Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1854-06-16
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP.

| reorganzing the consular. system and di plo-
matte service of this Government, which is now
in the hands Of the House Foreign Affairs Com
mittee, will be favOrably acted on in the course
| of the next month We hear, in congressional
circles, that it proposes to do away with the
system ofpaying outfits to American diplomatic
agents, which has been so fruitful cause of COM
plaint against needless public men-those.
who on receiving foreign appointments, draw
their out fit and then delay theirdeparture from
| six months to year, it may be- No other
government allows the outfit unless the
small transfer allowance of France, may be
so classed. However, it is against the prin-
ciples and spirit of our Government to pay in
adrance for services to be rendered, the ssout-
1T allowance being such payment.
We may not inappropriately mention in this
connection, by the by, that the impression
that some of the foreign appointees CT the
present Administration who have declined to
go abroad after drawing the outfit, have failed
to return it, is positively erroneous Every
man of them who awaited himself of his
legal right to draw money from the Treasury
under such circumstances, has refunded it,
after determining not to undertake his mis-
sion
II We are not mistaken, the bill on which
we comment above, graduates the pay of A'ne-
rican foreign Ministers and Charges, from
$4,000 per annum down, giving the highest
rate of course to those filling the most import
ant missions, and at the most expensive courts,
so far as living is concerned
1t is also said to embrace all the important
changes in our consular system, for which
commercial public opinion ha. oailod so long
and so earnestly. Thus, it proposes to make
all American consuls sGlaried officers, and to
require Of them return to the Treasury Of
all the fees of their Offices. 1t will be recol-
lected that the great lever of English foreign
commerce is her paidconsular system, her
consular agents OF all degrees being perhaps
the most faithful and effective body of public
servants in the known world Though the
proposed change may make slight additional
charge on the National Treasury, (the aggre-
gate of consular fees co.lecte cd probably falling
hort of the aggregate of consular salaries
commerce to arise from having a cons ular
system as effective as that of England, can
hardly fail SO to stimulate our foreign trade in
all its branches-as that the additional reve-
nue. duties paid thus resulting, will make
up to the Treasury much more, indeed, than
the cost of the consular salaries above and be-
yond the aggregate of the consular fees paid
in. Commercial men will, at a glance, realize
that we reason from sound premises in coming
to these conclusions, and strain no points in
arriving at them
We have often taken occasion TO explain
that our foreign commerce is pressing forward
In the race for supremacy with unexampled
spirit and success. Surely, under such circum
stances the dullest comprehension must appre-
ciate the necessity for the proposed change in
our at present antiq uated and VIII lily inefficient
consular system, which, by the by, contem,
plates Americanizing it Thoroughly; making ii
obligatory hereafter, that all the consular
agents Of this Government all be American
citizens.
We regret that we cannot to-day pursu,
| this subject, than which no other which is t,
| occupy the attention Of this Congress, is o
more Importance to the nearest interests Of tn,
whole country. The author of the bill in CUES
ton (Mr. Perkins, Of La is a gentleman 6
great energy and perspicacity, and will doabt
| less render satisfactory account of the trus
thus devolved on him.
The Mexican TreatY.-Wa have IN say once
| more, that the telegraphic dispatch from New
Orleans, intimating that the special bearer OF
| dispatches from Santa Anna to his ministe
here, who arrived at New Orleans by the las
steamer from Vera Cruz, brings back tn,
treaty with the Mexican Dictators objection
| to certain of its clauses, finds little credit il
| diplomatic circles in Washington.
This especial bearer of dispatches is doubt
less NJ. Raphael, Mexican Consul General a
New York, and Santa Annals intimate friene
and confidant. He is looked for to arrive IL
Washington in the curse Of three days a
farlhest; and we have every reason to believe
| will be much more likely to present General
Almonte with letters, saying that, in a fe,
days, the official copy of the treaty, accepts,
as amended, will leave the city of Mexico fc
Washington, than that Santa Anna is dispose,
to haggle farther over the matter Their
are various financial matters to be attsnde
| to between the time that Santa Anna make
| up his mind to accept the amended treaty
and the moment at which his acceptance shal
oe officially announced which, if manage
discreetly, will make difference of some tw
millions Of dollars to the Mexican exchequer
Fishing Bounties and Allowances We III
derstand the House Committee of Ways an
Means have had for some time past under cor
sideration, the proposition to do away Wi,
theae bounties and allowances; but determined
on the day before yesterday, to defer an uIt
mate decision until the treaty with Grea
Britain and her American colonies is submit
ted to Congress and passed upon. No oppo
oii,On If we are not misinfOrmed) is made, 5
far, In the committee room, to the repeal {
the bounty" law, which allows q return
the duty on foreign salt Used in curing fish
United States taking" exported to fores
: countries. As substitute for this bounly
, now worthless TO the fishermen, (for not a
nundIed dollars per annum has been paid sine
he tariff Of 1915 on account of it, it is pr,
posed by some gentlemen that foreign salt b
Il IL