APRIL 8, 1834.] The Commutation Bill. [H. OF R. who were not originally entitled to any; and, therefore, it dence, of our exalted and happy condition, as a people, is gravely inferred that because we may possibly do contrasted with any or all other nations on the face of wrong, we must not do that which is clearly and the globe; nay, let him estimate, if possible, the value manifestly right. This is proving too much. It would of our Union-yes, our Union-and then let him say, extend to the total exclusion of all legislation; for I defy if he can, that the men who achieved this by their valor human sagacity to frame a law so that injustice might and patient endurance of every deprivation and danger, not sometimes be consequent on its enforcement. But I shall go unpaid, and be denied the trifling bounty which cannot perceive, from the face of this law, nor from any was their due by solemn contract, because, forsooth, legitimate reason which has been presented to the con- it will take a few thousands, nay, millions if you please, sideration of the House, that such consequences would to liquidate and cancel these claims. For one, I depnecessarily, or even probably, follow, unless gentlemen recate all such miserable, miserly suggestions; such are disposed to maintain the position, which I regret to contracted, sordid reasons; and pity the mind that can say some have too broadly intimated, that these claimants be influenced by them. What! refuse to pay for serwere so destitute of moral rectitude, so sordid, so super- vices, but for which we should not now be here, annuated, and so indistinct in their reminiscences, that, in legislating in this magnificent hall, for a great, inorder to effect their own or others' designs on the dependent, and magnanimous nation? No, sir, we should Treasury, they would affirm to any statement of facts have been spared that proud satisfaction, for we should which an artful, unprincipled scrivener might indite. still have been the humble vassals of some foreign But, in charity to the gentleman from New York who prince, for such a race of patriots and heroes has not intimated this, I will not suppose it was seriously in- appeared on the American stage since that eventful tended as being peculiarly applicable to these venerated period. For one, sir, I never will be satisfied until relics of our nation's pride and boast. But be it as some every man who fought and bled in the revolutionary gentlemen will have it, that occasional frauds may and struggle is paid the last cent which is legally or equitawill be practised, still I am for the law; for I insist that bly his due. No, sir, I never shall feel as though these claims are more sacred, and of a higher order, than enough had been done for those men who have done so any others which can be presented to the consideration much for us individually, for the nation, and for the of this House; and, for one, I hope I may be spared the world, until all, from the least to the greatest, are paid painful retrospect of having uttered any sentiment the uttermost farthing. Let it not be said of this rederogatory to the character of these claimants, or of public as it has been truly said of all the ancient repubhaving, from false notions of economy, withheld that lics, that they were ungrateful to their best benefactors. which was justly due to any man who in that momentous No; the Government in this case should act as an honorastruggle rallied around the sinking standard of his coun- ble man would act-invite all his just creditors to come try. Yes, sir, I concientiously contend that it is better, and receive their pay, subjecting them to no unnecessary far better, in this case, that some should even receive Benja- expense or delay. What would be said of an individual min's portion, than that any should go unsatisfied. But is it who should render the same excuse? interpose the same correct that frauds would be more successfully practised plea in bar to the payment of his creditors, which has on on a vigilant, intelligent public officer, than on the this occasion been urged by honorable members in avoidmembers of this House? So far as my experience ex-ance of these claims on the part of the nation? I ask, tends, the reverse of this position is true. I therefore what would be said of an individual who should refuse to maintain that if gentlemen who are opposed to this bill pay a class of hardy adventurous laborers to whom he was are solely intent on carefully and honestly guarding the principally indebted for an immense estate, because he, treasury, this is the proper and most effectual mode of of his own volition, unauthorized by their consent, had doing it. But, for myself, sir, I am not disposed in this appointed a time when he would pay, and inasmuch as case to bar the treasury of the Union, at the hazard of through inadvertence of ignorance they had not attended doing injustice to those revolutionary veterans who, in to his call at the time specified, and who should therethe most gloomy and agonizing period of our nation's fore assume that he was exonerated from all liability, that emancipation, stood in the front ranks in many a bloody now the door of justice was closed, that the day of retriand embattled field. No, let that eagle-eyed vigilance to bution was past, and that he would not pay? And still protect the funds of the nation be reserved for a proper more: suppose he should interpose this other plea which subject and a fit