ofthe
land patents by an rgent, instead of doing it as Department became app ar ent, still the (ethical
heretofore, in person. lf he could not find uses which had been made of the appointing pat
time to do this duty, us Mr Adams and all his ronage were not disclosed, and now never will be.
predecessors did, then it would have Been het. 'flie present Postmaster General, Amos Kendall,
her to dispense with the signature altogether tells us iii his account of the late destruction of
69 you have done with thaeof the Commission- that Department by fire, that all the beaks, pa
ter of the General land office. The Presitent'e item and files of the Department were saved, ex
name now is not even written by his proxy nept the , filestof the 'appointinent effiee,' and these
as it should be,hut it written by some ealerk in were destroyed!
the Laud Office, and the whole service of the In the first six years of General Jackson's Ad
proxy or agent consists in his %veiling his own ministration, about 1300 postmasters were remov
/Mae For this he is paid 1,5110 dollars per ed from office, and, in most of the cases, without
the assignment of any cause. When certain
alums! The place is held by one of the Pre
sident‘s eons, and it is an indirect mode of m - Ambers of the committees of the Senate and
geestex . the p ee w eht ,, salary. The eeinen. !louse, appointed in 1833-'4, to investigate the a..
buses of that Department, attempted to get at the
satioe is too high , under any circumstances.
For a service requiring neither skill nor talent i ce,
and correspondence of his "Appointment off-.
and employing a very small portion of this h " with a view to ascertain and report whether
eming gentleman's lime, he receives a Helier !e reasons for these removals vrere prompted by
high and ju,t public considerations, or by mere
satiry than wear of' the Governor; and other pa rty' political expediency, they were denied the
high aims is the several States do! right by the bead ef the Department and by the
Another office 'pedalty created Is that of the, friends of the Administration, who composed a
qinlithasottian agent,'with a salary oh 3,030 d o t. majority on one of:these enininittees. Was not this -
ten a year. end thrnishing a convenient to. inquiry just? 1 refer you, sir, to Mr. Benton's fore
run few a gentleman wishing to visit London, I arts report and bill providing fur the disclosure of
The attiles,of this place might well have N eel reasons ill Cale of removal from ;Ake, 1 refer'
discharged b y ordinary correspondence; but at vote, Mr. Speaker, to your own rem irks
allettrestit thsee are sued as could justly be re• I and to those (Aimee friends, in the debate
=
t the hand. 01 nor resident Minist er ee of Mr Saunders . ' resolution, which I have 41.
s It tiaw k at be ove r look e d that Ri c e, ready quoted. But above all, I refer you to
ant NA was Secretary of the Treesury, l
111111
the remarks of the illustrious Madison, '
IRA. racort4 the censure and., coademna. railed as he was in the knowledge of the
r'ea'ct the relninettieent committee. And I feller and sp irit of our Constitution and
*Witt Rtbill Iris Iki'Poiti .to ' officet'of the qrs. and in pm:. y and honestreif i rpose.
~-
este: * g
.r -u
.
Smithsonian atent. I will leave it tar others
to apply what the chairman of the committee
on retrenchment said at that day.in debate on
this floor.--oiVhenever an office is to be filled
even a zealous constant and faithful friend
is compelled to yield lo a mushroom apostate,
that may have been purchased butyesterday.'
Let us next compare the Navy Department.
Mr Southard, who was Secretary of the Navy
in 1825, employed in his Department seven
clerks, besides the chief clerk. The salary of
the secretary, and the compensation of the
clerks Sr. messengers. amounted t0.17:250 dots.
The Department has been held for many years
and is still managed by Mr Dickerson,who was
a member of the committee, in the Senate,from
whom came that famous report on Executive
patronage, to Which I first referred. Ile em
plort eight clerks besides the chief clerk, and
his salary with the compensation of his clerks
and messengefs, ainount6 'to ISA° dollars.
And, at this very session, he demands mere
clerks and an increase in the salary of some
of those he already has.
The committee censrue Mr Secretary Sou
thard tor unnecessary expenses in sitbscrip
lion for newspapers for the Department.—
They specify under Chia head $624 43
for three years. It now appears that Mr.
Secretary Dickerson has expenifed,for news
papers and fashionable books and literature
of the times, in one year, near 700 dots in
cluding similar expenses of the Navy Board
near 930 dollars.
The committee also condemn the practice
of extraclet k hire. We find all Dickerson not
only employing three extra clerks, but what
is fir mvre dangerous, paying extra hire to
to one of the regular clerks in the Depart
men, enjoying, at the time a salary of 1,760
dollars but to whom:is paid, 'for extra ser
vices as clerk,' the further tom of 642,97
makiifg his salary 3.189 67. is not this a rea
dy mode of providing for a favorite?
The committe also specify the sum of 466
86 as paid by the Navy Department, in three
years for printing, and condemn it as e xtra
vagant.
The Blue Book of 1837 shows the Navy
Department,tinder the reformer Mr Dicke
son,to have paid 2,559 22 for prjnting in two
years!
Tho committee also reported that a 'con
siderable sum, varying from 100 to 200 dots
was annnally expended by the Secretary of
the Navy in the purchase of books for his
office, most of them having no appropriate
relation to the naval service of the country
such as reviews,magazines and other periodi
cal publications, and the fasionable literature
of the day. This usage was, of course, to
to be abolish. d. Ilas it been? I beg leave
to read a few items from Mr Secretary Dick
evson's contingent expense account fur 18
37.
2tlvolurne Repertory of Patent-
inventions,
:lilivolume Southern Literary Mes
senger, .5 Oil
One fourth or Andlibon'sDirds, 165 00
Audubon's Bird, 55 01)
No• 1 Indian Biography, 6 00
North American Review, 5 00
No. 4 Indian Biography, 6 00
One number of American Scenery. 75
—As early as 1789, in the memorable de
bate on the power of the Executive to
remove from office, he not only denied the
right to ezerciSe this power capriciously,
and without assigning adequate reasons, but
he thought it would be such a bold assump•
Lion or lawless power, that he thus expressed
himself,—"l own it is an abuse of power
which exceeds my imagination, and of which
'I can form no rational conception."
But when Mr. Van Buren and Mr. Benton
(both of whom were on the committee which re
ported the bill to prevent the abuse of this pat
ronage of appointment) tame into power, this
chaneed then- tone, if not their principles. Ile
anals f oin office Immediately follower!, end
they deny any obligations to assign reasons!—
Is it not strange, too. nay, is it not mysterious.
that, in the conflagration of the Post Office,the
only papers and files destroyed should be those
relating to the exercise, if not thelablise, of the
power of removal from office—the very papers
which the. Postmaster General refused to stif
fer the Committees of Investigation to examine?
