Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1840-07-17
PALACE FURNITUR +.
REMARKS OF MIR. OGLE. OF PENN
SYLVANIA, ON THE CIVIL. AND d.
PLOMATIC APPROPRIATION BILL.


House OF REPRESENTATIVES,, April II, 1910.
The House being in committee of the whole
on the bill making appropriations for the civil and
diplomatic expenses of the government for the
year 1910, Mr. Oge of Pennsylvania, moved to
amend the bill by striking out the following
clause: "For alterations and repairs of the
Presidents house and furniture for purchasing
trees, shrubs, and compost, and for supern-
tendencc of the grounds, three thousand six
hundred and sixty five dollars"
Mr.. Ogle said Mr.. Chairman, consider this
is very important item in the bIl--not as to the
amount, but as to the principles involved in it.
doubt much the policy Of this government III
granting the chief magistrate efooluments 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 for
mer presidents were in the enjoyment of some
OF these adventurous revenues | am we'll aware
that none of them retired from office with an
| over-abundant fortune for, sir, no former chief
magistrate ever acted upon the principle notori.
ously adopted by the present incumbent, of
| spending the money of the people with lavish
hand and at the same time, saving his own with
sordld parsimony. The president without in
Guiding many valuable incidental emolumen,s,
Whereof will speak before conclude receives
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 certainly not greater than the
expenditures OF one OF his secretaries Is there
a gentleman on this floor who does not believe
that the present chief magistrate 'lays mp yearly
from !sl5 to $4,000, and all hard money at
that
But, Mr.. chairman, object to this appropria-
ton on higher grounds. resist the principle on
which it is demanded, as anti-democratic, as
running counter, in its tendency to the plain,
simple and frugal notions OF our republican
people. And put it to you, sir, and to the free
citlzens OF this country, whose servant the pres
dcnt is to say whether, in addition to the larre
sum OF one hundred thousand dollars, which he
is entitled to receive for a single term of four
years, they are disposed to maintain for his prl-
vote accommodation, Royal Establishment at
the cost of the nation viii they longe'r; feel
inclined to support their chief servant in pAI,-
ACE as splendid as that of the Caesars, and as
richly adorned as the proudest Asiatic mansion
Have the people chosen that servant to super
intend the great and diversified interests of the
nation; or,will they consent that his time shall
be OCCUPIED in the yanties, luxl,res and pleas
ures OF life do they demand that his talents
and all the energies of his mind shall be devo
ted to the proper discharge Of the duties of hi.
stewardship. or wifi they agree that he shall
lapse into the same sloth and tEem.inacy which
distinguish the jewellers in other palaces! Have
the affairs of the people been so advantageously
managed that the servant especially appointed
to take charge of them may, without detrimcn
. to the commonwealth, sink into levity of man
ncrs. and abandon the care of the public service
to "eat, drin'; and DC merry 2"
, Although have peculiar disenchantment'
TO discuss on this floor, topics which have an ap
pearance of involving personal rather than pc
litical considerations. still am constrained b.
; a sense OF duty to offer some remarks in cato
to the incidental revenues-the annual profit
and expenditures OF the president of the Unite,
States--the magnificent splendor of his palace
and the pompous ceremonials that "hold sway
al his republican court, and which are by man
we'll meaning people imagined to be equally in
dspensIble to preserve the dignity of demo
cratic CHEF magistrate as of the despot OF
throne. | feel inclined. however, to examin
these subjects with all decency and respect TO
the high office now filled by Martin Van Durer
and trust with proper disposition not to spea
evil OF the ruler of my people. But. sir, | ar
not ignorant that in pursuing the course which
have marked out, it will become necessary
tread upon grounds that in forme, ages of tn
world were deemed, and in all despotic rovc IN
ments OF the present time are still considered
too delicate and sacred to be profancd by tn
tongue OF PLAIN citizen or subject Who doe
not remember that the good Queen Elizabet
hesitatcd not to enjoin upon Ter parliaments thu
it was improper to deal, to Judge, or to. meddl
with her majesty prerogatve royal And hi.
tory fully informs us that all such impertiner
= Intermediates were disposed of in the most sun
mary manner. | we'll know, therefore, that
shall awaken and arouse into action the base an
malignant passions OF the fierce Ccrberuse
n which guard the portals, and the well fed place
,. men and Office holders, the tawning sycophan
- and otter abetors of high prerogatiye, that ei
Hiron the person of the royal incumbent of Ii
Presidential palace, with the vain hope that the
,r can parry the wel-directed arrows otrepublica
= arclers, Growl. and snar, and snap as thes
guardian Executive ours may, | shall neve
N theless indulge myself on the topics indicate
10 with pretty liberal range of remark. | wi
not, assuredly, be restrained from the fulle
I'd exercise of the freedom of speech by the lcel
u tious course of the accredited organ" eff Mart
Van Buren,. refer to the 'Globe"---a new
X paper wh!ch receives its pabulum, not from II
s. crumbs which fall from the rich mans table
re but from enormous largesses and profitable col
~ tracts, voted fort snstenancC from the troasul
& OF the Peop'e--a paper that holds its eXisten(
by the sole tenure Of Martin Van Ruren's so
lcic5l SVJu P!cdSulc, anu lilCl pfDlNIIleS udli
" through its broad pages, not the thoughts al
~ motives ofthe miserable scayenger whose nan
- it ostensibly wears, but the wishes and desigl
of his despotic maser-n paper, ~, that is puI
D. lshed "BY AUTiIORIrY~' What hcne
man has read without feelings of burning nd
., nation, in the recent ucubratons of this "olici
I'd organ" the foul not to say bcasly, assault
W against the character and patriotism of the vel
IT. cradle and heroic defender OF the violated hon
VI and invaded rights of his country Who Ii;
not been fired with anger at behodmg in Mart
- Van Buren's organ the false and magligna
Representations of the hero of Tippecanoe-
"a superannuated old woman"---a "pitablc d
tard'--a "granny'-a 'rcd pottlcoat genera
as the "llero of forty deicats"--as deiyeri,
, inaugural addresses to pigs and poultry
NC shut up in an iron cage, and compelled to we
an iron mask and drink hard cider!" IN
= other person (says the Globe of April - lsi,
is permitted to come near him but am old serva
waiter who brings his meals, and pertains TIL
NECESSARY DUTIES OF THE Gag
None OF the domestic animals are allowed
come near the cage 4; and favorte dog, VII
RAN AWAY WITH HIM IN ALL Ill
o. BATTLES, having been observed to bark vel