The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1870-02-22
WHAT Isloo1Ep.oN IN wAsHrNo1eN.

tinue TO make loud professions of economy, and
resort to oil sorts Of lodges 70 bumbug the coun-
try into the delusion that such is their intention
they are just as much bent upon extravaganza as
ever, and lose no opportunity to increase the ex-
penditures and to augment salaries. There are
few men, like Dawes Of Massachusetts,, and
Washburn Of Wisconsin, who honestly desire
TO stop the leaks, frauds, and rascafhes that are
so notorious here but they are baked at every
step and under every conceivable pretext. Take
one illustration, which will serve to show up the
general practice: Before Mr.. Dawes made any
public move in the reduction of the estimates,
which led to the recent sharp debate in the House,
he called personally upon the President and sub
mitted the facts TO his attention, and the same
course was pursued toward the Secretary Of the
Treasury. Gen. Grant assured him that the mat
ter should be laid before Cabinet meeting and
the estimates cut down. The only practical no.
tce that Mr.. Dawes got on the subject afterward
was private note from the President asking that
the pay of his secretaries should be raised, and
one from Mr.. Boutwell, 10 the same effect for
various officers in his Department That was
their notion Of economy.
Yesterday, Mr.. Sumner who costs the country
millions Of dollars annually by his foolish legis-
laton, besides being distufber Of the public
peace, urged o bill in violent haste upon the
Senate, creating four new offices for the State
Department-an Examiner Of Claims at 49, SOO
and three clerks at 81 800 year each. Not one
Of these officers Is needed, no matter what Mr..
Fish may say to the contrary. The last Congress
abolished this very Office Of Examiner Of
Claims for its uselessness, which II Is now
sought to revive under the pretence that it is
wanted. Everybody knows that no new claims
Of any consequence against foreign Governments
have arisen since the last Congress; and even If
all was true which is lamely alleged as a cover
for a large additional expense, We employ
Ministers abroad for this sort Of business, and
require no such idle functionary here.
During the rebellion the business Of the State
Department was at least Ave or ten times great
| as il now is, and Mr.. Seward conducted 1t with
a smaller clerical force than actually exists at
this time. He refused to ask for more assistance
| And now in the midst Of peace, and with hardly
| a ripple TO disturb the surface Of our foreign
relations, Mr.. Fish has the assurance to ask Con-
| gress TO swell his list Of unemployed office
holders and 10 burden the Treasury with some
$4,000 year without particle of necessity.
And while this was going on in the Senate by
special legislation, Mr.. Kelsey, Of New York,
carried an amendment 10 the pending Appropria-
| ton bill in the House, suggested, as he said, by
Mr.. Fish, for other additional clerks to make in.
dexes, which Mr.. Sunset Cox, in an efusion
of gratuitous generosity at the cost Of his con
s,ituents, supported. So that Mr.. Fish was
actually burning his candle at both ends, and
| m IT Al.
time in each branch Of Congress under different
pretexts.
There are two Assistant Secretaries in the
State Department, neither Of whom is really
required. One is profcssedly ornamental, thu
ex-lctter writer for the 7Gnses, Mr.. Davis, ant
tho other useful as an antediluvian may be
This description Of Office was abolished in thu
Navy and War Departments at the close Of th
rebellion, and there is just as much reason VIII,
{. shouid be stopped for the state Department
But all these officials wish to magnify their i'm
portance, and every kite has the ambition 4
have a long tail. Hence Mr.. Fish says he mus
have more pomp In his Office, more stgn, an,
morctail to his Kite.
Mr.. Fen;on has brought in bill to make
present Of 1900, oQO or more to Russia, for pre-
/
This is a sham of the first water and is onl
cqualcd by the cffcntcry of claiming interest o
the Alaska job, while certain parties in Congrc
were being manipulated to pass the appropriation
The less said ON that subject the better, for
won't bear probing. Many pockets were VIC
lined by the operation, and if Alaska were give
! back to Russia, with a round sum persUade
: IL would be real economy. As Ar. Stoeckl, la
Minister Of the Gar here, was well rewarded {,
his part in that matter his successor who
= sharp, shrewd, and fertile in expedienis, wou'
doubtless like to share in the good fortune whiC
/ he mas seen fall to the lot of others.
The sale of appointments for the army and nav
will make a stir, or rather would do so, if the
moralization which has spread like an epidcm
had not blunted the scnsibilities Of all concerne
II is notorious that members of Congress ha,
hawked these places about like articles Of me
= chandise, and put into their own pockets the pT
!. of appointments, intended by law for the be
Il eft Of the children Of meritoIious c
n zens. Prominent carpet-baggers who Ia
been most jealous in a proscrptiye cour
7 of policy, aud intolerant as to eve
form Of reconciliation, are known TO have so
!, nominations TO Annapolis and West Point,
their own letters may be regarded as proof
u fact, this thing had assumed the form Of Go
n gressional commerce, and regular brokers traI
e. acted negotiations, as they would do in ordna
n affairs Some of the guilty knaves will strive
"a shelter then selves behind their political conn,
= tons, and allcge that the money thus receiy
was to sustain 4" the cause That was the
failing plea Of every corrupt jobber, plundcii
:. contractor, and shoddy thief during the war, a
it not only involved hundreds Of millions in !,
)" to the Government, but vast dscredit to the pa
20 which allowed such roguery to go unpunish
no We shall see who will stand up for these incriI
mated members when they are exposed.
Il, Notwithstanding the articles employed,
so trickery, and tho psrsuaSips appliances, the
,al mana job and its fiiiated schemes do not p
no gress much. An attempt will be made to lol
oS them in heap, by combination of the varic
interests, but there are vigilant eyes upon
"a traders, and every move will be illuminated.
40 Gen. Grant thinks if he was q necessity
be 1868 to the Republican party, no will be mi
or more SO in 1872, since they have mo avaia