American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1873-10-11
Official Absenteeism.

Official Absenteeism.
After a continued absence of nearly four
months from the capital, the President
has resumed his residence at the White
House. The members of the Cabinet who
followed his bad example are also slowly
returning from their summer sojourns,
although four of the seven are still away
from Washington. The Secretary of
State, who affects the habits, without the
taste or breeding, of British Premier, is
yet rusticating on the Hudson.
Mr. Fish does not seem to be aware
that anything has happened to disturb the
dull monotony of his department., or that
the financial agents whom he and the
President selected to disburse the diplo-
matte and consular expenditures all over
the world have stopped payment. He
knows that they, like himself, subscribed
literally to the fund and purchases for
the President, and that fact covers a
multitude of failures.
Gen. Grant left Washington in the early
DAYS of June. and, with the exception of
an occasional visit for a partisan purpose,
has been away for third of a whole year
He established his family at Long Branch,
as he did last year, and between the sea
side and junketings from Colorado to
Maine he has contrived to have a long
summer of pleasure at the public expense
In two years the President has been
longer absent from duty than all his pre-
decessors combined from Washington to
Johnson For, besides the regular sum-
mering at Long Branch, he has made ex-
cursions to Philadelphia, New York, and
the West. aggregating fully six months in
every twelve.
By the free use of Executive power and
persuasion, brought to bear personally
upon members of Congress, the President
succeeded in having his pay doubled in
the last hours of the late Congress The
law was made also to operate from the 4th
of March, instead of the 1st of July, to
which time the old salary had been appro-
priated- So that he virtually received in
any member of Congress did for the full
term, which has justly excited such gen.
eral Indignation.
II sense OF propTiety, respect for his
oath, or decent regard for public opin-
ion, failed to impress the President here
tofOre with his obligations to the public,
it was supposed at least that this extraor-
binary increase of salary, procured at his
own urgent solicitation, would induce him
to give more attention to the office, and to
remain at his post, as all other Presidents
had done.
This expectation has been disappointed
Instead of responding to it by any SEEM
ing effort to improve an experience which
had provoked the strongest criticism, he
appears to have gloried in exhibiting a
gross obstinacy and a glaring defiance of
all the rules of official dignity. He left
Washington earlier this year than the
last, and remained away later. That was
his gratitude for the double and back
pay.
The law says that ION and after the 4th
day Of March, 1878, the President of the
United States shall receive in full for his
services during the term for which he shall
have been elected the sum of $4,000 per
annum, to be paid monthly" According
to the strict letter, he has rendered no
services since the beginning of June.
And yet he has drawn from the Treasury
, more than $16,3OO, while seeking amuse-
ment at the seashore and swinging round
the circle
The incompetency of General Grant for
the position which he occupies is notori
Ous- He has made it more conspicuous by
neglect of duty, prolonged absence, and
disregard of the commonest observances
due to his station. He could at the least
have set an example of regularity, en-
forced discipline, and secured integrity
by his presence and a stern supervision.
But he relaxed all vigilance, abandoned
his trusts to subordinates, and thus
opened the doors to the frauds and cor
ruptions and defalcations which have be-
come so familiar to the country during
the past four months, and are now almost
daily gaZetted.
The first principle of sound civil.
service is the faithful and even rigid dis
charge of public duty. As Chief of thai
service the President outraged this prin
cIple IN his own person by deserving his
post for months together, where the law
provides residence for him with gener
Gus allowances, and supposes him to be
constantly present. As necessary con.
sequence this pernicious influence has
extended throughout the whole service
The Cabinet quit Washington. Assist
ant Secretaries, Comptrollers, Auditors,
Commissioners, and the like, upon whom
the greatest responsibility devolved, went
OH also and their interiors followed in
TURF 10 that the great machine of Gov.
Gimme 1t in the most critical times has
been run by clerks in the departments
many OF whom are UNANIMOUSLY venal.
1t is no wonder that private claimants
have been blackmailed, the Treasury
robbed by postmasters, revenue officers
collectors, receivers, and the whole tribe
OF dependents, and that the public ser
vice has been perverted into a huge in
strdment OF oppression, plumber, and ras
cality
The Administration has done its hes,
and its worst to favor a loose, reckless
and ruinous system, in which the office
holders are combined agains: the people.
This combination, with its confederates
in Congress, and their wild and corrupt
legislation, have brought about the pres
ent fearful crisis in finance The Presi
dent, his surroundings, and the Republi
can leaders are responsible for this de
piorable condition of the country-N Y
Sun.