occasion; let it be rigorously observed has here been urged in behalf of the Government, that and enforced in all cases of doubtful constitutional there were many of these claimants, and if he paid one prerogative, to make appropriations either on the ground he could not refuse to pay others; and that the amount, of construction, expediency, or precedent-the most although just, would be too large, and therefore he villanous and still the most successful subterfuges here- could not and would not pay: would not every honoratofore resorted to, to rob your treasury and sap the ble man condemn such an excuse, and despise the wretch foundations of your Government. I will go all lengths that made it? And shall the Government do that which with the gentlemen on this point, and here, I will assure no man possessing a correct moral sense would dare to them, is an ample and a glorious field for curtailment. justify in his friend? Sir, I trust for the honor of the Nay, I will go with them for retrenchment and economy country that such principles will never be sanctioned as on all proper occasions. But, for heaven's sake, let us the deliberate sense of this or any future Congress. not commence this system by doing an act of violence These claimants come not here, sir, as most others do, and gross injustice to the war-worn veteran, or to his praying extra compensation for extra services rendered, lineal descendants. No, sir, parsimony, here, would or perhaps services never rendered. They come not be prodigality; for we should be squandering and dis- here, sir, praying remuneration for real or pretended sipating that which dollars and cents could not compen- losses; but they do come with the nation's bond in sate for. I mean our national character-for I assert their hands, sealed with their own blood or the blood of that it is an undeniable proposition that these are just their sires, and they ask us, as their faithful guardians, dues, growing out of a national compact, for services the and the executors of our fathers' will, to cancel it. most adventurous and important ever performed by man. They come not here, sir, supplicating favors; but they And will any one have the hardihood to affirm, that in come here literally and emphatically demanding rights. this case the laborer is not worthy of his hire, or, in And will you turn them away from this Capitol, as a other words, his promised reward? If any one doubts, knave would from his counting-house, with the rogue's let him estimate, if he can, the value of our indepen-plea, the statute of limitations? Yes, sir, it is literally the H. OF R.] The General Appropriation Bill. I trust there is too much honor and integrity, too much of the spirit of "76 in this House, to sanction such an unjust judgment. rogue's plea in this case; for I contend that Government bills, viz: that there should be nothing in an appropriahas no moral right beyond what an individual has to vary tion bill but simply the appropriation of money for oba contract, without the mutual consent of the contracting jects already provided for in some other law. This was the essential nature and appropriate function of an approBut this principle had, he well parties. priation bill, as such. The present knew, been departed from in many instances, and multiplied abuses had been the consequence. example was in point to show the danger of such a pracMr. CRANE obtained the floor; but yielding to a sug- tice. This item purported to be for a temporary clerk; gestion of Mr. POLK, who wished the House to take up but he understood from the statement made by the chairthe general appropriation bill, he moved the postpone-man of the Committee of Ways and Means, that a similar A similar item had been inment of the further consideration of the commutation bill appropriation had been made last year. Mr. PоLK explained. till Thursday next; which motion was agreed to. serted in the bill of last year, but it had not passed both Houses. When Mr. CRAMER had concluded The House then, on motion of Mr. POLK, went into Committee of the Whole on the state of the Union, Mr. HUBBARD in the chair, and took up the GENERAL APPROPRIATION BILL. The bill was read by sections. On motion of Mr. POLK, the following item was stricken out, viz: "For the chief clerk in the Department of State, in addition to the salary now provided by law, $500." Mr. A. resumed. If that was the case, it only went to strengthen his objections to the item. The appropriation was warranted by no former law; it was said, indeed, to be for the employment of a clerk for one year; but, from the letter of the Secretary, it was very apparent that the object intended was to make this appropriation the entering wedge for a permanent additional clerkship in the Department of State. Not merely was it represented as necessary that these Mr. VINTON moved to insert an amendment, the ef fect of which would be to raise the salary of the machi-papers were to be arranged and labelled, but indexes nist in the Patent office from $700 to $1,200; and of the were to be made, and the whole archives were to be It was very plain that the Secretary messenger of that Department from $400 to $700. Mr. placed in that state in which it was right and proper that V. explained the duties performed by these officers, and they ought to be. dwelt especially upon the important and rare qualifica- wanted an additional clerk; and, if the chairman of the tions requisite to the right discharge of the duties