Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1840-02-21

MIR PErRIKrN his objection to it.
Mr. BELL. said It was the constant usage
to put questions to the chairman of the
Committee of Ways and Means touching
business introduced by him.
After some alteration, Mr.. JONES was
allowed to respond to the inquiry, and
said that it was the practice of the De-
partmcnt always to forward funds in adj
vance certain time, he did not exactly
know how long, before the period when
the pensions were to be paid but he in
terred it as fact that the money for this
year had not been SO forwarded, be-
cause the amount of uneypended balances
from last year, under one head of PEN
siols, would not more than meet the
amount necessary. There was enough,
under other heads, to meet the amount
for the first half year, but not under that
head to which this bill belonged.
The question on suspcndng the rules
was taken by yeas and nays, and decided
as follows: Yeas 100, nays 40.
There being two-thirds in the aflirma-
tive, the rules were suspended.
MIR JONES then moved that the House,
OF | O'Clock, 90 into committee of the
Whole on the state of the Union to take
up this Pension bill.
MIR GARLAND wished to have read a
statement from the Pension Office, show
ing that there was already an amount of
81 100000 to meet the payments for
which this bill was asked.
Mir JONES repeated the statement he
had before made.
Mr. GARLAND, of Louisiana, said that
the agents for the payment of these PEN
sions were, for the most part, banks, or
the presidents or cashiers of banks, or
else leading politicians, special favoritcs
of the Administration, and they had al
ready in their hands money in abundance
whcrewith to pay.
Mr. BEATTY called for the orders of the
day.
The Clerk had begun to read the paper
from the Pension Office referred to by
Mr. Garland, when
MIR TURNEY objected, and demanded
the previous question on Mr. JONES
motion.
Mr. GARLAND said, if the gentleman
from Tennessee was going to stand on
strict rule, the gentlcman's own motion
floor, and as the reading of the paper by
the Clerk was objected to, he would read
it himself.
He accordingly proceeded to read a
general statement from the Commissioner
of Pensions, stating the amounts due UNI
der each pension law, together with the
balances on hand to meet them.
The whole pension list, he said
amounted to about four millions. There
was applicable atthis moment 81 100000
and yet here was bill asking for two OIL
three millions more, to 90 into the hand,
of the pensions agents. Some of these
were banks, others Governors or OK
Governors of States, political fayoritcs O
the Administration, who would hold tho
money before 1t was due, and use 1t tol
their own benefit. This was all the COM
pcnsation they received for disbursing tho
money. twas time to correctthis abuse
Nor was there any reason for all this
haste and urgency in pressing the prcscn
bill by suspension of the rules.
Mr. JONES insisted that the gentleman
from Louisiana (Mr Garland) had made
statements which were not warranted b,
the practice of the Government. Tho
gentleman supposed the pensions to b'
paid quarterly, and, as there was over ;
million on hand, the gentleman seemed Il
suppose that the appropriation in the bill
was unnecessary. Mr. J. would corrcc
him. The pensions were paid half
yearly.
Mr. GARLAND said he was fully aware
of that, but insisted that there was cnoug
money on hand to meet the halt-yearl
payment.
MIR JONES said that the hali-ycarl
amount was about two millions of dollars
if the gentleman could pay this wit
81, 400 900 it was a mode extremely con
vcnient, and would, no doubt, becom
very popular with all who had moneys t
paw. He had stated that, under all tn
various heads ofpcnsions, taken together
there was enough to meet the first pay
ment; but, under that particular hea
provided for by this bill, there was ne
much over onc-hali. He went on to sho'
that, to meet the payment of 100000
there was on hand but $3.50, 900.
Mr. Garland said the gentleman wa
mistaken; there was now on hand SfOO
600.
Nh. Jones insisted on his former pos
ton, and then went on to reply to viii
: MIR G.. had said about political tavorl'