The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-12-13

ing that to give this power TO the President would ser
ousy enbaras the House, and other wise operate nur
ously the public service Every lucrative body
had contingent fund, which under It's absolute con
troll at least should be- MIR trusted that the House
would reconsider the OF yesterday unless the mover
could assign other and far weighty for It's
actmen than those that had already been given in It's
| favor.
Mr. COBB of Georgia in repBy referred the gentleman
from Mary land to the passage in the journal OF the last
session. bearing out his statement concerning the action
which then took place on this proposition He appears
10 be filled with apprehension concerning the OF the
power in this case. So far these fears
cemed Mr. C. assured the gentleman that, in drawing up
the BILL he had not thought OF the possibility OF the APP
Pcaion OF the veto to any bill or resolution for the ex
pendtuTe OF portion OF the contingent fund He apple
hended that If the gentleman would reflect the political
history of the last few months all fears of the application
OF the veto IN the next four would vanish from his
mind He did not gye his only for the adoption
of the proposition the apprehension that the House would
squandeT lis contingent fund Mr. C. desired the House
call mind The history of the disbursements of this
fund, and TO the fact that when this government first
put in operation, the contingent expenses OF the House
not than perhaps two thousand dollars per
mum. Already they have swollen 10 half million
larger than OF the great appropriation biIs-nay
larger than the expenses OF two-lhrds OF the State gov
ernments OF this Unon with far prospect too, of soon
swelling TO two or three millions per This e
suit is by improbable, will be realized on
recoectng that the contingent fund appropriations had
increased far more than any other class of expenses
der the government.
Mr.. c. by way of illustration, gave the House his
tory OF appropriation OF two thousand dollars from
this fund to pay individual for compiling certain sta
tistca information then represented to be of value On
examination, however, II was found that this expensive
manuscript not worth printing, and II was sent By
order OF the House 10 the Treasury Department where
now lies buried with much similar rubbish. OF course
this expenditure has not BEEN and never will be- OF the
least value 10 the government He had struggled against
this particular appropriation IN all It's stages but at
midnight on the last night OF the session, it had
been rushed through the House, when half the members
unconscious OF the merits OF the question upon
which they voting. Indeed ne safe in decar-
ing, that to this hour not onethrd of the members Of the
House knew how much money they had voted away on
the last night of the last session He conceived the
actmen OF this proposition 10 be necessary to check
the growing habit of making extra payment 10 the
officers and servants of the House, who were bet
Ter paid than those holding similar posts under
other branch of the government Now, he was OF
opinion, that il both houses of Congress required
consent TO all such improper appropriations as he had
described they would not be enacted. He regarded as
beyond dispute that both houses frequently voted appro
prations from their contingent fund without knowing
what they were about This no one would pretend 10
gainsay. Is it not proper then, to place all possible
checks and safeguards around expenditures iron this
fund, liable, all admit. TO be mlsapped; While
Mr.. c. willing that each house should control It's
contingent fund, he conceived to be necessary he
would repeat to surround it with all possible checks and
guards He desired that the propney OF every PROPOSE
ton to eypend public money should be submitted TO full
and fair investigations; and if found TO be mertorous,
both houses would surely sanction them others
should be sanctioned
Mr. C. could not conceive how gentlemen who only
desired TO make legitimate expenditures from this fund.-
could object to the enactment OF his proposition He
called the recollection OF the House lis expenditure of
$50 900 to bay books for the members OF tins Congress
which had been made from this fund This abuse could
not have succeeded if both houses had been required
sanction III nor could proposition to give extra pay to
the officers OF the House pass both branches of Congress
In fine he would characterize his proposition a simple
proposal TO place the use OF the contingent fund OF the
House under proper restrictions II this be done, will
hereafter be expended on proper objects only and with
due regard 10 proper economy HIS proposition, he |
remarked, did not involve necessity for obtaining the
sanction OF the Executive for expenditures under it. Be-
ing somewhat OF the nature of Joint resolutions the
Hon nd Il in no
case of electny chapains or providing rules for the
regulation OF their deliberations. He reminded the
House that the proposition might have been 80
framed as to require the consent OF the Senate only
to expenditures TO be made under it, Believing |
that, in the shape in which had been introduced, this
proposition would the simple purpose of gardng
against improper and uncaed for expenditures from the
fund. he was not now inclined 10 change It's form As
for the anti, argument urged against the bill, he had
fears that in HE exercise of that conservative power
the President would dream of nterposlng the
TO control the disposition which Congress in It's deber
ate wisdom might choose 10 make OF It's contingent fund
This debate further continued by Messrs. WHITE
and COLLAMER, WHO urged the proprety OF reconsl,
ering the vote Of the day before bywhich the bill had
been ordered to be engrossed.
And then the yeas and nays having been ordered il
Ga motion OF MIR. POLLOCK, the bill referred to
the Committee on Accounts
Mr. COBB of Georgia gave notice that considering this
reference 10 be final disposition of his BILL he should
move Tor the adoption OF JOINT resolution 10 the same
effect the next resolution day, in which he would pro-
vide against similar objection to that urged by the gen.
tleman Mr. EVANS from Maryland.
The SPEAKER continued the call OF the States in
der for petitions when
Mr.; WHITE inquired whether it would be in order
then TO TO make the postage bill already introduced
the special order for early day
The SPEAKER having decided that it would not be in |
order
Mr. ROCKWELL of Connecticut moved for the print !
ing of a resolution of the Legislature of Connecticut in
favor of making appropriation of public lands TO aid
Whnes Oregon railroad scheme which being objected
to, decided By the SPEAKER to be out of order.
After calling on all the States for petitions,
The SPEAKER announced that reports of committees
were then In order.
Mr. VlNTON, under instructions from the Committee
Of Ways and Means, reported resolution asking the
House to grant them clerk which was passed.
Mr. ROCKWELL of Connecticut reported bills and
resolutions from the Committee of Claims, among which
was bill for the punishment of persons who swear |
falsely before committees OF Congress, United States
mlssoners, &c. for which crime in such cases, he
marked, there legal punishment
This bill having been engrossed and read third time
passed
Mr. KING of Massachusetts reported resolution from
the Committee on Commerce 10 present each member
with recently published map of Mexico, showing in
detail the territories recently acquired by the United States
from that government
Mr. COBB of Georgia remarked that if adopted, the |
money to NEE, the expenditure is to from the
tngent fund He asked the yeas and nays the ques
ton to ascertain those members who voted its favor
not the opponents OF his proposition, to place the
application of that fund under proper restrictions
But the House refused TO order the yeas and nays and
division, the resolution adopted-ye 81, nays
Al.
| The SPEAKER mex, commenced calling the States
commencing with Texas for resolutions and various