Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-11-05


United States. Edmund Ran
doiph Of Virginia. received ST.
500 per year for his services and
had not a single clerk to aid him.
Attorney General Moody receives 5000 a
year. Is surrounded by a force OF clerks and
assistants and Congress two years ago put
at his disposal the round sum of half q
million dollars to carry forward litigation
against violators of the antitrust laws.
The facts carry their own story
In official precedence the Attorney Gen.
eral of the United States is the fourth man
In the cabinet. Should a series of deaths
befall the executives of the United States
he would become President only after the
deaths OF three preceding members of the
cabinet. But not until January TO- 1886.
was this so. Congress then passed the act
mat provides for succession in case of the
aeath. removal. resignation or inability of
Dotn the PRESIDENT and Vice President
A singular thing is that there was not
even a Department of Justice until 1870.
but the office of Attorney General has ex-
isted since 1883. the First Congress of the
United States having created the position
1 he nrst department created was that of
state. the next War and the third Treas
ury. Congress- next act was to provide
FOR the judicial and legal machinery of the
government and when the Supreme Court
and the other courts had been created
somebody thought that an Attorney Cen
eral might be needed and one was provided
for. The very first law, although placing
upon the Attorney General the RESPONSE
bil1ty of prosecuting and conducting suits
In which the government was concerned
failed to give him control or supervision of
the United States attorneys. This was for
long time source of annoyance Con-
gress even failed to provide any sort of n
place as an office or any clerical assistance
Congress gave the Secretaries of State
and Treasury s3.5o0 each per year: the Sec
rotary of War 5000, and seemed to think
$500 for the Attorney General was big
sum- This was due to some one advancing
the idea that the position was one of great
honor and that the occupant would make
much money in private practice. The work
was SO great from the beginning. however,
that no Attorney General was able to make
any money on the side. Congress reluc-
family increased the salary to $1,000 in
1I91 and it remained there until 1877 when
$lC0 more was added.
Despite the physical and mental labor of
the office, not having a single clerk Ran
dolph held the job down until 1913 when he
was made Secretary of State in place of
Jefferson. Randolph and President Wash
1ngton both asked Congress for more rec
ognition and for a clerk, but some watch
dog OF the treasury bossed Congress at
urgent recommendations for help. By the
time Randolph became Secretary of State
the work of the Attorney General was
prodigious. William Bradford of Pennsyl-
vania succeeded Randolph, but soon died,
and Charles Lee of Virginia next came in
Lee served through Washington's last ad-
ministrat.on and remained with Adams,
Congress making two increases in the sal
airy of the position the total reaching 3d.
600 in 1I99 Because no place was provided
for offices for the Attorney General they
did not reside permanently in Washington.
but transmitted their advice and opinions
by mail. coming here only when 1t became
necessary to appear before the Supreme
Court.
Caesar Rodney Of Delaware was Attorney
General when Aaron Burr was prosecuted
for treason and he appeared in the circuit
court at Richmond to personally conduct
the case. along with assistants, but he
would not move to Washington. William
Pinkney of Baltimore succeeded him. but
declined to make Washington his official
residence. President Madison insisted so
strongly upon this that Pinkney resigned.
Richard Rush of Pennsylvania then took
the position on condition that he come to
Washington to live. This was in 1914.
Congress once more paid no attention to
the urgent recommendations of President
Madison that department be created, the
salary raised. suitable clerical assistance
and quarters be provided