Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1831-04-02


The amendment making provision for the pay OF ex-
ira Clerks in the Post Office Department was disagreed
to. having been reported against by the Committee OF
Ways and Means.
The item allowing compensation to Judge Cranch.
Tor extra labour in preparing code OF Laws for the
District tho having at their request assumed the share
which assigned TO two other Commissioners asso-
ciaed with him,) gave rise 10 short discussion, in
which Messrs. Ellsworth, Dodlridge and Dwight. ex-
planned the service which had been performed, and the
equity Of the clsim-and Mrs Mccoy opposed the sp
preparation being unsafe species Of Legislation.
The amendment agreed to.
The item providing for fees to be paid to assistant
counsel employed to aid the district attorneys Of the
United States had been originally $780, The amend
| mcnt recommended by the Committee of Ways and
Means, raised the sum to $4,000; the amendment Of
the Senate proposed still further to increase il to S.
OOO the last sum disagreed to- and the sppropria
| ton fixed at $4,000. The next amendment in order
was the appropriation Of $l5, 900, as compensation to
the Commissioners who negotiated the late treaty with
the Ottoman Porte The Committee Of Ways and
Means had recommended strike out the mendme mt
Of the Senate which provided for this item with pro-
vso going to dsapprove OF the appointment of the Com
mssoners during recess OF the Senate.
Mr.. Yerplanck, Chairman OF the Committee OF Ways
and Means explained the grounds on which that com.
mtce had recommended 10 strike out this item from
the amendments OF the Senate. OF the exact charac
ter Of the persons to be compensated, he would not
speak, there distinct evidence that SUBJ
ect before the House, whether they be under
stood as acting under special commission, the per-
agents OF the President, whether they were to
be considered charges des asres there was NO evil
dence on which TO decide The subject was known TO
have excited great warmth elsewhere, and the COM
mittee, considering the very inaccurate information
submitted to them, and believing that the great ques
ton entered Into by the provso likely especially
late period Of the session, TO delay and possibly
endanger the bill, and thereby injuriously to affect
other great interests had been unanannous in recon-.
mending that the whole amendment, we'll the APP
preparation the proviso accompanying il, should be
stricken out The parties concerned would he Presum
ed, be paid, either from the contingent fund.- or from
the service fund; but il not paid at this time
they take their chance of being provided for by
the next Congress. The committee considered il an
act of public duty, to report against the amendment.
Mr.. Wayne observed. that he found difficulty in
agreeing to the proposal OF the Committee OF Ways and
Means IL this appropriation should be stricken out,
there fund to which the individuals concerned
| could look for payment They had rendered important
services; they had been the agents in the highest
which one Department of the Government could per-
FORM He felt the force of the remarks of the gentle
man from New York, (Mr Verplanck,) and he was TO
certain extent constrained to acquiesce in them but
the House must make some certain provision for men
who had performed an important public service. Was
there other part of the bill to which additional APP
preparation might be appended, by which the object
could be secured In the estimate for the contingent
expenses OF foreign intercourse, there item OF
$4,000 There proposal to strike that out; and
with view 10 avoid debate, he would propose amend
the present amendment, by adding TO that clause the
words "and $l5 900, deray the contingent expense
OF foreign intercourse, heretofore incurred" The
Chair decided that it was not i'm order to amend an
amendment recommended by the Committee of Ways
and Means.
Mr. Ipgersoll said, the gentleman could easily arrive
at his object by allowing vote first to be taken the
be paid at ALL it should be of the secret service
fund. They had been appointed by the President, un-
der that power OF the Executive which gives him con
troll over this fund, and If they ought be paid in
that way Mr. 1. said he thought he perceived where
the difficulty of the gentleman lay: the gentleman was
apprehensve that the secret service fund had been
hausted. How that may be, Mr. |. said, he did not
know; the gentleman doubt knew better than he did
All that he could say was, that he thought the House
ought TO take question tho point before it, and
fhA nEt
Executive.
Mr.. Storrs of New York, professed not TO under
stand the debate. He did not know what gentlemen
meant when they talked about the service fund
being exhausted; he completely in the dark His
colleague from the Committee OF Ways and Means
(Mr Verplanck) told the House that that committee
had no NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. gentleman told them that
the commissioners had been appointed by somebody,
and that provision would be made for them by
somebody, nobody knew who. For himself, he was
in the secrets of the cabinet; neither the House
in those secrets. If any public ministers charges
10 be provided for, let the Government send the
House some informationet il send the treaties that
had been made; let il tell the House who the commits
sioners For his part, he did not find such
persons enumerated among diplomatic agents The
House asked to act in the dark somebody said they
wanted money, but the Government had not condes- |
cended to tell the people of the United States what 1t
wanted for. The House had received no estimate
report: the Government gave il information but
this; that wanted money. The House had facts to
go upon and he therefore hoped would strike out the
whole appropriation The item OF 25 900 for contingen
e,
not know what; he hoped that would be stricken out
too unless farther information given. When
he voted away money he liked to do il understandngIy
This not for the ordinary contingent fund.- if il
20 be spent in presents to the Grand Turk he
should like to know the fact. He wished know what
he doing Were these, 25 900 to be paid for gold
snuff boxes, diamond headed daggers, horses, urns
what il for'
M. yerplsuck asksd his colleague (sfr. Storrs)
whether ths object OF his inquiry waste obtain list
Of the special cohtn CANT expenses Of tho Turkish Is.
CATION? The present of 900 wai propos eA 10
be added 10 the OF 25 900, provided for general
contingent expenses IL usual lay the par.
culars OF fjreign intercourse directly or indirectly be.
fore the House.
Mr.. Wayne a,ked gentlemen t. state whethsr II this
article was stricken ou', certain persons who had re
dered public service would net be left TO take their
chance 10; being paid before next Congress, and he |
again asked, whether there not any other part Of
the bill on which amendDs mt could be grated TO
secure the payment Of value Of whose public
services bad bsen acknowledged by the highest act
which any Government could per FORM viz: the raV6
cation OF tho treaty which they ba d made.
Mr.. McDJtfie observed, that the question now was
only as one portion OF the Senstss amendment-io
the remainder the gentleman nigh add what he p
Mr.. Williams inquired whether IL the House st on
agree TO the amendment snded by the Commit
tee Of Ways and Means, and thus s.rks out part OF
the Ssoates amendment, the resdus might not after.
wards be stricken out!
The Speaker replied in the aft matlve.
MIR. Condiet asked Tor division Of the question 40
tina, might be put hst on tho and IN
m ha