Newspaper of Burlington Free Press, July 13, 1838, Page 2

inbuilt vmc&m itftn mnOMJLnmrs'KrmiiiK9r.ttaaf Continued front Fourth Page Office The President's name now is nol oven written by Ins proxy, ns it should bo, but is written uy eonio dork in iho Land Olfico, nn J the whole service of Iho proxy or agent consists in hid writing his own tiamo! For ilns ho is paid 1.500 por nnnnin ! The ptacn iH held by one of the President' sons, and it I nn indirect mod u of increasing tho President's salary. Tlio compensation is loo high, under tiny cir cninstnnccs. Por a service requiring nei ther skill nor talent, mid employing a very small portion of this young gentleman's tune, ho receives n higher salary than many of the Governors and other high officers in the several Siaios do ! Anothor office specially croatod is that of tho 'Smithsonian agent,' with a salary of S3, 01)0 a year, and furnishing a convenient sojourn for a gontlomaii wishing to visit London. Tho duties of this plaeo might welt liavo boon discharged by ordinary correspondence, but tit all events they arc such ns could justly bo required at the hands of our resident Minister at London. It cannot bo overlooked that Richard Rush was Secretary of tlio Treasury, and received tho censure and condemnation of tlio retrenchment committee. And yet Mr Rush was appoin'.od to the ollico of tho Smithsonian ngont. 1 will leave it for others to apply what tho chairman of the committee on retrenchment said at that day, indehato on this (loor 'Whenever an of iieo is to bo filled, even a zealous, constant and laithtul friend is compelled to yield to :i mush room apostate, '.hat may have been purchased nut yesterday.' Lot us next compare tho Navy Department. "Mr Southard, who was Secretary of the Navy in 1S23, employed in his Department seven clerks, besides tho chief clerk. The salary of tho Secretary, and tlio compensation ol tho clerks and messengers, amounted to .317,230. Tho Department has been held for many yoars and is still managed by Mr Dickorson, who was n member of tho committee, in tho Senate, from vhom camo that famous report on Executive patronage, to which I first referred. lie cm. ploys eight clerks besides the chief clerk ; and his salary, with tlio compensation of his clerks nnd mcssongors, amount to .$13,8j11. And at this very session, bo demands moro clerks,and an increase in the salary of somo of those ho already lias The committeo consuro Mr Secretary Sou thard for unnecessary expense in subscription for newspapers for the Department. They specify, under this head, S''21 4H, for three years. It now appears that Mr Sec. Dickorson lias oxpondod, for newspaper and fashionable books and literature of tho times, in one year noar &7G0; and, including similar expenses of tho Navy Board, near $9o0. Tho committeo also condemn the practice of extra clerk hire, tv o find Mr Dickorson not only employing threo oxtra clerks, but, what is far moro dangerous, paying extra hire to one of tho regular clerks in the Department, enjoying, nt tho time, a salary of $1,700, but to whom is paid, 'for extra services as clerk,' tho further sum of! gl20 07, making his salary S2.1S0 G7. Is not this a ready mode of providing for a fa vorito f Tho committee also specify tho sum of 1GG 8G, as paid by tho Navy Department, in three years for printing, and condemn it as cxtrava. gant. Tho Bluo Book of 1837 shows tho Navy Department, under tho reformer, Mr Dickorson to havo paid 9,553 2:2 for printing in two years ! Tho committeo also reported that a 'consid. crablo sum,varying from $100 to $200, was an ually expended by tho Socrotary of tho Navy in tho purchase of books for his office, most of them having no appropriate relation to tho na val service of the country, such as reviews, magazines and other periodical publications, and tho fashionable litoraturo of tho day.' This usage was, of course, to bo abolished. Has it boon 1 I bog leave to road a few items from Air Secretary Dickorson's contingent cxpunso .account for 1837 : 2 volumo Repertory of Patent Inven tions, $8 00 2 volumo Southern Literary Messen ger, 5 00 One fourth of Audobon's Birds, 1G5 00 Audubon's Birds, 53 00 No. 1 Indian Biography, (J 00 North American Keviow, 5 00 No. 4 Indian Biography, 0 00 Ono number of American Scenery, 75 $250 75 Hero is a display of tho 'fashionablo litora Cure' in which Mr Secretary Dickorson indul pes himself and his clerks, at tho public ex pense. I wish tho gciitlotnan from New York (Mr Cambrclcng,) who aided in concocting tho report