Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1850-10-12
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER.
FROM OUR LONDON CORRESPONDENT.
LoNpoN, SEPrEMBER 10, 1850


FROM OUR LONDON CORRESPONDENT.
LONDON, SEPrEMBER 10, 1850.
Cheap Government appears to be the order Of
the day in England with our financial reiormers
and. although we do not know that any one would
now exactly express the sentiments OF the iate
william Cobbett, when he said it would be easy
a find decent man 10 fulfil all the duties OF King
for fifty pounds year, yet we think that many OF
our close calcuators approximate to that standard
Of paying for public services.
The cry for cheap government has been most
perinaciously persisted in for more than two years.
and Government has yielded to its influence so far
as 10 authorize the appointment of numerous and
highly influential committee Of the House of Com
mons to inquire into the rates of public salaries,
and the extent and nature of public duties in order
10 ascertain whether the former were out Of pro-
portion to the latter; and if so, what and where
they could be reduced. The first report of
this committee is very elaborate one, and the
journals Of the day give very copious extracts from
IL; which, of course, have no immediate interest Tor
your readers. Among other evidence taken'by the
committee has been that of Mr.. PAKENHAM, the
late British Minister at Washington, in relation to
the ratio between salary and duty, which is exhi-
bited in the position of that functionary After de-
scribing his diplomatic career to the period when
he entered upon his duties at washington, and
stating that he had then retired upon pension,
and that he received only half salary, whilst in
England, on leave of absence, Mr.. PAKENHAM re-
Iates what took place between him and the Secre-
tary of State, when he intimated that he did not
wish to return to the United States. Mr. p. says:
believe there is no harm in telling sxscty what took
place upon that OCCASION had been here for year and
three-quarters and wrote letter Lord PALMERsror in
which stated that had been here for such length Of time,
and although considered when came to England that
had claim long leave of ABSENCE considering the num-
Der years that had been actively employed and the short
periods Of absence that had enjoyed compared with other
people, yet thought the time come when ought to
turn my post Minister to the United States but that
had really been long the other side Of the Atlantic and
had seen SO little of Europe and my country, that If
were quite the same her Msestys Government should
be glad retire the smaller pension to which was en
tied, rather than go back to America.
That you would rather retire the pension to which you
have referred than 60 back to the United States Yes II
had gone back for year and few months should
have had f400 year more pension.
Did the first proposition for you retire. the first mooing
Of the question, from you from the Foreign Office
From me.
You had no ntimston whatever from the Foreign Office
that that would be acceptable None whatever. X"
The examination then proceeds; and, as there
is much in MIR. PAKENHAM's replies which may in
terest our Washington friends, we give them other
specimens at length
You stated that you considered the salary which an AM
bassador receives from the country money
expended for the benefit of the country That is perhaps
strong expression to consider that that is the lair way
TO view it.
Do you mean that he should live in style BETTING in
degree the income which he receives from the
try lido. h
You conceive them that the inequalities which are dealt
by Ambassadors unmporant part of their du
ties consider that Ambassador Minister would have
great difficulty in getting be had not the power to live in
that sort of way which places him in easy and comfortable
communication with the people of the country, the
civies which he receives and keepup respectable and
becoming appearance
Take the case Of Washington The English Ambassador
at Washington has 500 year; is not that upon
which he could live in that capital rate Of expenditure
equal what is INDUCED in by the wealhie native Ae
cans At Washington be might because there happen to
be wealthy Americans resident at Washington Washing
ton is inhabited BY people who depend upon the Government
altogether very poor place, place Of commerce
place to which people do not go to live when they
any where ese the city chiefly occupied with the establish
ments Of the Governments Of the United States.
Taking the domestic establishments Of all the members
the American Government below the President do they live
at rate of expenditure equal that Of the English Ambas
sador, with e4500 No. they do not because their salaries
do not enable them to do it. a5s
Then you would say that acting upon the principle that this
income Of 500 ayear should be pretty expended by
the Ambassador in those Inequalities, with view to the
successful carrying of diplomacy which you have al
uded you would 1--we in style superior to the chief members
Oh tuc f1moICan the IIesOentt les;
but knew American yet who did not depore the
miserable scale Of salaries of their public officers andho did
not regard it Instantaneous their service that
they SO badly paid
With that income Of "a 500 year at Washington could
you maintain style of living equal that which the
President himself maintains No. because the President had
house provided by the public and furnished by the
public apd the President except when Congress sitting
really lived in very economical way. was there during
the time Of two Presidents; FIRST Mr. Tyler and afterwards
Mr.. Polk both those gentlemen masters of slaves
think they received slaves from their plantations Mr. Tyler
from Virginia, and Mr. Polk from Tennessee. There
Ihman there paid servant who opened the door and in
toduced people, but the greater number Of the
men Of color.
But looking at the style Of furniture Of the Presidents
house. the dinners he gave and the equpages he had and
forth, much superior in style cosiness that
which the English minister there could maintain be
to spend 4000L out Of the 4500 which he has salary
OF it entered the head Of myself Of any other
minister to enter into competition with the President of the
United States upon this point did not mako it my bust
laid out money in what considered the proper expenses
Of the mission; kept good cook kept respectable
adjustment Of servants kept carriage and horses, and
when Congress sat invited every week. and sometimes twice
week, some gentlemen to dine with me, and dined with
them when they asked and whenever there came from
New York. from any of the other principal Cities gentle
Of any consideration, his friends used introduce him
to and considered myself bound invite him dinner
and the friends who brought him. In fact carried il on in
that way, to try to make myself agreeable as possible
TO the people of the country, and to live upon social and
knowing the opinions Of Of all parties upon any matter
of importance, commercial POLITICAL by living that way
much better than you by having small salary and be-
ing unable to communicate with people in that manner