Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1865-12-04
THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT.
Its Work and The Men who do if-Ifs
System of Observation-Disclosures
Facts in Regard 90 il.
Especial Correspondence Cleveland LEADER.

lopcSAai correspondence NltNeAhnu bhAbLh.
WASHINGTON, d. c., Nov. '65.
The clerical force in this city, which
the necessities of the Government have
required, during the war, in its various
Departments, is doubtless much greater
than the reader would naturally imagine.
This force alone would make, until quite
recently, according to the estimate of men
who are competent to calculate it, a city
of the Sd or 4th class, or one say of 10000
inhabitants. For the last two months or
more, this number has been gradually les
sening, since the authorities of the Gov
eminent are retrenching expenses every
where, just as fast as the exigencies of the
Government itself will admit. I have
sometimes been almost afraid, in thinking
of it, that in the army and navy this snug
system of retrenchment was being carried
on too rapidly, for the public security and
veal. But it j. quite apparent, that those
who have our affairs IN charge, are intent
on making our financial system to the end
as sound and successful as we have DEM
onstrated to traitors and to the nations
that our military power has been, and is
to be. They mean to show to the world
that in both men and money, we as a ma
ton are fully equal to meet all emergen-
cies; in a word, to show that with US,
financial skill and resources and military
proves and power, go hand in hand,
alike a moral to ourselves, to the world
and the nations thereof.
Something's this financial institution of
the Government, of the numbers employed
in it, and how the employed are managed,
may be in point.
1t is hardly necessary to name the head
of it, the Hon. Hugh McCulloch, a man
of undoubted greatness in mental charac-
ter and constitution, as well as in fnan-
cial tact and ability. The clear, compact,
comprehensive sentences of the few docu-
ments that have issued from his pen or
the single one that has fallen from his
lips evince il, and have drawn their eyes
upon him to regard him thus.
He is aided and sustained in his arduous
duties. by two assistants, j. F. Hartley
and W. =. Chandler, Esqr's, men en-
dOwed to a signal degree with the mental
traits and calibre required in their impor-
tant positions. 81
The United States Treasury Department
in this city has employed, it is said, in
round numbers, 2,O0O clerks. OF these
l,40O were gentlemen, and the remaining
500 were ladies. This great clerical body
is divided up into sundry other bodies to
secure organization and thereby efficiency,
in their operations. The grand divisions
were originally eleven, and are named
Offices or Bureaus. The first is the Secre-
tary's office. Mr.. W. II. West is the new
clerk. Then, there is the Treasurer's office.
and General Francis Z. Spinner is Treas
urer. He receives and disburses the public
monies, and is so goodan officer that when
he rendered his resignation recently, to
take some position in New York, the Sec
rotary refused to accept it. Then
the Solicitor of the Treasury, and he is
Edward Jordan, Esq, and is the legal off
Ger or lawyer of the Treasury as his title
indicates. There were originally but eight
other offices or Bureaus, and in these six
VI NAAc SdNA Ply NtA AAANl ADAlItISs allNl
the other two were named Controllers. In
lS49 Congress divided the LIST Controllers
office and made q new one, called the Office
of the Commissioner of Customs. AT its
head is Nathan Sargent, an officer long in
the employ of the government. His duties
are the revision Of the business of the
Custom Houses and Lighthouses, and he
is ever alert, through his agents, for SNUG
glers, &c,
The LIST Auditor is T. l.. Smith, Esq,
and this officer settles the accounts of the
Custom Houses. The I'd Auditor is Z. B.
French, ESQ. He settles the Paymasters
accounts. The Sd Auditor is John VIII
son., Esq, who settles the Commissaries
and Quartermasters accounts. The 4th
Auditor is the Hon. Stephen j. w. Tabor,
who settles the Navy accounts. The 18th
Auditor is G. NJ. Walker, who settles the
ceOunts of the Foreign Consuls. The
9th Auditor is the Hon. Isaac N. Arnold,
of Chicago, who settles the Post Office
accounts. The LIST Controller is r. w.
Taylor ESQ, of Ohio, and his duties are the
revision of the Transactions of the LIST, 9TH
and 9th Auditors, Offices. The I'd Con-
troller is the Hon. j. NJ. Broadhead, and
the duties of his Office is the revision of the
transactions of the I'd, Sd and 4th Audit
ors, Offices. a
The war for the preservation of the
Unoin created a necessity for still other
officers, and Congress has added twOothers
to the Treasury, the heads of which are
denominated Commissioners. The enor-
nous expidentures of the Government dur
ingits prosecution required the organization
of q revenue system, and the officer whose
duty it is to keep this complicated system of
reYenHe in practical operation, is the Com
missioner of Internal Revenue, L. A. Rol-
Inns, Esq. Then the wise stroke of policy
of attaching or connecting indissolubly
the money power of the country to the
Government in its hour of trial, as now
done in the National Banking system,
rendered it necessary to create an
other Bureau, and the principal office in
this is called the Controller of the Curren-
cy. To him applications are made to or
ganize the National Banks, and he. depos-
its the National stocks or securities. on
which the banks are founded. This officer
is Freeman Clark, ESQ.
But there is a still further ramiicatiOn
of the Treasury clerks, for vet more com
plete systemization and control. for the
highest attainable usefulness. Each bureau
is subdivided into subordinate offices,
called, technically, divisions. To illustrate
this last ramifieation of the Treasury
clerks, 1 take the Fourth Auditors Blu
reau.
The Auditor himself, Judge Tabor, halls
from the vigorous young State of Iowa.
and may be regarded ciyilly, socially and
officially as one of the best of men. Sus-
a pleasing personal address, he
has q clear, candid, e~onsiderate, capable
mind, which is illustrated with rare con-
versational facilities. Evidently he is ac-
tuated, too, by justice; Kindness and integ-
rity in the discharge of his duties. He
does his own part well and faithfully, and
expects and requires every clerk in his
office to do the same. As is to be inferred.
Auditor is to receive all persons hay
business with his office, and to direct
that that business be disposed of accord
ing to the regulations of the same. Under
regulations now in force, a fac siaaile of
his signature franks the mail matter sent
from his Office, but his personal signature
required to every letter, written in his
office, by its ninety-eight clerks-and to
10 this with his other duties before men
Toned, requires close application and a
pen.
Next in the order, descending, comes
he chief clerk, who is to have the practi-
sal working of the whole offca moro I'm