I said Mr. Van Buren changed his tone on
this subject. I will at once prove it. The
journal of the Senate shows that he was one 01
the Select Committee who reported 'he bill a -
ready referred to. He entered the office of Se
cretary of State with the commencement of
General Jackson's Administration. One of
first official acts wag the removal of a meritori-
ens clerk from his °trice in that Department.
and a positirg refusal to assicrn any r (awn for
ii!—Toe gentleman removed Is now a member
of this house, (Mr. Slade, of Vermont.) and
the voice otThe Penile hat sustained him whom
the despotism of Executive patronage sought to
destroy.
The manner in which this patronage!! abus—
ed, and the readiness and almost telegraphic
despatch with which the wires of party machi•
tarry are felt throughout arid from the most dis•
tart parts of the Union. may be imagined alter
reading this laconic note, written by Mr. Van
Buren. soon after entering on the dillies of Se
cre:ary of State. to a gentleman in Louisiana—
"WASHINGTON, Antis. '2O, 1520.
My DEAR Stn—l have the honor of ark
nowledging the receipt of your letter of the 21
nit and of informing you that the removals and
appointments you recommended were wade on
the day your let:er was received.
With respect, your friend, &c:
DI. VAN BUREN."
And, so far from being willing to reduce the
number of clerks in his Department.agthe Pen
- rile were induced to helm ye would be done,
Mr. Van Boren, when called on for that pur—
pose, saw the whole alfair through a new me
dium, and replied—•'My opinion Is that there
can be no reductiou in the number of officers
employed in the Departmeit, (of State.) with
out detriment to the public interest !•' And
yet the retrenchment Committee, ss hen Mr.
Clay was in that Department, reported that
they felt satisfied that had the officer at its
head concurred with them in the opinion, they
might have presented a plan for not only a gra•
qua' reduction of the number of clerks.but for
an actual increase in the efficiency of their la-
•But oilier discrepancies between the pro
fession and practice of these reformers re
main to be noticed. It will he found that
the ieport of the gentleman from New York
(Mr. Cambreleng, ) and his friends. condemn
ed " the practice introduced by the Secret❑
ries of the Departments, of sending the re
ports of their clerks or heads of tor- eaus, in
stead of condensing them, and•making them
substantially their own communications.' This
practice, if bad, has never been corrected,
but is drily indulged in by all the Depart
ments, as the answers to the calls and resolu
tions of this House abundantly slim;. But
a still more remarkable commentary follows.
When the Deportment of War passed into
the hands of John 11. Eaton, a zealous refor
mer, he, too, was called. upon to carry lint
his retrenchment system, and reduce the
number of his clerks,in fulfilment of the pith-
Ilc expectation, which he and others had ClE
cited. To the surprise of all, lie referred the
subject to the clerks themselves? and here, sir,
is his reply—
WAR DEPART:4I:7T Jan. '27, 1830.
Sin: 1 have the honor to lay before you re
ports from the several bureaus connected
with the War Department, on the subject of
a resolution of the sth inst., referred to me
by the Committee on Retrenchment. Res
pectfully. J. H. EATON.
"Charles A. Wickliffe., Esq"
These bureau's-, so far from agreeing to part
with :WV of their escutcheons, actually ask for
an ad litional supply'? Thus ended that farce!
.Inother Precept. —This retrenchment re
port alledged that our diplomatic relations
and foreign intercourse were unnecessarily
expensive, and recommended "a fixed ap
propriation for :lie contingencies of each
mission," " in no case exceeding 56n0,(an
nually,)to cover the expenses of stationary,
postage, office rent, clef Its hire, and all other
contingencies whatsoever."
Let us see the practice. Andrew Steven
son our Minister at London, is al:owed for
these contingencies, including presents to the
menial officers and servan:s of the Court ,and
others, on his presentation, and al Christmas,
$2,098 66 cts., in the space of about a year!
The like expenses of nearly all our other for•
eign missions ore in a correspondent ratio.
Professinn.—The grade of our Foreign
Ministers was to be reduced in some instanc
es, especially that at Madrid, to u charge
with a salary of 54 580.
Practice.—A.Minister plenipotentiary has
been kept at Madrid constantly, and 'John
IL Eaton is now there on a salary of ;0,000,
having also received his outfit of the same a
mount. And during the last session of Con
gress an attempt was made to increase the
salaries of all our foreign ministers!! Who
cot:ld have anticipated this from an Adminis
tration that proclaimed on this floor, (at leas
one of its most powerful and influential sop:
porters, the late Mr. Randolph, who joined
in the cry of retrenchment here prociaimeo,
andwhat'he said received the full approbation
of 'the party:')
"So long as members of Congress, and not
of this Douse only or chiefly, will bow, and
cringe, and, duck, and fawn, and get out of
the way at a pinching vote, or lend a helping
hand, at a pinching vote, to obtain these
places, I never will consent to enlarge the
salary attached to them. We are,told that
they live at St. Petetsburgh and Lr.ndon,
and that living there is very expensive. Well
sir, who sent them there? Were they im
pressed, sir? Were they taken by a press
gang on Tower-hill, 'knocked down, hand.
cuffed, ohucked on board of a tender, and
told that they must take the pay and rations
which His Majesty was pleased to' allow?"
Now I appeal to you, Mr. Speaker, if the
moral applicatioit of these remarks has not
been justly felt ;in Congress, and not in this
House only or chiefly,' tinder the retrench
ment and reform .Administration'
.?pother precept of the reforrt log report. The
committee thought the mode of`appointing
and compensatiog bearers of despatches lia
ble to strong objections' prone to degene
rate into a species of favoritism little short
of a convenient mode ofsending favorites a
broad to travel for their pleasure, health, or
institution, mitts( the public coffers.'
Practice,-:-The President and Its Secreta
ry of State; bothJackion reformers, now take
a favorite clerk of the State Department,
whose salary at the lime was at the rate of
$1760 per year, send him as bearer of des
patches to Mexico,and for about three months
, i ervice, pay him 51212,88, and suffer him
also to draw his clerk's salary for the period
o f his absence!—For this I refer you to the
case of Robt. Greenhow, who is the transla
ting clerk of that Department all the facts of
the case being stated in the reports of the Se
cretary' He excuses this transaction, by
saying that the translations which were I-et-pli
ed during /1r Greenhow'sabsence were made
at his expense. It might be well to enquire
whether any 'translations were require 4
ring that: period, and why also it would not
have been quite as well to discontinue the
salary fora time, and let the Government
pay for any translations which were needed.
