The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-06-20
Official Residences for the Heads OF De
partments.


Official Residences for the Heads OF De
partments.
As an act of simple justice to the people, of
fetal residences should be provided by the ma
ton for the Heads Of Departments, that stran-
gers visiting the metropolis may know, with
out difficulty, where to call upon them; and
these residences, for the credit of the nation,
should in measure correspond in appearance
with the dignity Of their occupants. The Sec
rotary of State is compelled to entertain tho
representatives. of foreign governments and to
do this in the plainest and most economical
manner is a sufficiently large tax upon his linn
tied salary, without compelling him to pay, in
addition, the rent of the house in which he en- !.
tertains the guests Of the Republic. AS the
high officers Of the army are allowed extra ra-
tions and servants to meet the social exigencies
Of their position. we do not see why the same
principle of compensation should not apply to
the higher officers Of the Government. AS the
case now stands, every man who is qualified to
fill the office Of Secretary of either of the De-
partments must make a pecunary sacrifice for
the honor of serving the public. The nation
should pay all its servants literally, and it does
pay all in subordinate situations more literally
perhaps, than any other nation but those who
occupy the highest Offices are the most made
quately rewarded. While gentlemen of the
highest talents can be found who are willing TO
sacrifice their pecuniary interests while serv-
| ing the public, we can hardly expect that the
people should murmur at their patriotism, and
insist on raising their wages. Strikes for advance
wages donot generally take place among employ
| ers. Perhapsi will be time enough to increase
| the pay of the public servants when il shall be
| found that competent men cannot be obtained at
| the present rate of compensation. Therefore we
| leave entirely out Of the question the conve-
nience of the Secretaries themselves, in pro-
look only TO the convenience Of the people and
| a decent regard for appearances. Command
ants of navy yards, military stations, and so
forth, are all provided with houses, and we see
no reason why the heads of the Navy and War
Departments should not be treated with as
| much consideration as their subordinates in sta
ton. 1t is generally understood that liberal
| gentleman of this city is about to build eight
houses of respectable size, which he intends to
offer to the nation, at prime cost, for the pur-
pose of affordng official residences to the MEM
bers of the Cabinet We have no desire to in
| terfere with SO liberal schemes but we think
| that it would not be becoming in our Govern
| ment to be ndebrsd to the liberal enterprise of
any citizen in a matter like this. There will
be no difficulty in renting the houses when
| they shall be completed; and we trust that, at
| the next meeting of Congress, somebody will
have the courage to move for an appropriation
| for the construction of suitable residences for
| the members of the Cabinet. OF for the purchase
of such as may have been erected Of suitable
| style and dimensions.