The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1868-10-04
Our Army I'm Office,

our army I'm Office.
The number of public officers ne
cessary to the civil administration of
Government in country like this, is
known to comparatively few persons,
we take it. There are many, indeed,
who are aware that operations carried
on upon SO large scale, and extend
ing over so vast q territorial area,
must necessarily demand the services
of q numerous body of persons; and
perhaps there is dim idea of many
thousands. But they know not how
many, nor to what departments of
the public affairs they belong. It
would be difficult, and would consume
too much space for us to give just
now the total of the entire civil list,
and of each brand; but we will give
that OF internal revenue as on illus
tration suggestive of many interest
ing points, and as some guide to an
approximation.
There are 240 collection districts
in the United States, with collector
and an assessor for each, making 48O
OF these principal officers altogether.
There has been as high as $500
deputy collectors at one time, we be-
lleve,, and $500 assistant assessors.
Before the passage of the law of last
July, there were some Ten regular
revenue agents, but to these there
should properly be added all equal
number of special agents of the Trea-
sury, who were exclusively employed
on internal revenue matters by regu-
lar assignment to that duty. These
are followed by inspectors of distilled
spirits, coal oil, snuff, tobacco, segars,
etc., numbering in all in the neigh
borhood of 800 persons. We have
here in round figures nearly 5000
officials of direct appointment To
these we must add all those of in
direct appointment. whose duties
grow out of the public business in
this channel, and who are paid with
money taken out of the general trea-
sury. These comprise the immense
clerical force of the assessors and
collectors, the gaugers. watchmen
and other persons, numbering, at O
fair estimate. 5000 more, making q
grand aggregate of 10000. This
makes up the dimensions of the in
land revenue service; an army in it.
self.
It may be supposed that this con-
stitutes the largest branch of the pub
lie service; bnt there is another which
embraces more appointments within
Its range than even internal revenue
or any two branches other than itself,
on the civil list. We mean the postal
branch. On the 30th of June, 1866,
the total number of post offices with
In the national limits was officially
stated by the Postmaster General to
be 29,389. But at that time, owing
to the distractions caused by war,
preventing complete re-opening of
the routes South of Mason and
Dixon's line, only 23,829 of these
were in regular operation. Since
then: we presume the remainder, to-
gether with many new ones, have
been opened. We think it safe to
place the total at 10000. Of this
number, the law gives 7O9 appoint
ments to the President, and the rest
to the head of the Post Office Depart
ment. When we add the number of
clerks, agents and others directly or
indirectly connected with the depart
ment, the total is swelled to some.
where about $4,000.
VI internal revenue. the 48O asses
sofs and collectors are by law an.
pointed by the President, the re-
malnder of the Secretary of the
Treasury, upon the recommendation
OF the assessors and collectors to the
Com missioner of Internal Revenue.
and the nomination of that officer to
the Secretary. When we take into
account the numerous appointments
belonging TO the various other
branches of,the public service, it win
belappreciated that our great Office
holding army, of which the 60. 600
postal and internel revenue inoum-