Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1828-06-18

The whole amount of
[ Administration of the

bly increase this difference The Who'll, ,,no,,, =
ne expenditure OF the present Administration of t
: department in the years
1895, $S5,75O,774 E. r. LIST Sess Io,h Con , , ~, r,
,H2o' 6l95s81 E. r. ID ssss. 18th CON vol ], No IS:
, n.,;, 40 o'' T.. " Isl ocSs 10Th Cen. No. l@G
i0l2, 5,467.424, vol T.. p. I'd Sess I7t Con No Ss
!823, 527e,7lo vol. f. p 1st sess 18th Con-. No. ~
- "'<'9'olo Ex p. Sd Sess. 18th Con- No 81
making total of $6O26,179 resulting in difference Of
$40 ~ ,, against the present Administration
me committee can perceive no justifahe reason
~ ns Increase The present administration recey-
ca me department from it's predecessors not only in a
S"y improved, but IN condition still improving as
WI" DC apparent from the iishuI se,nents of the Years
~ - a. IN which the expenditure of each succee
ohg years. less than the preceding but which is re-
ne"ed IN the two first years C the present qrni,;s
"a"oh. what marks more strkngly this coptras,
between The expenditure of the iwo periods is ihe fact
'"a considerable REDUCTION pr :ce has taken Mace
n '"e iast Three years, Of most OF the articles which
eh'er INTO the supplies of the Army which ought 10
bave been followed by correspondent reduction of lie
expenditure, instead Of an increase as IS the fact
W nile presenting these results YOUR committee CecI
pound TO state that they have every reason 10 believe
a mo ohcers at The head of the several branches of
me stan, who are charged with the details have mr.
,orheh TIER duty with fidelity, and strict responsibility
mas neen invariably enforced, neglect or falling OF
oe'nS rerceptble in the respective bureaus so that
Whatever may he the Of the increased expendi-
lure cannot IN fairness be traced to their ne eject
your committee are constrained to remark that
some OF the ohcc contingencies Of the Department of
!
ISlc5 20, paid for newspapers; and for r,ntine 81
679 81. They subjon the following s;atemcnt of he
contingent expenses of the War Department for two
equal terms OF three years:
Late Administrations Present ADMINISTRATIVE;
; 5 ;::s ss'.'o' 5 5 IS: ssp.e''
! Your Committee will forbear TO exhibit a statement
OF the expenses for surveys, that subject has so re-
Gently engaged the attention of Congress- but 10 look
n'o me SPECIFICATIONS OF This account, they sa-
'isheo That no ehecual remedy be applied 10 an
expenditure so liable 10 abuse unless the ion
i'se!t 10 made specific for each obec, 10 be
ne allowances made to oliceis for extra duty al
,houSh IN many instances high, appear to have
oehn generally made in reference 10 The principles
! OF pIe.existing usage. As this is branch of ex-
pendtu'e essentially liable 10 abuse YOUR committee
THINK That the House ought early direct the atten
hon OF the Committee on Military Affairs to it, In
'he mean nmc, your committee have prepared, and
"ihefSaiter report, bill regulating the allowance
OF forage TO Tie officers OF thea my. which will be con-
vehlent and beneficial 20 ,le, and operate saving 10
the Government. -
Your committee will ror proceed 10 exhibit the re
SUITS o! heiT inquiry nto the contingent expenses OF
the Indian Department, the cement OF which ,e.
wolves discretionary trusts the Secretary Of War
important and various.
The average amount per aunun Of i,:s anrro,rj,.,,
may be stated al 50 1000
The relation which the Government Of the H. G.
bears 10 the various Indian tribes creates the nccossi
~ c! numerous and large expenditures which can
!
any appropriation law
Ia meet these ezjgencios it has been the practice
o' 10 appropriate sum 10 gross, and place il
under The dscretioa and control of The Secretary f
war, prescribing the mode and manner IN which the
same shall be drawn from the pujlc Treasury and
counted for.
Snc is the nature OF The service in which dis sum
IS To be expended hat reliance must be pGacsd
10 TIE integrity OF Tue agents employed By Government
for its faithful appropriation, than upon any mere sys
fcn of accountability which has been heretofore pTe
scrIbed, or any which the committee can suggest they
recommend a partial remedy specific approp,io-
tons. The rule important IN al! public cxpcndiprps
and IN none NOR" than a of the ndion APPROXIMATIONS
ought never to be departed from by nc dsbursrr or
accounting officers Of tie Government, and that is
money appropriated for purpose BY Congress
should never be applied an object totally different
from that embraced within the letter and srit OF The
act OF appropriation. II ia believed that many instan
ccs OF disregard o: this principle will be found to *
Isl IN The accounts which lave been submitted to tue
! committee.
For instance, when Congress appropriated $4,000
'or 'he contingencies IN the Indian Department, il
could not nave been the intention of that body that
the secretary OF War, rather his Clerk at The head
OF Tie Indian Office, could at his discretion apply any
portion OF 10 The employment Of additional Clerk
~ uhe indian Oice. Witness tie payment made 20 AIr
Thompson, of 800.
The expenditure Of 500, by clerk this Office in
Tie purchase Of books, which of politics stats
TICS, history, Biography, and theology is liable to tho
same objection II IT b. competent iJr The cioi il,
'''9 pHCc 10 purchase backs and for them
TIE contingent fund foT the Iniau Department il is
equally within The competency ari M briilcd digcrc-
oo Ct every other clerk, who may desire TO constitute
ah5ra'y in hls Office at puolc erpcncc.
hno;hcr striking illustration of the interpolation
ana perveTson Of Ibis u, will be seen in the accoun,
and amount paid 10 Dr. Sbiey, Of Louisiana VIZ VI
! 100. The facts of this case are briefly these:
Abou' the pefini shortly aftc? the acquisition oil
( Louisiana, DIR. Sitley resident IN that couoII
and, in some way, employed by The goyernmen
as Indian agent factor, part Of tie liIre al fou
'ota[s HcT diem afterwards At fixed salary Of s OGJ
ann four raiicn' per day IN August, 1921, Rir. 5r5
, ley wrote TO the Second Auditor that bo then men,
Der % Congress ffom the State" iof Louisaual lad
power oi attorney 10 settle hs accounts aud was in pos
d, session of oil his papers.
f, Dr Sib'ci's relations with tie Government as agcn
or iaci0rf bad ceased many years In 1928, his ac
counts as oppear' by the papers, settled and
balance Ct 55ji % found due by HIM. Not until TIT
year iH- probably li'e Spring Of tIat year wcr,
TIC items hereafter referred to- to the e
Parment for payment. They not then allowed 0
paid.
His demand consists Of the following items