Mr. SHERMAN. There is one statement made by the Senfrom Massachusetts that I wish to correct. Up to this time, all efforts made by special depts of the Government to increase their pay have failed in one or the Other House. The bill relating to the Treasury Dept has failed undoubtedly for this session. I said the bill was laid on the table. Instead of that, I understand that it was referred to the ComWhole on the state of the Union, and that is worse yet. The bill regarding the Interior Dept has also been laid by, and will not pass; so that no bill has yet passed changing the sul arics of the civil officers of the Government. But on the other hand, the HoRep, I think, originated a measure for the appointment of a special committee to sit during the recess to may 9 the pay of the civil officers of the Government uniform, and to regulate it. I submit to the Senate whether we ought to legislate in view of the interests of anyone Dept of the Government, and that the least important of all. The most unimportant Dept in this Government is the State Dept. I think it could be abolished with less injury to the Government than any other, because our relations with foreign nations are generally of little account. Indeed, I think if we dispensed with most of eiir ministers abroad, we should be better elf. We do not care much what foreign Governments say of us, or think of us, or write of us; and I have no doubt that 9 10thsof the dispatches to which my friend has referred had better have remained unwritten. We should have got on just as well without them. No foreign nation helped us when we were in trouble; and newt at we are out of trouble we do not want the help of any foreign nation. It seems to me that to commence with the State Dept and increase the compensation of clerks in that Dept before we are prepared to act a on t ie general suhf‘ect is simply wrong, and I ope the Senate will vote down this proposition, and thus relieve us from the whole controversy about increasing the compensation of civil officers during this session. Let that matter 0 to the committee who have charge of it, an let them report at the next session.