'tut do we not here distinctly realize what
the retrenchment report condemr.ed in these
words: "that an actual incumbent is consid
ered to have such a sort.of property in the
office as to enable him to fafm out its ditties
and. to receive a part' of its revenues for do
ing nothing!"
Ahotner ; illustration 'of this',"convenient
mode of sending favorites abroad," "out of
the public coffers," is found in the same list
of contingent expenses of foreign intercourse.
I allude to the case of Mr. Charles Biddle,
who, when nominated by Gen. Jackson for a
judgeship in Florida, was rejected by the
Sena?
4/,
After this rejection Mr. fiddle was cles's
patched by the Executive to central America
and New Grenada. What service ho render
ed we know not; butt it appears that for this
mission an allowance of 1 4 7,122 95 has been
made. Mr. Charles fiddle is the same gen.
tleman who had n controversy with Mr. Sen
ator Grundy; in which the deu otion of the
latter lo Gen. Jackson was questioned. We
learn by one of the printed documents, oc
ca§ioned by that dispute, that the Senator
for the purpose of proving himself to he
what is called a "whole hog Jackson man,"
said he "bad swallowed the hog not only
whole, but wrong end foremost, taking the
bristles against the grain, and had gene for
all Gen. Jackson's bob tail nominations, even
to Charles Riddle."
You may remember, Mr,Speaker, tha
great fault was found with Mr. Clay for an
allowance to. John 11. Pleasant., who was
employed as bearer of dCspatelies, and sat
out on his voyage but, being taken ill, was
obliged to abandon it, though he caused his
despa4es to he asfely delivered. 1,1 the
account, which I m now examining, we find
thestim of $1.522 72, paid by Mr. Forsyth
the Secretary of the state, to Eleazer Ear
ly sent with despatches for our Charge d'•
Affairs at Bogota, butt which were nrver de
livered. The sickness of Mr. Pleas:nits fur•
nished no palliation, in the minds of the re
formers, for the payment made to him though
he caused his despatches to be safely deliV•
ored. Yet these same gentlemen find ample
pretext in the allege,hhipwreck of Mr. Fatly
to pay him ;4311 di for expenses 5,117 39 for
clothing bedding, and books, lost or aband•
oiled by himond 714 dollars the one Inindred
and nineteen days compensation, at Cr dollars
per day, though his despatches were neter '
delivered!!
At this same lime, too, Mr. Ea-!y appears
to have been receiving a salary of 1,501) dal
tars a year as Librarian of the 11011se of Rep
resentatives!! It would seem that \lr. Se
cretary Forsyth is not a stranger to ihis"con
venient mode of sending, favorites abroad ,to
travel for their pleasure health, ur instruc
tion, out of the public coffers."
I also find that 2,515 dollars are charged
for contingent expenses of T. Barry
late Minister to Spain. Now sir, it is well
known that Mr. Barry never reached Spain,
but died on his way there. Ile, of camas
received the usual salary and oiofit; and I
am at a loss to know what contingent expen
ses, incurred by him, could just'y be charg•
cti to the United States.
There appears. at.ii to liaise been paid to
John I:. Ulav, 1836, ,'..,,•;81 41, dollars as"
compensation for errant diplomatic seri i
ces." This gentleman, at that time, held
the place of secretary of Legation atsto Pr.
tersburgh, widi a salary of 2,000 doll Ins a
year, and the payment io hint oldie further
sum ef .3,3:;1 41 may be
. lieoly goestionrcl.
Other items, indicative Of extraiagallCV or
favoritism, may he seen in this conlitizeul
pence account of fotrign missions, but I will
not slop to specify them.
It will also be found that, in the darn of
this "searching (meta' i .11" 311,1 reform - the
standing committee of this Mouse nn the ex
penditures of the ',Art 'I at I Cl,ll
- in their vocation. Bid. very so:m alter
General Jackson Caine into power these com
mittees became so much a manor of niece
firm that the chairman of fine of cheirn de
clared here, ditring.i he last congress, he hod
never even thought it worth his while to
convene his coinrnittee,atid he appeared quite
surprised, or at all events ;unused, that any
inquiry was expected to he made in regard to
the expenses of these departments!! This
state of things forms a strong cootrast with
the repot made here in Api 18.28,by Mr.
Blair of Tennessee, chairman of the commit
tee. on Public Accounts and Expenditures in
the State Department. Ile, you know Mr.
Speaker was a Jackson refit me ii like the
Select Committee, lie found eve: v thing
wrong, fuel promised t correct it. The pun.
chase of hooks, the employment of 3 libra
rian, and many other things were censured;
—even the right to purchase a print or like
ness of Gen. Washington, to be suspended in
the Department, was question, (I. flow
stands the matter now? why, large stuns of
money are yearly expended for the library
of the State Departments, and many books
purchased, which are certainly unneeessarr.
Besides the purchase of basks, periodicals,
and newspapers, made for tlik Departinoct by
Its ihut nod agent at home, there was expen
ded to London, during last year, or stadia; ob
jects, neatly 1500. A librarian is employed,at
a salary of 51,5 th, equal to that paid to the
Mariai of the great public library of Congress.
All this to,', ir, under the aaspices of - gentle.
men who said that lino par: ot the expenses of
th a t D e pa r tm e nt was censorable. and might to
he dispensed with, as all the officers of the Ge
vernment could well avail themselves of the
public library at the Capitol. But, Mr. Speak
er, the tones changed, and Mr. Van Boren and
Mr. Forsyth changed with them. The Slate
Department is now laid off into grand
When Mr. Clay had charge of it, the Blue
Book exibited a list of a dozen Lames, all in,-
der the head of clerks. One ot these acted as
translater for the Deparicent, and his salary
was $1,150; another paid out the fund-', and
was charged with the contingent expense ac
cotintn, and he received $1.150 a year. flow
soon is all this simplicity and economy for „.,ot
tee! Th e Blue B oo k 01 . last year lit ides this
Department into a "Diplomatic Itureau,'' a
"Consiik.r Bureau," a '1 tome Boreal,.'' a
"Translator," whose salary is , 31.760, a -Dis
bursing Agent." whose salary is $1,59.5. a -Li
brarian,•' whinge apiary is t t 1,340, a •'Keeper of
the Archives whose salary is sl,3in, and
gives one man Slifiti a year I it “packinx.filing.
arranging.and preserving newspapers and prin
ted documents." This is done by that boasted
"democratic party"which affects such holy bor•
roe at any appearance of what they call "aristo
cratic grandeur." if the Turk, whose letters
are mond in Salmagiuntli, had seen this display
or 'Bureaus' in the State Departmentdie would
have been better justified in his admiration at
"the treed and magnificent scale on which
these A inelicatis transact their business." But
I have yet to add, that those who questioned
the right of the State Department to purchase
a print of the immortal Washington have used
the money of the people to buy prints of Gen.
acksoe, and now of Martin Van Boren, for
almost every room in each of the Departments!
