The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1857-11-06

together the evidence for this purpose, and made il
accessible to the people Of the country. most Of
whom might otherwise never have seen il, His val
liable labor will be properly appreciated
THE FEE SYSTEM OF CONDENSATION
Those who serve the public or others are entitled
10 compensation and the mode Of ascerainins and
making it is matter Of little Importance. and es-
pecial where it is not the subject Of private agree
ment, but is regulated by law. Formerly attorneys
were paid under fee bills, containing numerous items.
and the drawing and copying papcrss ere charged by
the folio. This produced proliIity and occasiopcd
long and useless forms in legal proceedings Where
fee bills have been abolished, and attorneys paid
gross sum. or by agreement Of their clients, legal
business has been greatly sn,plifed az well as expe
dted. But whenever forms and ceremonies can in
crease compensation, they viii be adhered y far
enough to secure il. IN public Offices Where the fee
system is preserved, numerous useless ceremonies
are performed merely TO get the fees We have
heard Of ali English lawyers taxed bill Of costa that
was over hundred feet long and We have read
counts Of very long III this country But a. TO
tho lawyers fee bills nearly all abolished, and,
We think rightfully. Whenever it is practicable 10
do So fee bills should give place to better sys
tenn Of compensation, and especially with offccrs
Of the national government This is particularly
desirable where the. service is for the govern
nent itself, both with reference e The public
and the officer II would DO far better for both.
With United States district attorneys and clerks spc
ciic salaries would relieve from much cinbarnss-
inent and needless expense. The records Of the
treasury will show what sums they have heretofore
actually received. An average for the last three
years compensation would doubtless fairly ccnlpsn-
safe them for the future. II would relieve them
from the necessity Of keeping penny accounts, and
getting them certified by judges, and often coming
to Washington TO snpcrntend their settlement, and
prevent frequent disappointment III receiving their
pay when earned and actually due. II would also
relieve the accounting officers from some Of their
most embarrassing duties. We learn that many dis
trict attorneys and clerks say they would prefer %
receive twenty-five per cent. lcss in salary regu
lary paid than to keep accounts and procure their
settlement 5as " 45sees
But probably the most onerons and inconyenient
fees are those paid at our custom-louses These
somewhat numerous and exceedingly embarrassing
The present law says to the importer "pay duties
cciving them and then .pay for leave to take your
goods This is both unfair and vexatious. The
government should take all il wants ut bite. IN
the shape of duties, and do everything possible TO
leve tho entry Of goods from useless forms and GER
emonies. Simplify the entering Of imports SO hat
merchants may make entries. instead Of being
compelled to employ those who have learned
10 do so as professional business. II is I'M
possible for the collector to keep account Of the
fees now paid and render it with any knowledge Of
it's correctness All collectors, like those the
norher;, frontiers should be paid salary, and those
who assist them should be compensated the same
way More than twenty years since Gen. jackson
suggested this mode Of remunerating cnstom-house
officers and at his instance, and that Of Mr.. Wood
bury, tho Committee on Commerce, with great labor,
prepared and reported bill 70 regulate their COM
peisation. Their report was made the 2Ath March,
1896, and accompanied House bill 4o4. The system
then proposed. With suitable notifications. may now
be adopted II would relieve the custon-housc Off
GERS as wen as the government from endless pcrpleS
tiles and numerous lawsuits and difficulties. The
salary SYSTEM of compromising The officers We have
named Mould strike out Of existence tlleir emolu
ment accounts which annoy everybody Hlio has any
thing to do with them. aud which have made more
rogues than tI,eg have saved the government dollars
The people must pay their public servants in some
way and we think shen practicable. the open and
,aarly Way of giving salary il best for the officer
aud safest for The public Then the statute will show
what officers get, and there be no cheating as 70
the amount paid. - t 1865
POSTAGE no roRrs OF THE BLACK SEA, AND on
/. THE DANUBE, BY FRENCH MALL
We are requested 10 state that the French govern
mont has recently established post Offices atNoc,
yarna Srlina Pulicha. Calatz. Ibraila, lnsbuli. 81
nope, S.mscun Kcrasund, and Trebizono, and that
correspondence Of every description originating IN
or destined for those cities will hereafter be trans
,nitied in the mail ria France, upon the same terms
and conditions correspondence Of the like nature
originating or destined for the cities of tho Levan
4 in which France has posi- offices. sa laid
| The single rate of letter postage between the Uni
ted States and those places by the French mail wii
therefore, be 30 cents the quofc, orce and 60 cents
the hoif ounce letter prepayment Optional Printed
matter of every description may also be transmitted
! to those ports, by way Of France prepayment Of
the United States posiage--viz 2 cents On pewspa-