The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-08-03
Communication.
REPORT OF THE RETRENCHMENT
COMMITTEE.

COMMITTEE.
Mr.. EDITOR: Allow me to inquire, through
your journal, why there have been no extra
numbers of the very able and interesting report
of the ''Select Committee on Relrenchment"
published From hasty glance over a few
pages Of this report, loaned to me for few mo
ments as special favor, am convinced that ii
contains matter of grave importance, in which
the public are deeply interested. Members OF
Congress could in no way more essentially oblige
their constituents than by circulating eight or ten
thousand of these reports among them. |
would answer for it, that they would not com
plain OF the expense
shall not undertake to give any analysis of
the report, but cannot forbear furnishing an ex-
tract or two, hastily pencilled as glanced over
ii, that the public may have some notion Of
some portion of its contents.
After examining the condition of the Depart
ments, The committee adopt the following series
Of resolutions, which will enable the public to
judge pretty fairly of the result of their labors
L. RESOLVED, That is expedient to require the Pre-
sident of the United States, in all cases of removal
from office, to communicate the reason or cause for
each removal to the Senate.
2 Resolved That it is expedient either to dispense
with the Offices of the Second and Third Auditors or
with the several bureaus attached to the War De-
partment so far they are employed in the exami-
nation OF claims or accounts or otherwise,
counting agencies In connection with the Treasury
g. Resolved That it is expedien to abolish the Of
hce Of the Board of Navy Commissioners.
a. RESOLVED, That il is expedient to abolish the Of
fee of Commssary General of Purchases.
5. Resolved, That it is expedient to abolish the Of
flee of Solicitor of the Land Office.
g. Resolved That it is expedient to abolish the Of
fice of Recorder of the Land Office.
Z. Resolved, That it is expedient to repeal much
Of the act Of Sd March, 1885, authorizes officers
OF the Navy, temporarily performing the duties be-
longing to them of higher grade, to receive the
compensation allowed to such grade
g. Resolved, That the public service will admit Of
reduction in the number and salaries of clerks em-
ployed in the Departments at the seat of Govern
ment.
g. Resolved That it is expedient to reduce the num-
Der OF clerks attached to the office of Commissioner
OF Public Lands, that they shall not exceed sixty
There are now eighty
10. Resolved, That the number of clerks attached
to the office of Commissioner of Indian Affairs will
admit OF reduction, so not to exceed eight, now
twelve soon as, with proper attention, the
81 anu accounts ca" DC Drought up '"'p0F' page
am not aware of any ''reasons Of state,n
why this important report and accompanying
papers should be wthholden from the public,
and reserved specially for the benefit of mem
beers Of Congress. To refuse to print an extra
number of such document, would very natu-
rally create a suspicion that it was desirable to
suppress knowledge of its contents, which the
People are as deeply interested in as their Re-
personalities.
The House need be under no apprehensions
that the People will complain of the expense of
printing few extra thousands of this report.
They never complain Of any expense incurred
for spreading before them important infor-
nation, especially when relating to the conduct
of their public servants.
Besides much matter of general interest,
there are many matters of special interest,
which ifcirculated among the People, would tend
no little to their edi6cation (and perhaps to their
astonishment,) on several incidental branches
of political economy, such as bookkeeping,
banking, stock obbing, &C., of which the fol-
lowing are few examples, by way of illustra-
ton:
(INDIAN BUREAU.)
Question by Mr. Gilmer. Is any other OF the
$1,000 clerks charged with duties like those belonging
10 your chief clerk
Answer. Besides the chief clerk one clerk at ST..
600 keeps appropriation account, by which the
precise condition of all appropriations is
a very imporan, duty &c. page $50
o. S, Hall appeared.
Qustion by Chairman Will you let We see the sep
arale books in which you say the accounts of the
Chckasaw tribe are kept2
(The books were broug in.)
Question by the same. Will you copy the account
here entered page 81, with Daniel Kurtz disburs-
ing agent2