The Sun.
London, England, 1822-03-12 00:00:00

The chief clerks commencin with 1,2001. would stop at 15001.
The aggregate of these different regulations compared with
1796, was as follows ;—The total amount in 1796 was 19,9401.
the total now paid was 56,7701., compounded partly of salaries,
and partly of consideration for length of service. The mini-
mum was 46,0001., but supposing all to have performed the pe-
riod of service prescribed to obtain the highest rank of salary,
the maximum would be 64,5301. By the new regulations, the
Minimum was fixed at 41,9001., and the maximum 48,0001.—
The reduction, therefore, was, in the difference between
64,0001. and 48,0001., being 34 per cent. diminution.—(Hear,
hear, hear I)—The only other officelie should mention was the
Secretary of State's Office, in which a similar reduction had
taken place. Last year the numbers were 31; now they were
38. The minimun was then 18,0001., and now it was the same ;
but the maximum, which was then 28,0001. was now 21,0001.
exclusive of the reduction of five per cent.—(Hear !)—Through
all the public departments his Majesty's Government had pro-
ceeded upon the same principle, and had effected the same ex-
tent of reduction.—(Hear !)---The Revenue Departments were
undergoing the same revision, which he would not then detail
to the House. He must not omit to express his gratitude to the
Heads of Departments, for the cordial co-operation and able
assistance he had met with from them, without which he never
could have got through what he had undertaken. He felt this
the more sensibly, as the task itself was so far from being a
grateful one ; and he begged to assure the House that no-
thing but the commands of the Crown, and the weight
of the declared wishes of Parliament, could have en-
abled the undertaking to be effectually accomplished, as
it had been. Before he placed in one ' point of view all
the general reductions, he would state that Government
had gone through all the other public Departments a short time
before the meeting of Parliament. They had done all they
could with the great Revenue Department. They had called
before them the heads of these departments, and availed them-
selves of their assistance in pointing out any quarter in which
they could apply the hand of retrenchment. The Customs
Were under the examination of an intelligent Commission. Se-
veral others were under the scrutiny of the Board of Irish Com-
Mission, which having seen the nature of the corresponding
department in Ireland, were competent to effect that desirable
assimilation and uniformity of system so eminently advanta-
geous. Government had not thought itself called upon by the
voice of Parliament to invade domestic comfort and happiness
with too rough a hand, by making any considerable reductions
of salary in the public servants. It had been argued, indeed,
that in what they had done already in that way they had gone
beyond the bounds of justice. It was contended, that a clerk
• had a right of property in his situation and salary, which could
not be infringed. He (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) never
would admit such a principle to such an extent. He never
would agree that Government, who had the power to dismiss,
had not the power to control. But lie admitted that like all
other prerogatives it might be tyrannically exercised. He
hoped, however, that it would be found that they had exercised
the power which had been left to their discretion, their mercy,
and their justice in due temperance, although not without a
portion of rigour which the necessity they were under imposed
Upon them as a painful duty. In the discharge of it, they had
studied as much as possible to engage the generous feelings of
the individuals employed in the public service on the side of
their duty. The duty of the head of an office was not only to
see that the public duty was performed, but that the best ability
of the individual was employed in its service, in order to ensure
a zealous discharge of his functions—(Hear.) He hoped he had
succeeded in siring such a sketch of the revision which had been
made, as to give the House a competent idea of its nature. Of
Ireland he should only say that a revision of the same kind was
goingon. They were not in the same state of forwardness, but he
hoped it would not be long before he should be able to lay the
returns on the table of the House. It had been already stated
to the House that there was another species of reduction—a re-
duction of the higher Departments of the State. The fact was
that it was a long time since the emoluments of these situations
had been increased. Ile found by a reference to a warrant issued
by Charles the Second, that even in his time these officers were
better paid than now. This would have justified their not being
touched ; but his Majesty's Government felt that at a time when
they were called upon to exercise retrenchment upon the lowest
offices and situations, they must not shrink from approaching
even the highest. They felt this the more strongly impressed
upon them, from the example which had been set from the
highest quarter.—(Hear, hear !)—He had his Majesty's com-
mand to acquaint the House, that his Majesty had given
directions for reductions to be made to the extent of ten per
cent. in those Departments of his Majesty's Household, which
contributed more immediately to his personal comfort.—(llear,
hear !)—The Departments he particularly adverted to were,
The Privy Purse—the Lord Chamberlain's—the Lord High
Steward's—the Master of the Horse, and others; and as those
Departments comprehended an expenditure of 300,0001., the
remission of burthens to the nation would be 30,0001..--(Hear,
hear !)--ln his paternal care, lie had taken more from himself
than from his servants.—(Hear, hear !)—ln the reductions of
the salaries of his Majesty's' Ministers it was not so heavily
felt, as they had all private fortunes besides their official in-
comes. But his Majesty had nothing beyond his Civil List.—
(Hear, hear !)—This donation was due to his Majesty's own
especial commands and paternal feelings ;—(llear !)—for he
must say, that as a faithful servant of the Crown, he could not
have advised a further reduction. The House had taken
Wise precaution to save itself from the pain and disgrace of hav-
ing the Civil List to canvass. So doing the House had acted
with not less wisdom than liberality. In saving the Monarch
from the necessity of making such appeals as !.ad heretofore been
of no unfrequent occurrence, they saved the country from that,
than which nothing could be more injurious to its best interests.
