Richmond Indiana palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1837-1839, 1838-06-09

mace to him, though be caused his dispatches
10 be safely delivered. Yet these same gentle
men find ample pretext. IN the alledged shipment
Of Mr.. Early, to pay him s3ll 35 for expenses,
1897 81 for clothing, bedding, and books, lost or
abandoned by him, and $Sl4 for one hundred
aud nineteen days. compensation, at Sc per day,
though his dispatches were never deliveredH
At this same time, too, Mr.. Early appears to
have been receiving salary Of s. 500 year as
Librarian Of the House of Representativesn 1t
would seem that Mr. Secretary Forsyth is not c
stranger to this convenient mode Of sending ia
vor,es abroad to travel Cor their pleasure, health
or instruction, out Of the public colIers.''
Ialso find that 50 SIS are charged for contin-
gent expenses Of William +. Barry, late Minister
to Spain. Now, sir, it is well known that MIR.
Barry never reached Spain, but died on his way
thcre.-He, Of course, received the usual salary
and outfit; and lam at loss TO know what con-
ingent expenses, incurred by him, could justly he
charged to the u.
There appears, also, to have been paid 10 John
r. Clay, in 1886, S3.3Sl IL, as compensation
for certain diplomatic services This gentle
men, at that time, held the place of Secretary OF
Legation at St. Petersburgh, with salary OF
s., 900 year, and the payment to HIM OF the
further sum of SO ,3Sl may be justly question
cd.
Other items indicat i've Of cxtravagance or Ia
vor,teism. NAV be seen in this contingent expense
account Of foreign missions, but will not stop to
specify them.
It will be also found that in the OF this search
INC operation and reform the standing commit
tees of this House on the expenditures OF the
several Departments attended to their VOCATION
But very soon after General Jackson came into
power these committees became SO much mat
ter Of mere form that the chairman OF one OF
them decla red here, during the last Congress, he
had never even thought II worth his while to con-
venc his committee, and he appeared quite sur
all n
uuiry was expected to be made in regard to the
expenses of these Departmental T.is state of
things forms strong contrast with the report
made here in April, ls2s,, by Mr. Blair of Tenn.
Chairman of the cc:nmittee public accounts
and expenditures in the Sta,a department. lie,
you know, Mr. Sa---.ner, was Jackson REFORM
CT; like tie select committee, he found every
th'S wrong, and promised TO correct it, The
purchase of books, the employment of a libra
rian, and many other things, we're censured-
even :.le right to purchase print or likeness oil
General Washing ton, to be suspended In the de-
pa-tment, was questioned. How stands the mat
tc. now? Why, large sums of money are year
ly expended for the library Of the State depart
ment, and many books purchased, which are cer-
tainiy unnecessary.
Besides the purchase CT books, periodicals and
newspapers, made for this department by its dis
bursting agent at home, there was expended in
I.oEdon, during last year, for similar objects.
merry $500. Librarian is employed at salary
of 81 $40, equal to that paid to the librarian OF
the grea; public library of Congress. All TINS
io,,s,r, under the auspices of gentlemen VIII" SAID
TINT this part of the expenses of that department
was ccnsurabc, and ought to be dispensed with,
a, all the officers OF that Government could well
avail themselves Of the public library at the
Capitol. But, Mr.. Speaker, the times changed,
and Mr. Van Buren, and Mr.. Forsyth changed
with them. The State department is now laid
off into grand divisions. When Mr.. Clay had
charge Of it, the Blue Book exhibited a list of a
dozen names, all under the head Of clerks
One of these acted az translator for the depart
ment, and his salary Sl,150; another paid
out the funds, and charged with the con'in-
yent expense accounts. and he received s., $50 a
wear. How soon is all this simplicity and econo-
nv forgotten! The Blue Book OF last year a..
vites this department into a diplomatic Bureau
n Consular Bureau Home Blrcaue a Trans
Iator' whose salary is 81 ,76O, Il 'Disbursiug Il
GENT whose salary 81 $50, Librarian, whose
salary is Si,5fO. a Keeper Of the Archives
whose salary is 81 $40, and gives ono man S9oO
, wear for packing. filling. arranging, anu pre-
serving newspapers and printed documents
This is done By tina. boas;ed Democratic party !
which affects such holy horror at only appearance
# what thew call .,ristocratic grandeur. 1t the
Turk. whose letters are found in SaimagundI. /
had seen this display of Bureaus in the State
lcpar,ment he would have been better jistifled
m his admiration at "the grand and magnificent
scale Oh which these Anne ricans transact their
business ButI have yet 10 add. that these 40
question the right of the State department to pur-
:hasc print Of the immortal " ashincton have
,sed the money OF the People to buy prints of
;cncral Jackson. and now Of Martin Van Bu- \
en- for almost every room in each Of the depart
nen,s!!
Mr. Speaker. during this searching operation
md capti,us fauIt-hnding. every petty expense
:! the several departments was looked upon with
pcu censurc ] well remember that an item OF
ONE few dollars, paid Iaborer for destroying
he grass growing between the bricks OF the pa
ed walk leading TO the State department, was
e,d up to the pubic view as ar;stocratic ext1av-
cance. Now. sir.suppcse lwerc to cite to YOU
lanv similar and equally Of not more) obJec-
ionabie charges IN the present accounts OF these
as cash paid 70. clearing oil
he snow:rom the pavcf:'ens,s so that Mr. Forsyth
eed no, wet his feet: 'Se0a quarter for labor,
b. for s;in,,ries' 'l3 for work, without stating
hat labor OF work. 1t might have been for kill
NJ grass or raising vegetables for the Sccreia-
Y. The term .suniries' may conceal the same
lincs. and the curious might inquire what use
,as made of the fire-p-oof paint for which Slo
7ere paid bv the Secretary of State. But the
,oney is we'll laid out. if it will preserve the ed
ice! And it is to be regretted that the Score
,-v of the Treasury and the Postmaster Gener-
had not made similar purchases IN time to save