The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-05-16

Wisconsin, $43, 525
Iowa &c l5O
Florida, (nos including the war; 43,i75
The number Of persons among whom this patro-
mage is distributed, am unable to determine.
THE JUDICIARY
The expense of justice administered by the "
States Government annually, is, S4a9 OsO
And the influence of the Government
in this department, of course may be judged
from the amount of money thus distributed
It acts upon upwards l50 Associate and
District Judges Attorneys, Marshalls. &c
The real emoluments of these officers are
not expressed in the above amount
U nder the head Of fees" the Blue Book
cioaks the most extravagant and enormous
emoluments For example, Doc No TAI
OF the present session of Congress in
forms US that the fees of Benz F. Butler,
District Attorney at New York, for tho
year 1899, were 5000 OIL
And he is but of nearly 50 District
Atornies
BOUNDARY LINE OF TEXAS.
Expenditure, : $4,000
To commissioner $500
To surveyor, 1000
To clerk, 200
CENSUS.
Amount appropriated for this object, $4,000
PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS
u have nowhere included the great numbers Of per
sons employed and the immense expenditure on pub
lie buildings and grounds in the District of Colum-
bia, New York, Massachusetts,, Connecticut, vir-
ginia, Louisiana, and other States
THE POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT
Every body knows the character of this Depart
ment. 1t is the mghtiest engine in the Government
too mighty indeed for Republic. Its Briarean
arms embrace every section Of the Union, from the
centre to the uttermost border. The amount of mo-
ney appropriated for its by the bill just passed.
fire millions one hundred and thirty thousand dollars,
Of which $i,497,7 700 is compensation for officers,
clerks, postmasters and agents The number Of per-
sons connected with it, stated by the Democratic
Review, is 5000, of which, nearly $4,000 are post
masters. Connected with IT, is also an immense print
ing patronage patronage to paper makers, to
tractors for furnishing blanks and twne locks keys,
stamps, mail bags, and for carrying the mail &c Its
head, at Washington is Immediately surrounded by
upwards Of 100 men, whose aggregate annual pay is
nearly $l500OO Its capacity for political influence is
incalculable. In granting extra allowances, making
profitable contracts and in having entire control Of
its vast income, and in exercising surveillance over
letters, &c, 1t may be source of comprehensive
ruption and inconceivable mischief in the hands of
unprinciplcd men, Honestly and impartally admins
tered it may be made the most powerful practical agent
for preserving the liberties of the people In the
mova of efficient and good men, and the appointment
Of partisans, without knowledge or capacity, to
great extent have the character of its present
administration. Of its internal management little
will be known until change Of rulers.
No one who loves the Unon, and desires see the
Republic endure can survey the account have
faithfully endeavored to give of the enormous and
constantly increasing extent of Federal Executive
patronage, without feeling deep apprehension for the
future destiny of the country. No friend Of the Re
publican Opposition party look at it without feel
ing that the discontinue of the Federal party now
welding this patronage, is not matter of easy ac-
compishment but that it is task requiring labor and
sacrifice, and union, and energy and perseverance.
NOTE
In the Convention which framed the Federal
Constitution, many, sagacious minds apprchcnded
precisely the difficulties which now beginning
to experience. Edmund Randolph declared that he
garded the Executive magistracy Gas estabshcd)
as "thc frtus of monarchy" Mr. Butler said, that
in all countries the Executive power is in
course of increase" and ntmatcd that such would be
the case in this country. DR.. Franklin said, q Col
Mason had mentioned the circumstance Of appointing
officers. He knew how that point would be managed
No new appointment would be suffered as heretofore
in Pennsylvania unless be referred to the Executive
SO that all profitable officers will be at his disposal
The first man put at the helm will be good one
Nobody knows what sort may afterwards. The
Executive will be always increasing here, as else
where, till it ends in monarchy" Col. Mason and
others were in favor of limiting the Presidential Office
to term, for preventing temptation the side
of the Executive intrigue with the Legislature for
disappointment"
But the remarks of DR.. franklin so appropriate
and so truly prophetic that refrain from tran
scrbing an extract and request the attention of the
reader DR. Franklin opposed large salaries, and re-
marked:
Sir there two passions which have powerful
influence on the affairs Of men, There ambition
and avarcc the love of power and the love of money
Separately each of these has great force in prompting
men to action; but when united in view of the same
object they have in many minds the most violent ef
fects Place before the eyes of such men a post of
honor that shall be at the same time place of profit
and they will move heaven and earth to obtain it. The
vast number of such such places is that renders the
British Government tempestuous. The struggles
for them the true sources of all those factions
which arc perpetually dividing the nation dstracting
its councils, hurryng sometimes into fruitlcss and