The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-06-19
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
THURSDAY, June II, lS4l

About two hours were consumed in debate vari-
Gus points of order and conversation by many mem
bers which resulted in the following action:
On motion Of Mr.. SERGEANT, twas
Resolred, That from and after Saturday next the
daily hour Of meeting of the House be ten o'clock, A.
M. until otherwise ordered.
And, on motion of Mr.. FILLMORE, this resolu-
ton modified providing that for one week there
after the hour of adjournment be three o'clock unless
the House has previously adjourned.
On motion of Mr.. GlLMER,
Resolped, That committee of five members of this
House be appointed whose duty it shall be to examine
particularly as to the number of officers agents en-
poyed the expenditures and modes of transacting bu-
sness in the several Departments of the public service
at the seat of Government and at such other points
as the committee may deem necessary, or as may be
indicated by this House and that such committee re-
port at the next session whether is proper to make
any reduction of the expenses Of the civil list or in
tho number or arrangement OF the persons thus en-
ployed, and whether the patronage Of the Executive
branch of the Government may not be diminished or
regulated to those appointments for which there is
an indispensable necessity.
An amendment offered by Mr.. BROWN, of Pa,
providing that said committee have leave to set during
the recess Of Congress. was rejected 40. ...a,
Mr.. J. C. CLARK offered the following resolu-
ton: ... asf t..' r.s .....
Resolped, That hereafter all articles of stationery
Il J
the use of the members of this House shall be pur-
chased by conrart to be made with the lowest bidders
having reference to the quality of the specimens OF the
articles TO be exhibited And for such purpose, the
ed in the city of Washington, in Boston, one in
New York, in Baltimore, and one in Philadelphia,
inviting sealed proposals for furnishing such stationery
and supplies, giving sixty days notice that on sPec-
fed day all the proposals would be considered and the
specimens furnished examined; and that such day
the proposals shall be opened in presence of the Speak
and Clerk Of the House, or in the absence of the
Speaker in the presence of the Secretary of the Trea
| sury and Clerk, who shall thereupon determine to
which of the bidders the contracts shall be given, al
ways contracting with the lowest bidder having refe
renee to quality aforesaid Propided That the CEN
shall give bond with sureties be approved by
the Speaker and Clerk to fulfil his contracts and to
furnish the articles equal in quality to the specimens
Mr. SMITH, of c., offered the following resou-
ton, which Mr.. CLARK accepted as modification Of
his own: .E-.
Resolved That select committee Of five be
appointed to inquire into the contingent expenses Of
this House. and into any corrupt illegal improper
practices which may have existed which do exist in
this branch of the public service, and to ascertain
whether the expenditures, part fthcm, have
not been wascful and extravagant; and whether the
same can be reduced consistently with proper dis
charge by this House of its constitutional duties; and
whether the method Of keeping the accounts of such
expenditures cannot be improved and whether there
are not more clerks and other persons employed in the
service of the House and in and about the apto and
the public grounds adjoining than the public good re-
qures and whether the salaries pay Of such clerks
and other persons should be reduced otherwise alter
ed or modified; with authority to report by bill or
otherwise, as they may see fit
The resolution, as modified, was adopted
An amendment to the above, offered by Mr..
BROWN, Off Y, "that said committee be instruct
ed inquire and report to this House the amount oil
NJ usad Inv WI in he he
tween the two sessions Of the 10th Congress-
jected by yeas SO, nays l08. --.---,-- POI
(The debate on the above is omitted, to give place
for matter Of more interest
THE LATE PRESIDENTS FAMILY
On motion Of Mr. ADAMS. the House resolved it,
self into Committee of the Whole on the state of the
Union, (Mr. Taaferro, of Va, in the char,) the
bill for the relief of the widow of the late William
Henry Harrison; which was read as follows:
A BILL for the relief of Mrs Harrison, widow of the
4 late President of the United States.
Be it enacted blythe Senate and House Of Represen-
tatipes Of the United States of America in Congress
assembled That the Secretary Of the Treasury pay,
out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise APP
propriated TO Mrs. Harrison, widow Of William Hem
ry HARRISON late President ofhe United States, in
the event Of her death before payment then to the le
gal representatives of the said WIN. Henry HARRISON
the sum Of. ."... u.r..
/ Mr.. ADAMS moved to gil the blank in the bill
with the sum of $25, 0O0
| ICiies in various parts of the Hall of "agreed,"
"agreed."l
Mr.. A. said that this sum, as far as he understood,
was in correspondence with the prevailing sentiment
Of the joint committee raised this subject, and Of
which the gentleman now in the Chair had been
| member. There had been some difference OF opinion
| among the members Of the committee as to the sum
which il would be proper to appropriate and, also, on
the part Of gentlemen 10 the consttutionality
Of the act itself in any shape There had been
objection to the constituionaty than there had been