The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-07-26
From the Patriot, Monday
Absent From Duty.


The President, most Of the Cabinet,
and many OF the principal officials,
whose presence here is indispensable to
the regular conduct Of the public busi-
ness, and for the protection of private
rights, continue to prolong their absence
from Washington, and to make duty
subservient to personal pleasure. They
defy public opinion and affect to despise
the criticism of the press. These men
are public servants; they are paid for
the fulfllment of certain trusts, and
they are faithful only in drawing sal
aries which are never earned. So
scandalous an exhibition of wilful and
insulting neglect of duty, and disregard
of all decency, has never before been
witnessed. 1t is difficult to estimate
the injury to the public interests, by
this culpable system of absenteeism,
which, like other shameful abuses,
came in with the present Administra-
ton. But the effect upon the whole
civil service is demoralizing in serious
degree, and to this cause may be
ascribed most Of the evils, which have
recently provoked SO much criticism,
This example of absence for months
together, is a license for loose and cor
rupt practices in the Departments,
because that strict and responsible
supervision is removed, without which
it is wholly impossible to carry on the
Government economically, honestly, or
efficiently. Apply the same rule to the
ordinary affairs OF life, and it is easy to
understand what the result would be.
This administration has done more to
im pair, destroy, and degrade the civil
service, by the example of the President
and Cabinet, than all other causes
combined. They regard it solely as a
means of prolonging political power
and promoting personal ambition
Louis Napoleon sought to debauch the
public mind in France, in order to gov
ern with more ease. Our rulers corrupt
the civil service, so that they may use
it without restraint.
The following list, which excludes
numbers Of subordinates, shows the pro-
portions that this glariug abuse has
taken:
President Grant, absent continuously
since the 1st of June, salary SD 900
per annum.
Hamilton Fish, Secretary Of State,
salary $4,000 per annum.
Columbus Delano, Secretary Of the
Interior, absent more than half the
time since his appointment salary
$4,000 per annum.
Nv. w. Belknap, Secretary Of War,
salary 5000 per annum.
George NJ. Robson, Secretary Of the
Navy, salary 5000 per annum.
J. A. J. Creswell, Postmaster Gener-
al, salary 5000 per annum.
A. T. Alderman, Attorney General,
salary $4,000 per annum.
F. E. Spinner, Treasurer Of the
United States, with large staff, now in
Europe, salary $4,000 per annnm.
w. A. Richardson, Assistant Secre-
tary ofthe Treasury, with staff of clerks,
now in Europe, salary $4,000 per
annum.
F. A. Walker, Superintendent Of
Census, now in Europe, salary $4,000
per annum.
J. C. B. Davis, Assistant Secretary
of State. salary $4,000 per annum.
E. B. French, Second Auditor of the
Treasury, salary $1,000 per annum.
A. Rutherford, Third Auditor Of the
Treasury, salary $4,000 per annum.
J. Delano, Chief Clerk Interior
Department, salary $4,000 per annum.
j. Allison, Register Of the Treasury,
salary $4,000 per annum. =, :,
This list might be largely swelled
by careful inquiry, but it is sufficiently
imposing to illustrate the evil and to
expose the outrage.