Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1842-12-19
TWENTY.SEVENTH CONGRESS-.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
THIRD SESSION
THURSDAY, De. Is. 1912.
The Journal OF yesterday was read and approved
LAWS nE (npXDIcur


composing the Select Committee ordered motion of Dir
hESSEDY OF Maryland, he appointed yesterday on the
subject oil International Copyright. And il will be
monoercd that the jurisdiction of the committee sub
sequently motion Of Mr.. CusaIse extended SO as to
embrace AN enquiry into the laws OF copyright generality
ur Kennedy of Nd; lLr. Winthrop of Massachusetts:
M Brockwuy of Connec ucut; lIr McKeon of N York:
W. Gushing, Ut Massachusetts,.
THE BANKRUPT LAW.
NJ BRONSON asked leave at this time TO offer a reso
luton la copy of which could be obtained i'm relation
10 the Bankrupt Law; which, after brief he
tween Hr. BRONSON and Mr. BOVINE, was received;
but on the suggestion of lLr. CAVE JOHNSON. il was
laid over one day for consideration.
GENERAL APPROPRIATION BILL.
Mr.. FILLMORE rose and said that the bill which he
mad Yesterday reported from the Committee Of WAYS and
Means, making appropriations for the general expenses Of
ne government had with unusual alacrty. been printed
and laid on the tables Of the members and it was of con-
siderable importance that should be acted on would
move that the House resolve itself into Committee of the
Whole on the state OF the Union where he could move that
II be taken up.
The motion having been agreed to with singular unanim
NY,
The House resolved itself into Committee of the Whole
the chair.) "
And on motion of DIR. FILLMORE, the committee pro-
ceeded to the consideration of the bill making appropria
mons Tor the civil and diplomatic expenses OF Government
lS43." " ' - '''''
And the bill having been read through. wa, taken nm
by items. y
The following item being under consideration:
extra clerk hire H. G. IN the Treasury Department.
-ur GlLMER moved that it be stricken out
Mr. g. said he had selected this Us the first Of the
character IN the BILL and had made motion in order to
enable the committee apply that would operate
throughout. AT the last session there were several tho
rough investigations instituted the various Departments
at the seat OF Government. He did not know what was
ue eject on other gentlemen, but they had left on his
mind no doubt that there many regular clerks en-
poyed IN these various Departments; he would not saw in all
tie Offices OF the various Department. bit the aggregate
nc believed that too many clerks employed and that
the public service demanded reduction rather than an in
crease IN that quarter lie was therefore, SURPRISED 10
IN TINS bill proposition to authorize expenditure of this
characterto authorize permanent item for extra clerk
hire Ii there any permanent temporary necessity
Tor extra clerk lie wanted know They had nor vet
seen the estimates from the Departments and there
lore totally without light on the subject Ii
this appropriation existed, then the chairman of the Commit
tee oil ways and Means would have it in his power
form the House. r. c. wanted TO wait 10 see the esti
mates from the Departments and ascertain whether the
made last session had adopted and
acted lie knew from his personal knowledge that there
were now clerks in many of the offices than could be
employed and al the last session Congress authorized the
heads OF the Departments trane the surplus there
was superabundanec, Departments where there was
deficiency lie would not detain the committee by en-
terng into argument the subject which had been dis
cussed and the last session. i'm speeches and in
reports but wished bring their consideration on the
present item a test for the whole bill.
If it said that they would doing the service iniu
uce by withholding temporary aid which required his
answer was that this was but temporary appropriation;
further intended by which the injustice if any, of
inns could be remedlcd, and the subject be thoroughly
examined.
Not only this, but there another clause of approprin
tons contemplated in this bill, which he had hoped had re-
eeTed their quets At the last sessions, viz appropriations
for miscellaneous items Mr.. c. referred to the extava
ganee and corruption which engendered and
oy TINS mode OF appropriation and said his object
certain distinctly item for item possible how the
money OF Government expended There clause
OF the Constitution, which he considered of great
portlnce, requiring that from time time there should be
published statement oil all the receipts and expenditures of
Governments but from the habit OF making miscellaneous
appropriations, they themselves the Representatives the
People, unable ascertain what purpose the ex
penditures applied He wished this mode OF appro.
priaton abolished, and the items OF appropriation distinctly
specified.
Mr.. FILLMORE had been surprised nj so long snsecb
from the gentleman from Virginia Mr. GILMER) on so little
an Item; nevertheless principle involved in it, he
willing 60 this discussion now rs At any time
The gentleman had made this motion strike out test
question, whether, case they would appropriate for
extra clerk hire. This subject had undergone great deal
of discussion and useful discussion the last session He
had supposed that the results then attained satisfactory
on the subject lie apprcheuded that the gentleman from
Virginia had forgotten precisely what those results If
he would look the laws olhe last session he would disco
yer that after objections had been made appropriations for
contingent objects in several of the Departments on the
ground that they liable abuse because they were
general they all stricken from the general nppro
prauon bill, and provided for in BILL which specified
Tar in their power, every object which the an
preparations were to be applied.
But the committee did stop there. That would have
answered the purpose possibly for the appropriations in that
b but for the purpose of avoiding this annual discussion
these small matters they had undertaken to fix penna
regulator, and he trusted II had been and now
satisfactory gentlemen generally and would be 10 the
gentleman from Virginia when he required it, What
the necessity of hisl They had either TO employ
permanent force sufficient any labor which
might be thrown upon them by calls from Congress or
sufficient permanent force for the transaction of ordinary
business, and whenever there extraordinary business 10
perform calls from Congress- 10 authorize the
heads of Departments Bureaus employ the necessary
extra clerks to be dismissed when the labor is performed
This economical regulation. For the purpose of
enfin cptnInx Of ,t.
wanted and also unreasonable allowances at the last
session, law passed, which he would send 20 the
Clerk be read.
The Clerk read clause of the law prohibiting the en-
poyment OF any clerk any Bureau or Department
except when indispensaby necessary To answer calls of
either House OF Congress &C. and then only by order of
the Head OF the department Bureau and fixing the rate
of compensation for such employment &cl
For the purpose Of guarding this power said Hr F.
specific report required Of the Secretary OF the Trea
sury each regular session Of the number of clerks EN-
poycd and the business which rendered them necessary
whether their services could be dispensed with without de-
uimen to the service; whether any greater allowances
had been made than authorized by law &c.
The section containing those provisions was read by
the Clcfk1
Mr. f. beloved this was A. we'll guarded US il could be
by general law and that the public service would suffer
the appropriation not made. lie hoped the expa.
nation would be satisfactory.
Mr. GlbMER said he aware of this law tie deem.
cd 10 be- good and the object IT his present
motion carry it out There was permanent law
prohibiting the employment Of CLERKS unless the
heads Of Departments should deem necessary He ask
cd what the necessity the employment Of these
clerks They had received communication from the
department showing that they necessary.
Mr. FILLMORE said they had estimates the full ex.
Tent much greater than the appropriation proposed.
Mr. GlLMER said he had not seen them Would the
gentleman from New York (ur Filmorc) inform him OF
the urged by the Department for this extra sid II
there necessity Tor it, NJ C. did wish stint the
s'rvice.
Mr. FILLMORE said they had not called on the secre.
10Th -.