The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1807-11-20

! the faioc king Of reluctance in aplsopTist;i.s
! money for its fnppors, which matter felt at
paying The expeuces OF an Improbable and df-
graced feivant. -
M. SYiGs fail, The gentleman from Malta
chuie'ts bad snqoired, whether money had been
actuaIiy psid forihele fpecific articles, or con.
| traSts only made Cor them on this point they
lcould not flisfy The gentleman. he thought
1 the only gueitinn ON the paiisge of this BIZ,
was, would the Houfe cover theie expenditures,
by an appropriation or not They had right
to aufwer this plain gneition in the affirmative
or negative; but itappeared doubtful whether
they would anfwer il at all. He thought he
perceived from the Cuefions OF the gentleman
I from Naiiachuiet,s an intention to eat fom,
importation of a crimina! nature on the Pref.
dent of The United States OF on ne Seercta-
iry OF hensvy; whether fuch crinh,ny yxiH-
60 or not, was not the quehion before t5e houie.'
| II had been cuftomary, whenever the Secretary
! of the navy or any other officer of the govern
| ment had made diiburiemen;s which! were not
authorized, TO cover them by anappropriation,
This queaion, therefore, did not uecenar1y in
lvolye aay enGpiry of the kind which had been
made. iiv ao
lie did not mean TO point ont he propriety
or iDproprety of the argument wtic', gentle
rne2 had uf.d II they believed that HE con-
duct fthe Executive had not been corretf, they
would not vote tor TIE APPROPRIATED. 1t had
been sflid idatccnsrefs Qiould have been Goa
veiied iWme.iiat,y !; it was true The Pss'idrnt
had right 10 cal them fooner ifhe had thought
the IQ'stsf Of the country required il, bat he
had pottpnaed lbs wsetlng ill the fermentation
/ ihouid hsvc iobGdsd, and am a,f,ver might have
/ been rerciYed from Great Britain to the de-
maud Which hal tcen made for reparation IF
he bad convened them 70 early in the feafon as
the Wonih Of Asguit, they could not have come
hers to (ss'.ll;c without danger 70 their health.
MIR. S. was in favor OF fpecific appropr-
ations, and asaut the practice of drawing mo-
ney from the treaiury without appropriation,
| preyion!ly made; but every gentleman knew
/ that there were safes in which this form r1ua
* d'ipepitd with, and in this nitance he-tBo't
/ tue crcumitNces OF the cafe .iuitiiici the Inea-
/ lures adopted.
| MIR. Dana perceived it was not in the power
I ct the chairman of the committee Of WAYS ana
Means To apfwer the enquiries which had been
made, becauie he would not permit h;nGeif to
I!nGu'gea thought that he poilelied the deGrei
iintornaton, and yet Withheld it. lie thought
that the want of this Information might lead
TO mittatement of facts and though he did
not pretend TO be in the fecrets of the cabinet
ne was INCLINED 10 the opinion thar full dif.
c!o'ure would be more satisfactory to The houle,
10 the Executive, and to the people If this
were made, they would be dericd the liberty
! OF rowing at will, conietturing as they chofe
Bat, lad be, are we not called upon 10 grant
money, ard thall we not know for what Dur
pote Doe, the Proficient call upon us for an
| appropriation, and fiall we not have leave TO
enquire what eXpences it is intended TO cover
The very act they were about 70 pats was de-
claratory OF their appreciation of the conduct
OF me Executive; they were therefore entitled
TO information OH the iubject As the repreCen-
tatlycs o! the psopie, the peculiar guardians of
! HE public trsaiury, they were entitled TO il.
| lie believed that no blame iiiould attach to
the secretary or the Navy or any other perion
| on account of tEis expenditure but ia every
cafe in which money had been expended with.
out order, the ieait that could be expelled was
a tar diicioure of the circumstances attending
! Inc tran'att'on. Sdutd not the Executive and
departments truit to the candor and beraIit v
of the Houie ? Did they refuGe to confde in
the HOMIE Mr. d. was defirous of the fuIleH
! information, which he thought would rebound
more 10 The credit of the administration thin
| this IilenGc OH the fuhief
| Waving the right 10 make tIiefe enquiries, he
thought ten two queftons occurred for conf
| deration The tittt was the great broad oucf1i
| on, whether or not il was proper FOR Conprcfs
TO make appropriations to cover expenditures
OF Pun'ic money not previouily authorized bv
law. Prior 10 the year Sol, expences were
incurred without the exptefs iautton of Con.
! greis they were incurred with a view To the
! public icivice III cafe Of emery 2n,v Ii was
! thcn discretionary with Congreis either to an.
prove or d.idpprove this conduit if thew an
I proved it., they paIed = b,il making an appro
| pfIation 10 cover The Expenditure In 1901.
fran the hFbrit authority, doctrine the reyerfe
! az ',.'s vas avowsd that 1t was part of poll
| tea' prudence To diicCun;eGauce and dir4IIow
/ 80 arpiicetIons OF money to purpoles not an
thoriicd - law; 10 that If money defined for
one OljStt was applied TO another, or money
| unapproptiaicd was applied TO any obieet with
out hcinK previouny authorized by law, this
| dotirlnc went To dlfiow It. I'm 1907. when
| public exreGaiion was direGed to the Execu
tive, Il had hecu thought proper TO incur certain
| tEpcHccs for enluring the public fafcty. A
| public ofi;ccf, who, 10 moment 0f public ex-
! igency undertakes to purchsfc fupplies, may re-
| lY on public iuppcrt. II the legi0ature con-
dsuus the procedure, the officer mult bear the
! lo!s. Would YOU, faid Nj. ID. had you been
aIIeUhitd at this time, with knowledge of all
{ the exiting circuuaaoces--wouId You have
authorized tIcss cxpenfss TO he incurred This
/ WAS the fair queit,on, and WAS preieGted to
/ them under favourable circumstances for deter
mination. In 1901, this doctrine had been con-
| trad't}ed, dilavpWed ; it was with isiisfaGfion
he now o5ierved that practice taking place un.
! der high authority which had before been de.
nounced. lie fs,t highly gratiied with this
change, and certainly would not reproach gen-
tiemen for it; they had learnt wif,Iom by an
experience Of fix years, which had taught them
the error of their doctrines the privilege Of be-