Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1830-04-02
QOM@NWSS.
March 10, 1880.
IN SENATE.

/
IN SENATE
| FRIDAY, MARCH 26.
Inc resolution submitted by Mr.. Barton, on the
Za INST, IN relation to removals appointments TO
Office by the Executive, was taken up, and postponed
to- and made the order Of the day for tho 9th of next
month";
The bill declaratory of the several acts TO provide
cr certain persons engaged the land naval SER
vice oil the U. States in the revolutionary war having
been also read the first time and some opposition TO the
second reading of the bill having becn ;,,fora ia;
Gated, ~
Mr. Webster asked that the question on passing the
Dill to second reading be taken by yeas s. nays They
were ordered.
Mr. Foot hoped that the bill would be passed 10 n &C.
coma reading Committee of the Senate had had the
subject OF the bill under considerations and had report
ed bill having the object i'm view hut Differing
rom II In this particular, that it of so compre
hensive nature. The attention of Congress was call
cd TO the subject by the President in his messages he
therefore hoped that the bill would net be refused
second reading without receiving discussion.
The bill was then ordered to second reading by the
following vote: o.
YEAS-Messrs Barton, Burnett Chase, Dickerson.
dudley, Root, Frelinghuysen, Hendricks, Marks Nau
dam, Robbins, Ruggcs Sanford, Seymour Slsbee
s'prague, Webster, Wiley, woodbury-I9.
cr mM nIHmessTs. ADAMS Benton, Brown, Forsyth,
"rundy Hayne, lredcll, Johnston, Kane, King McKin
Ley, Mclean, Rowan, Smith of Md, Smith of S. c.,
Iroup, Tylcr-17.
! The engrossed bill to authorize the mounting and e.
quPmen oil part oil the Army of the S., was read
the third tne passed. to the H. of
tives for concurrence
Inc Senate concurred in the amendment, proposed by
me ~; oil ~ to the bill or the relief of the purchasers
| OF public lands"
The bill 'to reorganize the establishment of the At
'orney General and erecting it into Executive De-
paTuhcnt was taken up for second reading
MI Rowan rose to explain the objects of the bill
whch he said, was OF importance TO the fiscal
OIL he country which have occasionally been injured by
reason oil me incompetency of the United States Dis
ct Atornies The Treasury would also be benefited
by the enactment of the bill. IL is provided that after
sun snal nave been ordered in any whatever no
'IapE nf
court, United States District Attorney or any other
son than the Marshal of the u States shall he author
Yea 10 receive the money from any such debtor or debt.
os Out IN all cases payment shall be made to the
sna' oil the District, where the suit has taken pIace
Inc duties oil the Agent of the Treasury are by the hill
transferred to and vested in the Attorney General II
mas oeen also believed by the Committee that transfer
OF the Patent Office to the Department of Law would
be an improvement 1t has been thought that all The
duties connected with the Patent Office which are now
required by law to he performed by the Secretaryo
State and all applications which are required TO he sub
nltted TO him, ought to be performed by and submitted
10 me Attorney General. The Secretary has now 10
undergo considerable Inconvenience and trouble b. those
duties being imposed upon him. and il has been deemed
proper TO consign them all by bill TO the Attorney Gen.
era Inc Dill also provides that the publication of the
Laws oil the United States shall be done under The an,
perintendence of the Attorney General duty which
now assigned TO the Secretary of State The CIerk
who is now charged with this duty in the ate De.
partment is to be transferred to the Law Department
MS measure has been suggested by the consideration
mat the Secretary of State may be- he is not re-
CURED to be, professional 1t is supposed that
this duty can be better done by an Individual who 4.
sun engaged in the profession OF the law than by one
who is not. ~
MIR: r. said he did not know whether the bill would
DC objected to by any gentleman. II agreed to, il
would relieve the Stale Department from those duties
which have suggested the project OF establishing Home
department, measure urged by the former Execu-
uve The Secretary of State will then be left to the
conducting OF the foreign relations of the country
while the business Of the Patent Office and the s,.
pcrntendence OF the collection of debts due the Co
verHmcni, will be confined 10 the Head Of this De-
partmcnt. The Attorney General is TO be the head OF
Inc Law Department: he Is required to s,iperinepd
all suits in which the United States is pary and hi,
practice is confined to the Supreme Court cases in in
Terror courts 10 be conducted by deputy All the ,u.
ties performed by, and all the powers and authority
ed in the Agent of the Treasury are proposed 10 he
transferred TO the Attorney General. We have been
told, said Mr.. Rowan, that the Government has sus.
tanned serious losses from the improper manner OF col
Letting the revenue, and from the mode Of
defaultcrs.
n Mr.. Webster, In = spor;ive manner, warned Mr. r.
net to infringe on the secret session discussions.
Mr. Rowan said, hs not aware that he " AZ guil
ty OF any violation of the rule. in what he ssi .sd n,
thee proceeded 10 state the evils resulting from The pre-.
sent mode OF collecting the revenue and Of institution
'ni. against delnquens. These evils the bill wa. in
tended 10 remedy. The Attorney General il row a
member Of The Cabinet; and this measure, " carried
into effect will not impose upon him more duties than
what, as member Of the Cabinet he is now required
10 discharge.
THE bill further provides, that an Assistant shall he
WI,
also TO act as Chief Clerk in the Law Department. at
salary OF $4,000 per anrum, besides Assistant Clerks
Messengers &c. The salary of the Attorney General
is 10 he placed level with that Of the other Head.
Of Departments, namely, SO 900 per snnun.1
Al MIR. Webster said, this a subject which certain.
lyrequired consideration. He opposed to the OBJ.
jects Of the bill altogether, although lie agreed that the
evils complained Of which il propo'ed to remedy, exist
ed The business n the Departments had out gro wn
the provi'ion made for their esiablishment-hs bust
Dess had out grown what the organization OF the De.
parmens contemplated. especially that Of the State De-
parmeni; aud 90 far as The bill proposed 10 remedy th
evil the objects OF IL jusii6abe. But IL PROPOSES
TO transfer the dates Of the Patent Office, with III
Clerks & officers, to the a. Gcnera-to the Law De.
4 paumeni.-Mr. w. objected 10 any measure, which
would give this anomalous. this amb Suous character Il
The AtDey General, while he at The time shn
. out from practsiDg in any other than the Suprcm,
. Court Of the United Stafes. You would thus said Mr.
W., turn him into half accountant, half lawyer
half eierkin fine, half Of every hing, and much
. OF any thing. The true will be, 10 have
Home Department, if you choose 10 call IL Jv tina
name; adepartment,b he meant, for the management
The internal affairs of the country. This sniec Ia,
o hitherto undergone discussion, aud referred TO
Select Committee, RI which he, in company with III
Senator from Louisiana, mir. Jolnsop,I had the homo