The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-05-17
NEWS BY THE MAILS.



wAsHIreIoS, May Is, 1851.
Spending the Public A~n~y-Ihe Nssai Dry Dock-7Se
Steam Fusste Susqsishannah-IAeT Tour Of the Presdent-
7heairscsls.
Notwithstanding the many exposures which are con-
tnualy being made Of the extravagant and wssteful
expenditure Of the public money BY log rolling acts OF
Congress- the people throughout the country have but
very faint idea Of the real extent Of the evil Hun
dreds Of thousands of dollars annually wasted in the
construction Of works Of imaginable benefit TO the
country, in paying extravagant prices for objects
which, conducted by private enterprise would not cost
1.-THE Of the amount These things achieved prin
cipaly by udiccus system of log rolling lobbying din
parties and in some instances scientific distrbu
ton Of the ready to the free and independent repre-
sentatves Of the popular will Instances not want
ing where direct brides Of SO much money have been
offered condition Of votes being given in q certain
way Even tickets, gratuitous trips steam
boats &c. brought in TO promote and advance this
highly moral system Of convincing members Congress
and inducing them to act with becoming iberality in
voting away money which is not their own 1t will be
interesting matter winter to watch
proceedings and TO expose them and their actors to the
public, through the columns Of the Herald.
As an instance Of the in which this money Is
pitched out Of the treasury the dry dock operations at
Philadelphia and Portsme nth afford instructive lessons
They win have co+t about half million Of dollars each
and let US see what benefit they viii be to the country
The Philadelphia dry dock il just completed and very
act OF Congress under which 1t built state that it
must be capable Of docking ships Of the line " in other
words Of sufficient capacity to float the Pennsylvania
In order to test it. the North Carolina has been sent
round Now, line Of battle ship draws about "a feet
and dock, in order to float such vessel should be
built in at least 30 fee; water But 50 happens that
the river where the Philadelphia dock Is constructed
but - eet deep IN some pars and therefore 1t will be
OF after the expenditure Of half million
in constructing the dock II will not do TO throw II away
and next session application will doubt be made
to dig the river to the necessary depth and million
two of money will have to be voted the dock
the purposes for which il was built by no
wish to be understood r. calling in the
good faith of the contractors for building work but
state facts as regards IL utter nutilty it exists
AS for the Portsmouth dock IL j. built in region where
for nearly half the year the rgor OF northern winter
viii render ii useless
ridiculous blunders Every year the evil gets greater
and unless public opinion is aroused continue
as the means Of the country enlarge and the
public chest becomes capacous The only consola
ton we can draw from IL is the reflection that the money
at all events is spent in the country and that instead
OF being locked up in the treasury generally circu
lated and kept dancing merry about the great
ut of those who get the lingering oft
No time has yet been fixed for the sailing of the sus
quehannah will there till after the return Of the
Secretary of the Navy. Captain Auck who is to
mand her left this city Yesterday for Norfolk The
port that the President will leave New York his return
in her and proceed far Norfolk has greater foun
dation than mere casual conversation in which 1t
suggested to the President that IL would be pleasant
Of returning home A. however he intends be away
only week it will be impossible get the vessel ready
New time; and II she there. she
not htted up as passenger vessel Besides il would be
her trial trip and the chances would be that accident
would happen which would delay her-and the Presi-
dent would scarcely be willing the risk Of such
delays At all events such determination has yet
been announced. nor Is it believed there will be.
Mr.. Booth ard Mrs. NJ Jones 4 present playing
here to fun and fashionable houses Sir Henry Bull,
wer was present last TO witness the Merchant Of
Venice and he appeared TO enjoy the various excel
lencies a shylock and Portia with much JUNCTION
II the Celtic letter had been published. the
"Chafeld letter written. the Nicaragua Of the
veraeous Sun really not true. Booth played very
wei in some emitting sparks Of the old fire equal
to his moot pristine days Mrs Jones played Porta
with great grace and dignity and warmly and de-
servediy applauded Now that Congress is among the
things which have been and the President and cabinet
are "iptnersting,n your barnburner contemporary
has it, the theatre affords the only amusement for those
dpiomatists and politicians who unfortunate enough
to remain behind