Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1873-05-05
THE VIENNA MIDDLE.

exposition. The latest accounts from
the Austrian capital say that everything
connected with the United States de-
partment of the exhibition is in state
of chaos, and that the American name is
a subject of constant scandal in the gay
city. The Department of State at
Washington, with very eommendable
solicitude for the reputation of the ma
ton in the face of assembled Europe,
has promptly entertained the complaints
which have been made as to the improp-
er conduct of some of the commissioners ;
and, as measure of precaution, has
sanctioned the suspension of the func-
tions of all until the facts in the case
can be ascertained and the blame affixed
to those to whom it justly belongs.
When the scandal was first brought to
the notice of President Grant. he prompt
ly acquiesced in the suggestions of Sec
rotary Fish that the list of appointees
should be revised and scrutinized and
that any person should be promptly re-
called upon whose character or conduct
there was the slightest shadow of refec-
ton. Mr. Thomas Van Buren, received
his appointment as chief commissioner
directly from the President. and he was
authorized to appoint thirteen assistant
commissioners In the filing of these
subordinate offices, the usual political
and business influences were doubtless
brought to bear; and it is quite natural
to suppose that the urgency and insist
ence of Senators, Representatives and
lobbyists had powerful influence in
controlling the selections which were
made
In addition to the regular commission,
consisting Of Gen. Van Buren, and his
assistants, whose expenses were to be
betrayed by an appropriation for that
purpose passed by Congress at its last
session, very large number of honorary
commissioners were appointed, consisting
of men of science, eminent artisans and
a great crowd of ambitious nobodys who
are always eager to figure in some semi
official capacity, even though it be at
their own expense. These honorary APP
pointments were originally limited by
the State Department to one hundred
but the pressure upon the executive was
so strong that the limit was, at length
greatly overrun. Aside from the mer
of artistic fame and the aspirants for &
chance to show themselves in quasi
public character, many agents for new
inventions sought these appointments
with view to ply their trade by sound
ing the praises of their pet inventions
from the fashionable stand point of ;
commissionership. In the midst of sucl
an overwhelming pressure of divers in
terests, it would not be at all strange i
the American official representation a
Vienna should embody some jobbing an,
trading elements which mi ght bring dis
credit upon the government and tn
country. Accordingly, complaints wer
, soon heard that some of the commission
: ers had been selling out special priv
leges in the American department of tn
: exhibition for considerable sums of NOR
ey. and that one of the number in pal
5 ticular had disposed of territory in tn
great hall, to be used as a restauran
t for the sum Of six thousand dollar
These offences. to be sure were M
| likely to be productive of any seriou
t national consequences, and. if they ha
: not been discovered, nobody would hay
suffered greatly in consequence of then
a But the most alarming case of CORFU
e ton, of which the public has yet hear
e was one which has been discovered /
g the New York Tribune. That pap
/ has been Mortified by the disclosure TIL
y an American cook in Vienna had to p;
I a handsome fee to an Austrian offici
IS for license to broil beefsteaks Tn
/ paper demands to know, with paint
lie solicitude, who got the money? We a
is obliged to confess, in answer to this L
st gent enquiry, that we cannot say. T
SO subject is very important one in fat
9, fully up to the incisive acumen of t
a. Tribune, and very juicy withal. '
ne trust that the professor of Journalism
will prove it to the bottom, and let
anxious public know who did get t
q money In the meantime, while t
Tribune is settling the beefsteak gu
ton, the administration will probat
., receive full advices from Minister j
SEES and Mr.. McElrath at Vienna, as to t
nv NJ result of their investigations into the (
the ings of the inculpated commissions
I'd and then full justice will be done to 8
les Those who are free from reproach "
uld stand forth pure and spotless, and v
MI be restored to their honorable functio
to while those who have been engaged
ms the sneaking business of selling tn
this official patronage for private gain v
be publicly disgraced before the eyes
The all Europe, and sent away to pract
rue, their low arts Of jobbing and huckst
' ne ing in some more private sphere. Or
but unmerited censure has been best