The daily union., 1854-12-10

The rate hIed time when the NAlue
of money much greater in proportion TO its nominal
value than the present time The pay OF the employees
n the Office been much increased by Congress and in
various other ways It's expenses have been
ed whilst the fees have remained the In addition 10
this the force of the bureau has been considerably IN
creased in dispose the accumulation Of business
From all these causes the inevitable consequence has pee
during the current the expenses Of the Office have
been continually exceeding the revenue and such VIII
continue to be the until the increase OF the revenue
shall have been provided for. I
Such REORGANIZATION of the examining corps as viii
place all its members proper footing is subject
worthy consideration The assistant examiners who are
performing the duties of principal examiners justly
expect at distant day. the compensation attached to
those duties and responsibilities.
The Attorney General should be clothed with superv
sorry power over the of the mshal clerks and
other officers of the courts the United States pos
sessed by this department IL is germane to the other
powers intrusted to him. law department should, for
many obvious reasons be constituted Properly organ
zed would be very advantageous to the other depart
ments of the government and at the time introduce
many radical and salutary reforms in Judicial expend
iture
The salaries of of the judges of the district courts
of the United States inadequate Their duties ar
duous and important, and constantly increasing The
professional ability knowledge and qualities required for
their faithful discharge would insure much larger com
pensaon at the bar In many OF the districts the clerks
and marshals who perform comparatively little intellect
ual labor far better remunerated for their services
respectable support should be given who cannot
Of the positions they occupy engage in other
profession avocation The preservation and perpetuy
on the purity rmness and independence of the Judiciary
and these qualities should be nurtured and encouraged
Much ambiguity exists in the act of 1853 as to the dis
creonary power of the Secretary of the Interior over the
expenditures Of judicial officers and for Judicial purposes
In several instances judges have presented for allowance
bills for law-books purchased by them which were disa
lowed The district attorneys have frequently asked that
Offices and furniture be provided for them which has gem
orally been refused the rule being to allow Office accom-
modaons when particular places or in large ciie the
is compelled to make provision for the courts
by renting buildings and be spared without IN
convenience but not otherwise In other cases marshas
have exceeded the limit prescribed the statute IN the
purchase of furniture where the assent OF the Secretary OF
the Interior is made condition precedent to the expend
ture and the department has refused to allow such ac
counts the ground that the prerequisite approval had
not been obtained and il doubted whether he then
had the power to egalize act manifestly Illegal In all
such it has been conended by intelligent and exe
renced ursts and lawyers that such allowances are
that the power has been conferred the de
parmen and they feel aggreyed that 1T is not exercised
Not disposed in the slightest degree to wrong men whose
opinions entitled to much weight hope Congress
WILL in the appropriation for the expenses of the Uni
ted States courts indicate their opinion the point in is
sue and relieve it of all doubt in the future
Some time after entered upon the discharge OF my du-
ties observed that many inquess were held IN the city
by the coroner and found that the of $4,000 had
within the last four years been drawn from the treasury TO
deay the expenses Believing these expenditures 70 be
unauthorized by law sought the advice OF the Attorney
General who in elaborate opinion, having concured
with me, all further payments discontinued.
In June 1852 the question being presented on APP
peal was of opinion that the clerk of the United States
courts in this District by the l67th paragraph OF the
Of ls+2 Obliged other clerks to make report or
his fees and emouments embracing those OF the criminal
court As contrary view had been taken by of his
predecessors, submitted the question to the Attorney
General who upon thorough examination, came TO the
conclusion that such was his duty From his reports,
since made after making largo allowance for expenses his
fees and emouments in the five ending the 3lst OF
December last $29986 49, being excess OF S2,
4s6 4s over the maximum allowed by law, which will be
refunded There is not plausible pretext for his
being made SOLITARY exception to rule applying to the
clerks os all the other United siates courts.
BY existing laws the costs Of all criminal complaints
made before the magistrates Of this District whether the
complaint is sustained not paid by the general
ernncnl This item for the last fiscal year, amounted TO
upwards OF $lo5o0 The power should surely be con-
erred upon the magistrate court to compel the COIN
plannn pay the costs in all where the magistrate
OK court may deem the prosecution apfoundaa frivolous
malicious This may be the means of preventing the
institution of many prosecutions in which the public have
no interest
The judicial expenses of the United States largely on
the increase To some extent this is natural end many
contribute to 1t but exist which seqnio be
unnecessary, and should therefore be removed pre-
eminent believed be- the great number Of terms and
places at which courts are held
Two hundred and twenty-three terms OF the United
States courts exclusive of the Terrtores) held in
eighty different places during each year In the west
ern district of Virginia courts held at six different
places in the northern district of New York. at eight in
California at in Louisiana, at six and in Florida, at
FIVE is wei to inquire whether the udicia business
transacted iuacs the expense these and other instances
ere there one or two places only each State for
f.9.,t
holding the United States courts there wonid be many OBJ
vious in favor of constructing suitable buildings al
those points for their exclusive to make them
lrely Independent of the State county, other local
authorities such buildings, and everything connected
with the federal courts, being assimated, nearly as
practicable, TO those OF the State courts.
The accompanying report from e Fist Comptroller OF
the Treasury contains suggestions this and other sn
dred subjects which, e,nanang from such source de-
serve and will doubt receive the proper consideration
of Congress.
In pursuance the separate resolutions OF the two housE
of Congress passed the last session. the Superintendent
OF the Census has prepared with much labor and ability
Compendium of the Seventh Census and the required
number Of copies s ready for delivery This has nearly
exhausted the appropriations for census purposes, small
amount only remaining nnexpcpdea The matters to
which his attention directed being completed the S
pernendent has rendered his resignation to take effect in
the OF the present month and the office has been
discontinued.
Many public Improvements required in the District OF
Columbia which be constructed Mt this time without
the expenditure being seriously felt BY the treasury In
such city, certain objects of magnitude 10 be accom-
pished which beyond the reach of the citizens alone
cray, the mere especially where important interests OF
the government are thereby promoted.
The erection OF Greproof baiings is absolutely neces-
sary Tor the safety and security well the convenience
and accommodation of the State War Navy and Interior
Departments No city be exposed than this to
fire, and in possession of fewer to exn-
guish it, When there is such surplus lying dormant IN
the treasury what good be assigned for permit
ting millions of public property to be constantly exposed
imminent danger without effort TO protect t2 The
paid for additional buildings although large iri-
fling in comparison with the irreparabe loss that would
accrue from the Of such calamity II the
money is not thus expended may it not be applied pur
poses of less Importance to the American peoplcY
The appropriations made for the present fiscal year for
improving and ornaSaenting the public grounds
small too limited With TO conliort health