from which I havo just quoted, would inform us 'what appropriate relation tlio books and reviews just mentioned havo 'to tho naval service?' But, wins moans the item 'one fourth of Audubon's Birds?' Why, sir, I un. derstand that neither of the four Secretaries boiwi willing 'lo tako the responsibility,' 'as u unit' they agreed to divido it! Tho cost to tho people is tho same; it all comes from tho 'pub lic cutlers.' And tho modo of doing the thing proves that tho Secretaries felt that its expe diency and propriety wero questionable. I havo road somowherc, perhaps in Slcrno's works, an incident which most happily illus. tratcs this transaction. As I recollect tho story, tho Abbess of Andouillets, and Marga. retta, a novice, mado a little journey togothor, in a vehicle drawn by mules. As tho evening approached, they wore ilocrtcd by thoir mule toor, when ascending a hill. Tlio mules pres. cutly becamo stubborn, and Mopped. Tho travollors wero greatly alarmed, and, in thoir tlilomma. the novice said that thero wore two certain wotds which, sho had bcon told, would forco these animals on tho momontthcy heard them; but then Iho words wero sinful. Tho novico was urged, and sho gently whispered ilia words bouser' am! 'I'juici-.' Tlio Alilims. in her distress, lm ed caiim, iiml mid they ucru only a venial or slight Bin, which inijjlu bo divided, anil by l.KW lull, ami u'aviu iiiu ipsI, or uy tnkinL' it all. and amicably halving it betwixt voiu- elf nnd another person, would become diluted into no sin at all ! 1 herefore, my ile.tr il.iiisluer. ron tinucn tho AhheM, I will f :iy Lou, am! llioit eh.ili 'iy scr : and thou th.ilt fay fou, and I will 8ny ler. Accordingly, iba Abbes ivin? tlio pitch nolo nn 6ok. MariMrcllu iciiiundeil t:cr; Alar.i- rutin continued wiili fou, and the Abbess drawled out rr : but alill iho mules s'ooi!. Thoy do nol nnderstunij hj, cried .Uiig.irettii J lint the devil does, Kiid iho bbc18. Anil. 1 think. Mr Sneaker, that ihe8ererorininsSecrclarieJwillfindlh.it llioy are understood in ibeir patent inoilo of reform, and i irlicnlarly, that the pcoplo will not bo gulled into the approval of an iiiuuilioriffil expcndiluie, bv ,liyidinj iin amount among ilm Departiniiiiis. By this time, I think it i ii,,p.,mii thai iho duly ihvolvcs on the genileman from Sew York, (Mr Cimhreleng,) not only in account for his voting .U.iinst tho measure in regard to tlui coinpeinalion of inembern, but also why it is iut u judicious siem of refunn' has not been insiiiuud by 'his dicmls, tho Executivu officers themse ves uiiprndu iia country inijjht leali.a what was iiminifcd by ho geuiluiiunV report 'a rediiciiou nroim.ihirdof inn uuniucr ui uirina in uiu novum I'ep.minents, xvtt It safety to the public interest.' Wo will now looK in mo I'osl Ullico Do. (inrttnent. Tlio General Post Ollico, us it u'usj then called, had Uiq good fortune not only to escape tho censure, but lo cnhsil tho praise of that fault finding cm. I leave it for those who were familiar with the mo tives nnd political currents of that day, to account for ibis. Tho committee said of it 'Tho efficiency of this branch of the public service is in a condition highly im proved and improving.' My first remark on this is, that Ihu Post Ollico Department passed into the hands of General Jncksun in a healthy anil effiuiont slate. A few years, under his reform, reduced it to chaos and insolvency. The details of Its mismm ngemont have boon long since proved. The evidence is on file here and in the Senate, with the reports of the several conunitlecs appointed to investigate its nbusc3. I refer gonllcuicn to the files, and will not dwell on the various abuses which wore dosigua led nnd established. Their enormity, con. pled with the fact or the borrowing money on public account by the Postmaster Gen eral, without law or authority, alarmed the country. But had as all this wns, and UHcd, ns the pecuniary patronage had been, to confer personal benefits on favorites, until the disorder, nnd insolvency of tho Department becamo apparent, still the po litical uses which had been made of tho ap. pointing patronage were not disclosed, nnd now never will be. Tho present Postnns. tor General, Amos Kendall, tells ih in his account ol tho late destruction of that De partment by fire, that all the books, papers nod files of the Department wore saved, except tho 'files' of the 'appointment office,' and these were dest roved ! In the first six yenrs of General Jackson's Administration, about l;500 postmasters were removed from ofiice.and.m most of'tho rases, without the assignment of any cause When certain member of the committee: of tho Senate and House, appointed in lit,il5.'