It was proposed that the King should be enabled, by an order in
Council, to reduce 10 per cent., all salaries of 5001. per annum,
and upwards. Acting on this principle, of course all the prin-
cipal servants of the Crown would be comprehended by the re-
gulation, which would include the Lord Chancellor and the Cabi-
net Ministers; all the Political Officers of the State in England
or Ireland would be subject to it. He had further to announce
that this regulation was to continue in force for the chatting five
Years. This stated, he hoped Ministers would no more be ac-
cused of acting with injustice, by reducing the salaries of Clerks
and others, who were not high in office, while their own were
snared. Though this accusation had often been urged, they
had never thought it worth contradicting, convinced that the
effect which it might produce for a time would not fail to be '
dissipated when the truth came to be known. He would now'
endeavour to bring into one point of view the effect of the seve-
ral arrangements which his Majesty's Government had felt
themselves called upon to make. He would first state what
would be their effect in the present year, and then describe
that which was calculated upon when the whole of the plan
Which he had now opened to the House should have been car-
ried into complete execution. The immediate effect of the
Superannuation arrangements, by which the country would
Pay five instead of ten per Cent. would give a saving of 12,0001.
The value of the offices which it affected being about 200,0001.,
or rather more, would make the saving amount to what he had
stated. On the salaries connected with the revenue, there was
Upon the whole a saving of Four per Cent. Though a consider-
able number of the salaries being low, paid but two and a half
per Cent. taking into consideration the higher rate paid by
others, he felt justified in stating the total diminutions to
be equal to four per Cent. Hence would result a saving to
the amount of 66,0001. This was an immediate reduction
of expence already in operation from the 6th of January
last. The saving on the offices not connected with the reve-
nue, he took at 15,0001. ' • he might perhaps be justified in
taking them at 20,0001. but he preferred naming 15,0001.
wishing rather to be under than over the mark. Taking these
at 15,0001. the next saving was to be found in the per Centage
taken from the salaries of the principal Officers of State, and
this he would take at 22,0001., that sum having been saved to
the State by a similar reduction made in 1817. Adding to these
for the deductions made from the Household Officers and the
Civil List, 25,0001. and to that sum his Majesty's gracious do-
nation to his subjects of 30,0001. the total amount will
be 168,0001. This was exclusive of Ireland, for which
31,0001. or 32,0001. might be added, and thus the whole
would be very little under 200,0001. Such was the amount
of the present saving; but looking at the future, it would
appear that the savings on the civil ffices, exclusive of
those connected with the revenue, might be taken at 30,0001.
in the revenue department he looked for a reduction of
expence, exclusive of superannuations, and including the sav-
ings in Ireland ; the final result would be a permanent saving
of 300,0001. and a temporary saving of 75,0001. for five years,
snaking a total reduction, under the circumstances he had men-
tioned, and for the period he had named, of 375,0001. How far
this might satisfy the House he could not say, but when the
estimates came before them, they would have an opportunity of
going into the details. The accounts would shortly be given,
and then they would be enabled to form a judgment of what
had been done with respect to every office. In the mean time
he hoped the House would give
try Ministers credit for having
laboured with diligence and indus to carry into effect the
wishes of Parliament. He trusted it would be seen that every
disposition existed on the part of Ministers to lessen the
burdens of the people. The reductions now to be effected it
should be remembered were proposed to be made on an esta-
tdishment, the whole amount of which exceeded not 4,000,0001.
II hen Hon. Gentlemen talked of the immense savings which
blight be made, they sometimes forgot the amount of the esta-
blishments on which they were to be made. They could not have
More from a thing than the total amount of that thing. Whe-
ther the retrenchments now made had been carried far enough,
would be the subject of inquiry. It might be too much to hope
that they would satisfy the House in every respect ; but he
trusted it would be seen that in every respect they had been
made with fairness, economy, and discretion, with an anxious
Wish to render justice to the community, and a no less anxious
desire to act with liberality, justice, and the most kindly feel.