The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1838-05-19

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the Government with subscriptions to newspapers and
other publications, which useful to me in the
discharge Of my official duties; and not perceving that
derive any assistance from your Journal in settling
the accounts Of the United States Navy, have to
quest that you will discontinue sending il to this office
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
AMOS KENDALL.
Here, Mr.. Speaker, is a fine display of the "prde,
pomp, and circumstance Of Office If of official in
science Bot yesterday he was himself the editor and
publisher OF newspaper he next appears IN his own
language, "humbe Auditor" But, sir, does not
the letter just read show that he had forgotten his hui
milty, and become pulled mp with official consequence
Why did he not simply tell his brother editors, IN
brief and respectful language, that he had discontinued
the subscription for their papcrf
But further thought is suggested by this letter Of
Mr. Amos Kendall, and his reason for disseminating
newspaper subscriptions. Ne is now, sir, Postmaster
General Suppose we look at the statement Of the
ngent expenses OF his Office for the last year Do you
think shall find any subscriptions for newspapers
there :" paid out Of the Treasury" Listen to few
items ss4#
Southern Literary Messenger, $40 90
New York Journal Of Commerce., 10 90
Allegheny Democrat, IA 81
Pennsylvania, . .1. 8 90
Indian Biography, D 90
Metropolitan Magazine, 8 90
Three copies Of the Daily Globe 1! 80 90
Richmond Enquirer, 90
Sundry others which will not stop to name the
whole number being twenty or upwards and the total
of subscription within small fraction Of S200l He
was frightened at pile Of l6 newspapers, but he can
now take 20 at dose Can it be possible that man.
who into office declaring like the Pharisee 0! old,
that he was not like other men" and would even
"he, mint, and cummin, begins already to " neglect
the weghter matters Of the law 1" What becomes Of
his inflated promise TO prove" that his declarations
had not been hollow pretences OF what value
his declaration, made in his letter before referred to- and
in which he says "Vain may be, proud am, that the
President has given me an opportunity to aid him in
proving that reform IS not empty sound and is not TO
apply merely to change Of men T. Why, sir, quote
as reply these questions his words in another
passage OF his own letter The world will know him
at last, and assign him his true rank. Truth is
nipotent, and public justice certain"
Among Mr. Kendalrs reforms may be mentioned
his leading agency in the removal OF the public de-
poSites from the Bank Of the United States. To
effect this, he carried on a system Of billing and
cooling" with the State banks, and in the language
of certain Senator, (Mr. Benton0 "debauched
them :" Yes, sir. debauch Is the word" apply
it to the Government and banks though the Senator
thought the people had been debauched, and applied
it to them. For this work of debauch." which
proved so serious curse to the country, this agent
was employed lhirty-wo days, and was paid for this
service the sum of 1916 Ii, being about len dollars
day for a job which has occasoned much of the
embarrassment under which the country now labors.
He got $40 day Tor doing this injury TO the public
"a hard working laborer finds il difficult to get his
dollar day. But still Mr. Kendall belongs 10 the
democratic party" and whilst he received his Sl0
day for that work, he also received the regular
salary Of his office. This appears to be an establish
ed usage OF this administration. The case of the
Attorney General is already mentioned. The reports
from the Departments show several other cases,
though will now only add that of the Commissioner
Of Indian Affairs who was for while acting Sc
cretary of War, and during this period drew the
salaries OF each Office, being at the rate Of 5000
year
But, Mr.. Speaker no man better knows all the
uses Of Office than Mr.. Kendall. have read po-
litica tract, written, think, by Dean Swift, entitled
somewhat in this way " The convenience OF place
al Court, or sure mode Of providing garments for
whole family" Mr., Kendall appears TO under
stand the "moaaS opcrandi" of this matter. The
printed list of clerks in his Department exhibits his
iather-in-law and two nephews, with salaries OF
I'll 900, 81 200 and 81 400; and thus we see family
provision Of nearly $4,000 year, including his
own salary But Mr.. Kendall is not the only officer
who thus takes care of his own household II pro-
vision Of this kind be evidence of " laith," few Of
them will be found "infdelS." The Presidents son
has an office, which have already mentioned, of
ST. 500 year The Secretary of States son, until
very lately, held the place Of District Attorney in
Alabama A near relation by marriage of the Sc
cretary OF the Treasury has comfortable annuity OF
Isl 400 in the Navy Department; another holds the
appointment of naval officer in Boston, with a salary
OF $1,000 per year, besides being President of the
Lafayette Bank of that city; and third is the
Cashier OF the Franklin Bank of that city, which
became special pet under the pet bank system
These gentlemen would all make excellent Sub
TreaSurers! #Nh
Mr.. BoNp said when the proposition for retrench-
ment was under consideration here in 1928, the
friends of Mr. Adams, by way Of proving that he
and they desired every Just economy and reform,
pointed to his Message recommending 1t. How
were they answered Why, sir, Mr. Ingham,
who soon afterwards was made Secretary OF the
Treasury, said it was indeed true that the Message
did recommend il, but he wanted TO see more prac-
ice and less profession in this matter. There were
10 specified reforms found in the Message; he could
only find there OF those formal recommendations,
which were as unmeaning, he said, as the words
Z" your humble servant" al the foot of letter Mr.
Randolph, in the same debate, used this language
on the subject of retrenchment and reform:
"The President did recommend them, in one Of
those lofty generaities with which all sermons po-
itical or religious abound which might be printed
in blank, like law process, and filled as occasions
might require. But, sir (said he) am for looking
at the practices and not at the preceps of the par
son, political or religious.
Mr. Bonn said this rule of Mr.. Randolph was per-
fectly Just it was thus shown too tosbs avowed by
this Administration, and he was willing TO Judge
them BY their own rule, and thought TO this they
ought not To- object He would leave IL TO the House
and to the People TO say whetherithe practices" Of
this Administration had conformed to-their pre-
cepts"
Was the recommendation in General Jacksons
inaugural address one of those lofty generaties"
Just spoken of, and defined by Mr.. Randolph The
"a Unit Cabinet must have lost the art of reading,
otherwise F." reform" was not quite 80 legibly in
scribed" as the General imagined That patronage
Of the Federal Government which was said to be
brought into conflict with the freedom OF Stale cleo
tons has greatly increased and is still unreS,rancd