The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-01-24


ton OF the Secetary and who, in the absence OF the
latter receives persons having business with II eav
ing after this reduction, only ssve clerks In all IN charge
of the diplomatic and consular branches OF the depart
ment ~
This small force Is applied. as lar as possible,
by the Secretary TO meet The exgences OF The pub
lie service, but, OF course without attaining the
fullest success To one Of the seven clerks IS as
signed all the diplomatic correspondence with the ma
lions on The continent OF America and all business AZ
cident hefeto-snch answering letters from indiva
uas replying Inquiries from committees, and collecting
aud arranging the materials for responding TO the calls OF
Congress TO another is assigned all that with Great
Britain, France Russia. the Netherlands. and China
and to the third that with all the remaining nations OF
the world The two latter assisted by Two copylsis,
who also required TO perform other service The
remaining two placed in charge OF the business OF The
consular section OF the departmenone having charge
of the correspondence with and relating TO consulates
on the North American continent and some OF the
islands, and the other of that with those in Europe and
the rest OF the globe Hence it follows that only foe
clerks employed in the diplomatic branch, woof whom
department the whole making up the entire machinery
engaged in conducting the business arising Of our
foreign and commercial relations with all the powers OF
the earth The statement of the leaves room for
doubt; it proves itself. especially when compared with
tina, OF the British g Foreign Office" which employs
thynne persons consisting OF one principal Secretary
OF State, two under secretaries chief clerk with
two clerks attached six senior clerks, librarian and
keeper OF the papers, subbrarian and two assist
ant clerks, one translator, and one other writer
come now, sir, 10 consider the organization OF the
department, which hold TO be quite detective AS it's
clerical force is deficient The laws defining and egua-
ting the duties OF the Secretary devove on him the decision
Of every question arising in the OF the business
OF the department. and require him 10 sign every paper
emanating from H. In short. he is required TO supervise
and direct everything not only generally but N its
mlnutest details. The consequence 10, that ne - de-
prved OF adequate opportunities for study and exami
nation. and s sometimes required to act upon matters
OF grave import without due consideration. u was
the remark OF one OF most diligen and efficient
Secretaries, that he had not found time, during period
Of more than year, for careful and regular persa OF
the leading foreign Journals much less for that Of those
other publications with which his duties required that ne
should be acquainted. refer to MIR. Buchanan II
also happens occasionally that one or more OF the small
number OF clerks retained 10 the department is detained
from business in consequence Of the inability OF the Sec
retary from the press OF public engagements, 10 give the
necessary preliminary instructions; and not unfe.
quently from the same cause he is forced to choose be-
tween the conflicting claims OF urgent business affecting
great national interests and of that affecting individual
rghtsdeferring the Transactions of the other for
indefinite period. al the risk OF the casualties OF de-
lay
The design the part OF the present bill is 10 obvate
these evils and for this purpose provides, first for
the appointment oil Assistant Secretary in the State
Department BY the head OF the department. next for the
appointment Of four principal clerks. and other clerk
the whole be subject such disposal for the despatch
OF business the Secretary OF State may prescribe To
assign the transaction Of all business under the super
vision oil the latter except that Of purely diplomatic
character Three OF the new clerks, il is supposed. will
be assigned 10 The business OF the diplomatic branch OF
the department. and the remaining two to the consular
branch
The appoinees 10 have places should be possess
ing high qualifications OF intellect information, and trust
worhness The Assistant Secretary, particularly should
be in all respects competent TO represent the dig
nifty and conduct the business of the department in
the absence of the Secretary cabinet meetings.
consequence Of sickness, when engaged in diplomatic
or other official conferences The clerks, too. should
be capable OF preparing despatch on any subject
arising the ordinary OF business. refenble to
principles already settled by the previous action Of the
government and OF examining the facts and principles
involved in the private claims OF citizens OF the United
States foreign governments that hereafter such
claim should be presented in the oil the government
except after careful scrutiny showing II TO be well
founded This precanhon IS due alike 10 Justice and to
the character OF the country for fair dealing.
In view of these qualifications and requirements il is
proposed pay the Assistant Secretary salary OF three
thousand dollars year 10 the four principal clerks sala
nv each of two thousand dollars and the remaining clerk
salary OF fourteen hundred dollars Should the bill on
these provisions be adopted doubt not that much and
long needed and most valuable Improvement will be
secured both in the organization and the efficiency OF the
department. ~
But. sir. there is another provision in the bill which
deserves TO be noticed refer 10 the last section, which
forfes the salary OF any minister OF the United States
when voluntarily absent from his legation, and which, in
such case authorizes the Secretary OF State to pay over
much of the TO any agent who shall perform the
duties OF the legation in the time, under the lnslruc
ton of the Secretary OF State shall make his compen
sa,on equal to that paid charge d'atares The policy
OF this provision is obvious and 10 fully sanctioned by
the somewhat similar regulations enforced in other coun
tries Our ministers abroad are selected OF
their talents experience, and high public character and
are often invested with large discretion, which should
be exercised by themselves, and not lett by them to be
exercised or neglected by inferior agents. TO whom per-
haps the appointing power would not have delegated
such trust The government pays them Tor, and IS en-
titled TO, all the advantages capable OF being derived
from their vigilance better judgment OF passing
events and from their imposing and influential
social and Official rank.
Even If il be that our national interests abroad
have not hitherto suffered from this yet is quite
true the public treasury has Almost as often as the
absence OF our ministers from his post has lett his
duties to be performed by other agent almos,
often an application has been made by the agent Tor ad
diiional pay, and very often the application has been
granted by Congress. Indeed, there are now numerous
applications chiefly made by secretaries Of legations for
such compensation. In this way larger sum ap.
propraied in ls4s, and probably will be hereafter from
year to year, than all the salaries created by the bill pro-
posed would annually amount to, The measure, there.
FORE il one Of reenchment and reform, well
necessary to the efficiency and usefulness OF the Depart
meni OF State, and such hope will meet with the ap
probation OF the House.
AIS, D. m the general debate this bill closed,
pursuance of the resolution to that end adopted the
day before.
And then the question recurring the different clauses
Of the bill. motion the committee and the House
adjourned.
PETITIONS, ETC, Presented UNDER THE RULE.
BY Mr.. wHlTTLEsEY The memorial of Beman Gates,
WIN f. Curtis, and Others citizens oil Washington coun
y Obio asking Congress 10 remove the mpediments to
free navigation aropnd the falls OF the Ohio river
BY Mr. BUYDi Tue memorial OF James Maher.
BY Nj MORSE the memorial OF John A. Ragan,
Congress take into consideration his plan OF inn
proving the lakes OF the United States referred to the
Committee on Commerce.