Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1820-04-24

lie expenditures, delivered in the following
report
The committee of public expenditures,
who were required, by resolution OF this
House, of the -- day of December last,
TO enquire and report the amount OF the seve.
raj items which are charged upon the contin.
gent fund. and whether, in their opinion,
the expenditures may not in future BE- dimi-
nished, consistently with the public interest.
and the accommodation ofthe two Houses OF
Congress" beg leave to report:
That they Immediately took into conside-
ration the above resolution, ard, although,
strictly speaking, their enquiry might seem
to have been directed to the contingent ex-
penses Of the House, OF which they re mem.
bers, yet they thought it embraced within
the scope of the resolution to go further. In
conformity thereto, they promptly addressed
letter to each of the Heads OF the Execu-
tive Departments. viz. the Secretary of State,
the Treasury, of War, and OF the Navy, OF
which the paper marked A. is copy. That
from the first, they received the letter and
documents contained in the envelope mark
ed b; from the Secretary of the Treasury
they received the letter, documents and
vouchers marked G.; from the Secretary OF
War, the letters and documents contained in
the envelope marked D and from the Sec
rotary of the Navy, the letters and items
contained in envelope E.; which letters,
documents and vouchers contained all the
information of Importance, touching the
saidsresolutlon, which could be obtained
from these Departments.
1t is true, that the attention ofthe commit
tee has been directed to some charges OF "a
buses alledged to have taken place in the ma
Wy department, some two or three years a
go: That to these charges the committee di-
rected the attention of the secretary OF that
department whose peculiar province and
duty the committee deemed it 10 be 10 SUPER
wise and regulate his department, and cor
rect abuses, if any existed therein.
Upon the whole, this part OF the transac-
ton has ended in charges on the one hand,
and denials on the other, many OF which
we're of private and individual character,
and, inasmuch as no practical result could,
in the opinion of your committee, grow out
OF further perseverance in All investiga-
ton of such nature, they think it best to
leave the affair with the head of the proper
department, considering that abuses, if any
have existed, will be promptly and effectu-
ally corrected.
Your committee in turning their atten-
ton TO the contingent expenses OF this house
(for with those of the Senate they did not
feel il their duty TO interfere) applied to the
Clerk for information, who with promptness
gave his personal attendance before your
committee at two different times, and af-
fnrded all the information in his power !;
the substance Of which is contained in let
ter from him, herewith submitted and mark
ed F.
That the existence of impositons to a
certain but perhaps unavoidable extent, in
quality and even quantity of stationary and
other articles furnished this house, and in
the wood provided for its consumption, are
not only possible, but even probable, aliho'
the committee have not been able to deslg-
nate any particular case, and beg Iesve to
suggest that the correct managen ent, safety,
4. economy fall these articles must main
ly depend upon the vigilance and fidelity of
the officers of the house.
After the most diligent investigation which
your committee have been enabled to make,
theirenquirie, shave resulted in not being en-
abled to detect any abuses, it any have ex-
isted, or do exist, nor have they been able
to discover how, Or in what maneer. the ex-
house can be diminished, consistently with
the public interest, or its comfortable &C.
Commodation.
.8pri 1890.
The report was ordered to lie on the
table.
On motion of Mr.. Williams, OF North Ca
rolina. it was
Resolued, That the Secretary of War be
directed to lay before this House the pro-
ceedings ofthe Court Martial on the trial of
William King, Colonel of the 4th regiment
~ S. infantry.
The house took up the bill to confirm the
title of the Mochiccan, or tockbridge In
dams, to certain lands lying on White Ri
yer, in indiana upon which much discus
sion arose, and, after several amendments
had beer proposed, some of which were
adopted and others rejected, the question
was taken on the eDgrossment of the bill for
third reading, and decided in the negative,
by yeas and nays
For the engrOssment SO
Againstit SO
And so the bill was rejected.
The Speaker laid before the house re-
port from the Secretary of State, enclosing a
copy of the act OF the Legislature of Penn.
sylvania, called for by resolution introdu-
ced by Mr.. Pindall some days ago, entitled
g An act to prevent kidnapping" Ii was
referred to the select committee appointed
on the subject of reclaimlng tugitives from
labor.
The bill this day received from the Sc
nate, for clothing the army in domestic ia
brics and
G. L. a. E>~