Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-07-08

IN the present Administration over that of the last,
/; fairly re!crriblc, in part, 10 the natural increase
OF business, and TO the known accumulation OF
some extra items CT Unnecessary expenditure. Thus,
the transcription Of the immensely voluininous
papers relative 10 tic north eastern boundary,
which IL has been necc TO MAKE twice would
OF Itself account for a considerable part of the in
crease. The preparation Of the schedule of Amer
,can claims on foreign powers, was also an exceed
ing'y Iaborious and expensive task, imposed on the
department OF State by a resolution of the House
o' representatives. The trauscribing of the pa
pers relatiye 10 the claims ON France, prior to 1900,
~ obedience 10 a resolution OF the Senate, under
,he last Administration, but which il was impossi-
BILE TO comply with ull the year 1926, (papers fill
my a printed volume OF $40 pages0 was also q
heavy item of extra expenditure. The increased
expense OF special messengers grows out of the
extension Of our intercourse with those parts of
the world where suitable opportunities for convey
ance. IN the usual channels of commercial inter
course, IA mode of transporting important official
rocuiientS, al best, open TO ohiection0 do not often
present themselves, and the increased number
oil treaties and conventions which have been nego
uatcd and transmitted. The inyariabie usage Of the
HovetnInent, & the manifest proprie v OF the thing
require that conventions and treaties, general in
struciions OF great importance transmitted to the
| foreign ministers, aud confidential dispatches,
should be entrusted TO special messengers; and the
minority Of the Committee have not found ,hat
these have been employed in any case not requir-
cd by the public service.
The following is Il copy OF the letter of the Sc
crctGy OF State referred to.
II his letter has been published in the Enquirer
before proceeding 10 comment on separate items
OF expenditure, the minority of the Committee
would observe, that there is one general point in
relation to the expenditures of the Department Of
state, upon which objection has been made ,ant or
which, Tor that reason, Il remark will be offered.
II Is as the mode OF disbursing the moneys Tor the
contingent expenses OF the Department. The
disbursements are made by the agency of a desig-
mated clerk, who, for that purpose, is entrusted
] with mNIQraia -t,,pc bio - D,,;, q. E,,I-
and draws, from time 10 time. as small payments
are made, accounting Tor the expenditures III the
same manner Us ether accountants.
10 thus course no well grounded objection
appears 10 the minority OF the Committee. II Is
that which is adopted by individuals who have
large concerns. \ cash keeper in a counting
house, and an account of petty cash, are familiar
20 every body, as things notmcreiy OF convenience,
but oil necessity.
This plan, however, is not new, nor has it been
unknown to Congress. In the year 1922, the then
secretary OF State, now President OF the United
States, addressed a letter dated the 18th April,
1877 10 the Committee of this House On the Ex-
pcnditures OF the Department Of State, in which
he states this practice to have existed before his
coming into the Department. That letter is
on the files OF this House, and a copy was
lad before this committee with the letter of
the present Secretary of State. The commit
tee OF ios. (Repor,s Number 1867 reported as
follows The expenditure of the moneys ap-
propria'ed for the contingent expenses of the De-.
partment IS conilded to one of the clerks OF the De-
paItnent.' 1.-The committee have examined the
accounts Of these expenditures, with the vouchers
i3r the sad accounts, as far as they Judged neces-
sary. The objects of expenditure appear to be
such as are necessary 10 the execution OF the du-
teS OF the Department.; and must, therefore. he au-
thorized by law. The expenditure is within the
appropriation, and is supported by sufficient veuc!.-
ers. The accounts are regularly kept; the Xpen-
ditures appear TO be made with fidelity and econc-
my; and the committee are unable to suggest any
\ I.n ~ - ,nN, - T.. .,l - -
service"
1t is natural :ovy 10 inquire, what better mode
can be suggested or adopted? or If this may be OBJ
jected 10, what is there that may not?
The minority Of the Ccas,niItee VII, now nro-
coed to examine particularly some o; the items Of
expenditure in the State Department, which have
been, or may be, thought 10 require explanation.
One Of these is the outfit allowed to Mr.. John
a. King, as Charge DAfiaires at London, which has
been said to have been made in violation OF law.
and out of a fund appropriated for other objects
This subject having been brought before the III. of
X. at the last Session OF Congress, and hayine, in o.
bedience 10 a call OF the House, been reported up
Oh by the Secretary OF State, the minofitv of the
Committee will only observe, that from the Secre-
tary's report, at that time, it appears that Mr..
Kings appointment was made tonlormably to the
construction which has been given 10 the law of
9th May, 1910, by every succeeding Administra-
ton; and that the allowance made 10 him was a
medium bctween the highest and loves, rate Of al
loTance made i'll similar cases. That it was made
out of the contingent fund for foreign intercourse.
was, in the opinion Of the minority OF the Commit
Zee, both necessary and proper. The expense oc-
Cured on the contingency of the sickness of the
minister at London. The service began and termi-
mated III the recessot Congress: it was, conseuusnt-
" one Tor which 10 previous appropriation could be
made !; and the minority OF the Committee are moi
aware that Congress have ever considered Il a
branch OF Legislative duty, 10 decide what part. or
whether any part, of an outfit, should be allowed
toa Charge dAia;res, after his return from his
post. In the numerous INSTANCES which the re-
cords OF the Government exhibit, ofthe settlement
oil the accounts OF functionaries of this class, il il
tile belief OF the minority OF the Committee, that
when TIE same have not previously been appropri-
ated Tor, (Which in the majority Of cases tliey have
not been) the Executive has decided the rate of
allowance, and ordered its payment, out of the CON
;ingent fund for foreign intercourse. The minority
Of the Committee are aware that ''precedents male
in yiola'ion Of law are not entitled 10 resrert
But. when they consider that the intercourse Of
the Government with foreign nations is coniided
by tile Constitution, 10 Il considerable extent. To
the President, and that, down 10 the present d,v.
there is no specific act u Congress creating any In.
reign mission, they cannot but think that Il would
now be hazardous to preclude the Executive from
the application Of the contingent fund 70 the cxi-
gencics Of the foreign service, which q iss dur
20 N"N NtV'S VI CV"S'es sd -~L;,I. .Io ~.
Monty oil the Committee regard as a part of
the objects peculiarly intended to be .iroyiJ,,i
icr by that fund. The minority also mint i,
an undue measure Of severity toward auv Admin.
i~stration, to charge it with the violation Of nn.i
i've law, in cases where its acts have bced in
CONFORMITY TO an unVarying usage in tie construc-
ton OF That law from the time Of it, eo,ct,,ant
and under the most approved I'd ninistrafons or,ta,
Government. IL may also not be Improper 10 yrcai
10 the House, that neither the outfit. nor sny 81.
allowance made 70 our foreign agents. il a et-,,,i-
tous pecuh'aTy ~ethoilment. Ia most instances. II