Sir Sneaker, dining this 'searching omen
lion' and captious fault finding every petty ex
pense of the several Departments was looked
upon with open censure. I well remember that
an Dent of some few dollars, paid a laborer for
destioying the grass glossing hid %%Tell the
bricks at the paved walk leading to the state de
parinclit,was held tip to public view as a piece
of aristocratic extravagance. Now,sir, suppose
I were to cite to you many similar end equally
(it not more) objeetionahle charges in the pres
ent accounts of these Departments—such as
cash paid for clearing the snow off the pave
ments, so that Sir. Forsjlli need for
wet his
feet: '69oa quarter for labor,"ss I for sundries'
tsl6 for work,' without staling what labor or
work. It might have been for killing ass, or
raising vegetables for the secretary. 1 he term
.sundries' may conceal the same things. and
the curious might eriquile what Ilse was made
of the lire piout paint for which .938 were paid
by the Secretary of Slate. But the money is
well laid otit,ifit will preserve the edifice! Anil
it is to be regretted that the Secretary of the
Treasury and the Postmaster General had not
made similar purchases in time to save their re
spective buildings. Penknives and seiSSOen, by
the dozen and half dozen, are purchased for the
Secretary of State who also pays a clerk to go
to Baltimore to collect a draft An item of $lOO
paid by the Secretary of the Treasury for the
transportation of money; but how much money,
or from whence, or from where transported we
k.r.ow hot. Tills last charge is a kind of fore
taste of the hard money sob-Treasury system,
by which, instead of transmitting the funds of
the Government by means of the cheap, safe,
anti rapid systetn of.excliange, which prevailed
before the banks were 'debaticlied'bv Mr. Ken.
dell, Ills public money is now to be wagoned
over the country at great expense and hazard
and always' with delay.
The late eminent and virtuous Attorney Gen.
William tVirl, did not escape the censure of
these indefatigable reformers. lie had rendered
some prefessional service's, in which the United
States were interested, :but which were not
such as his ollicialstation charged upon him.—
For this service en inconsiderable suitaiwas paid
to him, but its propriety was questioned. The,
salary of the Attorney General was then $3.500
anti he was allowed $5OO tor a clerk. flow
stands the case now? The salary of Mr. Ben
jamin F. Butler, the present Attorney General,
to $l,OOO and in I5:14 he was paid $1,150 19
for compensation,hoides being allowed $1,500
for a clerk and ioessenger.and $3llO for the con e
tingen; expenses of his office. The same ad.
ditional allowance and charge, amounting to
gether to $l,BOO is made in 1835. Independent
of the increased salary nncltho enlarged provis
ion fora messenger,whence comes Mr Butter's
right to charge no excess of 51.1.50 )9 for corn
per.sation;besides .9:100 for coolingent expens
es? In the year 1836 we heard of noiliing al con
tingent expenses, lint p provision of .91,107 is
made for his clerk and messenger, and for Mr.
Butler's compensation that year he received
‘f4.-1,1132. when his salary was only $.1.000,
Why was this excess of 5302 paid to hun? fie
appears to have beea used as a sold of Caleb
Quntrm. lie has been allowed to enjoy the sal
ary of his own office ant: that of the Secretary
of war at one and the same time. being at the
rate of 610,000 per year, pursuing too his pro
ession,and receiving its emoluments. No won
der we see in him 'the complying law officer ot
the crown.' Wirer, did he ever give nn opinion
contrary to the wish of the President, if he
knew what that was? Let me give an illustra
tion. As the story is told, when the Baltimore
railroad was about to be located at its termina
tion in this city, the corn parry consulted Mr.
Butler on some point as to the right of way.
under their clia-ter. Alter full deliberation ,his
professional opinion was obtaiio‘d in no riting.--
I t happened that Gen. daekson felt some con
rein about the location of this tight of way,
and he expressed an opinion on the same point,
requiring a termination of the road, %%Inch the
company did not wish. and which Mr. ; Unger
hail advised them they need not adopt. Gen.
J nc f ; .. i m was furnished with the opinion of the
Attornev General. but. instead of yielding% he
endorsed nii it, 'Mr. Buller has not examined
this case %%AWN , : usual rare; let this paper Ire
referred hack to !dm, with a cony of the char
ter, for his re•examination.' In dire tune sir,
the Attorney General r' green with the Presi
dent, and gives an opinion in conformity with
that which General Jackson had expresseiP—
After till.. Mr. Speaker. ‘ie rived unit be slir•
prised at 'he nbs.iril opinion of Mr. Ilidler,giv
en as a foundation or imodlication for Grii..lack
son to pocket the hill repealing the Vreasury
eircidar. rind which had iivseit both [louses of
(Moues, alinced by Pre:amalion. Nor, indeett
should %%e he actonished at any opinion of his,
mite's he should have happened. to give oLe
different from what lie - supposed the President
warded.
I wi•h. now, oo make a few rommen's on the
profes4lon4 and practice of I%lr Anrns lendall,
laor l'oorth Auditor, and note l'o , tina•ter Gen
-I.ral TLis kno‘v ,sir, %vas an
ekventh hour .I.lckson man. Ile, however.
%%as amon.2; the first who got office; and nonm
diately alter 11:4 anrmooment, a letter of lira
is imb'i , lis)l. in %%loch, alb r holding himself
and a leiv 111.'1111: 11p :14 11.1,111 Z been per4Oen
I'd, lie ))xcl,tinm, )%% hat has 11 , anen dom.? Si
iliTo)))))1 of event., as to make !Lul' l'on'olas
ler General. and invsell a no re hornlM) A mlut
or ' .I=ln Mr. 110 um t ter .%%I),' eitl4 .
Ina& him I'oslinaler tie hnow TIM!
under bin in.AN.P:)•111))111111.11 department %%..10 de.-
ran :1).1 and tem.lefec. )11))1,1%)))10!
lint now for 11)14 •homble mlttor.' or, n 4
from 1))4 own )i):e4tion. he 1.) s.onelinms call)))1,
)11 )1 - Amos 11 I.lsMry
j 1 %%ill lie Mond that he
antler Mr. Clay, %%)I,icl), 11 not twi ne. ) in the
ro‘ser of the latter to pro% jilt.. Mr. Kltn l .t llus•
Frnis.ed the calm.. of General .Lick.oll.
