Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1840-08-21


nothing Of the electioneerino ,ours ~ ~
.es'oeh' al the rate of GO dollars per day'
are are IN the habit Of leaving their posts a
washington during the summer month,
e""er ior recreation, electioneerinp or otbe,
purposes, and never heard of anv deduc
ZION being made from their salaries in con
sequence oil their absence. So oftbe Clerk.
10 the several departments. They are in IN,
nablt OF being absent for weeks and month.
from their duties at Washington and of re-
ceiving the full amount of their salar;s.
without any deduction for their absence
MS WIZ appear by the testimony taken be-
lore Committee Of investigation of The
House oil Representatives at the session Of
io5o-I. (See reports OF Committees. No
IVA By the testimony ofthe Hon. d. A. A.
Buck, which will be found in the sam. 70.
port page 81, il appears that he was appoint.
ed Clerk in the War Department a, the
salary Of 1900 dollars per year, on the 9Th
oIJuly, lS35---thai he remained ut home n,
Chelsea, IN this State. was elected member
OF our General Assembly on the first Tues.
day oil September, served as a member tbro'
the ensuing session. and did not reach Wash.
inglon TO enter upon the duties of his Clerk
ship until the 4th of December thereafter =
And yet he received his pay from the date OF
his appointment, deduciing 35 days during
which he actually served as member of the
Legislature, being compensation OF over
BIZ dollars for services not performed 1,
appears from my minute book that sen, YOU
copy oil the report ofthe committee contain.
ing the case OF Mr. Buck, and the testimony
oil the Clerks in regard TO the practice in the
departments before mentioned, bu, | do no,
recollect that you ever felt it to be your duty
TO denounce in your paper either Mr.. Buck
Tor receiving or the Secretary Of War for nj.
lowing his claim Nor do | remember ,bo,
you have arragned any Of the heads Of the
departments before the public for any of the
practices before mentioned. Among the nu.
msJIous GASES 20 WHICH Observation-Disclosures
only one other OF very recent date. Ii is well
known that a Count Martial was lately held
upon Commodore Elliott Of the Navy, ON
sundry charges Of misconduct as an officer,
and that he was found guilty and sentenced
by the Court to be suspended from command
and of course from all service for four years,
and 10 have his pay stopped Tor the. first Two
years Ii is but II few days ago that we were
informed through the Official organ at Wash
ington, that the President had approved OF
the sentence so far as it related TO the suspen-
sion OF Commodore Elliott from command,
and disapproved Of tina, part Of it which sus-
pended his pay-,hus allowing him full pay
for four years during which no service could
bo performed, and leaving him at liberty to
engage in any other business duringihe whole
/ parinH RI, tnr IN h. arf q o( -
| for regulating the pay Of the Navy. passed
March Sd. 1885, find that Commodore Ell
liott will be entitled 10 an annual salary OF
$500 dollars during the four years Of his
suspension. making the round sum Of TO-
900 dollars which he has been allowed byth
| President uiihnni the possibility of his nar.
, forming ony service whatever.
Now Mr. Editor, If Mr.. Van Buien may
with propriety permit 10000 dollars to be
distracted from the Treasury by single
officer Of the Navy, for which no service is
to be performed or ifthis act Of the Presiden
may properly pass without cens or disap
probation from you, submit to your cool and
dispassionate judgment whether this litil.
matter Of Sl6s. merely asked for but never
received. and which never may be received
is really worth all the hustle and blusie
which you have seemed disposed 10 make
about il.
Without detaning you with further com
menl submit, this free and full statement o
the case 10 your candid consideration. bu
more especially to the candid consideration
of my constituents by whose decision on thi'
and all other matters relating to my polilica
conduct, shall always be proud to abide
am sir very respectfully, yours,
Inland HALL
Bennington. Aug. IL, 1910.
CSince the above communication was il
type, we have received from MIR. Hall the fol
lowing letter from the Treasury Department a
Washington.
TREASURY DEPARTMENT., }
REGIsrEn's OFFICE, Aug. 10, 1910.
SIR-Upon reference TO the accounts of tn
Speaker, for the last session, il appears fror
the date of the credit side of your account e.
ton for attendance was computed up 10 tina
day. This circumstance occasioned (wi,hou
comparing the actual period for which paymer
was made with the amount paid,) the state
ments transmitted to Mr.. Haswell that you ha
. received compensation for the whole session.
, The transcript herewith enclosed, will corret
any wrong impression which may be receive
from the communication 10 Mr.. Haswell, O
by il, is shown that you received pay TO th
"a and not 10 The 2lst Of July.
The transcript Of the accounts of Senate
Grundy and others, will be forwarded ne,
week. have the honor TO be sir,
= Your obi servant
n l., SMITH