Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-07-08

,ive publicity TO this notice, than that Of comfy 10
the friendly foreign power communicating the
documents to this Government, and liberality to-
ward the unfortunate exiles, who, for thirty years
OF peaceful submission to our laws, have many of
,ien discharged all the duties of good citizenship
to the country. The sums paid for printing, were,
In every instance, those which a private individual
would nave been charged for the same service.-i
The minority OF the Committee believe that the
sene principles which actuated the Government,
OF The United Statcsin extending a generous n,ea-
sure oil relief to the unfortunate sufferers of st.
Domingo, at tue period OF the disasters in that ISL
and, equally justified the comparatively trifinr
expenditure, necessary for the printing and circu-
iaiion OF the notice referred to, of the provision
n,a'ie tor their relief. That a part of the expense
OF this publication should have been nail ont of tho
contingent fund for foreign intercourse, aud a part
out OF the contingent fund of the Department of
State, the minority understand to be owing to the
circumstance, that the amount paid (about 81 ,0G0)
vas S'ea'er IMAM could conveniently be spared from
either fund alone, at the same time that the nature
oil the service brought il as properlv within the
pIovirce OF one fund as the other The minority
oil the Committee see the less ground TO censuro
me Secretary OF State for this expenditure. (not
large IN itseit,) inasnuch as the portion OF the in
denniiy paid to those for whose benefit the notice
was published, being received and expended in
tliis country, viii add SD much 10 the aggregate OF
the public wealth.
an objection has been taken 10 the allowance of
{, SoOO, as a fee 10 the Attorney General for his pro-
'ession3' services in Il suit at Baltimore. The mi
nority OF the Committee understand the objection
20 TINS allowance TO be, that 1t was made from the
contingent fund for foreign Intercourse. They are,
however,, not acquainted with any specific fund
provided by Congress for services of this kind
| the traffic in slaves on the coast OF Africa must
DO considered as falling, generally, within the
province oil the foreign affairs OF the country, and
has been matter oil he gotiation with foreign powers.
The defence Of the Interests Of the United States.
IN the suit in question, i, OF course, a service of ii
contingent nature. The minority of the Com
iniitee understand that the duty devolrcd on the
Attorney General, by his employment, in this case.
requiring his attendance for near a fortnight, was
not unreasonabiy compensated by a fee of this
amount; nor have they heard any fund suggested,
out OF wliiciiit could with greater propriety have
been paid.
The purchase of one hundred copies OF Eiliot's
diplomatic Code, Is objected To is being made out
oil TINS fund. IL occurs, however, to the minority
OF ue Committee, that the very valuable work in
question IS purely and essentially connected with
the foreign service of the country, and the copies
oi 1t purchased by the Department Of State were
designed chiefly for dist hutton to the foreign min
'slers ana other persons engaged in the pubic ser
vice abroad. A considerable number OF copies
OF the same work were pun chased this winter by
'ne House oil Representatives, and paid for out
o! the contingent tuni of the House; ana the
same reasons, in the opinion OF HE minority OF
the C0ninittce, justify its purchase by the De-
pat'H'eht OF State, out OF the fund expressly de-
'otel to the contingencies OF that branch OF the
service TO which the work in question refers it,
SELF.
Some objection has been made to the number of
newspapers which are taken i'll the Department OF
ctatc, and which are said TO have increased within
the last three years. On his mead, the minority
OF me Committee ask 10 he INDUCED Z, a remark.
me public press is a vehicle of Communication in
Iais country, which is growing in importance. with
me augmentation OF the population am! resor .crs OF
tie OhIch. In an Executive Department OF the
government, whose duties are oil a nature so mis-
ceianeous ps those OF the Department OF State,
Il Is absolutely necessary 20 Il faithful discharge OF
them, to be possessed uf the contents Of a conside-
iabie number Of leading Journals in every part OF
ttit country. Ii has also been the usage of the
government, in every period, TO furnish the Tor
e'Sh ministers with some OF the principal newspa-
!e'"' ana these are procured and transmitted
throush the department of State. These consid-
era'ionS Will show that some little increase of this
expenditure will take place with the extension OF
cur diplomatic relations abroad, and the growth OF
ire country al hc:1c.
In the course OF the last Summer, an original
portrait OF Washington. by a distinguished A,neri-
en- 1rtist, was Offered for sale to the Department
OF State. The porua ait had the merit of being a
SCod painting, aud OF presenting d likeness oil some
what different character from that OF the usual por-
traits oil Washingion, and consequently aRordine
the means, by comparison, oil attaining and trans.
iiiitinS 10 posterily a more exact conception OF the
countenance of the Father of his Country. The
Secretary accordingly made Il purchase OF il, at a
reasonable price, as Il part of the furniture OF the
department OF State, which he had already found
ornafnented with the likenesses of all the Presi-
dents OF the United States, except the second.-
ms purchase has been objected TO, but the mi
noFty oil Tie ind nothing to censure in
1t: 1t is certainly sanctioned by the exampI.
oil congress, IN The large appropriations they have
made to adorn The Capitol with historic paintinns.-
Two years ago, q resolution passed the House of
representatives, without division, 10 purchase, at
an expense OF 81 800, Il portrait OF Washington.
toEtiie iiali OF the House, TO be paid Tor out of its
contingent iuno. The minority would not intimate
tnat d Head ola Depa tment possesses a like dis
c'euonafy authority WIN a branch OF the Leyisla-
tuie; but, IN the present case, they think the Sc
cTetaFy o! State to Lave been strongly countenauc-
ed by the precedents alluded to, in purchasing 4
portrait OF W aslilngiof, ds a portion Of The furniture
OF the Office Of ihe Department.
y view somewhat similar is taken by the mi
no'ty oil the Committee Of the purchase Of d silver
medal OF the present Chief siagistratc, for zen
dollars which has also been objected to. A mrri-
icrious and unfortunate artist, who represents him.
sell as having been invited TO the country nv Mr
Jefferson, TO be employed as an engfayer AZ Ia.
Mint, and who failed to obtain that occupations. q,
disappointment, as he represents, Tuinous to his al
lhlrsD had executed medals of the late president
Monroe, and OF other eminent citizens. au.ong re-,
oi tie President OF the United States, One of tbe
id.ter was offered ior sale by he artist at the De-
odFtineht Yi state. who represented, at The same
tine, INC iosse5 which nc bad encountered bv NOT
to' . AWg IN tii' country the employment which
ndu Dccn, las he ai.eged) ,rOnised BIN. AZ 80, 10,
%ducemsnt to resort hilher from ,,alv P,r,I, frnn,
\ sentinen ezciied BIZ ihi- considered on. an C,r,
y IRON Willingness 10 preserve, in the appr,pri
ave department., a specimen OF the progtcs.or IN.
art, a. introduced into this country. and q Hence
Of the individual who was pronounced, when cail
ell TO II, " the best person 10 fill the Der,rtnoa,
Of State that could be found, - and who dfI ga s.,
Tor eight years With singular diligence, intsqrity
and success, the Secretary Of State Va. inJrced ~