.l. to investigate tho abuses ot that Department, attempted to get nt the files and correspondence of this 'Appointment office,' with a view to ascertain nnd report whether tho reasons for th"so removals wore prompted by high and iust public con sideratious, or by mere party political ex pediency, they were denied the right by the head of the Department and by the menus a: tlio Administration, who compos cd a majority on one of these cnmmniilteos! Was not this inquiry just ? 1 refer you, sir, to Mr Benton's fatuous report nnd bill providing for the disclosure of reasons in case of removnl from office. I refer you. Mr Speaker, to your own remarks, nnd to tho'o of your friends, in the deba'c on Mr Sounder's resolution, which I havo already quoted. But above all, 1 refer you to the remarks of the illustrious Madison, unrivnl led as ho was in the knowledge of the let. ternnd spirit of our Constitution and laws. and in purity and honesty of numosc. As early as 1709, in the memorable debate on the power of the Executive to remove from office, ho not only denied the right to exer cise this power capriciously, and without assigning adequate rcasons.'but ho thought it would bo such a bold assumption of law less power, that he thus cxprcsssd himself, 'I own it is nn abuse of nowor which ox- cceds my imagination, and of which I can form no rational conception.' but when Mr Van Huron and Mr Benton (both of whom were on the committee which reported the bill lo prevent tlio abuse of this patronage ol appointment) camo into power, this changed their lone, if out their principles. Removals from office immedi ately followed, and they deny any oblia Hons to assign reasons! Is it not strange, too. nay, is it not mysterious, that, in The conflagration of the Post Office, the onlv papers and files destroyed should bo those relating to the exercise, if not the nbuse, of the power of removal from office tho very papers which the Postmaster General re fused lo suffer the Committees of Investi gation to examine. I said Mr Van Huron changed his tone on this subject. I will at once prove it. The journal of the Senate shows tint he was one of tho Select Committee who reported the bill already referred to. lie entered tho office of Secretary of State wiiu mo commencement ot lien Jackson s Administration. One of his first official acts was tho removal of a meritorious clerk from his oflice in that D-partmont. nnd a positive refusal to assign a:,y reason for it ! The gentleman removed is now a Mem ber of this House, (Mr Slade, of Vermont,) and the voice of the People has sustained him whom the despotism of Executive pat. ronnge sought to destroy. The manner in which this patronago is abused, and tho readiness and nlmnsttelo graphic despatch with which the wires of party machinery aro felt throughout and irom uio most distant parts of the Union, may be imagined nfier reading this laconic note, written by Mr Van Buren, soon after entering on tho duties of Secretary of State, to n gentleman in Louisiana 'Washington, April 20, 1029. IMv Dr.An bin I have the honor of acknowledging the receipt of vour letter of the 21st ult. and of informing you that tho removals and appointments you recotn- meniiQti woiu made on liiu day your letter was received. With respect, your friend, &c. M. VAN nUllfcJN. And, fo far from being willing to reduce tho number of clerks in his Department, as the People worn induced to believe would ho done, Mr Van Huron, when called on for that purpose, fbw tho whole affair through a new medium, anil replied 'My opinion is that there can bo no reduction in the number of officers employed in tho Department, (of Statu,) without detriment lo the public interest ! !' And yet tho Retrenchment Committee, when Mr Clay was in that Department, reported 'that they felt satisfied Hint had the officer at its head concurred with them in tlio opinion, they might havo presented a nlan fur nm only a gradual reduction of tho number of cieriis, uut lor nniiictual increase in the efficiency of thoir labors." But other discrepancies betweon tho pro. fossion and practice of Ihoso lolbrinnrs rn. main to bo noticed. It will ho found that tho report of tho ''eutleman ftom Nuw Ynrlt ni, Cambrulong,) and his frinnds, condemned iho practico introduced bv tho Secretaries of tho Department, of sending tho roporls of thoir clerics ornoausni