Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Mass.) 1828-1830, 1830-03-30

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any other branch of the Government.
What, permit me to inquire, would be
gained by transferring the power? You,
Mr.. Speaker, employ topographer, and
pay him out Of the contingent fund of the
house, and the Secretary Of War would
employ some one, and pay him out Of the
contingent fund Of that Department so
that the objection which has been made,
that the pay ought not to come out of a
contingent fund, lays as strongly against
the amendment as it does against the fes-
olutlon of 1924. l say the Secretary
would pay out ofthe contingent fund, be-
cause we have proof before us that the of.
hcers now in the employ of the Depart
ment could not perform the service. There
IS now document lying on my table, in
which the President says he transmits to
you map Of the Cumberland Road,
which is the only one in The War Depart
meni, and asks that it may be returned
Tor That reason, and because there is no
copy to send to the Senate. Another
document before me, from the Secretary
OF War, says, that the Engineers and To-
pographers have been SO much employed,
that maps OF the surveys made under the
act OF 1874, could not be completed, and
ne assigns this as reason for not COM
plying with resolution ofthe House call
ing for the report of a survey long since
made. The Secretary would, therefore,
ne obliged 10 employ additional help, and
the pay would of course cons. out Of the
contingent fund. Can it be the policy Of
the House, under such circumstances, to
adopt the amendment, which will merely
transfer the execution of the trust from its
own principal officer to another Depart
ment OF the Government | will not, said
Mr.. D., dwell longer on this part Of the in
quiry, but will leave it, by observing, that
the proof Of the necessity for the service
appears to be clear and satisfactory, and
| am persuaded that the gentleman who
opened this debate laboured under msap-
prehension as to the facts, or he would
not have introduced the resolution.
The next inquiry is, have the services
been performed III manner satisfactory.
On this point | have heard no complaint,
nor can any well founded objection be
raised ; for an inspection ofthe maps and
profiles will satisfy any one that they are
executed with such neatness, skill and
accuracy, hat they might easily be taken
for good engravings.
But it was said, at the commencement
of the debate, that the office is senecure.
II this be true-if this individual enjoys
salary for which he renders 10 equiya-
lent, hope the house will dismiss him at
once, for we need the aid OF no such Off
GERS but | am persuaded that the gentle
man from New-York (Mr. De Wnl) was
mistaken in his information, when he
urged this as fact upon our consideration.
Much proof has been adduced to show the
errour, and shall not trouble the House
by adverting to it again but will be-
speak some further attention to document
from which the Chairman of the Commit
tee, mr. WicklIfe) read some extracts,
and | regretted thathe did not read the
whole. 1t is, sir, letter from the Clerk
Of this House, ELECTED by call of that
member upon him for information. 1t
appears, by this document, that the drafts
man has received ofthe government sum
of money there set down for all his servi-
ces. 1t also appears, by the estimate Of
one of your officers in the Land Office,
that if the government had employed
persons to do exactly the same service. at
the usual rate of pay, it would amount to
sum fmoney there set down. On COM
pairing this debt and credit, it appears that
We have saved just about $1,000. Does
this show that the office is a sinecure! !
that the government is wasting its treasure
to pamper an idIer! No, sir, on the con-
trary, it proves that he has been faithful
and diligent in his vocation, doing more
for you than others would for the same
measure ofpay, and that no retrenchment
will be effected by dismissing him; but
we shall be exposed to heavier charges, to
greater expenditures, by the proposed
change. The nation does not demand
such reform as this. / win not dwell
longer on this topick, but go to another.
An argument has been pressed upon US
which deserves a passing notice. II has
been said, that no law authorizes this APP
pointment. and the inference is that it is
an usurpation on your part, Mr.. Speaker.
A resolution was passed by this House in
1924, which authorized the appointment;
but | suppose gentlemen mean to be un-
derstood to assert that it expired with the
Congress that passed it. 1t is, however,
sufficiently broad, in its terms to Justify
your course, and has been deemed sufi-
cient authority by a succession of Speak
ers. No abuse is pretended to have result
ted from this exercise of power, for the
Governs,ent has received full equivalent
for its money but still it is said to be
illegal. | like this profound reverence
for the law; but, sir, if this is nsurpation,
there is much of the power exercised BY
the Chair of the same character. Who
appoints the messengers in and out Of this
Hall ? Who appoints the Postmaster Of
| A. Ho.eo Who L. ,~o.c~rs that <ouJ