Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-12-20


IN admiralty and bankrupt cases: showing the amount
of fees taxed by said several clerks with tie items
constituting said amonnt in a in admiralty and,
as in in bankruptcy, either TO the bankrupt or
CREDITOR when there il adverse appearance; ana
showing the whole amount Of fees that have been actn
ally paid to ench clerk petitions. and other proceed
ings under lie bankrupt act tn this date; and, aiso he
amount received by said clerks for fling papers, &c;
and for blank forms and cnpies in OF bankruptcy
] under SAID act aud up 10 this date.
Mr.. BOVINE said lie would not object TO tins reso
luton if it no. to impede the speedy action OF the
House the bill 10 repeal the bankrupt law; bu! ha
ished to know if it was I" have such an effect
Mr.. BRONSON replied in the negative.
Fir. CAVE JOHNSON inquired if it was not re-
quise that this resolution should lie over for one Gay
The SPEAKER was understood to reply that il must
lie over, if objecledtn.
Mr. CAVE JOHNSON then objected and !ae re-
solution was laid over.
CIVIL AND DIPLOMATIC APPROPRIATIONS.
i Mr.. FILLMORE said it was OF considerable I'M
portance that The civil and diplomatic appropriation
bill which he reported Yesterday from the Committee
of WAYS and Means should be acted upon immediate
] y and therefore he moved that The House resolve u
taking up that bill
The motion was agreed to, and MIR BnIccs was called
10 the Chair.
/ The CHAIRMAN directed the Clerk to read the
bill No 6l1, being "a bill m,king appropriations Tor
the civil and diplomatic expenses of the Government
! l243'
\ The Clerk accordingly read the bill through all lis
sections. II vas then taken mp by sections and the
Committee proceeded without objection, through all
the sections 10 the following item in the Treasury De-
| partment:
"For extra clerk hire $780,
Mr.. GILMER m"ved to strike gu. this item. AZ
the last session Of Congress, he said, there were Sc
vera Investigations instituted into the expenditures
of the various departments at the seat OF Government
and he knew not what effect those investigations pro
duced on the minds Ct other gentlemen, bat he would
say for himself that they left on his mind no dnub'
that there were too many clerks-too many regular
clerks emplo.ed in those various departments. tie
would no, say there too many all The Offices oil the
General Government but, speaking in the aggregate,
he was satisfied there loo many employed III the
various departments, and that the public service de
that there should he reduction rather taan ar
increase in that quarter He therefore surprised 70
see permanent item for extra clerk hire Introduced
into this bill by the Committee OF Ways and Means
They had hitherto been told, when Efforts were made
to reduce the expenditures OF the departments that in
consequence of The calls for information by Congress,
The regular clerks not adequate to keep pace with
lie public business Now if there any necessity
for the employment of extra clerks, he wished 10 know
it. He would mol consume the time OF the committee
with arguments, which must necessarily oc bnt re
clifton Of the arguments adduced ct the last session.
not only IN the shape Of speeches, but also OF reports
from investigating committees; but he would ask
TO au,horsc as permanent system, the employment
Of GOO or 200 permanent CLERKS III te various depart
men.s and then make an annual appropriation toreStfa
clerk hire: lie knew from his own personal ezamna
tinn that in the various Offices IN The departments,
there were more clerks Than could now be pro!a5
cmoloved He knew there were some who we're no;
cmpIoycd more than fourth OF their tune There
wac then 81 perabundancc Of labor, and (he was un
derstood saw it had been suggested that the EAecn
tive departments should he authorized by law 10 ;rans
/ - fhkFa ipI y
10 be superabnndance, to oi:es where there sEon'a
be found 10 lie deficiency ard TINS the extra clerk
hire m'rht be dispensed with Ihe extent Of the tft!,
he further observed was not sci forth IN TINS tei Tor II
would t perceived that tins bill made only temporary
oparnpr;alon-it bn an appropriation tor hall the
calendar YEAR end therefore another appropriation
would he necessary, it evident II was consem
plated and fore, satisfied lie was that they nigh,
produce slight temporary inconvenience ny withhold
inr this appropriations lie believed great ccunterba
lancng good would ensue IL the committee agreed with
him. and should strike out this and similar i;e''s.
THREE was another class OF appropriations which
he lad hoped had received their quetus nj the last ses
sion-He anded 10 that class cailed "mlsceaneons
He must lie permitted To express The opinion, that
whatever party conflicts there might he in the coun
try and whatever party might lie in power, this won!a
never be an hcnes; Government until II was cheap
one-nor would il ever be satisfactory to the people,
until their Representatives. caused accounts 10 be pub
lshed show ing how the revenue was raised and what
There were striking defects in The system which should
be corrected by the publication, from time TO time o'
statements and accounts OF all the receipts ana oil the
espendi:ures of the Government. There were many
! items of million of dollars in the accounts and he
would ask wha. information did they derive from such
an item None, whatever; and, therefore, they
wanted the items dpar Tor dollar, specifically stated
| 4 reformation in the Auditors ard Comp;rollrrs off
ccs was requisite, by which they should De furnished,
with sne cfc information instead OF being IS at pre-
\ A al. IlaI
away His object 10 assertion distinctly item by
item how the money of the Government was ex
pended lie desired, also, TO avoid these miscellaneous
expenditures, which the people did not understand ;
but: pasc ulay NJ this time, he hoped the committee
would the pr"prrly Of susPcnding thus oppr"pra
| ticn for extra clerk hire.
| MIR. FILLMORE confessed tia, he was little sur.
nrised at 50 long speech small IN item lie
was as reoGy however 10 discuss tins question now ~
he would be at any future time; and he would make
such an explanation lie trusted would be sit:s!a tory
10 the gentleman. The gentleman said That he mad
the motion 10 strike this appropriation Tor extra
clerk hire merely for The purpose Of testing The qnesan
whether, in any case, appropriation should lie made
for that object any the departments Now lhis Subject
underwent gnc deal Of discussion at The les; session.
and he had hoped thai il was then defnve!y settled by
III. act then passed. II the gentleman would take the
.roubs TO look into the laws OF the las, session, he
would find that these appropriations. being liable 10
abuse in consequence ut their general character were
stricken on. of the general appropriation bill and EN-
bodied in bill framed 10 provide for them all and spe
cryinp each particular object. The committee, in re
porting this bill! did nc. stop there bu. inserted sec
iion no. only for the purpose OF guarding against
abuses, bnt for avoiding these annual discussions of
small matters. Il was however, necessary that these
spnropria,ions should be made You must (said Mr. + J
either employ force of permanent clerks sufficiently
large, not only carry the ordinary business Of TIE
DEPARTMENTS, bu, 10 meet oil the extraordinary cas
that may be made them, by Congress or Otherwise
or you must employ force sufficient 10 carry all the
ordinary business and allow the departments 10 employ
extra clerks for extraordinary business The latter
mode was unques,ionabe The more economical
Mr. F. here handed up 10 the Chair The law passed al
the last session. and directed the Clerk 10 read The lO
and In scc,ions which done These sections PRO.
vide that no extra clerks shall be employed in my Of
tie Executive Departments. EXCEPT during the session
of Congress- enable them to meet the ca'ls of Con
rre-.: ard ilen only wien The heads OF partm-ns
shall believe that the employment of such extra clerks
* ndisoon ssby necessary for the pubic efYce