mimaus, instead ofconduu. sing them, nnd making i,om mibstanllallv Ihoir own communication,' This practico, if oau,iiaH never uecn corrccicu, but Is daily indulged in by all tho Dopartmonts, as Iho answers to tlio calls and resolutions of this Houso abundantly show. But a still moro remarkable comiiiontarv follows. When thu Department of War passed into tho hands of John II. Eaton, a zealous reformer, ho, too, was callod upon lo carry out his rolrenchniRnt pyslom, and reitucotno nutnuor oi ins ciorits, in luiuimoni ot mo puuuo uApuuiuuuu, wwuii ho and others had excited. To Ihosurpriso of alt, ho roforrod tho subject lo tho clerks them selves! and hero, sir is his reply 'Waii Department, Jan. 27, 1830. 'Sin: I hao tho honor to lay boforo you roporls from Iho sovoral bureaus connocted with Iho War Department, on tho subject of a resolution oftho 5th Inst., loferred to mo by tho Committee on Retrenchment. Respectfully, J. II. EATON.' Charles A. Wiclilillb, Esq.' Thcso bureaus, so far from agreeing to part with any of their escutcheons, actually ask for an additional supply ! Thus ended that farce ! Another Precept. This retrenchment rc. port alleged that our diplomatic relations and Ibroign inlorcoutso wero unnecessarily oxpen. sivo, and recommended 'a fixed appropriation for tho conlingoneios of each mission,' 'in no caso exceeding $G00, (annually,) lo cover iho expenses of stationary, postage, office, clerk hire, and all other contingencies whatsoever.' Let us sco tho practico. Androw Stovonion our Ministor at London, is allowed for tlnso contingencies, including 'presents to tho mini", nl officers and servants of tho Court, tnd othurs.on his presentation, nnd at Christirts, 82,09350 els., in tho space of abovo a ycit ! Tlio liko expenses of nearly all our ot'ier foroigu missions aro in correspondent ratio Profession Tho grade of our Foreign iVin. isteis was to bo reduced in somo instanics, oipoeially that at Madrid, lo a Charge, in'th a salary of 4,500 dollats. Practice, A Minister I'lonipotonl.'ary has lioen kept at Madrid constantly, and John II. Eaton is now there on a salary of 5.000 dol lars, having also received his outfit of tho saino amount. And during tho last session of Congress an attempt was made to increase tho salaries of nil our foreign Ministers ! ! Who could havo anticipated this from an Administration that proclaimed on this llnor, at least ono of its most powerful and influ ential supporters, tho late Mr Randolph, who joined in tho cry of retrenchment bote pro claimed, and what ho said received the full approbation of 'the party :' 'So long as members of Ccngro's, and not of this Iloii-o only or chiefly, will bow, and cringe, and duck, and fawn, .mil got out of the way at a pinching vote, or loud a helping hand, at n pinching vnto, to obtain thcso places, I never will consent lo enlargo t,m salary attach. ml to Ilium. Wo aro told lha: they live at Si. I'etcthburgh and London, and that living there is very expensive. Well, sir, who soul them there5 Were they impressed, sir i f Worn Ihuy taken by a prcsj-gang on Tower-hill, knocked down, haud.cjfled, chucked on bo in) of a tender, and told that they must tako tho pay and rations which His Majesty was pleased to allow ?' Now I appeal to you, MrSpoakar, if tlm moral application of these 'emarks has not been justly felt 'in Congress, and not in this House only or chiefly.' undor tho re trenchment and reform Administration? Another precept of the reforming report. The committee thought tho mode of 'appointing and compoiisiting benrets of despatches liable to strong objections, prone to degenerate into a species of fa voritoism little short of a convenient mode of sending favorites abroad to travel for their pleasure, health, or instruction, out of tho public coders.' Practice. The President and his Secre tary of State, both .Taekson-rcfocmcis, now take a favorite clerk of the State Do partmcnt, whose salary nt the time was at tho rato of 1700 per year, send him as bear er of despatches to Mexico, and for about three months' service, pay him $1212 t;0, and sutler him also to draw his clerk's salary for the period of his absence ! For this I refer lo the case of Robt. Grconhow, who is the translating clerk of that depart ment all the facts of tho ease being Mated in the reports of the Secretary. lie ex cuses this transaction by saying that t he translations which wero required during Mr Greenhow'd absence woro made nt his expense. It might be well to inquire whether nny translations were required