of the Committee of Ways and Means would introduce another former of them. He advocated the propriety of the in- bill, providing for a keeper of the archives in that Department, and make the office permanent, Mr. A. would crease of these salaries with much earnestness. vote for it, because he believed such an officer might be very useful. But he wished to have the clause stricken out of this bill, because he hoped that the bill would be purged of every thing of a temporary character, or that was pretended to be so; that appropriations would be made only for such expenditures as were necessary and permanent, and warranted by law, and that all items not of this description would be expelled from the bill. Mr. BURGES opposed it with equal warmth; compared the compensations received for similar duties in New England, and adverted to the suffering state of the country, and the incongruity of a proposal at such a time to augment the salaries of officers of Government. Mr. MCKENNAN demanded a division of the question, so as to take a separate vote on each of the two officers. It was divided accordingly; and being first confined to the machinist's salary, Mr. VINTON further explained, and insisted on the justice and expediency of the amendment. Mr. WARDWELL seconded him, and bore testimony to the good character and high qualifications of the individual (Mr. Keller) who now fills the office. Mr. WILLIAMS, of North Carolina, without disputing the facts, was opposed to making the proposed increase in an appropriation bill; as a separate proposition, he might give it his support. The question was taken, and the ayes were 61, the noes 51. No quorum having voted, it was taken a second time, when the ayes were 68, noes 71; so the amendment was rejected. Mr. POLK replied. Such a principle as the gentleman had laid down might possibly have prevailed in some of the early Congresses of this Government; but the gentleman would find, for at least twenty years past, provisions of a similar character to this one in every annual appropriation bill. They were, in fact, unavoidable. As an instance in point, he would refer to the appropriations for the employment of temporary clerks in the Pension office, in consequence of the pension act of 1832. For two or three years immediately after the passage of that act, the labors of the Pension office would, of course, be greatly increased; but after the first flood of applications was over, this additional force would not be necessary. Twenty additional clerks had been kept constantly busy; but did any one dream of making a permanent provision for that number of clerkships? So, in the appropriation bill of last year, there had been an item of upwards Mr. POLK sent to the Chair a letter from the Secreta- of $24,000 for extra clerk-hire, on the same principle ry of State, explaining the necessity for an appropria- that there had been an item for an increase of the salary tion of this description; describing the state of total con- of the translator of languages. Mr. P. conceded the fusion in which he found the correspondence and other soundness of the general principle laid down by Mr. documents in that Department, when he entered it, and ADAMS, but contended that there were just and proper the great advantage that would accrue to the public ser- exceptions to it. The Secretary represented the emvice from having the entire mass properly labelled and ployment of such a clerk as indispensable. It was true, arranged. The letter stated that there was employment he desired him to be permanent; but Mr. P. had told for another clerk permanently; but, at all events, it was the Secretary that an appropriation bill was not the proper place to insert a permanent clerkship. indispensable that one should be employed for a time. Mr. ADAMS, of Massachusetts, moved to amend the bill by striking out this clause. The next item was read, appropriating $1,400 as the salary of a clerk to be employed in arranging the archives of the State Department. Mr. HALL, of North Carolina, approved the principle advanced by Mr. ADAMS. Appropriation bills were subIf the service needed sidiary in their character, and the practice of thus extending them ought to be restrained. was merely a contingent duty, why not pay for it out of In support of this amendment, Mr. A. observed, that APRIL 8, 1834.]. The General Appropriation Bill. [H. of R. It was a Mr. EVERETT, of Massachusetts, stated that a pro- been done for the army, nothing for the navy. position of a kind similar to this had been formally sub time of peace, and these were of no consequence. mitted to the Committee on Foreign Affairs by the for-heads of Departments, and all the clerks, must be kept mer Secretary of State, (Mr. Livington.) The com-in a state of suspense. The chairman of the Committee mittee, after examining the subject, had recommended of Ways and Means was not in fault. He had, every the appropriation, and the House had adopted it; but, in the Senate, owing to a misapprehension of the chairman of the Committee on Finance, who supposed that the same provision was contained in another part of the bill, it had been stricken out at a time when it was too late to correct the error. Mr. E. conceived such an appointment highly desirable. Its necessity had been felt in that Department for many years. In some cases, papers deemed to be very important, after a long search, could not be found. It must be very manifest that, unless the provision was