Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1838-03-17

Mr. Adams moved that The bill be referred 10 The Com
mitlee on Manufactures. sr,,,,-
Mr. Dawson that it be sent 10 the Commute on Goha'
merce r yv,r.
and Means. ILL
Mr. Adams said that he was not peculiarly favorable
n the interests which might be supposed to be n1useu
Inv the bill but lie considered il virtually an ATTACK on
the compromise which had been agreed 10 respecting e
tariff ~ ,t
Mir Dawson said that similar bill had come from The
Senate last year. and been referred 10 The Committee on
Manufactures who had reported against IT. lie appe-
beDded like result now, and therefore moved the Com
mlee on Commerce, since the bill might appropriately
be sent 10 either.
MIR Adams reoiced 10 hear the principle advocated by
the gentleman from Georgia that bill ought not 10 be
sent to committee which was supposed to be adverse
TO its object. He had himself been preaching t!at doc.
trjne for these three years past but the more lie preached
,ne way the more determined the Speaker had becn IN
,pcd;np the other. He hoped that when ne objected TO
sending measure or memorial to the Comin'tlee on
Foreign fairs because he knew that Committee 10 be
opnosed TO that measure The object OF The memorial
the principle of the gentleman from Georgias objection
would be had in remembrance.
The bill was sent the Committee on Manufactures
The House then went into Committee CT the Whole on
the stale of the Union hr Casey in the chair and re-
sumed the consideration of the
CIVIL AND DIPLOMATIC APPROPRIATION BILL.
The House having resumed, in Committee OF the
Whole, the Annual General Appropriation Bill!
In.
clause providing for the deposite bank clerks in the De-
parnpn, of the Treasury opposed By Mr. Camorei
eng and MIR. Mckay, the ground that the dulles OF
these clerks just onsrous and even more So IMAM
before the banks had stopped payment and letter was
read from The Secretary stating that the department
could not get on without their services Mr.. mchay
stated that these clerks regularly appointed by
law and the Secretary had power 10 pay Them out oil ie
contingent fund Of The Department, they would still be
employed though the appropriation should be stricken
out
Mr. Bell thcreupon Withdrew his amendment, but re-
ferred with 10 practice very prevalent I'D Tue
Departments, we'll under former as the present Aom'
nstatons Of refining clerks whose ohclai outes were
very inconsderabe their chief occupation being TO wFile
in defence of the measures Of Government
On motion Of Mr.. Cambreeng, the appropriation 'oF
the United Suites District Courts was augmented from
600 10 $3.50 OOO in anticipation CT the increase OF
business on The frontier under the late law 10 preserve
neutrality. = :
An item of $4,000 was inserted to repair the roof Of
the Mint at Charlotte, South Carolina.
The residue of the sitting was occupied IN tie discus
sion of motion of Mr. Mckay, of North Carolina 10
strike GU, the item of 1900 for the salaries OF our con.
suIs at Paris and London. In this debate, Alessrs
Mckay Can,breleng, Haynes Bronson, Mercer, How
n,d Shepperd of North Carolina. and Adams took part
The pround Of The objection was that salaries were
aoorppraed BY law consus but those to The Bar
barry States and rule Of the House forbade the intro
duclon of any item into appropriation bill or e1pen'
diturc not warranted by previous law, save Tor pubic
contingent expenses of the dieren, Departments of the
Government.
The appropriation was defended on the ground that
the officers now called Consuls at London and Paris
used formerly to be known by the title Of agents OF
claims" at those capitals but had no longer any
claims which needed their presence there, they had by
degrees grown in fact into Consus, performing all the
duties of the Consulate and in the last appropriation
bill their designation had been altered to that oil Con
suIs which they really were that the salary was July
earned and indispensable 10 their remaining at their
posts that their did not come within the rule
The office Of Consul existing under the law OF natlons
and not by municipal law; and their salary having,
in fact been provided for in The law Of last session.
Tia, the President had the power OF appointing IN.
formal agents. and assigning 10 them their allowance
as bad been done by President Washington; and
Mr. Adams in particular, insisted that the constu-
lonol power Of the President to appoint foreign minis
ters and consus involved in it, incidental power
the right to fix the salary they should receive; although
Congress- and particularly The House OF Representatives.
had check upon The exercise Of that power by its power
of asserting to refusing pay the salary ana he SAID
that this principle was recognised in The language OF me
act of 1870 which provided that the President should
no, pay the diplomatic agents there enumerated com.
pensations e1cccding The specified in the act I'M
plying that he might part Of the power belonging
to his Office both appoint with The assent OF the Senae)
and fix the allowance of those officers; hut that Tie
House would agree 10 pay over the specihc sum ny
thrm specified.
Mr. Mckay protested against This monsrous pro-
position; and Mr.. Mercer declined, also, to yeia II his
assent.
Before any decision was had the committee rose and
the House adjourned.