The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-03-18

once valuable ana gfallIylng was daily received IN
relation TO the progress of all the useful arts amongst
the American people. In his opinion one Of the high
EST aims OF government the encouragement OF the
arts ofeylliZauon IN legitimate and proper manner
That md Was gained IN an eminent degree by the pat
cot Office. But he would not 20 into an argument on
mat subject. As TO talk a.out the expense OF pub
ilshing thus document, all he had 10 say was that
no doubt some gentlemen were very anxious 20
snow Ihelr great desire 10 ee0nomiza the public ex-
| pendlturts' Perhaps at the proper time he (Mr
q would eVinee equal desire TO attain that end
but ne houyht that, IN the present instance, the
effort was somewhat forced. His object in rising
| was SIMPLY 10 correct what he believed was mis-
apprehension on the part Of the senator from Con
necucut, Mt NnEs, who had stated that he had
before him pamphet containing the report OF the
Commissioner of Patents, issued by some publisher
in Philadelphia, and that some members of Con.
gress had sold the document 1t would have been
more liberal and nearer the mark TO have supposed
the fact that the Philadelphia publisher aware Of
the value Of the document and its popularity, had
ordered edition from the public printer for his
use That was a common procedure. he hoped
that there would be no alteration in the number Of
copies recommended TO be printed by the committee
| Mr.. NILES said he had a word 10 say. Since
this question was up the other day. he had looked
into the history Of the Legislation the subject
far as there had been any to sanction the compila
ton and publication of these reports and he found
It TO be this; In 1886 the patent Office was reor-
gained, and raised from a mere clerkshp, attached
to the State Department into an independent bu-
reau, or, perhaps he might say, an independent de-
partment In the act passed at that time, there
section appropriatng one thousand dollars TO be
expended by the Commissioner of Patents in col
ecung agricultural statistics. Ii was mere appro-
T praton and could have effect beyond the ensu-
ing year. Since that period, there has been annual
ly appropriation Of one thousand dollars for the
same object, until last year, when an appropriation
, OF three thousand dollars was struggled through
Congress for procuring agricultural statistics with
out the restriction that II was TO be expended by the
Commissioner Of Patents ] say (said Mr. NJ
this appropriation was smuggled through Congress
because believe that very few members Of either
house knew anything about it, and much less did
they know the object for which 1t was intended
No one can have supposed that this three thousand
dollars was designed create another Office, and be
u provision for paying the incumbent. But such,
he understood, had been the fact this sum had beer
given TO another person, the gentleman who had
formuly been at the head Of the patent office, who
had collected the information which made up the
present report. We had now two officers each re-
cevlng three thousand dollars per annum; one
who took charge Of the patent office, and
another who collected statistical information
and compiled the report on agriculture What
was mere clerkshIp few years ago had
grown up 10 be an independent department and was
now dividing itself and forming another distinct and
=, independent bureau, which might be called the
first step, and have 10 take but one or two steps
{ more, and this bureau will be established. The
> senator from New Hampshire Mr.. ATHERrosl mis-
understood his remarks the other day. He did not
say that this proceeding was wholly without law;
but he said It was irregular, and, in the extent to
which II had gone, was without any legal regula-
ton or sanction. What is the legal authority
Why, previous to !ast year, it has been annual
Q appropriation Of one thousand dollars, TO be ex-
pended by the Commissioner Of Patents procuring
statistics of agriculture. An appropriation bill does
o not usually involve ali expenditure beyond the
amount appropriated; but in this case, the appro-
priation Of thousand dollars has grown into an
expenditure ofone hundred thousand dollars. But
the appropriation was for collecting agricultural
I tiscs. And how has it been expended Why, in
collecting materials consisting Of essays agricul-
: tura subects-some original, and others extracts
. from other publicatioRs-fora large volume, which
a is called report. In this publication last year
, consisting Of more than FIVE hundred pages, there
were but two pages Of agricultural statistics IL has
none of the characteristcs of report, but vol
ume composed Of essays and articles various az
u rcutura subjects, many Of which had appeared in
other agricultural publications in the country. He
thought It time TO puta stop to such irregular and
useless expenditures. He had word to say in 70.
ply to the remarks of the senator from Pennsylva-
!. MIA, Mr. CAMERos;] he was not mistaken in his
remarks the other day in regard to these reports
having been in the hands Of the booksellers. The
this report II was not The copy on his table it
our publication and Of the copies printed by or
o der Of Congress. No bookseller has republished
I this report They could purchase i, cheaper than
c they could reprntit; and if they had reprinted 1t
they would have done it in a much cheaper form
: The copies we have printed at the public expense
G have found their way into the hands OF the book
sellers; and it not for him to say how they go
Y there.
i Mr., ASHLEY next rose and was about to reply
e to the senator who last spoke, but gave way to
motion, which prevailed, to proceed to the consid-
i GRAFTON of the
. SPECIAL oRDER-"rHE NOTICE"
e The Senate accordingly proceeded to the consd-
Grafton Of the notice, &c.
i Mr.. ARCHER addressed the Senate: 1t was
u seldom (he said) that question was presented
which demanded in as great degree fearless and
I honest counses as that before them Not only the
" controversy for large territory was involved but
the issues Of the decision they should nder which
l. were OF still higher importance. The people o
" his country desired TO receive correct information
in relation 10 this contr ,versy, not to their
y wants there manifest any feelings that would over
look the merits of the question Of which they would
u have TO reap the benefits sustain the calamtes
He deplored the violent nvectives which had beer
i INDUCED in by the friends Of the notice, and the
tone Of the papers, they tended to impede fair and
free discussion. Even in that body, distinguish
ed for its dignity and courtesy, they told tina
! the question was one Of nerve and patriotism, aat
u that those who did not take peculiar view of the
question were deficient in these qualities. He (Mr
y Az avowed he had not nerve enough to involve
Is his country in unnecessary danger, nor could HI
u respect such AS for pa rotism, he knew
too well how cheapy 1t could be purchased in these
days to desire like reputation for it. He was
$ not ambitious of patriotism. AS to the sense o
honor in regard to his country, he believed ther,
d was no honor except in what was just He hearc
great deal about the sentiment expressed by Com
modore Decatur-"our country, right or wrong
to which he did not object, if it was understood ,c
y say that we ought to assist country when en-
gagged in war, right or wrong but if it implied al
J obligation to enter deliberately into war, right o
wrong, for himself and for his country, he abjuret
n political morality like that. That was question
= of war peace. He would not go into a detailed
i examination Of the whole question: but would sim
ply repeat that the question, reduced to its real sub
stance, was, whether, by asserting their claims
l. the whole of Oregon, they were to have war; or
q by limiting those Ching by nenntation then