Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-03-04
CONGRESSIONAL.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
Tuesday Ecening, February %, ISL
DEFERRED PROCEEDINGS


Tuesday, Ecening, February %, 1S4l.
After the recess
The civil and diplomatic appropriation bill being
under consideration in Committee OF the Whole, and
the question pending, being the motion of MIR.
Hunt 10 strike out the provso relating TO the salaries
of United States district attorneys, &C.
Mr. CAVE JOHNSON being entitled to the floor,
spoke upon the subject Of reform generally and as to
his in particular, in relation to that subject
during the ten years he had served in Congress. In
the course Of his remarks, Mr.. j. alluded in very
pointed manner to the of his colleague, (Mr.
Gentry1 and other Wing members, who were con-
stantly pratng about reform, and now, when the OPP
portunity offered, they refused 10 embrace u. lie
next noticed the charge Of Mr. Gushing, in relation 10
the senormous amount of money expended, destroy
ed burnt up since Mr.. Van Buren, had been IN power
Mr. j. then proved ,!ia, the " enormous" sums had
been voted for by .fourfhs Of the Hhtgs Memsetres,
and yet they were blaming the President tor spend
ing them What course had the President to pursue
after the appropriations made Was II not ex-
pected that he should apply them, Why it was but
the other day that gentleman was talking about I'M
parchment because certain appropriations had not
been applied lie (Mr. could not bear to hear these
eternal cavngs about "reform, "reform,' when il
was now plainly seen that those who made so much
noise about it, had desire, when the opportunity Of
fered, of carrying 1t out.
Mr. j. made some further observations the ncon-
sisences of the Opposition, the unpaatable nature oil
which may be inferred from the fact that the Wing
members were continually Jumping mp like the keys Of
piano forte and insisting opportunities to explain
The hour of five 2. NJ. having arrived at which time
il had been ordered that all further debate should
several Opposition members called TO Mr.. j. "The time
is up" "Leave off-its FIVE clock
A memLer.-"Ah, you are glad oft"
The debate was then arrested, and the committee
commenced voting.
The question was then put striking out the entire
proviso as amended the motions of Mr.. Thompson
of Miss, and Mr.. Cave Johnson. The House was
counted by ecrs aad there appeared for striking out
81, against it lib.
And so the proviso, as amended, was concurrcd in.
The item for payment of Luigi Perslco was read
Mr. LINCOLN moved to add to the item proviso
that the work in such state of progress in refer
ence to the whole to be paid TO the artists for their
execution SHE'LL in the opinion of the President, rem
der it proper 10 make such payment
This agreed TO.
The item for payments to artists engaged in execut-
ing four paintings for the Rotundo of the Capitol was
read
MIR. LINCOLN moved a provso similar to the above;
which also agreed to.
MIR. EVANS moved the following
"For payment of arrearages for completing the Gus
tom. house in New York. S34 ,32l.'
MIR. WISE moved to amend the amendment by strik-
ing out the word arrcarages.
This motion to amend the amendment was disagreed
to.
And the amendment, of Mr. Evans then adopted.
MIR. EVANS then moved the following:
"For furniture for the custom house, Slo,0O0.
w
that would amount to such sum
Mr. EVANS explained that the sum originally es-
tmated was much larger, but the Collector and Sc
cre,ary of the Treasury thought $oOoO would be sui
ticicnt.
4 detailed statement OF the furniture required was
then read.
Mr. WISE. see there is three thousand dollars for
one
Mr.. CURTIS. Yes; but It is a large room much
Mr. WISE. | desire the Clerk to read part of the
statement again. think there is one item OF hun
bred dollars for chair for Jesse Hoyt to sit IN
"a member here called out, "W'sc, you are mista-
ken it is for Curtis)
The statement having been read, it appeared that the
item referred to was or mahogany desk, with CHAIR
for collector, one hundred dollars.
After some discussion Of conversational character,
Mr. TlLLINGHAST moved to strike out Slo,ooo
and insert 81, 900. :.
Mr. WISE said he would not vote for one cent for Il
appeared there was already furniture enough although
il might be old fashioned.
Mr. EVANS desired Mr. Filling hast to state his rea-
son for moving reduction Of the amount
Mr.. TILLINGHAST. My reason is, that the wood
is too expensive. There is plenty of cheaper wood
growing in our own forests.
Mr. WISE. Yes; plain substantial pine will do quite
as WE'LL for the collector and his clerks figure on
nine lust as we'll as they do on mahogany.
Mr. JONES of Virginia made explanation TO the
effect that this estimate had been rejected by the Com
mittee of Ways and Means, because in their opinion,
the furniture already in the custom.honse, although
old fashioned, would do very well. 1t had answered
well enough hitherto, and the condition OF the treasury
was not such as warrant an appropriation OF Sloooo
for new furniture.
The question was then taken on the amendment Of
Mr. Tilngast reducing the sum to So,ooo, and II was
carried-ayes 80, noes IS
Mr.. JOHN w. ALLEN of Ohio moved the follow
ing item: H.. ,e .rsr;
can manufacture so far as may be practicable and ex-
pedent to be expended under the direction OF the Pre-