The daily union., 1854-12-12

this bin with advantage to the public service but if Con-
gress will only do much the bill proposes in this
spect it will certainly be great improvement Under
present system il is possible for minister abroad to
realize in single year S2 900 from his salary outfit and
return allowance whilst those who remain longer receive
but the salary Of $4,000 Thus under administration
BY OF yearly appoin representa-
ton of the principal courts might $4,000 It's
too notorious that missions under different administrations
nave been accepted upon this system the parties delaying
their departure for considerable time after their APP
pontment remaining but few months at their post and
then returning home; and thus between the delay in
starting the periods Of transit out and home consuming
their year and pocketng the full salary outfit and return
allowance The present bill corrects all these abuses The
o and return allowance abolished the salary does
nos begin until the minister reaches his post and ends
when his relieves him. He is not allowed to
leave his post for period of than ten days without
leave from home and II he does with leave Tex
ep may be public busness his salary during
his absence that ministers is TOO often the
be travelling for pleasure Europe and the
time be receiving their salaries In lieu of all the
above the annual salaries increased but the aggregate
amount paid will probably not be greater than it now is.
The secretaries Of legation il made with high salaries
would become prizes for old and greedy politicians, and
the amount allowed by the bill is sufficient for the respect
able support of able and worthy young men, and pareu
ary they are generally domesteaed in the household
of the minister.
The consular reform is probably even more urgently re-
qured than the diplomatic This bill aboishes all special
salaries attached consuates abroad such London and
Paris which salary is in addition to fees and substitutes
Ii aboshes the snecures and excessive incomes in twelve
fifteen consuate which generally given to old pol
cans, and which yield from five thousand to twenty
thousand dollars and in probably than one instance
greater than is allowed the President of the Uni
ted States The surplus of fees received at such
ates after the allowance ofa liberal salary to the ncum
bent is returned into the treasury and made applicable
the payment of reasonable salaries at the smaller
ates where the fees yield insufficient compensation
1t prohibits consus from engaging in other business
cept at points where there but little American trade and
occupy but small portion of time Foreign govern
ments have in some instances justly complained of the un
due advantages possessed by consns who engaged in
trade, all invoices submitted to them to be certified
and they thus benefit themselves and their correspond
ens by general knowledge of the goods prices quality
and quantity that going forward The French govern
ment recently refused to recognise of newlyap
pointed consns for this very cause and they fully
justified in doing This exclusion of consuls at import
ant points from all connexion with trade and making them
independent of all personal interest in fees will be OF obv
and great advantage to the commercial interests of the
country and in many ways which it will be difficult ap
preciae except by those who familiar with the
in which many consuls now discharge their duties.
The combination of merchant and consul in the
person fails to make him the object of suspicion and
disrust not only TO his countymen engaged in
merce but also to the foreigners who in the manufacture
ing countries in Europe trade very largely their
account with the United States He is also considered
having personal interest in every fee he exacs well
i'll all his representations TO the local authorities and
is not unequeny accused of extortion in demanding
necessary fees or of increasing them beyond the legal
amount
The provision which stops the salary of consus during
any absence for longer period than ten days is very
sautary Many consuls have heretofore realized large
incomes from their Offices which they would leave IN
charge of deputies, sometimes unsuitable and improper
whilst they frequently at home enjoying them
selves at watering place other pleasant locality
mote from their consulate
The modification of existing fees made by this bill
unequal and unjust tax upon commerce and for
the discretion exercised in instances in evying
fees it defines with precision their character and amount
The confnng of foreign positions under the government
to citizens of the United States another great improve
ment instead of having has been the of
our important eonsuates flied by foreigners who the
subjects Of the country they reside n and have been
in the United States Every there hundreds Of
young Americans who go abroad to improve themselves
to acquire foreign languages who well qualified and
willing to fill at small salaries the less important consul
ats which have hitherto been held by foreigners
them not even speaking language
There are other important provisions of this bill which
strike at great evils in the present consular system but
which only be appreciated by those who have studied
and have some experience regards the working of the
system.
1t is hardly to be expected that bill embrace all the
needed reforms in diplomatic and consular systems
or, if it did, that such bill would pass Some of
the defects of present system have fortified them
selves by custom and the influence of those who reap the
benefit to be very difficult of removal and the attempt
will always meet with strong opposition 1t is however
satisfactory TO that whilst portion of the public
press crcises some of the details of this bill all unite in
saying that its passage something similar to it, will be
great national advantage.
The salaries proposed by the bill are decidedly below
what they ought to be- but under the feeling existing
this subject attempt to place them upon the proper level
would probably endanger its passage and the mod
crate rates Of compensation fixed by the bill will doubt
create considerable opposition to it.
Whilst the passage of this bill will simplify foreign
service it may be regarded the victory of the industrial
and commercial interests of the country the needy
graspng politician; in the fact that whilst it aboishes
snecures in ten twelve rich consuates which gem
orally filled by old brawng parsans whose duties too
frequently discharged by clerks applies the surplus
income from those to provide salaries and adequate
support for consus at points where hitherto has
suffered from the want of suitable represent its in
terest
In addition the provision made in the bill as regards
the books which the consul shall keep for the business of
his Office authority should be vested in the State Depart
ment to prescribe in detail the mode in which the
duties of the office should be conducted and the records
kept particularly regards strict accountability
the amount OF fees received
will only further add that in auding TO the abuses
existing and pracsed in both diplomatic and consular
corps special reference intended the present period
more than to that under previous administrations The
evils and abuses arise from defective system and some
OF them have existed for half century and have been con-
santly increasing in number and aggravation. H.
SENATOR DouGbAs.--The New Orleans Delta Of the lst
says:
This gentleman is at the St Louis Hotel and is recev
ing the calls of large numbers of feow-czens daily
II will be that he is TO have formal reception by his
party, whom he will probably address while here He is
expected to be at the opera this evening"
RAPID TRASsIATING.--The Presidents message appeared
Tuesday morning translated into French in the New
York Courier des Ems Uns and translated into German
in the Soas Zietung The translatons necessarily
made and the documents printed after three O'clock on