New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-12-10

ment and detriment Of all other Agricultural
papers: and this has been made the subject Of
grave and formal complaint against the oom'
missioner
We close for to-day with the first OticiA
Correspondence respecting DR.. Lees reten'
ton in the Patent Office in defiance OF Mr..
Ewbank's wishes, of the public interests, and
of the plain provisions of law. We ask for it
the most thoughtful attention:
STANTON, Va, Oct. %, 1850.
Mr. FwBASY Commr Of Patents
SIR: The day before left Washington hal an IN
tervew with the President, in which he expressed
wish that Dr. Lee should be retained In the service OF
the Government Agricultural Clerk, in the Patent
Office az a salary of 1000 In the hurry OF preparing
for my departure neglected communicate this fact
10 yor and now write request that you VIII give e.
feet 10 the Presidents wishes by appointing MI Lee 20
that ofEce Very respectfully,
Your obedient servant
ALEX. II. H. STUART
PATENT OFFICE.
Monday, Oct 2c 1850
Hon. A. H. II STUART, Secretary OF the Interior
SIR Ihav ehe DO 10 acknowledge the reeeip,
letter of the 23d inst in which you signify the desire OF
the President that Dr. Lee should be sppointed 10 the
Agricultural Cerkship in this office, al salary OF TWO
thousand dollars did not receive your letter ui Ss'ur
day, and was too unweu to reply 10 IL that day nor
over understood yesterday that you were expeeted N
Washington to-day end delayed action on the matter
hoping 20 have interview with you, IN oruer 20 ,a
before you certain consideration and facts OF whch
sonle thought might possibly not have come 10 the
knowledge OF the President and which, nom the con-
slant clsims Of ether subjects your attention. may
have escaped your recollection. Your engagements
having prevented my seeing you at the Department
the suhsflnce OF what
intended 10 communicate verbally
The lith section OF the act OF 1871 authorizes the
Commissioner OF Patents 10 draw from the treasury,
all money approprafed ont of the Patent Fund and re-
ouires him 10 Law a detailed statement OF expenditures
s moneys thus annually drawn before Congress As no
other person designated the duty OF directing the april
cation Of the late appropr alton for Agricultural purposes
seems 10 devove heretofore. entirely on the Connls
soner Therei Agricultural Clerk to whom any part
ofthe responsibility ca be transferred There IS IN fact
no Ag ricultural ClerlS known to the law but simply
an appropriation Of money 70 be drawn and accounted
for by the Commissioner OF Patents whom the entire
responsibility OF disbursng the appropriation collecting
stsistc preparing the Report procuring and dstriO
utng seeds &c, rests For the proper disoursng OF
the moneys he and his surees are held responsible.
This you will perceive is in accordance with tho
views and decisions Of former Secretaries who have
been called upon TO give their opinions m relation TO the
subject sincc the Reorganization o this Bureau IN $50
See extracts from Mr. Forsyths letter and reportn 1886
and e copy Of Mr. Buchanan's letter TO Mr.. Burke IN
1916
The Importance therefore, of having A yricutural
Assistant, capable, efficient, and wiling To follow the
directions of the Commission who will cheeriuy aud
him and whom his entire confidence can be placed,
can scarcely be oyerrated especially when the other
numerous and arduous duties OF this office are consd
cred.
Now serious objection to Dr. Lee exists in the fact
that Cannot depend ON his following my directions.
His general conduct since he has been here has been IN
dependent OF the Commissioner. have no unfriendy
feelings toward him Che not thought of 10 NIL the
Office till named him. but experience during the past
year has made manifest that he cannot occupy subor
dnate position. He insists upon controlling the Agri-
cultural business and has not refraned from interior
ing with matters pertaining to the general simnisra
ton of this Office.
He has recently opposed my undoubted right to re-
wise the proofsheets OF Reports, for which alone am
held responsible; and because made few verbal cor
reotons one he informed the acting Secretary that
was altering the document Il beg TO refer you 10 my
letter of yesterday in reply to this attempt at dctton
The prooisheets corrected since at his suggestion
with his appreciation have, in pages out OF - words
and sentences erased and others substituted 10 greater
extent than the two or three he complained Of More
over essential part Of the Report-descrpton of in
sects illustrated with plateswas never furnished 10y
him. was obliged to employ Mr.. Fogg to supply it to
the printer during Dr. Lees absence at the North. He
was repeatedly reminded of this omission before the
document went before Congress and repeatedly sad
There is time enOugh-he would attend 10 It. He at
length excused the neglect by and all others could
be corrected while the document going through the
press mention this TO illustrate the meldng dictate
rial Eprlttfe IncOreHtcncy ana olsngenuousness Oh
Dr. Lee in endeayong to alarm the acting head of the
Department by serious charge against me without the
slightest ground for 1t.
He does consult me- but boasts of his intimacy AMI
influence with my superorsand often is only by
ual remarks OF gentlemen in the Office that learn his
intentions and acts in matters wholly foreign TO his du
ties Without my knowledge he ordered the Librarian
place about fifty dollars worth Of books the shelves
OF the Library and credit him with the amount.
He has printing 10 be done at his press In
Rochester without my knowledge, viz Labels for
seeds although he knew that the office under con-
tract usual for its printing bill for printing done
at his establishment came in by this mornings mail
copy is appended;
ProEr.etors OF the Rochester Ansrcan, Koche.terN
'' T s cTo sdSe1ias sss stS is weeks
SIS 90
rrned the usual duties OF Agricultural Clerk such
keeping account OF seeds bought and distributed
preparing answers to letters daily received and pre-
sentng them TO the Commissioner for hs signatureof
fling Communications, selecting coating aud condens
ing them for the Report &c. He did, indeed at the
trs we two or three answers TO letters received but
contrary to all rule and practice, introduced his
name IN them. When told that all official documents
must be ia the name OF and signed by the Commissioner
he ceesed 10 prepare any more, and the duty was per
formed by Mr.. Fogg, gentleman he brought with him
bis assistant and 10 whom he held out expectations of
being appointed in the place Of Mr.. skinner Mr. f.
actually prepared three tourths Of the last Report and
bis valuable suggestions in the revision Of what Dr. Lee
himself wrote would be unjust not 20 mention Had
DR. Lees essays gone before the public he them
they would have reflected no credit on this Bureau
So lar the clerical duties of the yrcultura desk
concerned believe the contributions of Dr. Lee %
last ears report might have been written well at his
home IA here, and the matter he wishes 10 have in.
serted in the report for the present year might also be
written out of this Office well In il, AMI might be
paid for according to the time and labor spent on it.
AS regular Agricultural Cerkships were estab-
Ished, or apparently contemplated by law, none but
temporary one was employed by my predecessor, and
at an expense varying from 500 to $500 per annum
When fret took charge OF this Bureau this clerk was
displaced 10 make room for Mr. Skinner at the request
o. OF by the direction OF the Secretary Of the Interior
After few months tris Of Mr. il became evident that
the report would not be prepared in time and Dr. Lee
was employed TO assist in its preparation As already
Dr. Lee declined performing usual duties
of the clerk shin and NJ, p