Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1838-05-28

account, which an now examining, We find ih'
sum OF 81 500 -, paid by Mr.. FORSYTH, the Secrc
tafy OF State, to Elcazef Early, sent with despatch
rs Tor out tharpc II Afi,ircs nj ~l'ogota. but wlltcl
were never delivered. The sickness of Mr.. Plea
SAINTS furnished no paillaiion. in The minds f,lc re-
formers, Tor the payment made 10 him, though he
caused his dispatches to be safely delivered. Nc,
these same g%rnllemco find ample pr,tcxt. in thc al
'cged shipment oi Mr.. Early, To pay him saw - loI
expenses. 1897 ~ Tor clothing, bedding, aud books
lost or abandoned by him, aud S7li Tor one hun
dred and nineteen days compensation, nj SO per
day. though his dispatches were never delivered I
AT tins same time, too, MIR. Early appears 10
have been receiving n salary Of 81 800 u year as III
brarian Of The House of Representatives, II would
seem that Mr.. Secretary Forsyth IL not n stranger
10 this " convenient mode Of sending f,yotites n
broad, tn travel Tor thcir pleasure, health, OF insiruc-
ton. ont of the public Golfers"
also find that 81 ,515 ae charged for contingent
expenses Of William =. Barry, late Minister To
SPAN. No" sir, II is well known that Mr.. Barry nev-
or reached SPIN. bun died IN his way there. lie.
OF course. received the usual salary aud outfit and
] am at a loss To know what contingent cxpcn-
ses' incurred by him, could Justly be chargcd To the
u. States.
There appra,s. also. to have been paid 10 John Il.
'lay, IN lS3h, S3,3Sl II, as " compensation for Ger
tam diplomatic services" This gentleman, IT that
time. held the place Of Secretary Of Lcg1lion at ST.
Petersburg, with n salary oi s.. Onn u ,rnn, aud The
payment 10 him OF the iuitlcr sum Of - ,39l ii may
be Justly questioned.
oulcr items, indicative of extravaganza or favor
'tism, may be seen IN the contingent expense ar-
count ofioreign mi sionsl but VIII not stop to speci-
iy them.
II VIII also he found illat, in the days Of this
- searching operation and - reform" the sanding
committees of this House on ihe expenditures OF Tire
several departments attended In their vocation. But,
very soon after General Jackson came into power,
these committees became so much n mnltrf ot mere
form mat The chairman of me Of them DECLARED llptc
during the last Congress, hr had never even thought
II worth ms while To convene his committee, and lc
appeared quite surprised, or III all events amused,
that any inquiry was expected tn be made in regard
To the expenses of these departments ! This state
oi things forms u strong contrast with the report
made here IN April, lS1e, by Mr.. Ilair. OF Tcnucs.
see, ehairman OF the Committee on Public Accounts
and Expenditures IN the State Department. lie,
you know, Mr.. Speaker, was n jackson rriotmcr :;
like the Select Committee, he found every thing
wrong, and promised 10 correct il. The purchase
OF books, The employment ol u librarian, aud many
other things, were ccnsurcd-, ven the right to pnr-
chase a rriht or likeness Of Gen. Washington, to be
in The Department, WAS questioned. How
stands the matter now Why, large sums oi money
are yearly expended for the library oftho State
Department, and many books purchased, which are
certainly unnecessary.
lIes'dcs the purchase of books, periodicals aud
newspapers, made for the Department by its dishur-
sing agent NJ home, there was expended IN London
DUNG last year Tor similar objects, neatly $500. A
is employed, ut Il SALARY ol ) ,5i0 equal 10
that pad To the librarian Of the great public library
OF Congress. All this too. sin, under the auspices
1.-THE gentlemen who said that this part Of the cx-
pcnses OF that Department was cusurabIC, and ought
10 be dispensed with. ms all the officers oltlle Govern
mcnr could well avail themselves Of the public libra
~ N the Capitol. But, Mr.. Speaker, tie times
changed. and Mr.. Van Buren, and Mr.. Forsyth
changed with them. The State Department is now
OIL into grand divisions. When Mr.. Clay had
charge OF II, the Blue Book exhibited a list OF a doz-
en- names, all under The head of clerks. One of
these acted as translator for the Department, aud his
salary was ~ 100; another pail out the funds, and was
witt, the contingent expense accounts, and
he received Sl,15o a year. How soon IS all tins
and economy forgotten! The Blue Book of
last year DIVIDES tins Department into a"Diploma!ic
n" Consular Bureau a " Home Bu-
a" Translator whose SALARY is 81 100, "A
discussing Agent" whose salary is VI 800, a
Librarian" whose salary is q $40, a" keeoer of
the Archives whose salary is 81 $40, and gives one
man $500 year for" packing, filing. arranging, an /
preserving newspapers and printed documents
This is done by iha, boosted " democratic party"
which affects such holy horror nj any appearance of
what they call aristocrarie grandeur" II the
Turk. whose letters are found in Salmagundi, had
seen this display ol "Burrau,' in the State Depart
ment. he would have been better justified in his
admiration nj - the grand and magnificent scale
on which these Americans transact their business
But | have yet TO add, that those who questioned
the right of tho State Department 10 purchaser
print OF he immortal Washington have used the
money of the People to buy prints Of General Jack
son. and now Of Martin Van Buren,, for almost ey-
room in each of The Departmental
Mr.. Speaker, during this q searching operation
and capiious fault finding, every petty expense oi
the several Departments was looked upon with open
] well remember that an item Of some few
dollars, paid a labofer for destroying the grass which
growing between TIE bric.s of the payp1 walk
leading 10 the State Department, was held up To
public view rs a pircc Vi alIsiocratiC eXtrdvagancc.
Now sir, suppose were 10 cite 10 you many sim
liar and equally (i not more) objectionable charges
IN The present accounts OF these Dcpariments-such
as cash paid for clearing tie snow of the paycmcnts.
50 that Mr.. FORSYTH need not wet his feet - 500 a
quarter for labor" - SD for suudries," = SIG lor
- without stating what Labor or work. II might
have been Tor killing grass, or raising vegetables for
the Secretary. The term - sundries' NAY conceal
the same things. and tie cufions might inquire
what use was made Of the fire proof paint for which
were paid by the Secretary Of State. But the
money is we'll laid ont, II it will preserve the edifcei
And ii is To be regretted that the Secretary Of the
! rcasnry ard the Postmaster General had not made
similar purchases IN time to save their respective
buildings. Peukniyes and scissors, by the dozen and
State, who also pays a clerk IN 20 10 Baltimore to
collect a draft. An item OF 500 paid by the Sccre-
OF the Treasury Tor the transportation oil mon,y;
but how much money, or from whence, or where
we know not. Tins last charge is a kind
OF toreiaste OF the hard money Sub-1reasury sys-
TEN, by which. instead of transmitting the funds of
the Government by means Of the cheap, safe. aud
rapid system Of exchange, winch prevailed before
the banks were - debauched" by Nh. Kendall, the
public money Is now TO be wagoned ovey HE coun.
try at great expense aud hazard, aud always with
delay.