The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-04-14

WASHINGTON, April II, Is4D
The Department of the Interior The UH,os, Re.
Ihe Unsom of this morning contains an attack
upon the Secretary Of the Interior for an alleged
'ioiauon OF the law, in his construction of the act
creating The department. The attack is preposts-
rousy absurd
Inc i'm section of the act Of the Sd of March
1919, to establish the Department of the In,.,;o,
authorizes the appointment of chief clerk which
has been done. 1t also authorizes the transfer of
such clerks from the Treasury department to tho
Department of the INTERIOR performed the duties
over which the supervision and control are given
by that act to the Secretary of the Interior In
compliance with this provision, two gentlemen
were transferred from the General Land Office,
whose duties before the transfer were peculiarly
those over which the supervision and control were
gwen, by the above mentioned act, to the Secretary
OF the Interior and the Secretary has the power
TO transfer from one bureau to another, either clerks
or business within the same Department, as the
public business or interest may require, that por
lon OF the act has been literally complied with
similar duties having been devolved by that act On
me Secretary OF the INTERIOR with reference to the
Indian and Bounty Land Bureaus, and the act
be ing silent with reference to the clerks in those
bureaus the necessary, proper, and only construc-
tlon that could be gwen by any practical man Of
common sense Is, that the Secretary has the same
powers with reference to those bureaus that are
given expressly with reference to the Treasury
Department. Under this construction, one gentle
man only was transferred from each of those bu-
reaus.
AS there was no force that could be spared from
The duties of the Patent Office, no transfer was
made from that bureau but as the act was impcra-
tive, and required other duties TO be performed in adj
dltion TO those dcvolved uponthe clerks transferred
as above mentioned, was absolutely necessary that
clerks should be employed for that service. Those
clerks, according to the showing of the Union,
have been employed, with the express understand
ing that the act should be sanctioned by Congress.
1lere then, is the whole matter The Secretary
of the Interior, anxious that the duties devo!,ed
manner that will promote the interests of the
people OF the United States, W nh which his office
has the most intimate reIation, EMPLOYS seven
clerks, thus directly Q: consiructiyely authorized
every moment is he enabled to carry on the ardu-
Gus duties nf he cttioa: FEELING every disposition
to jealousy criticise every act, we still oannet
think such conduct deserving of censure.
Had this been novel matter-had the COnstruc-
ton not universally obtained, that the provisions of
preceding act, discordant with those of one sue
ccedng, were always repealed by the latter, there
might be some excuse for the attack of the Union
But with the knowledge of the fact that temporary
clerks had been employed by the past admlnistra-
ton whenever the necessities Of the departments
required them, the article in question can only be
set down to a total and reckless disregard of the
known and established usages of the government,
and for the purpose OF trumplng up charge against
the administration.
One great point in the Union article is, that sun
dry OF these clerks employed in filing and ar
ranging the documents of the new department.
This Is, however, In our opinion, OF its strong
est recommendations. Whatever document may
be presented to the departments by citizen, what
ever his station, is entitled to the same care and
courtesy those deposited by the mightiest and
most influential; and the respectful attention paid
them all, according to the Union, is deserving
of high praise.
We do not wish to be understood as panegyrists
OF the administration; but intend TO reserve our
thunder against than until we perceive some act
deserving of censure; and we would respectfully
suggest to the Union to do the same. We un-
derstand that the Honorable T.. Burke, at pre-
sent Commissioner of Patents, is shortly 10 be as
ISOLATED with Mr.. Richie in the editorial chair Of
the Union. Mr.. Burke is fluent writer, and for
a long time has unollicially been connected with
that paper.
Mr.. Secretary Ewing and Mr.. Senator Corwia
leave here for Ohio next week. the former return
ing Immediately with his family b.