The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-01-12

news may have come who have 1aed 70 account ior ana
nav over the same, required ny law, and have in
| consequences been sued and il oil the correspondence
relating TO each ease well that 10 rs from the Office,
should be required then am satisfied could not be
furnished by the number oil clerks in less than
/ double the time,
. was DESTROYS If possible, to have prepared the
copies Of the correspondence required. The originals
are all on file, comprising well the letters received
from the parties themselves their agents, and Others
as those from the officers Of the United States expa-
naory Of and in relation TO, each Copies Of the
erters and instructions from the Office also dolly
recorded Time, therefore, and the necessary means,
are alone waning enable the information be fur
nished But it will embrace transcript Of almost the
entire business of the Office for nearly four years past
the amount OF which may be Judged from the fact that
the letters from the Office, since the Let Of January
1884 extend four folio yolumes and those addressed
TO il, with the documents, considerably more nume
rous. The extension Of custom house bonds between
the lth OF May and the LIST Of October, amounting TO
more than eight thousand cases-al OF which being
done by district attorneys, had TO be here recorded
and the duties consequent by the acts OF Congress rea
tive TO the settlement with the former dcpose banks,
have obliged partially to postpone such OF the ordi-
nary business OF the Office as could without immediate
disadvantage but found that il, in addition to these.
attempted TO prepare the transcript OF The corresPon-
dence referred to, it would necessarily require every
thing else to be laid aside
VERY respectfully yours,
| : SOtohW % inc treasury
"To the Hon LEVI WOODBURY.,
| g Secretary Of he Treasury"
That the Solicitor of the Treasury regarded this
| resolution as requiring an extent of correspondence
and documents not called for by it, and never de-
signed BIZ its mover is manifest upon its face. The
call was confined TO eIiting defateations, and me
correspondence in reference 10 them; II did not call
for any correspondence documents in reference 70
| Custom House bonds, or Deposite Bank bonds. II
was confined exclusively TO eriting defaaiters do
not doubt that the Solicitor OF the Treasury was con-
scentious in his Interpretation of the resolution, al
| though mistaken, and have NO complaint against
| him.
The editor of the "Globe" supposing that this let
ter afforded him fair opportunity of giving vent to
his vipdctiye feelings towards me, and that il would
exhibit plauSibliy Of the truth OF its charge,
that was seeking job tor the fcderal' and con-
erratire" presses, he calls them, makes the fol-
lowing bold assertion;
"No sooner was Mr.. GARLAND apprised that the
call voted for the joint supply of The Federal and
Conservative presses was great as TO require new
corps of clerks then he moved the following resolu-
ton, as appears from the Journal" ....
s'. "HousE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
-. ....... February6 6, 1888. !
"Mr. Garland, of Virginia, BY consent, offered the
! following resolution:
Resotred by The Senate and House of Representatives
of The United States of Americd That the Secretary
Of the Treasury be authorized TO employ as many
temporary clerks shall be necessary TO enable him
|
dence called for by the resolution Of The House of
Representatives of the 18th day of October last, in
relation to public defaullers.
1.-THE said resolution read the first and second
time, and the question stated that it be engrossed
and read third time; and after debate, the hour ex
pred and the House proceeded 10 business on The
| Speakers table"
i What is the evidence of the haste with which 1
availed myself Of the extent of this call to benefit the
tcderaW and " conservative" presses thus charged
Il letter. e.
turned on the I'm of January 1885, and offered
this resolution on the 9Th of February following, af
ter the document containing the Solicitors letter had
been printed and in the hands of every member Of
the House; and every one of whom knew, well
| as did, what would be the volume of correspon-
dence elected by it, When offered this resolution,
| it was offered by the unanimous consent OF the
House, after having been read by the clerk in lis
hearing
In the debate which took place. referred to by the
"Globe," according 10 the report OF II BY the Globe"
itself, but single member objected on account of
the large volume of the correspondence called for,
and that was Mr.. Graves of Kentucky" In that
debate, Gen Mckay Of North Carolina, firm and
decided friend OF the administration said he :" was
not opposed 10 the OBJECT Of this resolution, but he
objected 10 the form, as the Secretary of the Trea
sury might appoint as many clerks as he pleased,
without authority Of law and if this con-
ceded, it might be augmented 10 any amount 1t was,
in its present FORM vioalive of every principle Of
the constitution" There is much force in this OBJ
lection. Mr.. Cambreleng, the Chairman Of the
Committee OF Ways and Means, and decided
friend Of the administration, in the same debate,
said He did no, rise TO oppose the resolution for
on the other hand, he would give his most cordial
| support, &c the remainder of his remarks had
reference 10 the character of the report which had
come in and which he sligmatized as ibellous, The
debate was cut off by the expiration of the morning
hour in which alone, by the rules of the House, the
resolution could be considered And the resolution
was never called up tor the action of the House. for
| the reasons which, shall hereafter state.
The Globe" with what fairness and candor, l
leave TO an impartial public TO decide gives the fol-
lowing account Of the finale OF this resolution
1.-THE debate It seems brought this joint printing
movement of the Conservatives and FederaliSts to
stand. From the 9th Of February, to the 2lst of
May, the jobbing gentlemen paused in their anxious
documentary purveying and at last discovered that
which was at first indispensable, as to brook no
delay in recruiting clerks totranscribe for printing
was IN truth not worth moments further conside-
ration by the House. |. was therefore, without d.
vision on May, 81, 1888
Ordered That the joint resolution to authorize
the Secretary OF the Treasury to employ temporary
clerks, do lie on the table"
Would it be for moment supposed that who
had introduced this "joint' printing movement of
this debate had been brought "to aaad," had
moved to lay this identical resolution on the table
II was even SOL did ii, and the Globe" itself
shall be my witness. In the Globe of the ODD Of
May, 1898 is the following report of the disposition
of this resolution: -+.
The joint resolution authorizing the employment
Of clerks in the Department of State, was on mo-
tion Of Mr. Gariand Of Virginia, laid on The table."
The reporter has mistaken the State for the Trea-
Sury Department-here was no such resolution de-
pending to the State Department; the journal of
the House contains the true resolution Why did
! move to lay this resolution on the tablet Was it
because had been brought 10 stand" as alledged
by the "Globe 2" Was il for the reason assigned
BY the Globe7 No, tar from tit was because
there was nothing for the resolution to act upon as