Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1838-06-15
EXTRACTS FROM Mr.. BONDS
SPEECH

SPEECH
of Ohio, on The resolution 10 correct abuse
in The public expenditures, and TO separat
the Government from The press
Delivered in the House of Representatives
April, ls3s.-COnetuded.
II VIII also be found that, in the days o.
this "searching operation' and Hreform,'
the standing committees OF this House or
the expenditures of the several departments
attended TO their vocation. But, very soon af'
ter General Jackson came into power, these
committees became so much a matter of mere
form that the chairman OF one of them declared
here, during the last Congress, he had never
even thought il worth his while to convene his
committee, and he appeared quite surprised, OF
at all events amused, that any inquiry was ex-
pected to be made in regard to the expenses OF
these departmental This state of things forms
strong contrast with the report made here in
April, 1928, by Mr.. Blair, of Tennessee, chair
man of the committee on Public Accounts and
Expenditures in the State Department. He,
you know, Mr.. Speaker, was Jackson reior-
mer; like the Select Committee, he found eve
nv thing wrong and promised to correct it
The purchase of books, the employment OF a
librarian, and many other things, were censur-
ed, even the right to purchase print or like
UtSS Vi OtU. w uSllliBt OH, W NC euSptHuSu W
the Department. was questioned. How stands
the matter now? Why, large sums of money
are yearly expended for the library of the State
Department, and many books purchased which
are certainly unnecessary.
Besides the purchase of books, periodicals,
aud newspapers, made for this Department by
its discussing agent at home, there was ex-
pended in London, during the last year, for
similar objects, nearly $500. A librarian is en-
ployed, at salary of 81 $40, equal to that paid
to the librarian of the great public library of
Congress. All this too, sir, under the auspices
of gentlemen who said that this part of the ex-
penses or that Department was censurable and
ought to be dispensed with, as all the officers of
the Government could well avail themselves of
the public library at the Capitol. But, Mr..
Speaker, the times changed, and Mr.. Van Bu-
rem and Mr.. Forsyth changed with them
The State Department is now laid of into
grand divisions. When Mr.. Clay had charge
of it, the Blue Book exhibited list of dozen
names, all under the head of clerks. One Of
these acted as translator for the Department,
and his salary was 81 $50; another paid out
the funds, and was charged with the contingent
expense accounts, and he received $l,150
year. How soon is all this simplicity and econ
omy forgotten! The Blue Book of last year
divides this Department into " Diplomatic
Bureau" Consular Bureau" +" Home
Bureau" a Translator" whose salary is
SLIGO, Disbursing Agent" whose salary
is ~ ,595, !" Librarian" whose salary is 81
$40, a" Keeper of the Archives" whose sala-
ry is 8 $40, and gives one man $500 year
for "packing, filing, arranging, and preserving
newspapers and printed Documents This is
done by that boosted democratic party" which
affects such holy horror at any appearance of
what they call T" aristocratic grandeur" But
l have yet to add, that those who questioned
the right of the State Department to purchase
print of the immortal Washington have used
the money of the People to buy prints of Gen.
Jackson, and now of Martin Van Buren,, for
almost every room Of each of the Depart
mentsl
Mr.. Speaker, during this searching opera
ton" and captious fault-fnding, every petty
expense of the several Departments was looked
upon with open censure. I well remember
that an item of some few dollars, paid laborer
for destroying the grass which was growing be-
tween the bricks of the paved walk leading to
the State Department, was held up to public view
as piece of aristocratic extravaganza. Now sir,
suppose were TO cite TO you many similar and
equally (if not more) Objectionable charges in
the present accounts of these Departments
such as cash paid for clearing the snow off the
pavements, so that Mr.. Forsyth need not wet
his feet; $500 quarter for labour," (" $54
what labor or work. An item of 500 paid by
the Secretary of the Treasury for the transpor-
tation of money; but how much money, or
from whence, or where transported, we know
not. This last charge is kind of foretaste of
the hard-money sub-Treasury system, nv
which, instead of transmitting the funds of the
Government by means of the cheap, safe, and
rapid system of exchange, which prevailed be-
fore the banks were &c debauched" by Mr..
Kendall, the public money is now TO be wag-
oned over the country at great expense and
hazard, and always with delay.
The late eminent and virtuous Attorney
Gen. William Writ, did not escape the CEN
sure of these interchangeable reformers He had
rendered some professional services, in which
the United States were interested, but which
were not such as his official station charged up-
on him. For this service an uncomfortable sum
was paid to him, but its propriety was ques-
toned. The salary of the Attorney Gen. was
then $500, and he was allowed $500 for a
clerk. How stands the case now? The saa-
ry of Mr. Benz +. Butler, the present Attor-
ney-Geneia, is $4,000, and in 1884 he was
paid "a, $50 10 for compensation, besides be-
ing allowed 81 800 for clerk and messenger,
and $500 for the contingent expenses of his Of
flee. The same additional allowance and
charge, amounting together TO 81 800, is made
IN 1885. Independent of the increased salary
and the enlarged provision for a messenger,
whence comes Mr. Buffers right to charge an
excess OF $3.50 10 for compensation, besides
S5OO Tor contingent expenses9 In the year
1886 we hear nothing of contingent expenses,
but provision of s ,407 is made for his clerk
and messenger, and for Mr. Buffers compensa-
ton that year he received $4,3S2, when his
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