made in the manner now proposed, it could not be reached this session. item. now and then, been crying out to the House, Here are the appropriation bills! here are the appropriation bills! here are the appropriation bills! but he had cried in vain. Mr. J. thought enough had been said. He had, to be sure, listened with great pleasure to all the speeches, but the House had done nothing else. Yet, no doubt, gentlemen thought they had all done their duty. Under these circumstances, they ought to look with a little indulgence upon the poor clerks. He was for the appropriation. Here, in a time of profound peace, it was fit that the House should think about adjourning at the end of six months. He would not, however, insist upon that topic at present. Mr. PARKER was in favor of striking out. It must certainly be improper to provide, in an appropriation bill, Mr. WAYNE said, that if the committee had not been for new items of expenditure. The work ought certain- led away by an extreme caution, not required by the conly to be done; but, might it not be accomplished by ex-stitution, they need not have hesitated to pass this item of tra labor of the clerks already employed? In that case, the bill. He felt the greatest respect for the gentleman however, they should be allowed extra compensation. from Massachusetts, [Mr. ADAMS,] but that gentleman But was it altogether proper that the House should hire asserted the obligation of a rule which was wholly new, additional aid to perform duty which had been neglect- so far as the experience of the House went. The prac ed? Were they to employ industrious clerks to supply tice of the Government had certainly been the other way. what lazy clerks ought to have done and did not? For He thought the principle was one of abundant caution, his own part, he had never found in private life that and not required by the constitution; all that the constitu increasing his number of servants ended in his work be- tion said was, that no appropriation should be made but ing any better done. He was, therefore, opposed to the by law. The present bill comprehended a great variety of items, which had been provided for by law; but it was utterly impossible, in the nature of things, that any Government could anticipate every expense that would be needed. There was certainly presumptive evidence that such an appropriation was necessary, for the House, as was stated by the gentleman from Massachusetts, [Mr. EVERETT,] had once agreed to it, and the present Secretary of State had declared the necessity of such a provision. He had declined exerting his power over the contingent fund, and had, out of respect, preferred to apply to the House; nor was any objection urged but a principle of extreme and unnecessary caution. There never had been until now so perfect an organization of the business of that Department. The difficulty did not grow out of the neglect of those now in office, but had been accumu lating for forty years back. Mr. WILLIAMS said that he was more opposed to the item now than he had been at first. The appropriation, it seemed, had been asked for, and had not been granted; and yet the Department had gone on to have the work done, and now called on the House to pay for it. Here an explanation was made to Mr. W. that such was not the fact. Mr. W. resumed. Then he retracted what he had said; but still he wanted to know how these documents came into such a state of confusion. If those now in office were answerable for this neglect, he was opposed to employing additional clerks to get them out of the difficulty. But if the case was otherwise, he should then vote for the appropriation. Mr. R. M. JOHNSON thought it absurd to believe, in the case of others, they might do a great deal by being Mr. ADAMS adverted to the ground he had at first industrious, and yet, when we turned to ourselves, we taken, that appropriation bills should contain no objects found how little was done by us. Gentlemen must re- but those elsewhere provided for by law. The chairman member that there was a constant increase in our popula-of the Committee of Ways and Means had replied, that tion, and in the amount of our public business. Now, he the practice of the House had been different. This Mr. denied that the work to be done in this case was useful A. had admitted at the outset, but denied its propriety or and important; and yet gentlemen turned round to the necessity. The chairman had referred to extra clerk hire Department, and taxed it severely for having assumed the under the pension act of 1832. The fact was undoubtpower, depending on the representatives of the people, edly so, but that was all legitimate and proper, because who were the only legal sovereign, to see that it should the object had been sanctioned by law, and the appropriabe paid for. Gentlemen thought that, with a little less tion was only to carry a law into effect. As to the inslumber, and with a little less folding of the hands, the crease of the salary of the translating clerk, it was not a present clerks might do all. But how could they be temporary, but a permanent provision. There was a law compelled to do it? Would it, in fact, be done? Yet, defining the number of clerks in each Department. It when the Department came, and made a low bow, and asked for a clerk, with $800 or $1,000 salary, to preserve the public archives for the honor of the nation, the House was not to grant it. had indeed passed some years ago. But now they found