during that period, nnd why also it would nut havo been quite ns well to discontinue tho salary for the time, and let (ho Gov ernment pay for any translations which were needed. But do wo not hero distinct ly reahze what the retrenchment report condemned in thcso words: '-that an ac tual incumbent is considered to have such a sort of property in the ollico as to enable him to farm out its duties, and to receeivc a part of its revenues for doing nothing?" Another illustration of this 'convenient mode of sending favorites nbroad,' 'out of the public coders,' is found in the same list of contingent expenses of foreign inter course. I nlludu to the case of Mr Charles Biddle, who, when nominated by Gun. Jackson for n judgship in Florida was re jected by the Senate. After this rejection Mr Riddle was des patched by the Evecutivo to Central America nnd New Grenada. What ser.. vice bo rendered wo know not; but it ap pears that for this mission an nllowanco of S7, 122 i5 lias been made. Mr Charles Hiddlo is tho same gentleman who had a controversy with Mr Senator Grundy, in which the devotion of tho latlor to Gen. Jackson was questioned. Wo learn by one of the printed documents, occasioned by that dispute, that the Senator, for tho purpose of proving himself to what is callrfi n 'wholo hog Jackson man,' said ho 'had swallowed the hog not only whole, but wrong end foremost, taking Iho bristles against the grain; and had gone for all Gen. Jackson's bob-tail nominations, even to Oherles Diddle.' You may remember, Mr Speaker, that groat fault was found with Mr Clay for nn nllowanco to John II. Pleasants, who was employed ns bearer of despatches, nnd sat out on hitf voyage, but, being taken ill, was obliged to abandon it, though he caused his despatches lo lio safely delivered. In tho account, which I am now examining, wo find the sum of "1,522 72, paid bv Mr. Forsyth, the S'-crelnry of Stale, to Rleaz'jr Early, sent with despatches for our charge d'Affdirosnt Bogota, hut which wore never delivered. The sickness of Mr Pleasants furnished no palliation, in iho minds of ihu reformers, for tho payment made to him, though ho caused his despatches to bo safely dolivorcd. Yet theso same gen. tletnon find ample protext in thu nllognl shipwreck, of Mr Ear'y, to pay him Jll 35 for expenses, 527 39 for clothing, bedding nnd books, lost or abandoned by him, anil 714 for ono hundred ami nincteon days compensation, at 0 por day, though his despatches wore never dolivored I ! At this, eamo timo, too, Mr, Early op- pears to havo been receiving a salary ol l,500 a year as Librarian of tlio Houso of Representative ! ! It would seem that Mr Secretary Forsyth is tnt a stranger to this 'convenient mode of sending favorites nbroad, to travel for their pleasure, health, or instruction, out of the public coders.' I also find that 2,515 are charged for contingent expenses of William T. Harry, lato Minister to Spain. Now, sir, it is well known that Mr. Barry novor ronchod Spain, but died on his way thero. He, ol course, received the usual' salary nnd out fit; and I am at a loss to know what con tingcut expenses, incurred by him, could justly bo charged lo tho United States. There oppour?,also, to havo bccn'paiil to John R. Clay, in 1030, 3,381 41, ns 'com pensation for certain diplomatic services." This gentleman, at that time, held the place of Secretary of L"gation at Si. Petersburg, with a salery of 2,000 a year, and the pay ment to him of tlio further sum of 3,301 41 may be justly questioned. Other items, indicative of extravagance or favoritcism, may be scon in this contin gent expense account of foreign missions, but I will not stop to specify them. It will also he found that, in tho days of tins 'searching operation' nnd 'reform,' tho standing comtmtccs of this Houso on the expenditures of the several departments nl tended to their vocation. Hut, very soon after General J icksm came into power, thcso committees became so much a mat. tor of more form that tho chairman of one of them declared here, during the last Congress, he had novor even thought it worth his while to convene his committee, and he appeared quite surprised, or at all event? amused, that any inquiry was ex peeled to be made in regard lo the expenses of these departments!! This state of things forms a 6trong contrast with the report undo herein April, lfi'28, by Mr Blair, of Tennessee, chairman oftho Com mittee nn Public Accounts nnd oxpenditurc in the Statu D p'lrtmi'nt. lie you know Mr Speaker, was a J icks in reformer : I ke Uio Select Couimitt"i, hi found every ilim.' wrong, and tinuniseil to correct it. Tip' purchase of bunks, the employment of n librarian, and many other things, were censured "ven the right to purchase n print or lik'-iicss ol Won. v aslnti.'l'in, to be suspended in Hi l)'parlm mh, w w q is. li.ini'd. IIo.v stands tin unt'or now? Why, large sums oT tunny are yearly Xivudi'il for the lib'srv of tin S'a'" D'trirlm.mt. nnd maiiM b ks pu.