Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-07-01
Congressional.

EEPoHT OF THE MINoRIrY OF THE COMMIT
TEE ON RETRENCEMENT.
GENERAL EXPENDITURE.
Ihcninorify of the Committee on the resolutions
Of the 9Th February last, hauing differed from,
their associates, think it right to submit their
uielcs Of the seve'a. matters phich hare been,
Under their consideration, and therefore offer
MefoHoW,ng report:
Excluding for the present the legislative depart.
sncnt and the public debt.
The expenditures OF the Government uas be d.
v.tted into two general heads.
4. For objects OF public service.
z. For the official agency by means of which
'haf service is carried on, and the expenses incl
DEM to that agency
The former of these heals includes all those
itcans OF expenditure which applied to purpos-
IS deemed necessary for the public good; such as
The judiciary, the military and naval establish
inents, light houses. internal improvement, foreign
Intercourse & the like. These constitute the great
mass Of payments from the Treasury.
The second includes the expenditure for the Ex-
ecutive Departments. 1t is very small in compa-
rison with the former Thus. in the year 1926,
,yhen the whole Of the annual expenditure, nuh-
it debt included, was S2i i03, 1893 49, the expens-
ca Of tho Executive Departments of the Govern
mept, including the staff of the army, were S4S9
T76 OF, or rather less than ne-6tteenth part OF
the whole.
The expenditures OF the first class, constituting,
~ has been remarked, (if the public debt be eS-
cfuded) the great mass OF payments from the Trea-
s'iry are entirely dependent upon the wisdom Of
ngress Fa asmpsh they t 3
vices they direct to be performed for the benefit of
tle nation Thus, for example, the Army. the
Navy, the lighthouses, works OF internal irnproye.
ment, and the like, created and continued bv
SH'sress. Inc expense OF maintaining them is
the consequence OF their being established: and the
amount OF that expense is according to the extern
sion which may be given 10 them AS it is in the
power oil Congress TO increase, so is il in the no,y
er OF Congress TO reduce them; and in case of ne
cessity, such reduction would undoubted,c. az far
as practicable, be made.
The greater part OF the expenditures Of the Sc
cond class Chose of the Executive Departments>
ara also regulated by Congress. They consist.
chiehJ oil salaries fixed by law, payable to Officers
created by law. The number of clerks messen-
gs<s, and other persons, employed in each Depart.
'nenf, and in every subordinate division of A De-
plrtment, and the compensation to be received by
each, are fixed by acts of Congress- and cannot be
altered but by new legislation. For those expenses
which cannot be precisely asccrtaincd such as fuel
stationery, office furniture, and the like an annual
sum Is allowed by law, which is not to be ex.
ceedcd; and this is allowed for each principal
aud subordinate Office, upon estimates furnished
annually 10 Congress, and there subjected TO rrid
examination. The proportion il bears 10 the whoie
81 the expenditure is small. Thus, when the
whole Executive expenses were S489,776 O7, the
allowance Tor contingencies, part Of that sum.
Was SS0,905.
tI.kkI IN.
IS has been stated, can never exceed the appro
pTation. and in fact generally falls short of it, is
accounted for TO the accounting officer. of the Co
Fern,nens, where it undergocs the same scruting
as all ether accounts and not dollar can be allow;
ed which Is not fully vouched.
Ii may be further remarked, that the expenses
ii he Executive Departments, well those fixed
by law, as those which contingent are in other
ways dependent upon the will Of the Legislature
One Of the modes in which they may be Increased
will be best illustrated by an example By tic
acts OF Congress for fixing the NJ Hilary Peace Es-
-lblishment, the staff of the army was assembled
1t Washingt,n, and their expenses, TO an amount |
exceeding thirty thousand dollars are now charo
m az part of the Executive expenditure. This |
arrangement, therefore, made with a view to eco |
noFny, and TO the greater efficiency of the Army
I'D probably in both respects answ ering IFS pur-
poses has the appearance Of swelling the expenses
u the Executive Government. when, in fact IL
only transfers charge from head Of service to
mother, and, perhaps, with saving ia the trans
Ter.
But there is another and more constantly CD.
craiing action OF the Legislative will upon the bu-
siness, and consequently upon the expenses of the
Executive Departments As it is the duty Of those
departments within their limits, 10 execute the
Jaws, every enactment increasing the branch of !
pnblic service contided TO their care necessarily
las the effect Of augme ming their expenaes = /
thus, when the House Of REPRESENTATIVES. by the
resolution OF the 23th Of March, 1922 sienifjed ts
opinion That missions ought 10 be instituted 10 the
rev States Of America, and both Houses of Con-
gfe5s, by the appropriation law, appropriated mo-
ney for the missions, this ENLARGEMENT Of orr for
cgn relations not only increased the diplomatic er
lenses OF the Government, bot Il added to the De
patment Of State the labor and the expense of in
and corresponding with six additional a.
gents abroad. IL the Navy be Increased, or al
greater number Of vessels put into service this in
Ike manner, increases the labor and the expense
Of the Navy Department. All such additions, in
ne manner, act upon the Treasury, and upon the
gce6nting officers, by increasing the accounts to /
- settled. and the payments to be made Of the /
lisicy TO he pGrsued. Congress ~ to Judge, and
HAT Judgment can never be materially affected BIZ
consideration Of the slight addition Il will MAXI
90 The contingent expenses Of the Departments. ID
The different branches OF the Government are
connected with each other. Congress
Originate and sanction the measures 10 be pursued,
aud provide the means Of carrying them into ef
feet and e is FOR the Executive officers. with the
means thus jurpisbcd, 70 execute the will Of Con.