three times the number provided for by that law. How did they get there? Precisely by the very practice to which he objected: by just such items in appropriation bills as He would add a word as to themselves. When the this now proposed. A temporary clerk was asked for House called for uncommon diligence in others, they one year. The next year he was asked for again, until ought to set an example of it in their own case. Yet, lie became permanent. Fifty new clerks had been apwhat had the House done? They had spent four months pointed the last year in one single Department; and the in considering one single subject, and had not half dis-chairman of the Committee of Ways and Means had now posed even of that. They had, indeed, acted negatively before him a petition from the clerks in all the Departupon it. But they had done nothing affirmatively, ex-ments, for an increase of their salaries. If a bill was to cept to pass a bill to provide their own eight dollars a be introduced for that purpose, it would be better to place day. The poor clerks were kept waiting; nothing had the present item there. Besides, there was a standing H. OF R.] The General Appropriation Bill. [APRIL 8, 1834. committee of this House on the expenditures in each Debate, thought it might not be improper or untimely to partment. It was their province to determine whether awake the slumbering recollections of gentlemen, and such an increase was necessary or not. What was the recall them to the scenes of other days. He would innumber of clerks at this time in the Department of State, vite them, especially, to a certain memorable report once Mr. A. had no knowledge; but it was much increased made in that House, and from which, if it were admissible since he had had some connexion with that Department, in any gentleman to quote, he was certainly that individual. and it was very doubtful to him, if the Committee on Ex-It was now proposed to create a new office. If it was penditures should go there and should undertake to ex-true that there was an inherent tendency in all Governamine the affairs of the Department, as a committee had ments to the multiplication of offices and dependants, and once done when he was there, whether they would not if this tendency was highly injurious to the welfare of report to the House that there was no need whatever the country, he was very certain that gentlemen could that the number of clerks should be augmented. Mr. MERCER said that, with a view to excuse himself to a friend who was applying to him for his interest to obtain a clerkship, he had gone successively to every Department of the Government, to inquire for a situation for this individual, and he had been told by the head of each Department, except one, that he wanted none, and that one was the Secretary of War, who had told him that he had more clerks than he knew what to do with. If an individual wanted the papers in his office arranged, would his reasonable and natural course be to employ a new clerk or an old one? One who knew all about the papers, or one who knew nothing of them? He would venture to say that, if a new clerk should be employed for such a task, it would soon come to pass that nobody could find the papers but himself, and he must be rendered permanent of necessity. not be desirous of engaging in a work so unholy. It was not for him to say whether such was the case or not, but he had certainly once acted on the presumption that it was so. He had then acted as honestly as he now did, but under very different lights, and with far less experience. This identical subject of expenditures in the Department of State had once been referred to a very celebrated committee of this House; and what was the opinion then entertained? He would take the liberty of reading an extract or two from their report; and if gentlemen should see nothing in it worthy of regard, then most certainly they could not charge him with a change of opinion. [Mr. C. then quoted various passages from the report of the retrenchment committee.] Here was the language of 1828. Then the plan was to diminish the number of clerks, and to augment their Mr. M. did not know whether some of the remarks of labors. Mr. C. had acted with these gentlemen, and had the gentleman from Kentucky [Mr. JouNsoN] had refer- drawn the censures of thousands, from one end of the ence to him, or to his friend from Tennessee, [Mr. POLK.] continent to the other, upon his head, by the part he had The gentleman had said that they had done nothing; that taken. Little, indeed, had he then expected, in the short they ought to look at home; in a word, that people that space of four or five years, to see the friends he then lived in glass houses should not throw stones. Now, was acted with turn about and advocate an increase of exthis an indication of a purpose to put down every measure penditures to double the amount, or nearly, of what they involving expenditure, by telling the people that the had complained of, and such an augmentation of clerks members had been there long enough? Were these re-as had never been witnessed from the foundation of the marks of the gentleman intended only as precursors to Government. It put him in mind of a reflection in Salthe application of the previous question to measures magundi: "On what a prodigious scale is every thing in which deeply affected the best interests and most impor- this country!" tant rights of the people? Mr. M. took none of the gentleman's