Why. sir. the man who stands at one of the doors of this House receives in round numbers $1.500. We pay a Department clerk here in Washington. who goes to work at 9 oclock in the morning and stops at 4 oclock in the afternoon. who has no duties to perform except to manage his pen for seven hours. who has nobody dependent upon him in the performance of his duty except under the direction of his superior. to such a man here in Washington. where living is comparatively cheap. we pay $1.200 to $1.800 a year. Yet we propose to say to these men. "Go to your official post anywhere around the world at your own expense. we allow you no traveling expenses. go to the ends of the earth. and pay your own transportation and your own board bills. return in the same way. and when you are abroad conform to the customs of the country. make yourselves respectable in the consular service and in the diplomatic service along with other people in that rank or station of life. relieve the shipwrecked seamen. attend to the duties of your station and afford protection to the naturalized and nativeborn citizens of the United States who may apply to you. and when all this is doneafter performing all these duties and paying all these expenses. after you have held court. as at Constantinople. determining rights of property. of liberty. of life. where American citizens are contestants. after requiring of you these duties. after compelling you to bear these expenseswe propose to take $1.500 from the inadequate salary you now get." I undertake to say that such action is not wise. and should not and will not meet with approval of that people gentlemen claim to be so desirous of serving. I wish to make one remark in closing. I send this report to the Clerk of the House to be read. and I want it read in full.
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naturalized