-hased, j wliicii nr-cunainlv w ;-i.;y. ' partment by its disbursing agent at homo, there was expended iiv Lindoii, during last your, for similar obje's, nearly $300. A librarian is employed, at a salary of $1,510, equal to that paid to the librarian of the great public library of Congress. All Ibis too, sir, under tho auspices of gentlemen who said that this part of tlio expenses of that Department was censurable, and ought to be dispensed with, as all tho otlicers of the Government could well avail them selves of the public library at the Capitol. Hut, Mr Speaker, the times changed, and Mr Van Huron and Mr Forsyth changed with them. The Statu Department is now laid off into grand divisions. When Mr Clay hud charge of it, the Uluo Book exhibited a list of a dozen names, all under thu head of clerks. One of these acted us translator for Iho Department, and his salary was g 1,150 ; another paid out Hie funds, and was charged with tho contin gent expense accounts, and ho received $1,150 a year. How soon is all this sim plicity and cconwny forgotten ! The Hluo Hook of last year divides this Department into a 'Diplomatic Bureau,' a 'Consular Hurcau,' n 'Homo Bureau,' a 'Translator,' whoso salary is gl.7G0. a 'Disbursing ATCiit,' whose salary is 41 595, n 'Libra rian,' whose salary is $1,540, a 'Kecpor of the Arclnves," whose calary is l,o-lu, ami gives one man $900 a year fur 'packing, tilling, nrrangmg, and preserving newspa pers nnd printed documents.' This is done by that boasted 'democratic party' which affects biich holy horror at nny appearance of what they call 'aristocratic grandeur.' If lho Turk, whose letters nre found in Salmagundi. hadVcn this display of 'Burenus' in tho Slate Department, he would hnvo boon bolter justified in his admiration at 'tho grand and magnificent scale on which these Americans Iran-act thoir business.' But I have yet to add, that tlioso who questioned tho right of tho State Department to purchase a print of tho immortal Washington have used the money of the people lo buy prints of Gen. Jackson, and now of Martin Van Huron, for almost every room in each of the Do parlmeuts ! Mr Speaker, during this 'searching ope ration' and captious fault finding every pet ly expense of thu several Departments was looked upon with open censure. I well remember that nn item of some few dollars, paid n laborer for destroying tho grass which growing between the bricks of the paved wulk leading to lho Statu Depart ment, hold up to public view as a pieco of aristocratic extravaganco. iNow, sir, sup poso I wore to cito to you many similar and equally (if not more) objectionable charges in the present accounts ot itieso uepurt incuts such as cash paid for clpiiring tho snow off the pavements, so that Mr Forsyth need not wet his feet, '$90 a quarter for labor,' '$54 for sundries.' '$IG fur work, without stating what labor or work. It might havu been for killing grass, or rais ing vegetables for tho Secretary. Tho term Sundries' may conceal lho same things, nnd the curious might inquire what two was mado of lho firo prout paint which $711 woro paid by lho Secretary of Hiate. uul lho money is welt lain mil, u u will preserve the edifice! And it is to be ri'gruilod I lint I Ins Secretary ol'lho Troasii ry and lho Postmastur General had not undo similar purchases in tiuio to save thisir rospcclivo buildings. Penknives and scissors, by the do'.-n mid half d i.un, are piirchnsod for tho Secretary of Sliuo who also pays a clerk logo to Billiiuoru to col led a draft. An item of $100 paid by the becrotary oftho Treasury tor tlio transpor talinti of monoy i but how much monuy, or from wheucu, or whero transported, wo know not. This last charge is n kind of foretaste of tho hard money eub.Trensur) system, by which, instead of transmitting tho funds of tho Government by means of the cheap, safo, and rapid system of ex change, which prevailed before the banks were 'debauched' by Mr Kendall, the pub-' lie money is now to bo wagoned over tho country at groat expenso nnd hazard, and always with delay. Tlio lato eminent and virtuous