In this letter of Mr =acs:
'I Mel hoond by my oblization 10 I nv coon.
frr, so often tepeat,l by all tli
princi; al men at our party • to pool.ote, with ;ill
my (..tents and mflo,ttr. the telorrn4 which It•e
People demand. 1 will prove that our deelar•
ation. have not been h o llow p r ,o en ",.
siihitt, I hold the inlrd , •renco of Federal officers
State politics to he improper in ptinci
pie.'
For the reform 'miler this fart parazinph,
refer yott to Mr. Kendall's letters an.l loafs
pent to varinni political ineelingq and dinners
thorighoot the eoontry for a few years past, on
the eve of Stale elertion..
When Mr. I:end:Ill entered. upon the ditties
of his Am,litor'4 elliee, he catiqed to be
in the I.'llited States Tele.J,pli, the then
official orzan, a letter. iir which he sass, 'The
interest of the coootry ilentanits that this office
shall he fiile,l men bit:it/erg. and not w ith
11161 A ng. pill( iri Ina.' Sir, the whole letter was
the work of a b evpressly
for political and ilemaqozite ends.
whirl) the writer. in the same Meath, said he
had gni: and left for others! I will read n few
pa..,azes fawn it. 'ln live dat e s I have retorn
ed to the post rifice twenty letters and thine
pamphlets, encto;e.l to the Fourth Amlitor,aml
directed to other Suwon-!' flow run;; alter
this letter ttaa it hem, Mr. I;endall. for the
purpose of up the newspaper,
anti liar f . ..rtni.e Franciq
(another eleventh hoot Jacloon man. whom
hr had brom , ht from his former at
Frankfort, lientuckv.l sent under hi' , frank to
Kentiirlo,•, and peiluvn , elsewhere the pros
pectus of thk newspaper?
In the same letter )Ir. also saN,t
'Upon entering 'hi.; office, on Monday last,
one nt the first objecti which struck my eye
was a pile of newspapers On my table. Among
them, I counted sixteen different papers, all of
which l waq told were sohActihed for try the
Fourth Auditor, and paid fur out of the Treas
ury.'
lie sent them, back, as lie then dated, with
a note to cacti; of which the following is a
copy:
TRT..\ SUIZY TWPA RTMENI
Fourth .1! , /i/or',/ (UM , . Morel, 21, lA' '9.
Sin: :at believinz that 1 ant ecl to
charze the Govorniiiiin! oilh siikciiplionc to
nrw.narior. and oilier ',Odic innc, a9dch are
not useful Ic ine in the ilischarze of my ollicial
and nor poie..ir int; that 1 can derive a.
tic a“istanoo from your miirnal in 9otlinc the
ammiitifq of Ibr united S;ateS :Car y, 1 I.3‘e
to refined that you will di:continue seodinET it
In this ohlice. Very resper'fnllr to r obedient
servant, A M OS KENDALL,.
Here, Mr. Sosaker, is a live list of the
'priile,pornp, and circtilllS , MlCl.' 01 office, if not
ofollicial insolence. Ilia yesteril.iy he w as
himself the editor and puldislier ora newspa
per—he next appears, in his own hinguage, an
'bumble Auditor.' But, sir, dons tint the let
ter just read show that he hail forgotten his hu
mility, and become pulled up with official con
sequence?
Why did hr not simply tell his brother edit
ors, in brief nod respectful language, that he
had discontinued tbs subscription for their pa
p!' s?
But n further thought is suggested by this
letter of Mr .‘ mos head 11, and his reason for
ili , contimiing newspaper Fit hs crlptiont, lie is
now, sir, Postmaster Genezal. Suppose we
look at the statement of the contingent expen
ses of his office flit the last year. Ito you think
we shall fn.,: ally Filbscriptions for tiewpapers
there Tani for out of the Treasury?' Listen to
a few Aria'.:
Southern Literary Messenger, PIO 00
New York Janina! of commerce, 17 1 000
Allegany Democrat, 1.1 S 1
Pennsylvanian, 8 MI
Indian flinzrarthy. 6 00
Metropolitan Magazine, 8 00
Three copies or the Dade Globe !!! 30 00
Richmond Enquirer, • 500
Sondry others o bleb I will not stop to name—
the whole number being twenty or upwards,
and the total P rip ton within a small frac
tion of 200 dollars! Ile wan frightened al a
pile of IG newspapers. hut he can now take 20
at a dose! Can it be possible that a man, who
came into office declaring, like the Pharisee of
WA:It 'he was not like other men,' and would
even 'tithe, mint,and cummin,' begins already
In 'neglect the weightier matters of the law!'
What becomes of his intlated promise 'to prove'
That his 'declarations bad riot been hollow pre•
fences?' Of what value was his declaration,
made in his letter before referred to, and in
which be sap. *Vain I may be, -proud 1 am,
that the President has given me an oportunly
to aid him in proving that reform is not WI
empty sound, and is riot to apply merely to a
change of men!' Why, air, I quote a+ a reply to
these questions his own words, in another pas•
sage of his own letter --`The world will know
him at last, and assign him his true rank.'—
'TRIM is omnipotent, and public justice cer-
Among Mr. Kendall's reforms may be men
tioned his leading agency in the removal of the
public depogites from the Bank of the United
States. To effect this, he carried on a system
of.'billing and coning' with the state banks.nnd
in the language of a certain Senator, ( Mr. Ben •
on,) 'debauched them.' 'Yes, sir, debauch is
the word.' I apply it to the Government and
banks, though the Senator thought the People
had been debauched, and applied it to them.—
For this work of 'ilebanch,'which proved so se
rious a curse to the country, this agent was
employed 32 days, and-ivas paid for thi4 service
the sum of $3lO 11, being shout ten dollars a
day for a job Which has accessioned much of
the embarrassment unik.r which the country
now• labors. He got $lO u day' for doing this
injury to the public—a hard=working laborer
finds it difticult to get his dollar a day. But
still, Mr. Kendall belongs to thn 'democratic
party,' and whilst he received his $lO a day
for that work, he ulso received the regular sal4 ! ,
d7z-7,
_ .
ry of his office. This appears to be an estab•
fished usage of this Administrator!. 'rho case
of the Attorney General is already mentioned.
The reports from the Departments show sever
al other easel, though I will now only aid that
of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, who was
Mr a while acting Secretary of War, and during
this period draw the salaries of each, office, lic
it! at the rate got 59,000 a year,
But, Mr. Speaker, no man better knows all
the Uses of office than Mr. Kendall. I have
read a political tract, written. I believe by Denri
Swift, eutitled somewhat in this way—'The
convenietYco of apiece at Cocci. or a sure mode
of providing garments fora whole family.' Mr.
