Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1823-1847, 1840-07-21
Public Expenditures.

InCongress, House April IA, 1910.
The House in Committee Of the
Whole OH the bill making appropria-
iions for the civil and diplomatic ex-
ponsos of the Government for the year
1910. Mr.. Ogle ofPcnnsylvania moved
to amend the bill by striking out tic
following clause: "For alterations for
repairs Of the Presidents house and
furniture, 'lorpulchasing tfces sahrt,. J,
and compost, and Tor superintendent
of the grounds, three thousand six
/ hundred and sixtv-fvc dollars"
Mr.. Ogle said: Mr.. Chairman, con-
slider this is very important item in
the bill not as to the amount, but as
TO the principles involved in il.
doubt much the policy ofthis Govern
mcnt in granting the Chief Magistrate
emoluments or revenues of any kind,
over and above the fixed salary paid TO
that officer out Of the Treasury of the
United States, Although most of our
former presldcntswcrc i'll the enjoyment
OF some ofthese adventurous revenues,
| am well aware that none of them re-
tired from office with an overabundant
fortune; for, sir, no former Chief Mag
istrate ever acted upon the principle no.
toriously adopted by the present IN
cumtcnt, OF spending the money OF the
People with lavish hand and, at the
same time, saving his own with sordld
parslmony. The President, without
including many valuable incidental
emolumcnts, (whcrc of | will speak
before | conclude recei, cs more than
quadruple the sum paid to the head of
either OF the Departments, while the
current private disbursements of the
incumbent of that high station are GER
talnly not greater than the expenditures
of one of his Secretaries. Is there n
gentleman on this floor who does not
believe that the present Chief Magis-
trate, lays up yearly, form $4,000 TO
100000, and all hard money at TINT !;
But, Mr. Chairman, ! object to this
appropriation on higher grounds. |
resist the principle on which it is de-
manded as anti democratic as run
ming counter in its tendency to the
plain, simple, and frugal notions of
our republican People. And put ii
TO you, sir, and TO the free citizens Of
this country, whose servant the Presi-
dent is, to say whether, in addition TO the
sum of one hundred thousand doll
airs which he is entitled to receive for a
single term of four years, they are dis
posed To maintain, for his private ac-
commodation. A royal establishment
at the cost of the nation viii they
longer feel inclined to support their
Chief servant IN place as splendid as
that OF the Caesars, and as richly ad-
orncd as the proudest Asiatc mansion :
Have the People chosen that servant
to superintend the great and diversified
interests OF the nation; or will they con-
sent that his time shall be occupied
with the vanitles, luxuries and pleas
ures oflifo : Do they demand that his
talents and all the energies of his mind
shall be devoted to the discharge of
the proper duties Of his stewards ship,
or will they agree that he shall lap sc
into the same sloth and cfIcminacy
which distinguish the dwcllers in other
places Have the affairs Of the Peo-
pie been SO adventagoously managed
that the servant specially appointed to
to take charge over them may withou
detrlment to the Commonwealth. sink
into "levity Of manners, and abando
the care Of the public service to "cat,
drink, and be merry :"
Although have a peculiar "disen-
chantment' to discuss on this floor
topics which have an appearance Of
involving personal rather than polt-
ical considerations, still | am CON
strained by n sense Of duty to offer
some remarks in relation 10 the incl
dental reynues-the annual profits and
expenditures Of the President of the
United States-the magnificent splen-
dor of his palace, and pompous cere-
monals that '.hold sway" al his repub-
can court, and which are by many well
meaning people imagined to be equal
" indispensable ''to preserve the dig
nifty" OF a Democratic Chief Magistrate
as of the dcspot on a throne. feel
inclined, however, 10 examine these
subject with all "deccncy and respect
for the "high office" now filed by
Z Martin Van Buren,. and trust with a
proper disposition" not 10 speak evil
Of the ruler Of my people" But, sir
lam not ignorant that, m pursuing the