The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-01-27
The Treasury Department.

An effort has been made to create an erroneous i'm
preston in regard to the delay at the Treasury Depart
ment in answering call OF the House in regard to
spectors, &c.
resolution, moved BY the same member, was ans wer-
ed few weeks since in regard to weghers gaugers, and
measurers requiring investigation Of all the laws on
tina. subject from 1899 to 1885, together with the views
of the department. This report. involving great labor
ana much time in the preparation, embraces more than
hundred printed pages The Secretary had made consd
cradle progress also the report to inspectors, &c.
when he was interrupted the It'll January ls47 by
most important call OF the Senate in regard to the tariff
to which CALL not only the Senate, but the Committee Of
Ways and Means OF the House, desired the earliest pos
sibe reply This was call OF great Importance, nvolv-
ing the credit OF the government the ability to effect
loan and the necessary to prosecute the
will be admitted that it the duty OF the Secretary to
answer that call first, in preference to all others that
would occupy much time. This call OF the Senate re-
quired an examination OF every item in the tariff,
comparison OF each item with the old tariff of the imports
separately and OF the ad vaorems and equivalent ad
orems for each OF the fiscal years lSi5 and 1885, well
as OF the late month of December under the tariff OF
1916. 1t is work OF great labor and has occupied
the time Of the Secretary, night and day, since
its passage 1t will be finished, understand,
this week. when the Secretary will resume the reply he
was preparing in regard to inspectors which expected
to be sent to the Senate during the coming week No in
spectors of any kind have been appointed by Mr.
Walker They are all nominated by the collectors, in
precise conformity with the law. and paid by them,
their accounts being adjusted by the accounting officers OF
the department These inspectors differ only from all
other inspectors in this that their names are not an
nounce it having been considered at all times by the
Treasury Department under all administrations, thai
when employed to detect or prevent smuggling. it was
necessary to the efficiency their service that they should
not be known to the public The law expressly provides
for their being thus employed, well within as without
the Districts ami when thus employed, provides express
y for the payment of their expenses at the rate OF ten
cents mile The pay expressly authorized by aw--and
no more-has been paid AMI the number OF inspectors is
limited, and cannot be increased by the Secretary.
During the last session. in two official communications
made to the Committee Of Ways and Means of the
House, Mr. Walker asked for authority to reduce the
annual expenses of collecting the revenue half million
of dollars and asked have these expenses covered by
actual appropriations The committee approved these
suggestions of Mr. Walker, and adopted resolution to
which we understand he will reply next week, so as
vastly TO reduce these expenses and place them under
appropriations made by law This is great reform, and
il is due to Mr. Walker say, that he is the first Sece-
ary of the Treasury who ever made the suggestion
The inquiry as to these expenses has been most aborous
recurring an examination OF the details of every custom
house in the Union This reform proposed by MIR. Walk
err last year, we hope to see consummated during the
present session OF Congress,