Attor ney General, William Wirt, did not es cape the censure of these indefatigable reformers. lie had rendered somo pro fessional services, in which tlio United States were interested, but which were not such ns his official station charged upon him. For this service an incon siderable sum was paid to him, but it3 propriety was questioned. The salary oftho Attorney General was then 8:1,500 and lie was allowed 800 dollars for a clerk, How stands the case now 1 The salary of Mt Benjamin F. Butler, the present Attorney General, is 84,000 and in 18'M ho was paid 84,150 1!) for com pensation, besides being allowed 81,300 for a clerk and messenger, and 8500 for the contingent expenses of his oflice. The same additional allowance nnd charge, amounting together to 8 1,S0() is made in 1835. Independent of the in creased salary and the enlarged provis ion for a messenger, whence comes Jfr. Butler's right to charge an excess of olo!) IH lor compensation, besides 80I) for contingniit expenses 1 In the year 183fJ we heard of nothing of contingent expenses, but a provision of 91,407 ia made for his clerk and messenger, and for Mr. Butler's compensation that year he received 8-1,332, when his salary was 84,01)1). Why was this excess of 8332 paid to him 1 lie appears to have been used as a sortol Caleb Quulcm. Ho has been allowed to enjoy the salary of his J own oflice and that of the Secretary of , v ar ui one mm uio same lime, ocino- at the rate of 810,01)0 per year, pursuing too his profession, and receiving its emoluments. No wonder we sec in him 'the complying law officer of the crown.' When did he ever give an opinion con trary to the wish of the President, if he knew what that was ?' Let me give an illustration. As the story is told, when the Baltimore railroad was about to be located at its termination in this city.thc company consulted Mt Bullor on some p0i,lt iHt0 this right of way, under their charter. After full dclibcratinn, hisnro- ! si,,'i;i1 0Pitlio1- s obtJl"'e'l i writ ing. it iiappcncil that tieucral Jackson felt some concern about tho location of this right of way, and ho expressed an opinion on the same point, requiring a termination of the road, which the company did not wish, and which Mt. Butler had advised them they need not adopt. Gen. Jackson was lurntshed with the opinion of the Attorney General but, instead of yielding, he endorsed on it, 'Jit JJutler has not examined tins case with his usual care; let this paper be rclcrrcd back to htm, with a copy of the charter, lor his re-exaniination. Iu tiino, sir, the Attorney General agrees with the President, and gives an opinion in conformity with that which General Jackson had expressed ! Alter this, Mf. Speaker, we need not be sur prised at the absurd opinion of Mr. But ler, given as a foundation or justification of Gen. Jackson to pocket the bill re pealing the I reasury circular,and which had passed both Houses of Congress al most by acclamation. JNor, indeed should we be astonished at any opinion of his. unless he should have happened to give one different from what he sup posed the President wanted. Candudeil next week V It I I) A V M O It N 1 N O, J U I. Y 13. For Governor, For Lir. Governor, DAV3I"rI. CArfl?. For Treasurer, 33UHT P- 3A.11U5. SENATORS 1011 OlIirrK.NDKX COUNTV JOHN N. PJMHKOY, JOSE L II Ol.AKK. Tlio Hon. Human Ai.m:.v, wo learn, received tho nomination of the Whig Con vontion at Cambridge, yesterday. iM r. jjond's si'CKcu, Wo commence to-duy tho publication of the celebrated and deservedly celebrated speech of Mr Bund of Ohio, upon tho subject oftho pub lie expenditure, This speech is ono of unusual clearnoss and simplicity. It takos nothing for grant ed, it does not dcrtl in mero assertion, or in dulgo in declamatory flourishes for more effect. It is a direct, plain, practical dncu ment. Intended for practical men who want lo Unnw what the truth is. and who will find it tercsuppnrtod by facts, verified by quotations from tlio documents, reports and speeches of Jackson men, nnd placed beynnd all question by nnuiiBS-wiicA cannot lie- This is tho speech for lho farmer to read, that bo may see in what luxurious splendor thcso office-holders livo, whilo they profess lo bo humble and lowly democrats. This is the speech for the mechanic to read, that ho knowing tho value of tho work dono may soo how the Jackson me chanics at Washington have been encour aged to docco Undo Sam. This is tho speech for iho merchant to read, that ho may rco tho shameful loose, ncss of public