censure to himself. None had had a smaller share in producing the delay of which the gentleman complained. In the days of this retrenchment committee, it had been the hope of him and his friends that, if they could but once get the Executive of their choice, they should completely succeed in reducing the public expenditures. He begged Mr. M. insisted upon the soundness of the principle leave to remind gentlemen (lest they might perchance laid down by the gentleman from Massachusetts; and a have forgotten) of the language they held to their concontrary practice on the part of the House, formed not stituents, as an apology for their ill success in the work the rule, but the exception to the rule. He knew that they had attempted. It was this: "We have done all we there were precedents in abundance, but that did not al- could, but in every step the Executive opposes us; let us ter the matter. The House had just refused to give a poor but once get an Executive who will think and feel as we clerk in the Patent office such a salary as was given to do, and all will go charmingly." Yes; and to render the the messengers of this House, on the very principle con- charm more imposing, they had given him a succession of tended for, and yet now it was proposed to create a salary most inviting titles: first, he was the hero of the West;" of $1,400 to pay for the arrangement of the papers in one then, to add the seductive influence of republican simof the Departments, which, it seemed, were in such a plicity, he was "the Tennessee farmer." But, presently, state of entire confusion, that the head of the Department they got beyond this, and he was "the conqueror of the could not find a paper that he wanted. Mr. M. did not, conquerors of the Old World;""the second Washingin the least, wonder at this state of things. There had ton;" then "the greatest and best;" and, last of all, (he been such a constant succession of changes in that De had nearly forgotten this,) he was "the old Roman." partment, that it would be wonderful if things could be The charm worked finely; and the people were told, once otherwise. The honorable banishment of a friend of his, put this man into the Chair, and then will come the golden who had formerly been chief clerk in that Department, days of retrenchment and republican simplicity and econbut who had been sent as a consul to France, was, of it-omy. They were assured they had been sacrificed by self, sufficient to account for this derangement in the files. men devoted to regal splendor. Among other things, Replace that individual, and he would engage that the they were informed of two hundred and seventeen doldifficulty would soon disappear. lars having been expended in blacking Indians' boots and Mr. M. here referred to the memorable struggle be-shoes. Then the crime of furnishing wafers to seal the tween the House and the Senate on the subject of com- letters of members of Congress, penknives to sharpen pensation for brevet rank, which contest depended ex- their pens, and sealing-wax to enclose their documents. pressly on the principle that an appropriation bill ought All worked admirably-it had the finest effect imaginable. to comin nothing but what had previously received the The charm was of universal influence. And at length sanction of law. they got those into power who now held and exercised it. Well, he had come back to Washington with hopes elate; Mr. CHILTON, though reluctant to prolong the de APRIL 8, 1834.] The General Appropriation Bill. [H. OF R. the hope of being soon able to bear back to his constitu" thought to be a friend of the administration; and as reents the joyful news that all was now going right; every trenchment was the order of the day, he must be reuseless expenditure had been discontinued. He found that trenched, or "reformed," for he believed that was the ten or a dozen bills had been reported by the very able, word-reformed out of office, on the ground that the work talented, and worthy retrenchment committee. But when could be done on better terms. Well, they reformed he rose, and endeavored to awaken the slumbering recol- him out. Mr. C. voted against it, because he was well lections of his former coadjutors, they seemed perfectly persuaded the work would cost the Government double astonished to find that he had been honest all the time! what they gave this officer. And it happened that he was Then it was that he discovered, for the first time, that it nearly right, for an examination was had, and in a very was a most convenient thing to have one set of principles short time afterwards the House reinstated their draughtsto get into office by, and another to go by after you are man by an overwhelming vote. Mr. C. said he had seen in office. Mr. C. proceeded to make many more quota- the whole continent convulsed by this question of retions from the retrenchment report, and to intersperse trenchment. A hue and cry was set up every where many caustic and satirical commentaries, in applying its against the extravagance of the Government. He had doctrines to existing circumstances. gone with the rest; for he really believed they should get Mr. POLK quoted a number of precedents to show rid of some very bad people that were destorying the counthat the principle laid down by Mr. ADAMS in reference try. He had voted to relieve the country. But he had to appropriation bilis could not be observed in practice. not expected that they were going to behave like a parcel