Weekly North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1858, 1854-04-26

q
late Whg adminisll alton, and the energy which
characterzes the present administration in reform
ing abuses
The Treasury Department, under the predeces-
of the Hon. James Guthrie the present Secreta-
ry, was sort of head quarters of fraud. Partial
investigation has disclosed state of things under
Mr.. Corwins administration which is we'll calcuat-
ed to alarm the country. Happily, however, we
have in Mr.. Guthefie man of energy, intellect and
integrity, who will unhcsitatingy nterpose his best
efforts between these practices and the peoples
ney. few instances of his action in certain mat
ters of equivocal morality may be interesting.
Under the last administration, the organization of
secret agencies Of the Treasury Department was per-
mitted to grow up into monstrous abuse. They
were used as sort of anonymous hiding place of
certain favorites, who, under pretext of doing
tain duties, received handsome salaries with which
they might enjoy themselves at their leisure. The
list of names would exhibit some singular facts.
One of those especially favored was Mr.. Harvey
an unscrupulous writer for the Philadelphia North
American, and another. was the celebrated Henry
Clay Mudd, of California renown. One of the first
reforms of Mr.. Guthrie was to abolish the whole
SYSTEM and at one fell swoop to cut off the entire
catalogue of sinecures. The annual saving by this
arrangement will be very considerable
Another source of personal patronage has been
the revenue service, which, within the last few years,
has grown into most expensive affair, and, so far
as public interest is concerned, grievous burden.
Mr. Guthrie has reduced the force upon this branch
of the Treasury Department., so as to save about
$50, 900 per annum.
Another most acceptable reform is the manner in
which the new Secretary of the Treasury disburscs
the public funds. Heretofore large sums of money
have been made by certain leading bankers, in the
shape of interest, running up, in each instance, to
some thirty thousand dollars profit annually. Mr..
Guthrie has decided that this labor can be discharged
as well by the officers of his department as by the
bankers, with comparative case, and with the best
results. He is resolved, at all hazards, to enforce
the law in every instance, and he is especially strict
in seeing the provisions of the Independent Trcasn-
ry Act rigdly observed by all public officers.
The results of Whg mismanagcmcnt and wrong
in the Treasury Department, admonish the country
against any further investments of confidence in
Wing professions of integrity and good faith Eve
ry citizen recalls with Indignation the shameless Gar
diner fraud, the Light House contract, the lending
of the public credit to SPECTATORS and other wrongs
All these practices have ceased under the present
firm and fearless administration of the public Treas
ury And the system of economy does not end
here. Judge Campbell early set to work with great
energy in the Post Office Department; Mr. McClel-
land, in the Interior; MIR. Dobbn, in the Navy; and
Jefferson Davis, in the Department af War. Moth
ing during past years has been pregnant Of evil
to the true interests of the people, the loose and
wanton expenditures of the public treasure, and the
corrupt and lawless transactions of eminent officials.
republic, to be firm and effective, must be con-
Quoted frugally and faithfully. Waste and eXrava-
gance-peculation and speculation-and the COM
plicity of public in private operations-wiil if
not severely checked soon become the chronic dis
ease of our SYSTEM and if persisted in, will ulti-
matcy result in the most pernicious consequences.
Let the public confidence be impaired in the nteg
rity of our public men-lct the people once adopt
the belief that the revenues of the Government
Squandercd upon measures of doubtful utility, or
sequestered by able and dishonest men-and blow
is inflicted upon Republican institutions, from which
they may never recover. This is chief and threat
cning danger and the whole country LOOKS with con-
dencc to General Pierce and his counseors, to put
end to practices that have grown into an over
shadowing evil"
SENATOR DoUGLAs's LErTER-POLITICAL CLERGY
MEN. We surrender our columns to-day to letter
which has been addressed by Senator Douglas to
twenty-five clergymen, who, at public meeting re-
Gently held in Chicago, assailed him, denounced the
Nebraska bill, and in resolutions passed by them
claimed powers ecclesiastical and civil, that
alarming to the true Christian as they are to the
true patriot We have, from the first appearance of
these clergymen OH the political arena, deemed it
our duty to hold them up to the censure and repro
baton of the community hence we have made
their ambitious pretensions their coarse assaults,
and their blasphcmous and arrogant memorials the
subject of comment oftcner perhaps than has been
Altogether agreeable many to of our readers.
Judge Douglas has sought no controversy with the
clergy. No entertans for religion more respect
than that distinguished gentleman. The controver-
sy was of their seeking. No sooner was the
Nebraska bill presented to the Senate than they be-
gan to move heaven and Garth against it, and
against him as its author. They denounced both in
terms of unmeasured severity In his powerful and
crushing letter, which we publish to-day, and to
which invite the particular attention Of our read
ers, Judge Douglas rctaliates on them with ven
geance. He applies to them no harsh epithets; he
uses no bitter terms. He is, on the contrary, cour
teous and gentle. But his arguments leave them
defenceless and mshcltcrcd before the peltings Of
the ptlcss storm that will soon break over their
heads. -
Assailed, ,msrcprescnted, maligned, Judge Doug
las has been compelled to defend himself, and he
has done so in such manner as will make the anti
Nebraska parsons repent of their temerity. These
men have been rebuked in the Senate, by the press
and by the right minded members of the sacred pro-
fession. 1t is fit that they should be rebuked by
the right-minded members of the sacred profession
1t is fit that they should be rebuked by good ct-
zens good patriots, and good Christians everywhere
The community will not uphold ranting, noisy, po-
litical judges far less should they countenance and
administration of justice is corrupted by connecting
it with the strife of party politics, how much more
is religion injured and corrupted by the same allI-
ance? Whenever the clergy turn politicians, and
thus bring their holy calling into disrepute and
contempt it is greatly to be feared that the people
will be driven into infdelity. Washington Sent
oa1GrS OF THE CorToN WoRA. The Jefferson
Texns) Herald says there is gentleman in Pamela,
astound them with his stock of scientific informa-
ton. Upon being asked his opinion as to the origin
of the cotton worm, he elevated his eyebrows, as
silmed a look of wisdom. and replied: 49,