The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-12-28

dli' we uWeH upon inc DANGER 10 inc interests
Of the cotton growing States Of their giving encour
agement to such expeditions
We have adyerted to but a single instance of the
warped and prejudieed construction which the Cour-
has, in its unhappy state of mind and body put
upon our recent discussions Of this and kindred
questions lis criticisms too fppant and trivial
to require grave refutation and, besides, who can
be expected to reason composedly and with self
restraint with the famished gentlemen who have
thrown all New FORK into commissions Of aughter2
THE ECONOMY OF HONESTY IN THE PUBLIC AID
MINISrRATIoN.
There are two classes Of men who are vastly ex-
pensive and extrayagant-those who use all sorts of
machinery to cheat the government, and those Off
Gals who employ the power in. their hands to cheat
individuals. The exercise Of The latter is license
to enlarge the operations Of the former There are
claims against the Slate which should be promptly
paid, because they founded in justice and equity
and because the government cannot afford to set the
example Of dishonesty in refusing to pay them. A
refusal to liquidate one fair obligation takes away
from the State all right TO complain Of those who
press dozen unfair ones. If principles of justice
fuence, of votes and of iavoritism. Hence we say
that the government cannot afford TO be unjust it
cannot afford to set example Of dishonesty in its
dealings with the people. If it may take advantage
of its power TO reject or delay the adjustment
of fair demands, it should not complain if those
who serve it charge higher rates for their labor,
or base their operations upon the idea thai they
are to be cheated in way by the authorities.
1t was only few days ago that Senate committee
reported adversely TO than one hundred and
thirty petitions for redress TO the government 1t is
notorious indeed, that the federal capital presents
more prayers for special Legislation than for ything
else. Men and women want money, pensions, dam
ages, and almost every other species relief Why
is this 1t has grown up to be an enormous bust
ness that of trumpng up accounts against the treas
ury. In nine cases out of ten they purely spec
uative in their origin aud in their prosecution. Is
it not true too that ''the just and the unjust are
huddled together in the same pigeon-hole, even to
the extent of prescribing the former much the
latter Every claim is thus tainted with fraud This
is not right 1t is vastly expensive TO the government
1t costs million of dollars every year to support
such system. A rigid administration Of the law and
rigid investigation of evidence would save great
deal of money. If the government debt let
them pay it. Those who demand equity should be
prepared TO do equity.
No evil is more damaging to the public interests
than the too prevalent practice of making ndscrim
nate war upon claims against the federal treasury.
II there u.s. in any contingency, justification for dis
honesty, it arises from this system of conducting the
public business. Delay in the payment of an honest
debt operates heavily upon the creditor, and his III
creased expenses in this way renders it necessary
that he should estimate for public service upon that
basis so that in the end the government has
trived simply to defraud its own revenues. Every
refusal TO execute law or discharge an obligation
tends to embarrass the contractors and agents. and,
if these delays or refusals constitute part OF the
system ITSELF it is manifest the rates of service will
be governed accordingly. 1t is then, clearly the
dictate of economy, as well justice, that public
officers should be vigilant in protecting the rights
of individuals dealing with the State in guarding
the latter against frauds and false pretences.
We want no better evidence that the present sys-
tenn is radically and essentially defective than is to
be found in the notorious fact that dishonest claims
against the government stand upon precisely the
same footing as honest ones and are quite as likely
TO be paid, fair dealer is modest than
unfair and speculative operator. The latter knows
his success depends wholly upon vigilance, cunning,
and personal influence while the former, relying
upon the Justice of his and upon the integrity
of the tribunals authorized to liquidae his demands
is compelled to pay the penalty which is too often
visited upon honesty-the utter reputation Of his
account In this way the case is turned off year af
ter year until age covers it with discred and it is
lost amongst the dusty records of Congress or the
departments. We repeat again that this system is
one of untold expense to the government one which
authorizes rogues and pretenders to prey upon its
revenues, to suborn witnesses, manufacture testi-
nony, counterfeit documents and mislead and de-
fraud the public administration We have had men
in office who have won reputation and become dis
tingushed simply by rejecting claims whether well
or ill-fomded. We have had men in Congress who
have deemed it merit to say all occasions; to
vote against every appropriation, every bill, and al
most every proposition.
THE SLIDELL-D0UGLAS AFFAIR.-LETTER FROM
DR. BRAINARD
The Chicago Press and Tribune publishes the fol-