Mr. CAMBRELENG reminded Mr. CHILTON that of little children on the bank of a branch, fishing for minwhen he [Mr. CAMBRELENG] had been on the retrench-nows with a pin hook. He had expected retrenchment by ment committee, he had advocated the abolition of the wholesale. He had never thought in a few years to see office of draughtsman, and that Mr. CHILTON had, with the expenses doubled. But he had lived now in the civilsuccess, advocated its continuance. Mr. C. said he had ized part of the country long enough to find that when always been of opinion, and still was, that the business of he was only a backwoodsman he knew little about matthe Departments might be accomplished with half the ters. In short, what he had seen in this civilized part of present number of clerks, were due diligence employed. the country had pretty much satisfied him that the whole He was in favor of the amendment: he would grant the of it was like the cry of the fellow who undertook to shave sum asked for, but not the appointment of any additional a hog-" great cry and little wool!" clerk. Mr. POLK inquired whether Mr. C. had urged any objection to the item in the Committee of Ways and Means? Mr. CAMBRELENG replied that he really could not recollect. Mr. P. knew what was the usual course of matters in that committee: one read the bill, and the others voted for it. Mr. EWING, of Indiana, next addressed the Chair, in a series of remarks. After a brief rejoinder from Mr. CAMBRELENG, who stated that what the gentleman had insinuated respecting the grounds of his opposition arose from ignorance of the relations which subsisted between him and the Secretary of the Treasury, And a farther reply from Mr. EWING, Mr. WAYNE reminded the gentleman from New York Mr. H. EVERETT stated, that the present bill contain[Mr. CAMBRELENG] of the temporary character of the ed appropriations to the amount of $88,781, all resting appointments asked for: and replied to Mr. MERCER, that on a principle similar to that now to be decided; which this appropriation had formerly been asked for while showed the importance of well considering the present his friend was still in office, and before what the gentle- item. Things seemed to be taking this course, that if man called his honorable banishment could have been the head of any Department sent a letter to the chairman anticipated. of the Committee of Ways and Means, he could, as a matter of course, get any appropriation he might choose to ask for. Mr. McKAY scouted the idea of such an alteration in form, while the substance of the appropriation was left. Mr. HARPER, of Pennsylvania, thought the Committee of Ways and Means seemed likely to swallow up all the business of the House. He quoted the rule designating| Mr. BROWN moved to amend the clause which Mr. the duties of the committees on the expenditures in the ADAMS desired to strike out, by striking out only the several Departments, and contended that it was their first portion of it, which would leave out the clerk, and province to inquire and judge as to the propriety of any retain only the appropriation and the object to which it increase of clerkships, and expenses, either permanent or was to be applied. incidental. He belonged to one of these committees, and should have been happy to perform the duty. But the committee had not even once met since the com- The debate was further continued by Messrs. ADAMS, mencement of the session. The state of the Departments BURGES, and POLK; when, on motion of Mr. DICKought to be investigated, and the facts ascertained, before SON, the committee rose, Ayes 78, Noes 7, leaving the the House were called to act in relation to them. In con- question on the disputed item of appropriation unfinished. templation of the existing state of the country, he was Mr. VANCE, of Ohio, asked leave to have an amendcompelled to raise his voice: while others were struggling ment printed which he proposed, at the proper time, to and suffering, the officers of Government were coming offer, in Committee of the Whole, in connexion with the for additional salaries. There were several other items appropriation bill, which had been under consideration in this bill he should vote against, for he seriously appre- to-day. hended a deficiency in the revenue the coming year. Objection being made, the reading of the amendment Every practicable retrenchment in the expenditures of was called for; whereupon it was read as follows: Government ought to be made. "Be it further enacted, That from and after the pasMr. CROCKETT said, he was not anxious about the sage of this act, instead of the compensation now allowpresent item in the bill: but as the gentleman from New ed by law, there shall be paid to the within-named officers York [Mr. CAMBRELENG] had said something about votes the following sums per annum: for retrenchment and the case of the draughtsman, and as "To each of the Secretaries of State, Treasury, War, he (Mr. C.) and his friend from Kentucky [Mr. CHIL- and Navy, four thousand dollars. To the Postmaster TON] had voted together on that question, he would say General, three thousand five hundred dollars. To each a few words in reply to him. What had been the situa-Assistant Postmaster General, eighteen hundred dollars. tion of that matter? Why, the retrenchment committee To each of the Comptrollers of the Treasury, two thouhad found out that the draughtsman to the House was not sand dollars. To each of the Auditors of the Treasury, |