Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-03-17
of i'ie Comm,ttee Of Ways aud Means.
The CHAIRMAN said such remarks, were not IN

The CHAIRMAN said such remarks; were not i
order.
Mr.. w. SMITH said then he would come to The SUI
Jrct. lie was IN favor OF the proposition ci his honora
bic colleague, [Ns. Wise. He was IN favor Of itin lle'
"i The one winch had been adopted, for, 10 permit ina
to remain, would be mora injustice on the rights o! tn
Executive printer. The Executive printer, IN contor
hhiy with long established custom mad, doubtless, mad
a large investment 10 carry on lis necessary duties /
the Government and 10 take them away with n mo
nIents notice, after that expense had been incurred
wom!d 5c unjust 10 Rim, and he called upon genileiBe!
who had supported the report Of the rctrenchment com
rlI,tee, and yet pnslpuned 10 n future session the opera
ton Of some OF those reforms, 10 stand b. the sam'
principle now in relation TO the Executive printer, IN
had embarked his capital in the expectation that h.
would remain for the present session, If not for the pre-
sent Congress. The Executive printer, who was
man that lie Mr.. Smith knew not, had embarked
great amount III his adventure his person. his capital
and his credit too aud, II the amendment OF the gen
t!cnan from New York prevailed, 1t would nneratc OF
his private fortunes, and 10 him gross injustice.
Now allow hun 10 say, and ii vas gerr!ain 10 the MT
Ter ~ hand, that there was no @rosscr injustice ina, 70
impnie 10 lbc Executive all the opp'ess'o"s eA..-''s
The Constitution cunirIicu power % "a Executive Il
some extent, bnt the action OF Congress conferred upon
the Executive d larger amount OF his power; yes, and
every aggression ct this House resulted, as had been
beautifully shown, not to the House, but 10 the Eyecu.
tive. What did they tx pect from u system Of question.
able authority, hut that 1t would enlarge the Federal
power; Who felt lis immediate efect' Congress
created The laws, but their action redounded 10 The Exc.
c;ti "; and vet they blamed the increase of Executive
power. But he would not dwell on this subject; he would
merely say that he held, with the gentleman from OHIO,
that IL was their duty 10 separate the patronage oi The
Government from tire political press Of the country.
1t was To sustain q party print that the lnte!Egcncer
was rewarded, aud 10 enable its Editors 10 carry Oh d
ruthless war On somc OF the fundamental interests Of
the country. Was there nothing, then, ol the gentle
mans "soit impeachment there: But the gentleman
- -, ~ A. 4. Ia, mArIa .,tI. l,,,
(Mr. 81 lie knew he was a humble individual, hard.
Is worthy Of consideration, but he had not been aware
Of the lofty character and reputation of the gentleman
from Ohio. lie had no doubt the gentleman from Ohm
was happy in himself, but "when see a man wise in
his own conceit," says the good book, "thcre IS more
hope OF a fool than othim.'
A1r. CARUTHERS said that he was convinced,
when this dispute first arose, that no limit could be liked
to the time WHICH wonld be consumed, if the committee
undertook in this regular appropriation bill, 10 make
and regulate these contingent appropriations.
All gentlemen, he thought, must now be satisfied
that they could not in this way pc. along with the ap-
preparation bill to ray the creditors Of the Government
within any reasonable time. And he was convinced that
nil these matters Of contingent appropriations should
come up III Il separate bill; and If in that ball they could
not designate the various purposes for which the money
should be appropriated, let n contingent appropriation
he proposed, and let them pass on the subject IN that
fornl.
lie desired to raoyc an amendment to the amend
ment, striking out the whole clause NO. IL, and the
amendment Of MIR. Wise thcreto) as we'll as every
clause that might come up proposing a contingent ap.
preparation. What would be the result, The Com
miltce of Ways and Means would again 60 10 work on
that part Of the bill. The House had already instruct
ed the Committee to insert no appropriations except
such as had been authorised Ivy law. He wished the
House to 90 one step further, aud to determine not in
any appropriation bill, to pass on this subject OF contln-
gent, underlined appropriations at all.
