Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-05-01
CONGRESSIONAL.

In The House Of Representatives., april 10, lS4O-On
the bill making appropriation for the civil and dipo
matte expenses of the Government for the year sIO
Mr. DUNCAN having the floor, said:
MIR. CnAIRMAS: believe the bill before the
mittee is the general appropriation bill.
The CHAIR answered, it was.
will inquire If there is any particular amendment
or any particular section Of the bill, under discus
sion?
The CHAIR answered, no
30 supposed, from the range and character Of the
debate yesterday The debate yesterday was monopo-
lied by the Opposition; and they talked of every thing
that IS now, ever was and is to come-abuses of pow
err panic, ruin and dcsolaon, of our amented country
and the profgacy and extravaganza of the Admins
tration formed, usual, the principal themes Well
SIR like such latitude in debate; it is in character
with the LIBERAL attudInarnn, and free spirit of our
political and religious institutions think will take
advantage of the latitude in debate now enjoyed, and
tlk of some things tnn not Immediately oenneetcu
.ihl the subject before the committee
1t is perhaps necessary for me to inform the people
oths country that such is the frame and character of
our Government, that the Executive has no power to
appropriate dollar of the public money for any purpose,
nor has he power TO cxpcnd dollar only he is au-
thorized by Congress. Whatever of prohigacy may
exist in the mana gement of this Government must be
exclusively charged to Congress; and yet the gentle
man from Vrgnia Mr. Wsel stated on Yesterday
that the Executive is, and has bcen responsible for the
last six or seven years for every dollar which has been
appropriated and expended by Congress. The gen
tlemen holds the Executive responsible for that over
which he has control Can the President control the
expenditures of Congress- No, sir Congress has the
power of making appropriations IL any amount and for
any purpose wi,hou. consulting the Presdent-wilh-
out his approbation and contrary 10 hiss wish The
power Of the President to prohibit cXravagant appro
pratinns is negative; and even that power avails him
nothing provided two.th!rdS Of each branch o.! Con
gress for appropriation; for the bill making the
appropriation, that case, law with without his
signature or appreciation. Sir refer you to The Pre-
sidcnts messages and to the reports and estimates Of
the Secretary of the Treasury FOR the truth of the fact
that half of all the moneys appropriated done by
the authority, and upon the responsibility of Congress
alone The Secretary Of the Treasury presents TO Con-
gress estimates of the amount OF appropriations neces
sarv FOR Government purposes, and the President
dorses these estimates and recommends them. Here
his responsibility ends; but Congress have yearly made
appropriations far above the estimate of the Secretary of
the Treasury, and for other purposes entirely than
those recommended is the Executive to be held
ponsible for such appropriations these, and,
sequence of them denounced for extravaganza and pro-
racv far and wide the Union: The intelligence of
an honest community supcrsedcs the necessity of reply
to such dcnuncIatlons
Bu, let me refer you TO the journals of tins House,
for the truth of another strange fact That is, that
more than three fourths of all the appropriations made
over and above the estimates recommended by the Sec
rotary, and endorsed By the President have been pro-
posed by the Opposition, and carried by majority of
their votes. How does this fact correspond with the
nevcrccasng howl of extravaganza with which
ANNOYED, and with which the country is prTprtuay
alarmed
The gentleman from Massachusetts, MR. CrsruSG
followed in the wake Of the gentleman from Virginia.
and cnncurs with him in holding the Executive rcSpon-
sblc for sic appropriations ics, scr; he goes further
he not only holds hn responsible for such approPria-
tons but he holds him responsible for any estimates that
he NAV recommend over aud above what may strictly be
wanted for the ordinary support OF the Government
Further he holds the Executive responsible for failing
to recommend oot;aato. md appropriations for r"r
poses of internal improvements, when and where they
are or shall be necessary. This is strict accountab
lily on the broadcast principles and what does it all
mean, 1t means, sir, 1st. If Congress appropriaes
money without the knowledge and contrary TO the
wish Of the President, he is to be held responsible
Cd If the President recommends one dollar over the
estimates actually necessary for Government purposes,
for internal improvements or any other purpose he IS
to he held responsible and denounced for extravaganza
and progacy; and lastly If the President withholds
his recommendation of appropriations for the purposes
Of internal improvements security the scaboard,
&C. he is to be held responsible, and denounced for
.smeqnly sncakng and Skniking from the responsible
lity and duties attached TO his office.
Verify, these gentlemen remind of certain
Procrustes once read OLA man of horrible cruelty.
II ia said of him that he used 10 place bed, travel
lers who fell into his hands, and if they too long
for his bed he off the projecting part, and they
were too short, he placed anvils under their feet,
and beat them out till they equalcd the length OF the
bed.
Mr. Chairman j am not eytravagant when say, one
half of the time of this House is consumed by the Op.
posit;on in denouncinr the Administration for its profit
rocv and extravaganza II the Opposition sincere in
the CHARGES which they make will the people not hold
them 10 fearful accountability for their gross neglect OF
duty when they appriscd othe fact that not The first
ATTEMPT has been made by that party to reform the
abuses of which they compain' If such abuses exist,
the solemn oath they have taken in presence OF tica-
ven and man. to faithfully discharge their official dn-
ties binds them to the throne of eternal responsibility
TO their conscience and to their country, to point out
those abuses, and to recommend n remedy. If they
will the Democratic party here, to man, will gladly
;oin with Them heart and hand, in assisting them in
reformation Where the abuses of winch you COM
nIain, Are there more officers than necessary to
manage the Government then point them out, and they
will be removed Are there officers who do not do their
dutys point them out, and they Will be reformed Are
The salaries of officers and clerks higher than necessary
10 secure men competent and qualified to discharge the
duties and trusts severaly connected with their otIces
,hcn point them out, and they will be reduced Sir,
have right to demand that the Opposition shall dis
CHARGE the duties have here proposed. The country
will demand it at their hands, or they must cease their
camor of proigacy against the Administration But
thew will not attempt TO propose reform, or point out
an evil They know that the Government IS as well
and as economically administered as 1t can be. lhey
know that the business of the Government cannot be
than are now Employed and they also know that com.
peten men cannot be obtained to discharge the official
duties for salaries reduced below their present stand
ard.
Extravaganza and proficiency is the howl of the de-
magoguc in all Governments, and it is the howl OF the
dcmagoguc in this Government.
have said that the Opposition have pointed to no
instance of extravaganza was wrong They have
pointed out one item. aude to The public printing
That item has been thrown up TO the Democracy more
than ono thousand times this session; and from the tact
that that single item has been harped upon IN almost
evcrv speech that has been made by the Opposition,
is fair 10 presume they know of no other instance OF
extravagance and how do they stand in relation to that
During the last Congress the Opposition had decided
majority in this House. They elected Printer OF their
own party Yes sir, they elected man of their own;
and who was he: miserable tool ola miserable faction
II mean the Conservatives)a empty brainless cox
comb, without name, residence, or oohold on the
face the earth--a pennycss caer--one Of the gaunt
ouncnn ofice-scekers that besct this Capitol, and ride
you ike the nightmare; without the means of doing the