Kendall appears to understand the •modul oper
andi' of this matter. The printed list of clerks
in his Department exibits his father-in•law arid
two nephews, with salaries of Won, $l2OO
mot $HOO; and thus we see a family provision
of nearly $lO,OOO a rear, including his own
salary. .3iit Mr. Kendall is not the only officer
who thins takes care of his own household. If
provision of this kind be evidence of 6 laitlt,'
few of them will be fotind 'hill !els ' The Pie•
sident's son has an office, cc hick I have already
mentioned, of FI:i00 a year. The Secretary of
Shoo's son, tintill very latelyfficlil the place of
Dishict Attorney of Alabama. A near rela
tion by marriage of the Secretary of the Treas
ury has a comfortable annuity of St inn in the
Navy Department.; another holds the appoint.
111 , 40 of naval officer in Iliffion.with a 51hrV of
31)011 per y ear, besides being President of the
Lafayette Hank of that ci:y ; and a thiril IF the
Cashier of the Franklin Bank 01 that city,
which became a special pet louder the pet bank
systein. These gentlemen would all make ex-
C,ll,.lllsiffi-Treastirers.
Bond said, when the proposition for re•
trenchlient was under consideratinn herr in 19-
24, the friends of 31 r. Adams, by way of ploy
thnt he and they desired every itit pron.-
my and reform, poipted to his M e ss aae ree,o n •
mending it. How wer , .. they answered? \\'hi •
sir, Mr. Intrhain, who stem afterwards was
made Sect e inry of the Treasury, said it was
indeed trite that the Mes , att.e did recommend
it, toil he wanted to see wore practice nod I,:s
profe ,, don in this matter. There were no speci
fied refusals found in the niesgay . :, , ;
on-
Iv Oleos one of chose tarmac retoinnosnd a •
li o ns which wet. , a: onward:lz, lie said, as
the ti orris 'your 111,1111dr serrntit' at the foot of
a letter. Mr. If thdolph, in the s3lllO debate,
1 2 .441 this lait L ftia ,on the subject of rettench•
molt rtrd reform—
" The Pre , ident did recommend them. in one
of those lofts' eenerall'ieq oil!) ii hich nll ‘et •
mans, polinc.tl or relt..!iong. which
tni , ll! he printed in h 13•1!;, tike I.IW
nnd filled a: 111 . 1 . 3 tni. , ll! reTiire. lint. sir,
(said lie.) I am fur !MIL ' ,I L:
I,ot It,. precepts of the pat,on, political or
"
)1 r. Bond said tliic ntlp or 'Air. liando'Tli nag
prrlvrtiv Iv;,; 111,14 shos‘ll, • I"• a
vlmed .\ dminidr 'lnn, and In. v,a.4
‘‘ .ll' ''''-; j' 1.1 4 ., 11 . 1n bl* lli it otvn ink, and
Tdow:dlt In 111 4 Venn oinz.ht not ii ,cf.
kave it to !do 110.,e Nil to ill,'
ol t'Lt Adinin•
ji!rl . nm 'had ronformnd hi Indr pleVer!a:
ICa4 in ( * wit, 11 jar!...•
50'1 . 4 IrrilsVlT.o 4111 ,,, 0
yi-t of, an,! delow,l Lt' dlr
11.1-dolplo 'The Unit (%;1!•i,•I' Ino,t hare 10•1
the net ul tr3jiti.4. other , I , e ‘vd. rint
qui'e the im.
ThAi p. 11; itulL•: ,. of the I'.•Ll,ral I;or•
ernmer,t \tLich to be Ilroqht iwo
cotill.ct ‘‘i'h th^ ire , •doot of s , OO chvtions LA:
ervaly 11,creled, and unce.tratned, 11l
the same coollie,
The geirrlertion from Tr tine•see (Mr Bell)
has forl - ears labored to bring this House to
Cu , considerarion of a hill to se yore the freedom
of eke:ours, anal thus carry int,, effect the re
eorn inendal ion of General Jackson's inaugural
address. Able as that g'•n'L'nunr is. and mini.-
as hr has been in his ellor's, the 'Treasure
prepor.red by him has rerrivr•,l the frowns In•
stead of the favor of this Administration. Ile
and the venerable Senator from the same state
( Mr NVlrite) were the cashp and devoted friends
of Gen•rrl Jackson, and they still itesi e to car
ry into piaelical ellect the principles
th , V. with General Jackson, profess to he go.
versed by. 'firey feel and know the imminent
danger which +/weal e iis the country. in th e i n _
creased strength n 1 the patronage of office
'Flury see. and we all see, that the office-hold
ers are rabioad in the land.' For a
o f this growing plialarfx and its powerful incen
tive to action, 1 will draw on logli
nu'hnrih•.—
r\ member of the Senate.( Mr Grrinclv.la zeal
ous friend of General Jackson, the ei Weiler of
which has been ;I:die:l,lv given in his ora n w orris,
bald tl.ir 1..n,z - u 12u. rthrn U 1111111...; tin poll dors
the old .k.larinistrar.ion: ' %Vireo I sec (said he)
an office-holder ieteitering in elcetirms, it has
occurred to me that he was• thinking of his sal
ary. and is, theretore, en unlit adviscr of lie
People '
Mr Speaker. that which occurred to lkir
Grundy no doubt ellen occurred to you at the
same period. The supposition is a very aa•
Deal one, and I think IhN recent events have
strengrhened rather than impaired its truth.—
But I beg the further ihdidgence of the !Iroise
while I read what another distinguished hi. nut
of General Jackson said, when debatiou the
stiniect of retrenchment and reform on this floor.
I allude to Mr liochanari, now a Senato• from
Pennsylvania, and, "with his continued and
growing devotion to the patty, what he said
will certainly be considered •orthodox ' 1 find,
by that debate, that he said it was .tell knowr.,
•••[ - Lief when a man is one, nopnif,te,t to of
fice. all the !selfish passions of his nature are
enlisted for the purpose of retaiiiiii2; it. The
outer•-bolter? 11,.) are Ihi• emli=ted
OS that : I,lmini%:rniinti by rshich fl-y are so.
tattled. Their comfort:lble existtmoe often te•
rends on the 1 .- 0 elf &ion of their patron. r
Loos di.appolntinent long rankle to 1110 hearts
of the fif-appoir.lea. !lope jg still lilt 10 !he'll;
and di'appOirlilliPlit with patience the
know %%ill present a new claim to office at a
(atone time.••
This passage of Mr. Rucbanan's speech
prove: lion fo have been an observer ol awn
and thihgs and familia; with the leading, princi•
pies of human action. Ile dreaded the conse•
qtletlCOS of the selfish spirit of the ollice-holder,
and induced the country to believe that G'u.
