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

Air SMITH OF Virginia inquired g. his colleague
how the service to be paid for, if appropriation
made, should the h-ads Of deps rmehts find the
employment Of extra clerks ndispsnsabiy necessary
for the public service.
Mr. GlLMER said that the very law read by the
chairman required that xira clerks should be EN-.
poyed in any of The departments unless the heads Of
departments found that their employment was indis.
pcns:bc necessary for the public service Nov there
nothing here 10 show that the employment ofe1ha
clerks was necessary.
Mr. SMITH saiu that there was the power given TO
the heads Of departments; but here the eppropri
alton 10 pay for the service rendered, We're heads
of departments 10 employ clerks when they found it
indpensably necessary to do SO, in order the
calls that may be made by Congress- and then trust
The contingency OF obtaining an appropriation 10 pay
them?
Mr.. BLACK said that he would vote for The appro.
praiion with pleasure, if there any report from
Inc departments showing that it would be necessary.
He understood this appropriation was proposed for Ia
Dor 20 be done hereafter. But upon what data on
what information and for what necessity was this ep.
preparation TO be made: Wheneser The departments
should have complied with the act Of last session, he
should be willing to vote the money
MIR. SMITH Of Virginia sud he had few remarks
make the subject before the committee. seem.
ed to him that the appropriation proper and should
be made. IL was for clerks not in regular employ
ment, and who might not and would no; be employed
unless there service for them 10 perform. II was
That no dntes now existed TO be performed; yet
such might arise. Suppose Congress should make calls
for information, 10 be prepared during the recess; il
would be absolutely necessary to employ extra clerks.
How they 10 he pod without appropriation!
MIR. BLACK had no doubt of the general correctness
Of the position o.! the gentleman from Frglnin, MIR.
Smith, hut he wsked to know whether the law Of
Congress- making it the duty Of the departments to re-
port the necessity ofempcyng these eItra clerks had
been complied With
MIR FILLMORE remarked that the law merely re.
quired report of past expenditures It had nothing to
to NJ.f ti,o
in, stating how the money proposed TO be appro
prated had bcen expended.
MIR. SMITH of Virginia resumed and read portion
Of the law Of the last session, specifying when extra
clerks shall be employed aud hat shall be the du'y Of
the department in relation theueto 1t would be per-
ceved tha, the difficulty of the gentleman from Georgia
fMr Black obviated By the fact that repor; If
the in which! This money had been spent would,
according TO the law, have 20 be made At the
sion of Congress. Again he knew Of where
call was made for information wears s.ce and not
complied wth owing 10 the nadequacy OF labor in The
department. Would the gentleman from Georgia
alr. Blackl have the clerks in employment without
pay, Such would be the case unless tins appropriation
were passed.
In making these remarks he did not Estate 10 avow
his belief that there many inc ;cient clerks in the
departments, and much room for reform. 1t often
iie case that clerks who should be attending their
duties, walking the Avenue during office hours.
This, however, vas 10 reason why Temporary clerks
would not have 10 be employed. The object of the ap.
popr;a!inn was, 10 place unds al the disposal of the
departments, IN ,A;7a hire should be needed. II
necessary he though:, that the heads Of depart
ments should BE- trusted with The contingent expcnCi-
turc Of this noncr; ana there reason believe
'l.a those officers would employ any extra clerks
less absolutely necessary TO carry the public bust
ness.
hir GUSHING obtained the Hoor but YIELDED !. to
MIR FILLMORE who stated iha, The committee had
reduced the amount asked lo1 Ivy the department in
very great degree
hir. BLACK rose, and proceeding TO reply To
some of the remarks of the gentleman from Virginia.
rtir Smith. when
alr CUSHING claimed the floor and remarked
thai he hoped, by brief explanation, 10 explain the
otscuriiy which existed in the minds Of OF the
gentlemen who had addressed the House regarding this
inatter. He believed II unfcrsiuod BY tie House,
that until tile last session, there were number Of
clerks cmplnytd in the department without authority
of law. II then deemed important that there
should he standing law The subject; and according
IL hill reported BY The gentleman from Prnnsy
vania Mr.. J. r. Inaers,ll,l subsequently passed, spec
Tying The number Of clerks to be employed and giving
ega! existence Ia many who had been before but tenn
porary. 1t then became necessary 70 make provision
Tor extra clerk hire, md The regulations establish
ed. The first was, that extra clerks should only he
ployed under previous regulations; and second that
there shond be subsequent responsibility for their
hire and for the expenditure so incurred. Thus, whe
Their there he lGG 100000 appropriated 10 this OBJ
;ec, not one dollar could be scent unless 10 prepare
information required by a call from Congress Should
Congress call for information, and should there be M
appropriation, the Secretaries Should say once that
there money, and Tie information could not be
had.
The question now involved was, whether the House
willing TO intrust this contingent appropriation
the heacs of bureaus for particular purpose and Tor
that only. fe averred that, wilhor, certain degree
Of discretion being allowed 10 these officers it would
lc impossible To carry ON the Government.
NJ. GlLNER said, lie might be mistaken in his
views; but, until he convinced 10 tie contrary, he
persist in the course he he'd taken. From care.
ul investigation which he had made in the departments
committee al the last session, he had thu
conclusion that there were mo!c permanent clerks than
were necessary 10 The public service. Acting, iken
upon this ground, how could lie for extra clerks
When .he committee had reported that Gu. Of eighty
clerks in the Land Office al least twenty could be dis.
peDsed viii ana one third IN The Indian d. pertinent
ho., would hr be justified in voting fnr more
Mr.. TlLLISGHAST remarked, tia. the decision o.!
this maIlc depended much upon the facts Of The
The gentleman from Vrginin (Nr. G was convinced
tia! no more clerks were required Wills. The depart.
though. otherwise lie (1ir IT, had every coy,-
Gdence in the statement OF the gentleman rom Vrsl.
nil: yet he preferred 10 take the opinion Of the depart
mrnls and should set upon that IN giving s vote fos
The appropriation asked for.
Mr.. BLACK reiterated his objections 10 the item of
appropriation We're it .o' past scryices-fr labor al
ready performed he should have objection vote
the money but he could no. consent 10 vote appro-
pr,aiion for services that might might not b.
dercd hereafter. In the Present condition of The T.es-
sury, he thought that il incumbent On the Repre-.
sanatives Of the people 10 persist the utmost ccono.
my Of appropriation ard expenditure OF tie public
funds To make appropriations in cases like the pre-.
sent he well Convinced, would be but TO invite ex.
pendures.
MIR WISE addressed the committee at large in favor
of the rm and in reply TO the remarks Of his colleague
fMr GilGer He c"ntended that it was the II ne %.
Icy of the Government To employ temporary clerks At
particular seasons, instead If g,es;er number of per-
nanent clerks al the year; and he illustrated his posi-.
ton by reference 10 lho situation %! TIE farmer with
whom i vas almost invariably rule 10 hire a small
flrce during III, year. end mary hands, at ad.
vsnced prices, dining harvest The sessions Of Con.
g-ess were the harvest times the departments when
uore libo:-rs were r-qis,d.
Mr.. J. ". JONES agreed with lis colleague in The
proprety OF reirenchin. the expenditures OF the Co.
yernment w;ere IL could be done r,hnnf ;nnru u L..