The daily national Whig. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1847-1849, 1849-04-17
The Department OF the Interior.--Th
Union, &c.,

The Department OF the Intcrior.--The
Union, &c.,
WAsnIsdros, April IL, ls4g
| The Union Of this morning contains an attack
upon the Secretary of the Interior, for an alleged
violation of the law in his construction of tho act
creating the department. Tho act is preposlerously
absurd.
| The llth section of the act OF the Sd Of March,
/ s49 10 establish the Department Of the Interior,
authorizes the appointment OF a chief clerk which
has been done. ii also authorizes the transfer oil such
clerks from the Treasury Department to the Depa,t-
ment of the interior, as performed the duties over
which the supervision md control are given by that
acI 10 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 given, by the nbove
mentioned act, TO the Secretary OF the Interiors and
the Secretary has the power to transfer from one
bureau 10 another, either clerks or business within
the same Department, as the public business or In
may require that portion 81 the ect having boen
| literally complied with. Similar duties have been
devolved by that the Secretary of the Interior,
with reference 10 the Indian and Bounty Land Blu
reaus and the act being silent with reference 10 the
clerks in those bureaus, the necessary, proper and
only construction that could be given by any pracii
| cal man of common sense u, that the Secretary
has the same powers with reference 10 those bureaus
that given expressly with reference 10 tho Treas
nry Department Under this construction, one gen
tlcman only was transferred from each OF those but
reaus. t4
As there was no force that could be spared from
lie uutlts OF the PHIenI was maut
tram that bureau; but the act was imperative, and
required other duties TO be performed In addition
10 those devoved upon the clerks transferred as
above mentioned, 1t was absolutely necessary that
clerks should be employed for that service. Those
clerks, according 70 the showing of the Union, have
been employed with the express understanding that
the net should be sanctioned by Congress.
Here, then, Is the whole matter: The Secretary Of
the Interior, anxious that the duties devoyed upon
his department should bs discharged In manner
that will promote the interests OF the people of the
Estates with which his office has the most intimate
relation, employs seven clerks, thus directly or con-
structvely authorized by law, and then, only by un-
ceaslng devotion Of every moment is he enabled to
carry on the arduous duties Of his Office
Had This been novel matter--hnd the construc-
ton not universally obtained that the provisions Of
preceding act, discordant with those Of one sue
ceeding, were always repealed by the latter, there
might be some excuse for the attack Of the Union.
But with the knowledge Of the fact thattemporary
clerks had been employed by the past administration
whenever the necessities Of the departments required
them, the article in question can only be set down
TO total and reckless disregard of the known and
established lsages of the Government, and for the
purpose Of lruniping up charge against the admin
istraton.
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 opinion, one Of It's strong
est Recommendations. Whatever document may
be presented 10 the departments by citizen what
ever his station, is entitled TO the same care and
courtesy us those deposited by the mightiest and
most Influential; and the respectful attention paid
them all according the Union, is deserving Of high
praiseN. Y. Herald.
FiTz HEsay WARREN. --There Is nothing like
SANDER to bring ont the good points in the character
of an honest man, II operates like fire on sympathetic
ink, and reveals the traces that would otherwise be
nnperceived. The case of Fitz Henry Warren the
Assistant Posi Master General, is remarkable case
in point. When he first received his appointment he
was comparatively unknown tothe country at large,
although he was sufficiently well known in the dis
,ict whore he lived; but, was his appoint
menf announced than the opponents Of the admins.
tralon began TO SANDER his character with malg-
| nant vrnence which showed that he must have been
peculiarly obnoxious TO them, politically, for il is not
10 be supposed that they have such horror OF human
ailties Us to pour out upon the head Of every moral
offender such phuls Of bitter wrath they emptird
1 upon tho name OF Col Warren. The upsho OF their
charges were that he had failed in business in Massa
ctinsetts before emigrang TO Iowa. and that in the
latter place he had cireumventcd the designs Of the
I.ocofocos. These charges have caused The friends
ct Col. Warren to come 10 his rescue, and so far
from his reputation suffering any by the Islander put
ailoa by his enemies, 1t appears that many admit
rablc traits Of character have been developed in him,
TINT he will probably be placed in still higher posi-
ton than TINT which he now occupies, from the fact
OF his good qualities having been made known by
| the very means which his enemies took TO destroy
1 him. " Mirror.