Jackson :mil his friends would provide a suita•
hte r,straint upon it. But I fear, sir, the Pen•
pie will be lilt to iratirlinle that Ibis gentleman
Is one of those 'political parsons' described by
Mr Randolph. whose •prtietices' do not corns
pond with his 'precepts It is certain tha'ottitler
the lavorite Administration Cu! the gentleman
and bk friends, the office-holders have receiv•
ed new life. instead of a check. But I mast
yet point out another discrepancy between Mr
procession and practice. In the
carne debate, he reviewed, with censure, sev•
oral of the foreign triissiolet. that to Russia in
cluded; and particularly condeintiod any prne
lice allowing a minister to •rethril alter one
year's absence.' Iliii laiigua L r,e If such a
practice should prevail, our tranis'ers, in viola
tion of the spirit of the existing . law, will re
ceive, tie adding the 11 , 1111 t to the salary, IS,.
000 dollars, instead of 9,000 dollars, for one
year's service.' 'I sin,' said he, 'against the
practice. This, Mr Speaker. was his precept.
But, sir, in a brief space of time, slier con•
derailing and saying tI am against the practice,'
sro see him take the bounty, and become one
of the 'enlisted soldiers' whom he hail describ
ed. and gn on a foreign mission to Ittissia.
where,after staying 'a I welve- month and a clay,'
he pockets the •13,000 dollars. ir.stend of if,-
000 dollars, for a year's service.' and conics
home!
This seems to be nn appropriate time to com
pare the precepts and practice of Mr Randolph,
too, rs ho said he •ss as for looking nt the prac•
ices ,Sz. not the prolession of the parson,politieal
or religious.' In that same. debate. Mr Randolph
said Ire 'could not permit airy motive connected
with the division of the spoil,to mingle with his
exertions.' Ile would not, he said, give up his
constituents and the pleasures of his home, 'for
a clerkship in the War 011ice.or n foreign mis,
sion; or even for a Department of State.' Ile
said 'there had been nn improvement in the
plan of sending ministers abroad, rind bringing
them back, when they have finished their bus
iness; fur.' said he, 'they are now sent abroad
on sherefess errands, that they may comeback
re•ittrecla, to pocket their emoluments.' MI
Speaker, the Greeks and Romans both held it
to he a highly useful, but exceedingly ditlicul,
matter, to kr.oul one's sell. Modern history
and our own times, add uew force to the truth
of that position. Ido not at nil question the
perfect sincerity ofMr Randolph, wten lie ut•
toyed these sentiments;but great as he may have
been, and skilful as he professed. to be, and, no
doubt, was, in the motives of human action,
after:events proved how little he knew of him
self. Sir, we soon found Mr Randolph giving
rip his constituents, and leaving all the boasted
endearments of his district. for a foreign leis
awn to Russia, whore so far as any public ad•
vantage resulted from it, lie emphatically went
on a 'sleeveless errand,' and Tame back re
infects, to pocket his emoluments!' Ind od,
this mission to Russia seems to have been spe
cially dedicated by 'tho party' to short terms
of six and twe.ve months, for tlit advantage of
some of the 'enlisted soldiers' described by Mr
Bochanan, In this way, the cost of that mis
sion has been inordinately increased; and it is
•high time that this drain on the poblic treasu
ry for private benefit should be checked..
Mr Bnnd said it was not tole disguised that
many of the politicians who engaged in the de
bate and strife of the time to which he had al
hided, bad been surprised, if not disappointed,
by events which soon followed. A singular
exchange of position has taken place between.
two of those gentlemen. When the retrench
ment resolution was discussed, o friend of the
hen administration, Mr Pearce, of Rhode It
lane', took ground, not in terms, but somewhat
similar to that now avowed andpractisedby
the dominant party, 'that the spoils belong to
the victors.' Mr Wickliffe, a Jackson reform
er, denied and condemned such a right. He
was appointed a member of the retrenchment
and reform committee, and.after General Jack
son came into power, Mr Wicklttle zealously
endeavored to carry out the promised reform;
hot not finding the cooperation he had expec•
fed; tie abjured 'the party.' About this time,
it happoned that the reformers avowed the doc
trine 'that the spoils belong to the victors,' and
Dl r. Penree enlisied under their. bnimer.
Sir, has not the country been disappointed?
Have not the people been .lereived arid allured
by specious end vain promises? Ilas not the
federal Executive patronage inordinately in
creased, and is it not still tnirestrained? Is not
the power over it abuFeil and perverted? Do
not the expenses of our government far trans
cend in amount ull nor past history? Why are
11,,,5, !hin t :, so, and why has not this 'plague
been stayed.' Mr Speaker, scent ding to your
plighted faith? I . will tell you wily, sir, but I
prefer doing so in the latigimge and illustration
of one of your own friends, Mr ili,clinnan, of
the Senate, to whom I have before refrrred.—
In his speech herr, to which I have already al
luded, and when he was assaulting the (then)
administration. he thus exclaimed: The very
;io.tsession of power, has a strong, a natural
tendency to corrupt the heart. The lust of do
minion glows with its possesston; and the man
who in humble life, was pure, and innocent,
and just, has often been transformed, by thin
Im.; pinuession of power, rot() a monster. In
the sacred book, which contains lessons of wis
dom for the imlitirian as well as for the elms
:ion, we final a happy illustration of the corrupt
inibierice of power upon the lumen heart.
\n hen Ilazael come to consult Elisha wit ther
his ina,:tyr, the k nag of Syria, would recover
true n nlanz-rea the prophet, lookthg
it„. t w 3 nl Inl nnlc, saw the crimes or
%%hie!, the tne ,, ..11;:e v. is 111. stood hefora hum,
e,ol lie wept. !Bair! asked,
•,‘ my t ti?' 16r prop!tet then re
en eto-t1 to him the noliders and ilie cruelties of
hi-•h sh. , uhu loWartiS the children
nl 1 51 . 1 . I. ILn.. ot, iii dm spit it of virtuous in
n. r thy servant a dog, that
1,, do this tiale4" And laisha answer
ed. .Ttie 1,f.1 It 'tit ,town me that Ilion shalt
br k no: ner 1-.1.' 'nu, [non often+ anis he
value Lot 4 by Ill' minder of his master, and
emov me lini:m4, the bare recital of
taleh wenn!,t make shudder.'
Ilow ll9r, aid, ittas! how applicable is this
seen d illu.'ration to those w hn innotied its use
in ere% atim2 themselves lei imaver!