accountability, and tho wan-, ton expenditure of enormous stim9. In short, this is tho speech for all to read, who wish to sao tho diderenco between profession and practice, between the as sumption of a sevcro virtue, and tho lawlcs indulgcnco of extravagance ; between tho pledged retrenchment and economy of a pirty out of office, and their boundless waste, their studied profusion, after thoy sticcccdcd in wheedling tho pcoplo to their standard, Wo learn from Cambridge that the Van Buren Convention on Wednesday, nomina ted tho Hon. John Smith, ol St. Albans. Tho votes were divided between Messrs. Smith and Smilio, about two to one, Tho convention is reported to have been very fully attended. Luther B. Hunt presided. Congiiess Tho Senate on Saturday passed the bill to remit tin duties on cer tain good" destroyed tn tho great firo of lew York. Also the old harbor bill, with nn amendment, providing that only ono half oftho appropriations shall bo expended this year, and the other half in 1839. In tho House the bill to prevent Ihe issue nf notes of the lain IT. K. nnnL- , passcdf 07 to 79. AIj0 tt bill B,lorjZj1IT lho sa(J of ,ha bon(h given by the ittc Bin!; of the U. S. to the government in payment for its shares of the stock. On Friday the House passed the Sena c hill for preserving the lives nf passengers oo board steam vessels, with an amendment, j making the fact of an explosion primi i facia evidence of neglect. The bill his now passed bo'h Houses. Litest from Washi.n;to.v Letters from Washington brings down the Con grcssional intelligence to ab ut II o'clock, ou Saturday night. Wo learn from wh3t wo believj good authority, that the session continued til! morning, when suddenly it appeared that there was a grca' number of vacant seats. Tlio sorgoant-at-arin3 was accordingly despatched for absentees. Ho wqnt with a few friends, and found a large number of the members c-nugly slow.' away in the Baltimore cars, nwaiting Urir departure. The officer made known his errond, but they refused to move; ho threat ened to 3top the train they dared him to interrupt the mail; and after somo talk and somo threatening, lho en;'.ir-.- i-:t on tils steam, the cars bounded off with the mem bers, and the sergcant-at-arms went back to the capitol, and nrobablv made return upon his writ, "not to be had." Bill Johnson, the Lake Buccaneer, was watching the movements oftho Telegraph the other day, while the commander, Capt. Gwinne, was visiting his premises. Bill will bo immortal. Like Captain Kidd and John Paul Jones, he will live in novelon and story. Many a child on the borders, yet unborn, is to be scared lo sleep by lho mention of tho "Admiral of the Lakes," whose ghost will bo accommodated in the nursery with horns and a breath of smoka and llame. We learn from a postscript in the Buffa. lo Commercial Advertiser of Friday lat that "tho Jury in tho case of Benjamin Rathbnn, whoso trial has been going on for several days, havo just brought, in a ver dict nf NOT GUILTY.'. When the verdict was announced, tho Court room rang with applause." Texas. It is announced in the Texas papers, that a commercial nrrangenicnt wit li that government, whereby Texan vessels and cargoes will be admitted into the ports of Great Hri'niu, and a direct trade opened between the two countries, has been effected. If so, it is equivnlent to a recognition of Texan independence. Mr Senator Grundy has been nominated and confirmed as attorney general of tho United States. Such is the reward of tho faithful. Rev. Hubbard Winslow, of Boston, will deliver tho address before the society for Religious Inquiry oftho University of Vt. at the approaching commencement. Defence of tub Frontier. General Wool oftho U. S. Army having conferred with Gov. Kent, has gone up the Kunueboc for lho Northern frontier through Moose Lake, in company with Dr. Jackson tho S-nto geologist. They will keep company so fur as is consistent with Ihoso different objects. Gen. Wool will pss around tho frontier to soo where miliinry posts aro wanted. Kennebec Jfe, Journal, An Editor with a Race Horse. An editor in tho far West has bought a raco horse, for which ho paid $2000, On being nkcd what an editor had to do with a rnco horse i He replied, that he was tn be used in 'catching runaway subscribers.' New Wheat. The Richmond Whir? states that tho Millers aro buying on tho following tortus : To bo dolivorcd by tho 25th of July, $1 50; do. 31st, $1 45; do. 5th August, $ l 40; do. lOlh, jil35; do 20th. ill or,, iln !iic (Ii on .., 9, , -.., f,. .w,