Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1830-01-26


only remedy for the past 10 TO en-, the knot.
IL 10 Just TO the present Ccmpt oiler TO state, tina
nc - oevissng means TO change the mole Of keeping
us books, and make them present the truth Of exsry
| trans action. ~. -
Though appropriations. are IN abe for specific years
no effort has been made except In relation TO contn
xenees' to co,hnc payments out Of the appropriation
Tor any year, to The accounts accrinx within that
year with the exception above stated, account.
ernng ten years ago, paid out Of the appropria
lions Tor the. current year. The Comptroller books
10 not profess to give the expenses Of each year. bu,
only the payments Larg- sums have been taken out
OF the appropriations within tew years past, to sas-
~ Oil claims Thi' IL, doubtless, Of the de-
heiency In some OF them, which haze in fact existed
snd been known In the public Offices for several years
u may be doubted whct 'er hcra was money enough
under any one Of the principal he al. of
10 is: 10 pay up all accounts accruiny before the
hrs January, 1929; and il 10 probable that IRE wa.
an aggregate deficiency exceeding hAifa million Of
I;is dIicut to ascertain fully and detail, accurately
at the practices which have embarra.od the accounts
.. ue Navy Department, aud perhaps is more din.
Elections shall be freely given.
hrst step TO an cfectual reform in the bushes,
OF the Department, would suggest the propriey Of
pay and emo'uments OF ihs Naval Officers, leaving as
e q. possible to the discretion Of the Executive Ey
cry Indirect and convert allowance should be di.ron.
unued and forbidden and the pay of all the officer,
made 80 certain to leave no room for cons,ruc
and SO liberal az to remove present 10
an increase by indirect means. The regular pay Of
army. In similar grades. Certainly, their services
anu dansersare not less Bearing their countrys 10
70 every CLINE, they are exposed to dsg-rs dis
ana de t, I'm degree far b;vond any thing
Oh IN time OF peace by thu Off GER. Of the Army Bv
the feeble health and broken constitution. Of MANY re-
".h'hg 'rom distant cruises, who present them.
selves to me for settlement Of their sccornt. Am
constantly admoniahed OF The hardship, these brave
men have 10 encounter. Let not the country be un.
just to them 49,
The lawful compensation to Commanders of Squad.
rons peculiarly Inadequate. BY their kill and yaior
they have mad our flag glorious AMI attracted Ia our
snip. the attention OF the world. When they enter
10 ,eign porte, or meet foreign Squadrons thcv are
Obliged 10 receive and return the viii, those whom
curiosity or admiration attract board their vessels
Nv uhw'hng 10 ne ou'd'ne in courtesy to he con
quer,d IN oAtIs' they are compelled TO incur expenses
which their regular ray AMI emolument. are made.
quats to meet Let them he no longer subjected 10
the humili alton Of begging Indirect and "A
allowances from the Executive, when an ample com.
psn'aon ought to be accorded TO them by tho reprr
senta'ives of the Americ an people
IL is more important that Congress. .houlJ civ. n,
'g'em pay and emoiunents, because di.crstions.
nv allowances by the executive tend TO iniusc- cor
roptior and eaiousies. 'WhiIs the OH ,er Of
nice feelings stands aloof AMI relies upon hi.
to provide Tor him, the less scrnpuIous u,Le ,L.n.,
selves the assidnous erer. those i'm mower Their
success operates as premium for subserviency and
dsheartens those OF honrst principles and ofiv mind.
he supple and corrupt may nonopolix- the favors OF
the government, while the md homo Z ar.
Kept In ob'cu'i'v. driven from the public service
The minds Of oisrrs instead Of being Devoted IN The
interest AMI glory OF the Navy are employed upon IN.
means OF persuadng the Sscrery or accounting Off
GERS TO exc out their smolumcn,s by additiona} al
iowances IL every claim is not allowed which b.ar,
resemblance 10 such a. have been allowed TO 9th ar,
they are dissatisfied. AMI COMPLAIN Of par,isltv and
nJustce. u an accounting OH err he corrupt, and l.
ou Understood that Inns will he averably
IN proportion a. claimants minister his passions, bs
partisan feeling, or his nscesss is ,rfni 20 think
now lar ne poison might spread in this essential aru
Of the national defence!