Spoal,er, that some innpired
el been !'resent then mot and Mr
With (ohm. , enraged in the debate
%%loch bar been relelied 1.,„ meted liv the
41',1)11:1111e111: 'rat of the prophet, poi had atdi
ed, 'Why weepelli my ion!' how Wnuid Volt
have been astonished it, beim4 then loW what
the people of Ihi. ro . try Imt %In,' 11,1;100111
I .naz - ine.-ir.tho immonl one looking through
Ilse vi.na of a lea 1.11 , 1 ) e ~14 and , at Inr,. You
11:11 he idle , ' in ' , tter, bat grealln'
in
cn the aino , m; of all pobite ettpenditill'ett.
N ' tt Wtll 11 - e the nllire s ;Ifni p.i ronatte of !ho
contiliy hn pavane mid not for imhtic trod. —
Yon in 111 eta a'a• ot;ices h r lateriles Von will
milarlze all la 10 Yov will deny
the rigid in vall ior le.onio , en a reniiii,al limn
°rice, and in a ti w yrarq Hill remove more.
Own 1500 1 , 1 , 0119 1101111111 . 1 Ce 101 111 , 1111011 . 1 , 511ke!
Yon %%111 delal, , Zi• toil em, lip . the Post Mike
I). partment,w loch you how ailino In be sound,
and will not 'mini alit' Of your det•ti:ltaled
aloo , s in the other 11,1 , ml:item's. Yon will ap
point more members of Congress to office in
lour year , than has been done past histo
ry of the I:o4ernment. Your hu t for the aboli
tion of the potter and patronago . over the Press
will sleep the sleep of death. You will retain
•the preF-ri, the pod ollice, the armed force, and
the appointioi,:po.ver in On Laud , of the Pre
sident, Wel Will hot 'miler their, to change
torn and 1,,j," 11. st stn the -ale Of the Poeitht.'—
Youl non volisnrd a t.inall appropriatior, to ptlf -
ehame some addrional ttlttllttire fir the Pre,i•
dent's that
in twin, i'i, , !Vie or Jark.oin, wha oi ill
he F•ticroc‘t , l I , y Sir Ytu. lintel , : and he, not
cant. j'll , 1'1 . 011.1 haw', fornithre [a his
will cant troll and make his mar) *
that ith one ariltroptialion of
:11M 114111,1ri Inr 111 . .11,111011 , 1 :171(1 sll
- eritl'endenee of the e: - Otlin", , , Pot another aj
loopriation of 20,000 dollars (or IIPW furniture;
unit this. too. in the were year in hen your pub
lic trenntiti' still he Itankriipt Yen will in
crease the expenses of foreign ilii.SiOnS • and
stiffer your Mitioderi to return home on such
brief !tors ire :N will show their appoin , ments to
hove !u into far individual gain rather than
public goon You will inerea , the cortingent
expensrl of this Stl,lllM
Present animal alnnnllt, lo '2lo.lititt doihrs
Yon tall) add 'o the like eneleteSolthe Senate,
mid to all other public expenditures in the
same ratio; ho the sum Mini tor 'he %%hole cii it
11,1 :111,1 mt!lhary :I;TrOrrialion. ,
inent, in Melt is now 12, dollars, nn 1.0
inrre,,F,l 1;010 11ine to hate tinder yonr 1,0;151-
eil reform, ittilil it shall exceed tidily millions
per year!
y„,, gitiection 'l:e ri2lit of a Department
In pill cba.4e a mint I likebess of the immortal
Warmir.gton, but is id decorate every room in
a:I tire D-pariiients with potralls of rMailii V.
Buren. You w ill, by mean , of the 'office hold
ers.' the tetili•teit 11 4 von have Jipt
called thent,bring the patrot.age nt the General
Government itdo condo:I with the Ireciloin of
elections, mid you will resist the bill that shall
be [nought in lo secure 111). irel.eolll ol those e
lections. You, Mr Itandelph, will go upon
4111111 you now call a 'sleeveless errand,' and,
after saluting the Emperor of itussia,w ill make
a pleasant sojourn in 'old I.:Jig:and,' and return
to your estate in You Air Buchanan,
will become tan office holder and enlisted !Mi—
dler,' go on the very mission to Russia which
von ate now censoring, mid will pocket the
$l.-; non 1M 'a twelve month and a days service.
Yon. tro the gentleman from New York.) Mr
Gin,t,r,,, At g, will oppose a vote against the
very measure which pm now report and re
commend, for reducing ant pay ol members.as
a means ot shorTrming the session of c o ngres . s.
You, Mr Ste% emon, till Ile made. Speaker of
?hit House, 141)1, appoint its c o mmittees. an d
dispense its rules, with the promise Ma foreign
mission rr your pocket. You Alt Bentott,Wll l
vote to li.) oil the table the hill which you,
now repert to take the patronage of Ilic,prese
frstri the Governmeat, DIA your report or.
(motive I , ationage, with its six accompanying,
bills so Imposingly introduced, will .provelo
have been but as sounding brass and tinkling.
cymbals?' You Mr. Van Buren, who nrAllt,"11.11
a inpitibi• of the committee on Execiitivo pa
tronage, report a bill requiringreasoi . to be
assignee! for renewing an ilielllObent to of
lice, will be made Secretary of State, a!d in
due thin! President, but, from the mornent .'r!! 1
obtain power you will forget your bill. andr,
only vii late bid refuse to he goveltled by i;
principtes. You Mr. Dickerseti. also a mein
her of that committe, wilt be Secretary of the'
Navv; li it the Department will lie so mismna-'
aged under your direction, that it will be tru
ly surd of you on the floor of Congress, 'there's
none so p our as to do him reverence.' Von,.
Woodlrry, trill take first the Navy and
then this Treasury department, and, under your
supervidioni an attempt-to - humbug the People
with thus promise of Pll exclusive bard money
cerrency will result in 'the banishment of all
specie, a bankrupt Treasury, and a circulation
of shinplasters and Treasury notes.
Imagine, then, Mr. Speaker, such a response
to have been made at the period of time which
1 have suggested. What would have beeii
yortr reply. and what would It)r. Buchanan,
who mode the scriptural allusion, have said?
Methinks I almost sec and bear him exclaim
Is thy servant a dog that he should do this
thing?
We are told that, notwithstanding the in
dignation of Ilazael,' lie reached the • throne
of Syria by tnurdering the king his master.
and soon committed all the enormities foret
old by the prophet!
Sir, 1 fear that, in despite of the protestation
ol Amos Kendall, the prrmised 'reform' was
an empty' sound,' intended to apply nterelyto
a change of men.' But I leave it for this
Muse and for the People of this 'country to
judge whether their confidence has not bee
betrayed and then - hopes disappointed.