The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-02-20

n CIVIL ilf&RANAs
Ma, ALLEN; Permit mo 20 ssk Of any pooy ~no
can answer through the columns Of your paper wn'eh
are always open TO an exposition Of abuses whether
real or alleged by what right or rule the onss's
Congress take il upon themselves TO abstract the maps
accompanying the Public Documents ordered 70 NC
u;n,sd by that bodyto have the engraving executed
st their own pleasure and direct the eoiorng II any
70 he done IN their own families at the expense OF the
United States.
do not know that there is any thing absolutely
wrsnr in this II il be the case, (of which entertain
no doubt } but think there great many worthy
and helpless families, upon the 6odsena OF Gun
plovment and liberal maintenance by the pubIic mas
never fallen, far more entitled TO share the prons Of
these psrqusitss il they be termed, than those
who i, seems 10 me- have other right TO them than
that Of force or sezing Of what does not belong OF
supertan TO their business pursuits TO convert 70 the
purposes Of private gain
What, sir, would be thought Of the Speaker OF the
Hou.e were he to dsscct the documents laid upon his
table for printing select the most profitable, and send
them to his Office f he had one) OF ar he had mott
to his own personal friends, TO be executed lbut
am DEPRESSING Members OF Congress are not permit
ted 10 participate in the benefits of such .raffc Or
what would you have thought, MIR. Allen, II when
YOU were public Printer, Head ofa Department had
bounced upon portion of your work, and had It exc
cutel himself by his clerks fol private emolument
need not ask your response.
One would suppose that the salaries 81 the gentle
men employed in clerical duties at the Capitol with the
annual alowanc for srtra services amply sufli-
Gent to maintain them and their families too, without
engrossng TO themselves the privilege Of taking what
ever other profitable business growing out ofthe Legs-
laon of Congress they may please to lay their hands
upon as believe some Of them in the habit OF
doing.
observe in one case that upwards Of $500 were
paid an officer whose annual pay $3 600 per annum
for compiling probably the already published copies by
the Department Of State of the 9th vol Laws United
States This amount must be exclusive Of the price
,aid for the printing or the cost Of il at Congress
prices am Of opinion that any competent person
would have been glad to have received $500 for the
performance Of this arduous duty and felt himself
ply remunerated.
While upon this subject another matter not irree-
want, hope its bearing upon the now dawnng era
Of Reform (close OF handy in the list of abuses now
strikingly occurs to me, 1t is this I.
That too many Of the official stations in our Gov
ernment become family heirooms to the exclusion of
the mass of the People and in detment to the prnci
pie Of equal rights That this has been frequently
true-that it is so now in degree--and may continue
SOL think it is not necessary to 90 beyond the pre-
cincts of the Capolto prove 1t is too often the case
that, when has had the good luck TO get himself
snugly seated in some lucrative situation, that he in
stanty casts about him to arrange how he billet
upon the Public all his family, and most generally
succeeds whenever he can get chance in filling va
cancies or creating places. know it may be said
that charity should begin at home, but this sort Of
charity at home sentiment is most uncharabe to the
rest of the community who have bear the burden Of
the expenses
If it were enacted by law or even understood con
ventionaly that when man promoted to office
that all his family connexions, to be promoted
also his pleasure then there would be reasonable
cause of omplaint-the principle being continued,
quicsced in, and settled, Of right.
1t appears to me- also, that the extraordinary high
wages annexed to Of the public employments
about Washington must present TO the mind of an in
experienced person a singular anomaly.
$500, and $3.50 ertra for Doorkeepers, and nearly
the M for assistants
Same for Librarians, and ditto for assistants.
Sergeant-at- Arms, ditto, with two horses, and
should think most extrayagant extra pay for sum
monses, &c besides.
ST. so per day for little errand boys pages and i
couple or 800 apiece ertra at the end Of the
session.
First rate mechanics of all professions in public or
private service do not get much. do not find any
fault with high wages, but if pages and messengers
are worth from ~ to S4 day, good carpenters, ma
sons smiths, printers, &c, &c. should be worth $40
per day. This is the anomaly speak of The keeping
Of horses too, at the Capital costs 81 25 per day (or
mcry 81 SOY the riders being paid besides At livery
am informed, the charge is SO per week--grooms
found
But suppose it must be all right as Uncle Sam
pays the piper. VlNDEX.