The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-03-13
PUBLIC SERVANTS AND THEIR EMPLOYERS.

present Office in the abandonment of the practice OF
his profession in which be held the highest rank
and if Mr. Webster after having devoted the la
bors Of a long life, exceeded in industry, perseyer-
ance and the highest intellectual exertion, by the
labors Of no man living either in the duties OF his
profession or in the public services finds him.
self At this period Of his life in q condition to
need, in the discharge of obligations such as every
man owes to his family, some equivalents for the
sacrifices which he has voluntarily made it is
difficult to conceive on what ground either the
offer or the accordance Of such an equivalent can
be justly complained ofo-BOSOH DAILY Aduey-
filtT
1t was not necessary for MIR. Webster "a
make any sacrifice of his interests lie might
have continued the practice of his profession and
another man have filled, with honor to the cOun-
try, the post he now occupies.
On one side, was professional eminenoe with
a fortune on the other, political influence and
preferment with a competence. lie chose for
his portion political station, and the power, pres
ent and prospective, it promised.
Plain people will not be able to understand
what sacrifice he made in all this, which laid his
country or his friends under any special obliga-
ton The idea Of setting up claim TO public
gratitude and extra compensation on the ground
of having accepted an office, next in dignity and
influence to that Of President of the United
States, is Boston notion" Of the newest pattern
The Boston Courier enters another plea in JUS
t6cation It is Disguised WIN the republican
simplicity, the economy of our Government
1t has been thought it says mot only dis
creditable to the Government, but highly pre-
judicial to the public interest that this Depart
ment should be stinted to such beggarly means
Of doing the diplomatic honors Of this great and
prosperous nation, as are afforded by n salary
of six thousand dollars year Certainly, if the
work of the State Department is worth doing it
is worth doing well, and is worthy of being de-
Gently paid for. No one who knows anything Of
Washington aud public business needs to be in
formed that the salary of the Secretary Of State
is next TO nothing TO pay for the labor and cost
Of holding the office. Now If it should so happen
that any number of public-spirited persons in the
United States, being DESTROYS simply that the
State Department should be kept in decent trim,
and 80 maintained that every able man without
fortune should not be starved out of tiff il
should so happen we say, that these persons were
TO take measures, of their own accord, to meet
any pecuniary exgencies arising in this Depart
ment, and were to hold their purses in readiness
10 keep the public servants free from embarrass-
ment--we desire to know whether such proceed
ing would not be citzeu-like and praiseworthy
actn
A salary of six thousand year will enable a
gentleman of frugal habits to live comfortably
and respectfully in Washington, in the exercise
of all ordinary inequalities and courteses; and
though a Secretary of State, he may entertain
as often as may be necessary elegantly if not
sumptuously, his diplomatic friends, More than
this ought not to be looked for from the function
aries of a Government, established not for show,
but for use not by the will and for the benefit of
a proud, vain;glorous, luxurious aristocracy, but
by the will and for the benefit of nation of free
men, plain hardy, hard working, and of simple.
manners fla Secretary of State cannot do as he
would, let him do as he can, and if he cannot vie
with the servant Of a foreign Power, in the grand
eur Of his entertainments, let him not be ashamed
to confess that the Sovereign he serves does not
tolerate extravaganza and luxury. We should
set an example of manly simplicity to foreign
courts and not stoop to the meanness of attempt
ing to rival their pageants.
But, these papers maintain that an officer of
the Government may, without improperly, re-
ceive pecuniary support from private individuals,
either a reward for supposed public services, or
TO enable him to live in n more imposing style
than his regular salary permits. Let this become
the usage, and what security could we have
against favoritism and corruption on the part OF
those administering the Governments
Suppose an eminent citizen nominated to the
Supreme Bench, and hesitating about accepting
the appointment, should consent to waive his OBJ
jections, provided a fund of fifty thousand dol
lars were raised for him by few moneyd men,
in addition to the salary allowed him by law
would not the People pronounce that he had laid
himself under an obligation repugnant to that alb
sOlute independence and impartiality demanded
in the administration Of justice7
Suppose the Iron and Coal Interests of Penn
sylvana should bestow fortune on the Secretary
Of the Interior, or the Secretary of the Treasury
on the pretext that the salary allowed him by law
was insufficient for his support would not every
one feel that be had suffered himself to be placed
under bonds to promote those interests, and that
a natural feeling of gratitude would inevitably
dispose him TO favor them in preference to others
And what would the North have thought, had
MIR Buchanan, previously to entering the State
Department, received purse of fifty thousand
dollars made up by the slave owners of the South,
as q reward for his eminent services, or to en-
able him to keep the Department /" in decent
trim {" Such transaction would have covered
Mr. Folks Administration with infinitely more
odium than the Galphin affair fastened upon the
Cabinet of General Taylor.
Has not the broker who has given O Secretary
Of State five thousand dollars, right to expect
that he will not be overlooked in any money trans
action OF the Government under the superintend-
ance Of that officer or, that friend Of his, being
an applicant for Office, may calculate pretty GER
tainly on special attention to his claim FIe may
be disappointed but fhe should be, would be be-
cause his official friend had more or less virtue than
falls to the lot Of human nature generally. How
can man thrust his hand into the fire, and not
be burned A Secretary of State has no right
10 expect a miracle to save him from temptation
10 which he voluntarily subjects himself Bet
ter live in poverty, than under pecuniary obl-
cation. 1t is for the People, through their repre-
sentatives, to provide by law for the support Of
those who serve them. They have done so, and
in doing 30, they have endeavored to relieve their
servants from dependence upon the charity Of
'riends Philosophical persons would do
wisely to respect their will, and not impute to
hem niggardly economy. The officers Of the
Government are responsible to the People, but II
permitted to draw their support from individuals
II classes, this responsibility will be weakened,
nd portion Of their allegiance be insensibly
to voluntary benefactors.
lit be proper for Mr.. Webster to be supported
y "publie spirited persons" il is proper for the
Their members Of the Cabinet, some of them much
.....- A.. IIL .,aaal IL. xu.o..li Ia