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


his friends, condemned 'sthe practice introduced
by the Secretaris Of the Departments, OF sesd-
ing the reports Of their clerks heads OF bureaus,
instead Of condensng them, and making them sub
stantially their own communication" This Prac-
tcc, if bad. has been corrected but 10 daily
INDUCED in by all the Departments, ns the an
swers to the calls and resolutions OF this House
abun9anily show. But still more remarkable
commentary follows. When the Department OF
War passed into tho hands Of John II. Eaton, a
jealous reformer, he, too. called upon to carry
out his retrenchment system, and reduce the num-
Der Of his clerks, in fifIment Of the pubic *
pee ation, which he and others had excited. To
the surprise Of all, he referred the subject to the
clerks Themselves! and here, sir, IS his reply:
.sWAsH1SsroN, Jan. %, 1880.
"Sir: have the honor TO lay before you the
reports from the screral bureaus connected with
the War Department, on the subject Of resolu-
ton Of the 9TH ;ant, referred to me by tho Com
mitiee on Retrenchmcn,. Respectfully,
81. II. EATON.
"CnARLEs A. WIcKLIFFE, Esq
These bureaus, so far from agreeing to part
with Of their cscaHchcOns, actually ask Tor An
additional supply! Thus ended that farce!
Another Prccem-This retrenchment report
alleged that our diplomatic relations and foreign
intercourse we're unnecessarily expensive, and re-
commended ga fixed appropriation for the contin-
gencies Of each mission, - Sin no case exceeding
t.onary, POSTAGE office, clerk hire, and other con-
tingencics whatsoever"
Let the practice. Andrew Stevenson,
the Minister al London. is allowed for these con-
tingcncies, including 'prcs ens to the mental OFF,
GERS and servants Of the Court and others, on his
presentation. and at Christmas" S2,O9S Sc, in
the space Of about a year! The like expenses of
nearly all other foreign missions arc in cores
pondcnt ratio.
ProfcssiOn.-The grade Of our Foreign Minis
tiers to be reduced in some instances, espe-
cialIy that at Madrid, to Charge, with salary
of 81, 500.
Practice. Minister Plenipotentiary has been
kept Il. Madrid constantly, and John II. Eaton IS
now there on a salary Of $4,000, having also re-
ceiv cd his outfit of the same amount. And dur
ing the first session Of Congress attempt was
made to increase the salaries of all Foreign
Minister'S! Who could have anticipated this from
I'm Administration that proclaimed on this floor.
lat least one Of its most powerful and Influential
supporters. the late mr. Randolph, who io:tn II,
the cry Of. rctrenchment here proclo ;ned and
what ne said received the full appreciation of ",he
party.')
$50 long members of Congress, and not of
this House only or chiefly, will bow and crinre
and duck, and fawn, and get out q: the way nj
pinching vote, or lend a helping hand at a
pinching vote, TO obtain these places Il never will
consent to enlarge tho salary attached TO them
We are told that they live at St. Petersburg and
Well, sir, who sent them there! Where they i'm
pressed, sir? Were they taken by prcss-gang
on Tow cr-hll, knocked down. hand cuffcd chuckcd
on board of tender. and told that thew must take
the pay and rations which His Majesty was pleased
to allow?
Now ] appeal to you, Mr.. Speaker, If the moral
application OF these remarks has not been justly
felt sin Congress, and not in this House chiefly
under the rctrenchment and reform Adninistra.
ton?
Another preceps Of the reforming rcpor.-The
committee thought the mode Of '.appOintino and
compromising bearers oft cspatches liable strong
objections, prone To- degenerate into species o
fivoriteism little short OF convenient mode Of
sending favOritcs abroad TO travel for their pleas
uIc, health, instruction, out Of the public cot
fe:s"
Pracficc.--Thc President and his Secretary OF
State, both Jackson-rcformcrs,n now take Il favorite
clerk Of the State Department, whose salary at
the time was 1T the rate of 1860 dollars per year,
send him as bearer Of dispatches to Mexico. and,
for about three months scrvice.pav him Sl2i2 IS,
and suffer him also to draw his clerks salary for
the period ofhiS absence. For this refer to the
case OF Robert Grecnhow, who is the TRANSMITTING
clerk Of that Department, all the facts of the case
being stated IN the report of the Secretary. He
this transaction. by saving that the trans
lations which were required during MIR. Green
hows absence ;:,ade at his expense. 1t
might be well to inquire whc ether any TRANSACTIONS
were required during that period, and why also it
would no, have been quite well to discontinue
the salary for the time. and let the government
pay for any TRANSACTIONS which were needed
But do not here distinctly realize what the re-
renchmcnt report condemned in these words
that an actual incumbent is considered to have
such sort Of property in the office as to enable
iim to farm out his duties and to receive part of
is revenues for doing nothng!'' -
Another illustration Of this "conv cnicnt mode
e sending favorites abroad" tout Of the public
OFFERS" is found in the same list Of contingent
expenses Of foreign intercourse. | a.lude TO the
:asc Of Mr.. Charles Bidde, who.wh hen nominated
y general Jackson for jIdgeshp in Florida.
vas rejected by the Senate.
After this rejection Mr.. B'';lc despatch
d BY the executive TO Central America and New
Grenada. VIVA, service he rendered We know
hot; but it appears that for this mission an al
owauce of S7.l2l 50 has been made. Mr. Cha's. :
biddlc is the same gentleman who had a contro-
'ersy with Mr.. Senator Grundv. in which the de-
'o;ion of the latter to Gen. jackson question
3D. We learn by one of the printed documents. I
,ccasioned by that dispute, that the Senator.
or proving himself to be what is called as.whoic
log Jackson-man.' said he ..had swallowed the
hog not only whole. but wrong end foren,os.. ia
ing the bristles against the graiu and had I
.onc for all Gen. Jackscn's bob-taH nominations