Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1850-06-20

suppOse) from the arduous duties of his Office,
he addressed the following letter to the Treas
ury Department. a. The disinterested earn
estness with which he urges retrenchment OF
the expenses of Collection must be admired by
all who read his letter, inasmuch as it is IA ben
eft he never claimed for himself or his friends,
and manifested an entire willingness that its
advantages should be enjoyed exclusively by
his successors. The commercial interests OF
Bath were never so rapidly extending as they
were Just at the time when the Elk Collector
penned this remarkably unselfsh effusion-
.(2) The income of the district to the Govern
mcnt last year was double what it was for
many years previous. The duties of the Off
GERS, of course, were never so arduous. Ere
quently one Inspector has had charge of three
ships while the law allows one for every ship.
That the ripe experience of Mr.. Humphreys,
Just al the time when business was so largely
increasing, should so clearly discover that
curtailment of about onc-fourth of the force
employed was absolutely demanded is not very
surprising, perhaps, when we consider how
common that kind of benevolence is among
men, which cheerfully relinquishes to others,
privileges of this kind which they are always
studiouslv refusing for themselves. We have
not, however, much more to say. The docu-
ment speaks for itself. The careless reader
will but admire one passage, where the Excel
lector says, "the business of the Inspector is
but trihng, except about eight months in the
gear sc. Very "trihing' all the rest of the
year Only about eight months they are
busy! The sagacious Elk Collector had prob
bly, before his minds eye the old adage that
"the exception proves the rule and thought
that the general remark in regard to the whole
year might be better put if he excepted the
small item of two thirds of it. CANA
The document is little more remarkable
inasmuch as it happens to be the only one in
the whole country where such curtailment is
recommended, (3) and it seems to have cost
the General bitter experience of three years,
before the pressing necessity of his recommend
alton broke upon him with such surprising
clearness.
(4) We are informed that Notwithstanding
the boat was kept running,the expenses of col
Letting the revenue in this district the past
year were 25 per cent less than the year before.
Northern Tribune. i $500. .asi0
"a precious Document" 1t is indeed So and
we would like to see many more such, in wing
prints. Gen. Humphreys needs no defence
from us. or his friends, for this precious doc
ument," for il shows at least, that he was will
ling to suggest how far economy and curtail-
ment, in the hitherto extravagant pay of gov
eminent officers and expenses might be effected.
This is cardinal principle of the democratic
party, and Gen. II. is always on that platform.
1t will not be pretended that, the Collector of
Port or District can curtail the pay Of subordi-
nate officers, or discharge them without the in
structicn of the Secretary. If we are rightly
informed, when Gen. II. entered upon the du-
tics of the Bath Collectorship, he found the
number of officers, the expenses of the revenue
House, to be the same that had been author
lied by instructions and letters from the de-
partment, including those of Mr.. Secretary
Spencer, and which seemed to have governed
Mr.. Sheldon, the almost immediate predecessor
of the ex-collector. He followed his instruc-
tons as he found them.
D By looking at the letter of Gen. Hum
phreys which is appended, it will be at once
seen, that it was prepared and forwarded in
obedience to inst uctions from the department -
1t was his daty to obey these Instructions. He
did SO promptly, and in clear, business like
way, carefully making his estimates, so as to
bring down the cost of collecting the revenue
al Bath, to the point suggested by the depart
ment, and who will not agree with the ex-col-
ector that the salaries and compensations, re-
commended are pretty ample for the services
required, whether from wing or democrat.
We understand that the Department have
not only approved the recommendation of Gen.
H., but have retrenched the expenses OF col
lection, and the compensation of some of the
officers to lower maximum than he suggested.
(2) Chiefly from railroad iron, discharged
and put i'll bonds, in lS4s, inspected and
weighed before Gen. H. made his estimates,
duties paid within a year afterwards and from
which he got no commissions.
(3) We are sorry for it. 1t could have been
wished that other officers to whom the Treas
ury circular of April 10, 1919, was addressed,
had answered it with the promptitude of Gen.
H., and if any similar request be made, during
the incumbency of our wing friends, however
short their term may be-we hope every collec-
tor will reply to it, for we are satisfied further
retrenchment may be made, not inconsistent
with the interest of the public service.
(4) And so, Gen. Humphreys suggested that
there might be. 1t seems the whig Secretary
has approved his recommendations.
Here is the document from Gen Humphreys
as published in the "7yi6une,'' and we hope
it will be read.
COLLECTORS OFFICE, DISTRICT OF
BATH, MAINE, May Z, lS49.
SIR: In obedience to your circular instruc-
ton, under date of April 10, lS49, 1 transmit
to you list Of officers employed in this collec-
ton district with the amount paid them for the
year ending December 81, lS4S. By this state
ment you will see that the cost of guarding
and collecting the revenue within this said dis
trict for said year was 1858 20.
To this should be added the contingent ex-
penses of the custom house, chargeable to the
United States, which amounts annually to about
$500 making the whole cost of the custom
house service in this district for the last year,
about $40, 600
In reply 10 that part of your circular requir-
ing statement of what reduction "can be
made and the manner in which the same can
be effected, with due regard to the public in
terest," report that reduction of % per cent.
in the expenses of the district may be made as
follows: a-...at,
Isl. We have revenue boat here, COM
manded by one inspector and manned with three
men. The boat, with her tackle, apparel, and
furniture, cost about $1,000 She is sailed at
an annual cost of about 81, 100. AS il is prob
able revenue cutter will be stationed at Port