a spirit of discontent, that always exists, will develop into
insubordination or even revolution. We have an example in the history
of the Republic of Hayti. The term is seven years and in many cases
the President has been superseded by the leader of a revolutionary
party. The most recent instance was the overthrow of President
Legitime and the instalment of Hyppolite. The peace and prosperity of
Hayti would be promoted by reducing the term of the Presidential office
to two years. The contests that are sure to arise among a mercurial
people would thus be transferred from the battle-field to the ballot-
box. Who could have answered for the peace of the United States in
1868 if President Johnson's term had been six years instead of eight
months?

[* This was a race riot, which occurred July 30, 1866, and in which
many negroes were killed.--EDITOR.]

XXXIII
THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT IN 1869

In March, 1869, I was appointed Secretary of the Treasury by President
Grant. Soon after my appointment Mr. McCulloch, the retiring
Secretary, said to me that I should find the department in excellent
order, and that in his opinion the financial difficulties of the
Government had been overcome. The first of these statements was true
in part, and in part it was very erroneous.

The accounting branch of the service was properly administered
practically, but there were about one hundred persons on the pay rolls
who had no desks in the department, and who performed but little work
at their homes, where some of them ostensibly were employed in
copying.

Several heads of bureaus were notoriously intemperate. This condition
of things was due in part to the war and to the exigencies of the
department consequent upon the war; and in part it was due to the
constitutional infirmities of Mr. Chase and Mr. McCulloch. In some
respects they resembled each other. They were phlegmatic in
temperament, lacking in versatility, and lacking in facility for labor
and business.

Mr. McCulloch was diligent, industrious and conscientiously devoted to
his duties. He had been crippled in his administration by the conflict
between Congress and the President. The head of the Treasury needs
the confidence of the President, and the confidence and the support of
Congress. The latter Mr. McCulloch did not enjoy, and there were
indications that in some respects he differed with the President. He
was hampered by the fact that any change in the per