How vastly important is IT, therefore, not Nv to the
safety OF the Irea'urv, but to the character and e
hcacy OF our Navy, tn" all diirreon, in making pc
cuniary allowances should he taken from the Elk Gu
i've ofhcer. To its moral character. verify believe
ds.s Our N'vy ows all its gl,ry, BY preserving t,a
chir,cter, We shall make il invncible Civ. M, o.
hcer, liberal pay; make it fixed AMI certain: psce
them In 'uaIion to claim it as matter Of rieht
teach them to con idcr themselves dependent on no
country ony; they will then devote them Give. no, In
this Or hat MN who may cbsnc. to hold the Office of
President, Secretary, or Auditor, but glory Of
heir Nag and the interests Of ,hs Republic The
Navy will become rema k,,e for its high honor and
strict morals, as IT is distinguished for i,s valcr
doubt whether the present system of supplying
to the morals OF the Navy II af,rds an ever sr,ivo
temYauon TO Purs-r, TO cheat the seam IN: and that
'hey are soneiimes overcome by it, we have ample
proof. But am not prepared 10 suggssta remedy
Public economy, no less than the character Of The
Navy, demands wel-Iefined system. AUbougI he
pay OF every officer might be NORMALLY mnch increa,
ed the aggregate amount paid 10 them would not bs
greater than IL ia. P4raps il would be less at least
the increasing profusor which always attends loo
sys en, wouu be checked and the ultimate effect
would be saving OF public money.
On Of the important results Of a we,l-ie6,ed
system would be- the restoration Of confidence to the
public officers, and Of truth to their records. Truth
IL the basis Of all morals Of all useful Of So
cetY itself Yet our public books and records have
been fiied with sysiemaiic faisehoo Is DOES any one
.uPpose That commission has been allowed to the
Comman lsrs o S1uadroas Tor the purpose Of payiog
hem tor the trouble Of dra,oing biIs7 The trouble /,
nothing; the given 10 the aIIow,nc. ia a ner.
preience. L,tely $4,000 h,ve been allowed them In
lieu OF eommssions. This is one step nearer TO d.
rect allowance without pretence. The truth H. IN.
allowance 70 made TO increase their eDf7in1enh and
no hing else Who, on hniipg from the book, of this
office that six hundred dollars has been allowed 10
Purs,rs fJr Clark hire, would doubt that this money
has been paid Tor Clerks Yet, such i, moi The f,s
The allowance has be en- made solely to cover charge
Of comm sions on monies paid TO Mech mic. and La
borers, and TO increase the Putser's lawful emo,u
mPnts Who would doub, tina, the Navy Agents psij
out Tor house rent, Clerk hire, &c &c the sum, which
have been allowed them under these names. Yet
such IS not the faet at least in many instances IL
designed as an expedept 10 increase their alowance
beyond per cent on their difbursements or TO make
IL exceed 81 QUO The pubic books are full of such
pretences Sometime, II IL believed, vouchers. fsl.e
in substance az vel a. in form, have been used IN
draw money from the Treasury. So familiar has the
mode Of d,ng business under 6c tou. ma IN !. becsm.
TO many honest men long In Office, that il IL difficult
to convince them OF its evil tendencies and intrinsic
wrong. {. il not important to correct this, Where
is the security for the faithful application Of the pub
tic money when the record. OF its distribution ara
mited 70 be fsihed. There Is no safety unless even
the appearance Of fasshood be rooted out. Indul-
gencc IN one uDtruh blunts the moral and a1s
to another falsehood In firm eads TO fslsehood in
su6Hdnce by degrees, the evil ereeps on until the
suces Of the Treasury opened and the psops look
n their uubIir books 10