Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1855-04-27
Congress and Mr.. Marsh.

IN SENATE--March 2, 1s55.-Eveninf
Session. The Civil and Diplomatic Appro.
priation Bill from the House of Representa-
tives being under consideration
Mr.. Mason, from the Committee on For.
eign Affairs, offered the following amend.
ments
That the Secretary of the Treasury be,
and is hereby directed to audit nnd settle the
account of George p. Marsh, late Minister
resident of the United States at the Ottoamn
Porte, for additional compensation and expen-
ditures incurred by him in the performance
of special services, not appertaining to his
mission, and at points different from that to
which he was accredited, in compliance with
instructions from the Department of State,
and for Judicial services rendered by him
under the act of August IL, 1S4S, entitled
An Act to carry into effect certain provis-
ions in the treaties between the United
States and China and the Ottoman Porte.
giving certain judicial powers to ministers
and consuls of the United States in those
countries" in settling which accounts the
sum of S4 5000 shall be allowed as compen-
sation for said special services in the mission
to Greece and in ascertaining the amount
of said expenses the certificate of tho p".ty
shall be regarded as sufficient where no regu-
lar vouchers can be procured /; and further
allowance at the rate of 81 900 per annum,
shall be made to said George p Marsh, for
judicial services during the period of said
mission to the Ottoman Porte, to be paid out
of any money in the Treasury not otherwise
appropriated.
Mr.. Foot have an amendment to offer.
1t is to strike out $4,000 and insert SO 900,
so that the compensation to Mr.. Marsh for
his services in the extraordinary mission on
which he was sent from the Government to
which he was regularly accredited, to the
Government of Greece, will be 50 900, instead
of S4.500. have but a few words to say
in reference to this amendment
Mr.. Marsh, while resident minister of this
Government at Constantinople was directed
and instructed by our Government to proceed
to Greece, and to examine into certain COM
plants which had been preferred against
that Government by an American citizen,
touching his rights of property, and his
rights of personal liberty. Mr.. Marsh, in
pursuance of these instructions, went to
Greece. lie was instructed to make report
upon the case, and after making his report,
to remain there subject to the further order
of this Government. He was occupied in
the investigation and the report of the case,
under his instructions, for eleven months
and one week-twenty-fv days only short of
one full year.
The character of the special mission upon
which ho ""o ee"t' iu'vi,eI a" unuo"ai aud
extraordinary amount of labor 1t necessa-
riy involved critical examination of the
civil and criminal laws of that country. 1t
involved the necessity of translating and
transcribing vast amount of manuscript
testimony, judicial documents, and judicial
records from the language of the country,
with which Mr.. Marsh happened to be quite
familiar, as he is with most, if not all the
languages of Europe, modern and ancient.
All then ask for this years service is the
sum of $4,000. l care not whether you call
it an outfit, or salary, or quantum meruit,
it is only just, fair and reasonable compen
sation. do not ask you to depart, in the
case of Mr.. Marsh, from the ordinary prac-
tice of the Government in such cases do
not ask you to depart from the rule adopted
by the Government in allowing compensation
for these extraordinary services of foreign
ministers, who are sent on extraordinary
missions, out side of, and foreign to, the Gov
ernment to which they were originally
accredited. II you adopt the rule in the case
of Mr. Marsh, which you adopted at tho last
session of Congress of allowing per diem
Of twenty-five dollars, as in the case OF MIR.
Pendleton, holding the position of Charge a
lower position than that which was held
by Mr.. Marsh at Constantinople it would
amount to $500, or within fraction of
the sum proposed by my amendment.
If you adopt the rule OF compensation
which is stated to have been the ordinary
rule adopted by the Government in similar
cases, of an outfit, for full mission, of
80 900, it would be quite satisfactory, pre-
sumo to Mr.. Marsh but | may be allowed
to say here that the sum proposed by the
committee, 4,500, is hardly remuneration
to Mr.. Marsh, for the necessary losses and
expenses consequent upon his breaking up,
as necessarily he had to break up his domes-
tic arrangements at Constantinople, and his
being obliged to dispose Of large amount of
valuable property, as horses, furniture, &c.
And, moreover, the uncertainty of the time
which he would be required to remain in
Greece forbade his making permanent arrange
ments for remaining there. This subjected
him to a larger expense than he would other
wise have had to encounter. | trust certain
ly, after the precedents which we have had
in other cases at this, and at the last session,
and after the precedents which we have had
from the commencement Of the Government,
my proposition will meet with the acceptance
OF the whole Senate.
Mr.. Cooper. There is no possible reason
for any discrimination against Mr.. Marsh
The rule established by the Senate in the
of course, to be carried out. The services
performed by Mr.. Marsh were of quite as
arduous a character as those performed by
the two gentlemen to whom / have referred,
and for whom provision has been made.
think that the provision which has been
made for those gentlemen for the services
which they performed, it being in accordance
with the precedents running almost from the
beginning of tho Government to the present
day, was proper. As remarked by the honor
able Senator from Vermont, Mr.. Marsh I
mission required the examination of volumi
nous records, and a large amount of testimo
ny in a foreign language. 1t involved the
necessity Of making himself acquainted with
the laws of that country and fitting himsel
to comprehend and advocate them. Thi'
kind OF service ought to be compensated
fairly, and as there is no rule, even tina
established last session for the payment o
Mr.. Schenck and Mr. Pcndleton, but will
assure to Mr.. Marsh almost the amount pro
posed by the amendment of the Senator 0
Vermont, | trust there will be no objection Il
it. 1t is but simple justice. 1t is putting
this minister on an equality with other min
isters If we were to make discrimination
in the same session, within the same hour
il would involve us in an amount of inconsis
tency that would be discreditable to us, t.
say nothing else.
Mr.. Weller. have only to say that hop
the amendment offered by the Senator fron
Vermont will be adopted. From the oxamin
alton which have given to the case of Mr.
Marsh, have come to the conclusion tina
he has performed more distinguished service
than either Of the gentlemen who were allu
ded to few minutes ago know of no NOR
faithful representative abroad than MI
Marsh. | know of no man who was place
in a situation where he was able to rende
, us more efficient services. If the Senate dc
tcrmine to pay from ninety TO one hundre
dollars day to foreign agents | will jjoi
them in it. Every one knows that | al
liberal in my views in regard to the comper
sation OF our agents, both at home an
abroad. As desire, after a while, to NOV
to increase the salaries of some officers in m
t portion Of the country, hope the very lib,
raj gentlemen upon the other side, who ha,
, been voting for these allowances to-nigh
will be found voting with me. 60 for Il
| hiphest ann named