New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1848-11-23
Omctal Compepsation.


The simple truth that Government is inst.
tuted for the benefit Of the governors but OF the
governed, seems one OF the very hardest to be
comprehended and remembered. The difficulty
lies here Those who are called to act immediate
ly upon it are themselves office holders with de-
cdcd tendency to forget the pit whence they were
dug the rock from which they were hewn. The
very patriot who has inveighed by the hour against
the extravaganza and corruption Of the opposite
party in power will begin to take an entirely diff
ferent view of the matter from the day he finds
his party in, and himself snugly cushioned IN a
comfortable office. We have known many a one
who approximately begged for place Of six or
seven hundred year not long since, and would
have thought one of thousand equal to seat in
Paradise, but who have by good luck and hard push
ing crowded up into places OF fifteen to eighteen
hundred They ought now TO be satisfied, you will
say, but this is exactly what they are not. You
may watch them industriously bowling and scrap
ing to this and that Alderman, begging his in6a-
ence to make the fifteen hundred eighteen, the
eighteen two thousand and 50 ON. Unless the Peo-
pie watch vigllantly, salaries are constantly crawl
ing up. Whenthc Currency is abundant and prices
setting forth the enhanced cost OF living and
the difficulty OF subsisting family SO the salary
IL raised. and the next year the Currency is con.
tracted aud prices down bat never a word do you
hear from the office holders of a corresponding re-
duction. They are whist as nice until another
pretext is afforded for farther importantly and a
rev enhancement of their compensation. So
salaries creep up hitch by hitch. one after another
or three or four together and thus the Annual
Expenditures are swelled until every bill provld-
ing Tor Public Improvements or other objects OF
positive and abiding usefulness, Is defeated o.
vetoed on the ground that there is nomoney IN the
Treasury that can be spared for such purpose.
II the pubic money thrown away ON useless troops
and ships, and in the excessive compensation Of
iunctonaries could be saved andd evoted to Public
improvements 1t would give employment and fair
wages to fifty thousand laborers sddins several
millions per annum 10 the enduring wealth Of the
country.
We Ind LEADING article in TEE Herald on
Our Diplomatic System, commencing as fol-
lows
" 10 diplomacy the United states arr behind every
prominent European Government There IL scarcely 4
petty German Principally hat not more ably repre-
scented near fofeign Governments Our diplomatic sys
tem is all ~rons-rsdiesly detective and detective in
almost every branch and detail There Is no lack OF
diplomatic talent In the country contrary there
abundance Of II but the system which II pre.
cent prevails Ia the selection OF represent US at
the seats of foreign Governments preeudes the EN-.
ployment Of this talent and nothing could De devised
better calculated 10 make US despised abroad This
system framed when the Union consisted Of out thir
teen States 10 continued pow that IL consists OF thirty
and Is a. unsuitable present growth would be
the swahins clothes OF infant 20 man Of mature
age IL framed too, az time when We only began IL
learn the radiments Of repubhesnisn when We had
not vet unlesrnea the errors and preladccs OF mon
srchsm and srsrocrscy and 10 of the tes features
10 our Institutions which have not kept pace with the
advancing spsris of Democracy When this Government
wss founded there WAS such thics IN existence a.
republican diplomacy and the consequence was. thai
ve vcrc forced 70 adopt system fashioned on the
modal of the miserable hsckneyed knsvsh aristocra
sciences bat in regard the relations that ought &c
exis, between the governors and the governed Ae
eorain,ly oar present diplomats system 10 an usteT
snom.iy sni cad defect in otherwise glorious III
ssitatons.
Now when we remember that our diPlomstis's
q, Foreign Courts have been BENJAMIN FEaSx-
,,s. JoAs ADAMS. THOMAS JsrFKRsoS, JAMES
MADISON. JoHx jar, JOIN QUINCY ADAMS, AL
nyRr GALIArIS, RUFUs KING, HESRf CLAY
HsyRY WHEATON, EDWARD EVERETT, WASH
rseroS IRvIse. &c. SC we cannot see the justice
oy sense of the above assertions. What sort Of
republican diplomacy" tie Herald conssmp!sse'
of which these Statesmen were ignorant, we can
NOT say but we have a general impression that
.ov,bins Known TO the Herald and unknown 70