UNITED STATES. 45 honest, and impartial men; and their opinions and decisions are usually upright and just. The salaries of those who administer the govern¬ ment, and preside in the courts, are generally thought disproportionate to their services and responsibility. In many cases they appear to be so, even to mean¬ ness ; but they seem, however, to do very well with the allowances granted them ; and- the competition for public appointments is unequalled in any other country. The president is far from being respectably pro¬ vided for. His salary is only 25,000 dollars, about L .4000 sterling. He is expected out of this to give dinners twice a-week to the members of Congress, eminent foreigners, all public officers, and also to open a building, called the " Whitehouse," once a- fortnight, to receive all classes, and often to associate with the lowest of the prqfanum vulgus. The vice-pi-esident receives 5000 dollars, about L . 1000. The chief-justice, about L .4000. Inferior judges, about L .1000. Other officers at the heads of departments, about L .1100. Ministers of foreign courts, about L .800 ; which last is certainly too little. How can they be properly respected, when compelled to live so meanly ? The Americans, however, pay the officers of their navy much better than our govern¬ ment does. The general revenue of the United States is about 20,000,000 dollars, about L .4,000,000. This amount is chiefly derived from the customs, and very little from the sale of lands, as has been supposed; the •-