MIR. C., after some conversation on 4 point OF order,
finally submitted an amendment to the amendment OF
Mr.. Wise, striking out , 1000, SO as 10 leave the sum
$500.
There was an evident disposition (Air. c. remarked)
in every quarter 10 restrict the manner III which these
contingent funds should be expended. II was unjust
that those whose salaries were fixed by law, and GER
tain, should be delayed and postponed indefinitely, on
account OF the disputes, ag',ations, and debates which
were found springlng up on every clause OF contingent
appropriation. Better it would he, therefore, that the
duiy should be divided, and that these contingent ap-
propriatiors IF necessary at a) should be separated
from those that did not produce delay. Let the former
be subjected to subsequent legislation. For himself, he
could see no reason why all these appropriations Tor
contingent expenditures should not Dc drawn OUT ana
defined by name.
MIR. &. admitted and strongly urged the necessity of
throwing guards around THIS subject of the public
printing. and preventing the abuses 10 which It was
liable. His object now was To regulate the abuses con-
nected with the contingent appropriations. lie wanted
now To test The Loyalty OF gPHlleEltn II tHtT pItuIts,
to see if they would put the seal of their r"pro5aiion on
these pross abuses. He did not want To stint the pro-
per appropriations for the public service, but he wished
The people 10 see how every dollar Of that money was
applied.
Mr.. UNDERWOOD expressed his cordial thanks 10
the gentleman from Tennessee (hr. Caruthers) for
having made this motion, and should give n few rea.
sons IN support of it, and expressed The hope the House
would adopt it. He looked on IL, ii ii succeeded, as
one Of the best steps towards reform that had been
taken since he mad been a member ot the House. 1t
would rconomise more time than any thing that had
harprncd for this session %! many sessions past. IL
wonid reduce the appropriation bill down 10 the bnsl.
ness Of day or two. liany thing was SAID against
any item oftheir appropriation biIls, they would have
nothing To DO but to turn to The law and sllo" that IL
was authorized by law. Business IN this way could be
d.spatci,ed. and all The appropriation bills he passed IN
\ week or two al thu furthest. II was the contingent
i,ems and The discussions which grow out Of them,
which had involved them week after week, aud month
infer month heretofore, before they could get the APP
propriaiion bills through this House. How long had
tEry been on this item OF S31,W0 Tor The contingent
syoenses nj The State Department: Ten days, he be-
Iieyed. And how long would they spend IT they con-
tnued IN this way: They were just on the entrance
10 The bin. They had not got 10 the contingent ex-
p rs2s for the Navy Department, the treasury De'
partmcnl, and others, whicn would cause as hinc'i OF
lnrre debate, Of winch he read various items, showing
,he comments and delays that might be made Oh each
of iiem. =
III. proposition was TO get clear Of the whole OF
these contingent appropriations and 10 LET them come
in another hil. II had been sad that they would have
Tho discussiou then. They wouid, nut they won!d gam
.v having II al Mt once. Ii they made the alteration,
,bry woald pass the necessary approximations to pay
The officers OF Government. The clerks OF the De-
portmpnis were now going 10 the brokers and paying
eigh, per cent. on the loan of Virginia money I" buy
their bread and inca, with. II they made this change,
all the clerks salaries and the charges oh Government
Il, , T,..lu,tI md ijp frniu DuDlC OfbctfS
would not suffer.
Mr.. GILMER said, the chairman, and perhaps some
members If The committee, would rec"siect 'ha' some
four or FIVE weeks since, when this bill was iirst unaet
considerations, he made an enquiry whether I, ~nuia oe
in order to make 4 motion 10 strike from this D'n al
contingencies whatever, with a view 10 REQUIRE .
,he several dcpartmcnis Of Government specific est
mates therefor, in order that appropriations might Dc
made for .hcsc obj"cis. The gentleman IRON ieh"es,
see, Mr.. Caru,hers.l he had understood nao Nv
10 strike out onc contingent item, with The view, II Inc
motion prevailed, to move to strike them al out
A brief conversation here arose between aies.is. "a
I'll IL lN In