The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-05-26
THE NAVY.

In the appendix to Mr. Aliens speech at Balti-
moro, on Executive power and patronage the Navy
Department was included, with statement of the
number of officers and the amount of their salaries
The statement was compiled chiefly from the Blue
Book, OF this year; and having set down the highest
pay allowed TO the several grades Of officers we were
led, as we are informed by highly intelligent officer
OF the Navy, into many inaccuracies the amount
Of salary actually paid We put down the pay of the
principal officers at the mark allowed by law, when
oil duty Il is proper lest detriment should come to
the service itself from publishing such formidable list
Of salaries, that should state that the gentleman
above alluded informs us that it is impossible for all
the officers (54 Captains for example) to be duty
and receiving "a 600 to "a 500 at the same time; and
50 with the other grades We quote the following
from his letter to US
!" A reference to the Official Navy Register of
January last will show you that instead Of "a Cap
tans salaries of VA 900 to 81 500 there is not even
one receiving "a 500. The senior Captain when "on
duty being the ouly officer to whom the law ever
allows that sum, is now on leave of absence pay
Again, you will that there but Captains re-
ceivlng Va 600 as Commanders of Squadrons at sea,
"a on other duty receiving SO 500, and % on
leave waiting orders" receiving only 81 500 On
the list of Commanders you will find instead Of So
with salaries Of only 10 receiving that pay as
w,
receiving 81, 100, and 80 I" on leave or waiting or
dcrs, receiving but 81 800 salaries OF the 29l lieu
| tenants, IL only Lieuts. Commanding receive
81 ,bOO; 100 on sea service other duly, receive
81 500; Sc waiting orders, receiving 81 200 and OF
furlough, receiving only $500 salaries.
| The Statement might be carried out, no doubt
through all the other grades of officers, and show
finally that although receive the amount attri
buted to them in article the aggregate pay of tn,
Navy is very far short of what would be inferred from
the account gave it, Of the salaries payable L
officers " on duty
| Our notice of the Navy was brief and summary =
We felt that we were doing that gallant arm of tn,
national defence absolute injustice in connecting il
any way with the subject Of Executive power and pa
tronage, and especially in fault in speaking
II even generally brought under the influence o
the Department" There officers in any brancl
OF service more independent of political party influ
ences than those Of the Navy. Even were they no
so, they could have pIedilection for the present
head of the Department for the party which he re
presents
Department proper to the printers and newspapers
contractors constructors builders agents and aborcrs
But patronage does not much consist in existing
permanent offices, created by law, as in having Offices
which by death or other may become vacant
and thus be at the disposal of the Executive There
influenced by the pursuit of office than by the
actual possession And in giving an account of tho
Navy, was rather to the offices and emoluments tina
we referred than to the officers