Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1820-01-13

| On additional appropriations foy tie support
ofNe Nary for 1919
| THURSDAY, DECEMBER 80.
The House being in committees of The
whole OH several bills, one of whic!, Was
bill making additional appropriations
Tor the support Of the Navy Tor the year
/ 1915
Mr.. SMITH, of Maryland, Chairman of
| the committee of Ways and Means eX
| planned the reason which rendered il ne
ccssary 10 provide, al this time, for certain
expenditures which had Hoi been fore
seen al the last session. lie called Tor
The reading of the letief OF the Secretary
| OF the Navy on the subject, which Was
read by the Clerk of the House.
Mr. STORRS, of New York, said that
| he had observed In the letter of the Sc
crctary IAN allusiom To warrant OF trans
Ter, drawn by the President, in August,
which lie also requested HE Clerk iv read
from the documents. MIR. S. then said,
That IL appeared from this warrant, that,
so late as August last, certain uneXpend.
ed balances of former appropriations,
particularly those for the repair OF III.
lngate Chesapeake, and building ships o.
war on Lake q 'ario, of several years
standing, had. under the direction OF the
President, been brought up, and fun;
expended during the past year. The act
o. 1894 required, thai all uuexpended ba-
lances OF appropriation remaining III the
Treasury, should, alter two years, be
| carried 10 the surplus fluid. He requested
the chairman of the committee 10 explain
by what construction of the law, relating
10 The President, the power had been con-
veyed III this case. He asked for inlorma
lion merely.
MIR. SMITH, of Md. pointed out The
provision III an act of Sd March, 1909,
applicable 10 the transfer of appropria
lions, which was read by the Clerk IN the
following words:
'' Provided, That during the recess of
Congress, the President OF The u. Safes
max and he is hereby authorized, OH the
application OF the Secretary of the proper
Department, and not otherwise, To direct,
if III his opinion necessary for The public
service, that portion of The money ap-
prOpriaied for a particular branch of eX-
pendiure III that Department, be applied
TO another branch OF expenditure IN the
same Department IN which ase, a spe-
cIal account of the moneys thus transfer
red, and OF tier application, shall be laid
before Congress during the first week of
the next ensuing session.
Some further conversation took place
respecting the surplus fund when
Mr.. RANDOLPH, oiVrginia, rose, and,
after referring To the origin of the surplus
fund, said, that the provision of the law,
which had just been read by the Clerk,
struck him with some unpleasant recol-
leciions, which he could Heliher suppress
nor cosceal. 1t was now just tw eniy
years, since he had first had the honour
OF seat in this House. AT that time,
tie persons of the political description 10
which he had conceived hImseifio belong,
were cOniemdlsg against great abuses and
NAL administration generally, but paTtI.
cularly III the fiscal concerns OF the state.
By the eXrriions OF that party, seconded,
lie presumed, by The good sense and
PATRIOTISM oil the people OF tits country,
Il great revolution was effected In the
government. Among the first recon-
mendaiions OF the Chief Magistrate who
suCc eeded IN consequence Of 1t, was that
OF holding The officers of The government
down To the strict administration OF their
duties. This, Mr. r. said, was one Of
the cardinal principles OIL which the old
Republican party came Into power. He
did moi wish 10 tevivr party feelings by
what he should say--!ar from ii-whai lie
was now speaking OF was history. MIR.
JeffeTsOn-he hoped il was not out Of
order To- name hlm-came into power,
recommending, among other reforma-
lions OF abuse, d strict adherence TO ap.
preparations. LII Was III The very last night
OF his political life, about midnight, that
that law, which bad usl been quoted, was
put on The statute book. did .onsid er
il al that lime, said Mr.. II. sort OF death
warrant TO The principles upon Is Inch iIc
came into power, so far as they were coll
nected with that provision. And how
came that law upon The statute book AT
that time, he said, there were two great
rivals for power and interest, Que of whom
might be considered the ascendant in the
Senate, and the other not less so here
That law, Mr.. Randolph suggested, was
d sort of proposition from one 10 the o.
iher-a compromise of differences be-
tween these Two personages. confess TO
you, said Mr.. k. that the whole progress
OF this business, since the House resolved
itself into a committee of tie whole, has
struck me, being long out OF this House,
With some astonIsIment. What has
the honorable chairman OF tie committee
Of Ways and Means voted this morning
against an appropriation OF eight hundred
dollars for room for The use Of the Cir
cut Court of tie District of Columbia
and, al this laie hour Of the day, are we
10 decide OH questions OF real magnitude,
when some Of tie nembars have left The
House, and some have gone home to-
spend their Christmas with their neigh
bors-aud above all, OH money bill,
putting our hands III the pockets OF The
people MIR. X. said, lie did not sci
himself w Tor "A censor; he came here 10
/ be Instructed, uOl To instruct but IT was
astonishing TO bin, That matters OF lltlt
| moment should be contested, al least
|