Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1836-02-05

rcmlssness, all negligence, all inatten,ion
amidst the laigucs and exhaustion Of the
closing hours Of Congress. Nothing pass.
ed unheeded, nothings was overlooked.
nothing forgotten and nothing slightnd.
And now, sir, | would proceed immedi-
ately to give the history of the Fortified
ton Bill. If it were not necessary as intro-
ductory. and as showing the circumstances
under which the Senate was called on to
transact the public business, first to refer
to another bill which was before US, and to
the proceedings which were had upon it.
1t is well known, sir, that the annual
appropriation bills always originate in The
House Representatives. This is so much
the course, that no one ever looks TO see
such bill first brought forward in the
Senate. l. is also well known, sir, that it
has been usual, heretofore, to make the
annual appropriations for the Military A.
cademy at West Point in the general bill,
winch provds for the pay and support of
the army. But last year, the army bill did
not contain any appropriation whatever, for
the support of West Point. | took notice
of his singular omission when the bill was
before the Senate, but presumed, and in.
deed understood that the House would
send us a separate bill for the Military
Academy. The army bill. therefore, pass
eG but no bill for the Academy at West
Point appeared. We waited for it from
day to day, and from week to week, but
waited in vain. At length, the time for
sending bills from one house to The other
according to the joint rules of the two
houses expired and no bill had made its
appearance for the support of The Military
Academy. These joint rules. as is well
known. are sometimes suspended on the
application of one house to the other, in
favor Of particular bills, whose progress
has been unexpectedly delayed, but which
The public interest requires to be passed.
But the house Of Representatives sent Us
no request 70 suspend the rules in favor OF
a bill FOR the support Of The Military Acad-
envy, nor made any other proposition to
save the institution from immediate disco
luton. withstanding all the talk about
a war. and The necessity Of a vote for the
three Millions. the Military Academy. an
institution cherished so long, and at so
much expense, was on the very point Of
being entirely broken up.
Now it so happened, sir, that at this time
there was another appropriation bill which
had come from the Honse Of Representa-
tvcs, and was before the Commlttce Of Fl
nance here. The bill was entitled AN
act max ing appropriations, for the civil and
diplomatic expenses Of the government for
he year 1885.
In this state ofthings, several members
Of he House of Representatives applied to
he committee, and besonght US to save
the Academy by anncXirg the appropria-
tions for lis support to the bill tor civil and
diplomatic service. We spoke TO them, in
reply If tho unIi' ness. the lrrcgularly. the
iucongruity. Of this forced union of such
dlsslmlar subjects? but they told us it was
a case of absolute necessity, and that,
without resortins to this mode the appro-
pration could not get through. We ac
quicsce1, sir, in thee suggestions, We
went ont of our way. We agreed to do
an extraordinary an in irregular thing. in
order to save the public business from mis-
carriage. By direction of the committee,
| moved the Senate to add an appropria-
ION for the Military Academy to the bill
The bill was so amended and in this form
the appropriation was finally made.
But this was not all, The bill for the
civil and diplomatic service being thus
amended by lacking the Military Academ,
upon it, was sent back by us to the House
of Representatives, where its length o
tail was to be still much further increased
That House had before it several subjects
for provision. and for appropriation, upol
which it bad not passed any bill, before ih
time for passing bills to be sent to the Sen
ate had elapsed. 1t was anxious that lhes
things should, in someway, be provide
for, and when the dlplomatlc bill came bacI
drawing the Military Academy after il
it was thought prudent to attach to it va
rious of these other provisions. Their
were two propositions to pave streets
the city of Washington, 10 repair the CAY
e ita, and various other things, which it Wa
necessary to provide for, and they, therefor
q were put into the same bill, by way
d amendment to an amendment; that is
s say. we had been prevailed on to amer
: their bill for defraying the salary of OF
" ministers abroad, by adopting an approprl
ton for the Military Academy; and The
e proposed to amend this our amendmel
by adding TO it matters as german 10 it
IN it was to the original bill. There was al
/; the Presidents gardener. His salary W
De unprovded for and there was no way
'e remedying this important omission, but
giving him place in the diplomatic servi
'u bill, among charges d'affares. ENJOYS extr
u ordinary, and ministers plenipotentiur
e. In and among these ranks, therefore,
OF was formally introduced by the amendme
Dy of the House. and there he now stands,
% you will readily see, by turning to the la
Sir, ! have not the pleasure to know Il
a