Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1838-05-17

anu all nts pTcooCcbooiS o'o, wv" "oc
have been better to dispense with the
signature altogether, as you have done
with that Of the Commissioner of the Ge-
neral Land Office. The Presidents
name now is not even written by his
proxy, as il should be, but is written by
some clerk in the Land Office, and The
whole service Of the proxy or agent con-
sists in his writing his own name For
this he is paid 81 500 per annnm The
place is held by one Of the Presidents
sons, and it is an indirect mode Of in
ere asing tho Presidents salary. The
compe nsation is too high, under any cir
cumstances. For o service requiring
neither skill nor talent, and employ ing
very small portion Of this young gentle
mans time, he receives higher salary
than many of the Governors and other
high officers in the several States do
Another office specially created is that
Of the Smithsonian agent" with sal
ary Of $4,000 a year, and furnishing
convenient sojourn for gentleman wish
ing to visit London. The duties Of this
place might well have been discharged
by ordinary correspondence, but ut all
events they are such as could justly be
required at the hands Of our resident
Minister at London. II cannot be over
looked that Richard Rush was Secretary
Of the Treasury, and received tho CEN
sure and condemnation Of the Retrench-
ment Committee. And yet Mr.. Rush
was appointed to the Office Of the Smith
sonian agent l will leave it for others
to apply what the chairman Of the Com
mittee on Retrenchment said at that day,
| in debate on this floor: Whenever an
Office is to be filed" "even a jealous,
constant, and faithful friend is compelled
to yield TO mushroom aposiate that may
have been purchased but yesterday"
i Let us next compare the Navy De-
I par,ment. Mr.. Southsrd, who was Sec
retary of the Navy in 1928, employed in
his Department seven clerks, besides
the chief clerk. The salary Oft the Sec
retary, and the compensation Of the
clerks and messengers, amounted to
/ Sl7,250. Tho Department has been
held for many years, and is still manag-
ed by MIR. Dickerson, who was mem
bcr ofthe committee, in the Senate, from
whom came that famous report on Ex-
ecutive patronage, to which first refer
red. He employs eight clerks besides
the chief clerk and his salary, with the
| compensation of his clerks and messen-
gers, amounts to $I8 $50. And, at this
very session, he demands more clerks,
and an increase in the salary Of some Of
those he already has.
H The committee censure Mr. Secretary
| Southard for unnecessary expense m
subscription for newspapers for the De-
partment. They specify, under this
head, 1924 43 for three years. 1t now
/ appears that Mr.. Secretary Dickerson
has expended, for newspapers and fash
ionable books and literature of the times,
in one year, near 500 and, including
similar expenses of the Navy Board,
near $3.50.
The committee also condemn the prae-
tice ofextre clerk hire. We find Mr..
Dickerson not only employing three ex-
ira clerks, but, what is for more danger
Gus, paying extra hire to one ofthe regu-
lar clerks in the Department, enjoying,
at the time, a salary Of $l,76O, but to
whom is paid, "for extra services az
clerk" tho further sum Of $429 67, maxi
ing his salary So,l89 67. Is not this
ready mode Of providing for favorite
/ The committee also specify tho susa
Of S466 86, as paid by the Navy Depart
ment, in three years, for printing, and
condemn it US extravngant.
i The Blue Book Of 1887 shows the
\ Navy Department under the relormer,
/ Mr.. Dickerson, to have paid 1851 %
for printing in fico years
II The committee also reported that
Ef"considerable sum, varying from loo 10
/ 5000, was annually expended by the
Secretary ofthe Navy in the purchase
of books for his Office, most Of them hav-
ing no appropriate relation to the naval
service Of the country, such as reviews,
mag zines, and other periodical publica-
tions, and the fashionable literature Of
the day" This usage was, of course,
TO be abolished. Has il been? ! beg
leave 10 read few items from Secretary
Dickerson's contingent expense account
for 1887.
Cd volume Repertory Of patent lnven-
tions, So 90
Cd volume Southern Literary Msssen-
| ger, 8 90
One fourth Of Audubon's Birds, I65 90
Audubon's Birds, 55 90
No. l. Indian Biography, 90
North American Review, 500
No. 4, Indian Biography, 600
One No. Of American Scenery, IS
$3.50 75
Here is display Of the Questionable
literature" in which Mr. Secretary
Dickerson INDUCES himself and his
clerks, at the public expense. / wish
the gentleman from New York, (Mr.
Cambreleng) who aided in concocting
the report from which have just quoted,
would inform Us "what appropriate rela-
ton" the books and reviews Just men,
toned have "to the naval service i''-
But, what means the item "one fourth
Of Audubon's Birds I" Why, sir, / uu-
derstand that neither Of the four Secre-
taries being willing "to take the respon-
sibility," Gas n unit" they agreed to
IL .y.l A.