The Belmont chronicle, and farmers, mechanics and manufacturers advocate. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1848-1855, 1853-03-18
From the New York Tribune.
THE PLUNDERER'S HARVEST,

There Is method in tue madness whcrewitl
Congress ncglccts its duties and wastes seven.
eighths oi each Session in systematically do.
ing nothing. The end OF this course, which
the engineers OF robbery in and about Con.
gress have IN view from the start is to crowd
through all sorts Of jobs and swindles at last
1t rush which admits of no discussion nnd
screens the operators from all practical re-.
sPonsiblity. There were millions of dollars
voted out ol the Treasury last week for the
advantage aud profit of oice-holders and lob.
bcrs, aud TO the deploruble damage and wrong
of the people. Let US look at some Of the
items:
/. Raising &ldries.-The salaries of the
Nlcc-Presdent Il seven Members of the Cab
met have been raised from ~, 900, (Attorney-
General,) $4,000, tNice-Presidcnt,) g. $4,000,
Cabinet officers except Attorney General }
to $4,000 euch, while the four missions to
Great Britain France, Russia, and Spain,
huvc been raised from 50 900 to $40 900 each
per annum. These items add $4,000 per
annum 10 the public burhens. which the new
Offices created, (Mssson tn Central America,
Assistant Secretary of State, &c.) will raise
10 100000. Now we will not here contend
that dHthesc additions are unnecessary, though
that is our opinion. We call attention to
their gross injustice, even admitting that sui
aries were to be raised, and the utterly indie
fensible manner in which the end is attained
The Attorney General is placed by his Office
ut the heud Of the Bur OF the Nation, and is
permitted TO undertake and manage private
causes just as it lie were not in office. He
can usually make more money beside his sal
Hry than he could earn il he were not in office.
His station does not devolve ON him any lib. |
eral exercise OF hospitality, as that of Premier
does. A salary Of $4,000 year for the At
turney-General makes his u more lucrative |
post than that OF Secretary of State would be
with $4,000. Yet the formers salary is |
raised from $4,000 and that Of Sccretarys !
from So 200 to $4,000 each per nj mum, gross
ly aggrava,ing the inequality already existing!
But consider the other point. Thousands
oil dollars per annum are addel to this aod
that salary, not in a bill for that object-not |
upon due inquiry aud report by a Committee
not even upon application oithe lncumben,s |
for more pay Somebody jumps up ia the
House or another while in Committee and /
moves that so much be added to this and that |
salary IN General Appropriation bill--there
Is no opportunity allowed for debate or re-
eistanee-the Chairman calls for a viva poce
vote, and some quarter of the House cry'Ay,'
and less number (perhaps) say 'No'-the
Chair now sings out. The Ays have it, aud
he sme ndment 10 adopted. On coming ou,
IF Committee, nobody sees n, to call for
ieparaie vote on that amendment, 50 II stands
IS part OF the bill, which is put through AT
ailroad pace under the Previous Question,
obody venturing to vote against APproPria-
ons Indispensable TO curry on the Govern
,sn.-and 20 the increase Of burthens 10