Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-07-04
1t is Ear TOO minute 10. aliord any

In thus exactly stating the scope Of the inqui
y, II is not meant TO be conceded, that, even with
- :hc very narrow lus mentioned there has
'een any cvtravagant or improper expenditure,
nc' "a BE- asserted that extravaSant improper
"ut.iture ough, 10 be permitted however small.
The minority Of the Committee have nothing
20 lruuoe them 10 believe that there has been any
such expenditure Rcservipg, for examination
hereafter, some particular items, about which
there would seem TO be question, il may be pro-
per, once for all, TO state the general footing upon
which this matter stands, 5 10 exhibit the
grounds OF the opinion they entertained, and in
tend, iii conclusion, TO express. Ii will also eN-
hibit the guards and ch es already provided by
law, or by the practice oil the Government.
| For the expenditures OF each Department, as
well as OF every branch OF service, provision is on
nuaiiy made by the appropriation BILL The
! appropriations for the Departments made upon
detailed estimates, annually presented 10 Congress,
and printed for the OF the members. The esi-
mate for the present year is printed document of
. hiy seven pages. Where Il Department conpre-
hends subordinate offices, separate and distinct es-
Inmates are made for each o.! them. Thus, the esti-
mate Is separately made for the Treasury, and for
each OF the ten subordinate departments belonging
! TO it, So Of the VI ar Department, and the zig Int
! subordinate offices. The estimates and the appro-
praion> Tor conting encies also, as far as il il
| practicable, divided into heads or parts. For in
stance, in the estimates for the Department of
State, AT the present session, the contingencies are
arranged under fifteen heads, and the appiupria
7 V,
I fuel, and candles, newspapers, extra copyinp
printing oil the laws, distribution OF the laws, SC.
! The estimates being placed In the hands Of the
! Committee of Ways s Means and of every mem
Der ol Congress, they have the opportunity (Which
they have not iailed to improve with becoming vi
gilance) of judging of the rtasonabeness of every
item proposed. In forming this Judgment they have
the means OF comparison with the preceding eX-
penditure, and if they find any head OF ex-
penSe introduced, or any old one sweiled beyond
It's former size, or if they entertain doubt of the
! propriety Of any part OF the expenditure, they
{ have the right of asking Tor explanation, which
they always exercise, as in duty they ought.
/ Upon the result of this examination, vigorously
made, first the Committees, and then by both
Houses OF Congress, the Judgment of Congress is
formed, and that judsme is expressed in the APP
Precipitation bill, applicable to the services oE the
year The appropriation BILL therefore, pronounces
The opinion Of Congress upon each and every lite IN
embraced 10y II, as necessary for the public service
/. and also upon the amount which may be applied to
each and every item The discussions upon The ap-
Popfi'uon niils, have tor many years past, been
rigorous s faithful.
he amount thus appropriated cannot be exceed
cd. ih,S Is true, not only in general but also in
every detail. The Head oil a Department is limit
ca III his contingent expenses, 10 the amount which
} Is appropriated for his Department The head of a
subordinate branch is confined TO the sum estimat.
a., ed Tor that branch. Neither can draw from the
I treasury one dollar beyond the appropriation
And each, in his respective expenditures is to keep
WITHIN the bounds prescribed for The particular
heau oil expenditure; so that what is assigned for
one service cannot be employed for another IL is
obvious, therefore, that 10 the amount to- be en-
pended Tor contingencies, the objects for which
IL Is 10 be expended, very little is left to the dscre-
on OF the officer and ii ought 10 be remembered
that, as it is his first duty to see that the public
service is performed, he must not sacrifice that for
the purpose OF saving the money placed at his dis
posal for its performance
The expenditure tsclfnext comes under review
IL in,
tables accompanying the letter of the Secretary oil
The treasury at each session of congress under its
appropriate heads. In pursuance ola standing or.
! der Ut the House, made the 30th OF December
t9I, there IL also published IN annual account OF
ali receipts and payments for the year, giving the
, name OF every individual 10 whom payment has
been made from the Treasury. And still further
10 secure the faithful application of the public mo-
heys, there is Standing Committee appointed al
every Congress, upon each of the Departments OF
me Government, whose business il is to examine
d! into their expenditures; 10 see whether :" they are
supported ny proper vouchers, establishing theii
business, both as TO their character and amount VI
ana - whether amy rctrcnchments can be made d
80 that after undergoing the scrutiny OF the ac-
counting officers, where, like all other accounts
, they must be supported by proper vouchers, they
are again examined by Committee of the House
. II ought 10 be further remarked that every off
CIR Is liable az all times to be called upon by 4
! resolution OF the House; and that by the prevail
/ ing practice, this power really belongs TO every
: member, Tor no call Is ever resisted or oDposed
III would be difficult to devise any plan by which
thls point OF the contingent expenses of the De-
phrtinents could be more closely brought or more
continually kept, under the notice of Congress for
It's appreciation or censure, or more rigid account
ability exacted. But this Though highly impor-
tdnD IS not SO much the occasion of the obserya-
tons which have been made, as another remark
, 10 which they naturally give rise, and which is
deemed worthy OF attention. The minority Of the
committee VIII endeaVor TO explain what they
mean so distinctly as not to be mi understood
As the appropriation, OF each year, for the con-
ungcnt expenses # the Departments are founded
upon estimates Tor that year. and adapted 10 the
! service expected to occur il will follow in gene
raj, that the mere fact that the expenditure is
greater or less than in any preceding wear taken
! by itself, cannot be evidence OF extravaganza or
economy, be the just occasion of praise or CEN
sure. In an expenditure 10 greater than that of
the contingencies, snail addition might be the
cause OF d considerable comparative increase. An
instance IN point VIII be found among the accounts
furnished from the Treasury. In the years 1925,
1870, and 1877, II became necessary, in conse-
qucuce OF the provisions of the law AUTHORIZING the
loans of 1873 dnd 1871 that The certificates 10 be
paid of should he determined by LOT, and that the
! holders OF Them should have due notice." The
nece >sity was thus produced for publishing adver-
liscments throughout the United States stating the
numbers and amounts of the certificates 10 be re d.
deemed. This had not occurred before for many
years. To provide for the expense Of advertising
the appropriation bill Of 1926 allowed the sum OF
O,OOU - Ars, and the appropriation bill OF 1921
IKE stumbling the amounts estimated for that
service Tor the three years. This single addition
incident TO the discharge of the public debt was
sufficient to vary considerably, not only the con-
hngent expenses Of the IL lsury, but even Of the