Democratic standard. [volume] (Georgetown, Brown County, Ohio) 1837-1850, 1840-09-24

mansion require much which would bt
suited to no other residence. The rea
sonableness of compelling a Presiden
elect 10 an outlay exceeding his annua
salary in the purchase of furniture for ;
house, the occupancy of which he ha;
not the election 10 refuse, and the tenan
cy of which, at the expiration of every
four years, is at the disposal of the pop.
ular voice, with the certainty of the sac.
rifce upon the cost of the property in
the attempt TO dispose of it for any 9th.
er place or use, cannot gravely be con.
tended for. The credit of the country
itself would suffer for by such an arrange
ment; for either tue officer, by the alb.
sOrpton of his salary in the purchase OF
suitable ard sufficient furniture for the
house, would be deprived of the appoint
ed means for his proper support in the
Office, or, by the neglect Of such pro-
vision, would exhibit to the world, in his
public station, the discreditable contrast
of magnificent apartments meanly dest.
tute or scantily furnished with whatever
was appropriate TO their occupation. 1t is
a great mistake 10 suppose that these ac-
commodations are for the personal relief,
or to the private advantage of the Presi
dent. He is made by them, and by the
amplitude of his salary, emphatically the
host of the nation. His guests are the
guests of the People. The Executive
mansion Is the place of their reception.
This house Of the People is the sitting
position in which, in the person Of their
Chief Magistrate, they receive from the
Representatives of other People the ho-
mage due to the sovereignty Of this great
Republic. Here ambassadors and min
sters, the accredited messengers from
the proudest and most powerful, the en-
lightened and most refined of the king
doms of the earth, are received and en-
tertained IN the name Of the hospitality
of the nation! And here, too, the cour.
tesies of official station are exchanged be-
tween the high functionaries of the Go.
vernment, and extended to all classes of
th@ citizens. The house, it is we'll
known, is open TO all, and is daily visit
ed by many. Is it too much, then, that
the place and its apPendages are beyond
the requirements Of private station? |
venture the assertion, that SO far as the
personal interest OF the President is con-
cerned; & speak not of the present in
Cumbent, but Of whoever has been or may
be in the office,) it would be preferable,
far preferable 10 him 10 occupy, at his
own cost, smaller and more humble
dwelling, than 10 submit TO the incon-
veniences and heavy exactions which his
required residence in the Executive man.
sion necessarily imposes. Sure am
that, in pecuniary point of view, it
would be much better for any incumbent
ia the office 10 receive ten thousand dol
lars, and furnish his own habitation, than
with twenty-five thousand to maintain the
style otlivng and public hospitality which
every President in succession has deem
ed but in conformity with tho design, as
we'll as the liberaIity of present Provis.
ions.
But the member complains of it as
abuse, that the President of
the United States, in addition to his sal
ary, and the use of a furnished house,
shOnld have the grounds about the lat
Ter kept in order at the public expense.
He says the President ought to furnish his
own house and employ his own garden
er, as his salary is amply sufficient. /
have only to add TO what have before
said on this subject, that such has not
been the judgement or the pleasure of the
people. For forty years their Represen-
Iatives sitting in these halls, without d.
vision in sentiment or vote, have provi-
ded the house, supplied the furniture, di-
reced the enclosure and improvement OF
The grounds, and required their occupa-
ton by the Chief Magistrate. The salary
may be sufficient for the officer. On this
point take no issue with the member.
So may the per diem of eight dollars be
ample compensation for Representative
in Congress. But does the scrupu-
lous member himself receive nothing
moreS demand of him TO say if eight
dollars day is not abundant recompense
for the value of his abors here; aud YET
does he keep his hands clean from all the
of place5 Has he no Govern
ment stationary in his room2 No Con
gressonal penknfe of costly extrava-
gance at this very moment in his pocket?
Has he never ordered to his lodgings the
beautiful "embossed and lace-edged nole
paper" and fancy sealing wax" for the
use Of any Of his family, or received to
his own use a distributive share of the
:" spolls," in costly editions Of fbo Dks Prin-
ted at the expense ofthe treasury Sir,
let me not be misunderstood. | do moi
condemn him in this, for the legislation
of tie house allows it. But say he re-
ceives these things by more questiona-
BILE authority than does the President Ol
H. II,,;toI G,,t,e tho DcC1ouoo odu tionc