The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-02-17

mode in which IT is ventilated rather BY its being badly
ventilated Every individual of sedenary habits must
know the deeteous effects of sitting hour in and hour
out day in and day out. month in and month out, in
room warmed by fue, with no chimney mode OF ven
tllaon.
Situated are, it may be advisable TO appropriate
something TO rent this building for the present. but am
not disposed by any action here, to anticipate the dis
cretlon action OF any department of the govern
ment | trust, sir that that part of the amendment
which gives authority TO the Secretary to contract for five
years may be stricken out and that the power may be
confined to single year
Mr. MASON have very little to say upon this sub
ect, and should say nothing whatever but that crcum'
stances have, to some extent, mixed up with it
member of this body 1t SO happens that the proprietor of
this building was former personal acquaintance OF
mine, and that at the present session, few days past
he to and made statement of the case, which
understood to be very much the as that given 10
the Senate by the senator from Georgia to'thls
extent mixed up with it-that, feeling friendly towards
that was. not to connect himself with this government in
the use OF that building. unless it was by contract II has
been my i'll fortune, since have been member of this
body, to have been at the head OF the Committee on
Claims and my experience has satisfied that you
could 40 poor man no greater II than to bring him
tice not that Congress is at all indsposed extend
justice 10 any and every applicant but because it is i'm
possible for the members OF this body and still for
the members of the other house, to understand the mer
its of every individual presented TO them said TO
that gentleman, with ut understanding anything in the
world OF his case, excepting what learned from his
own representation: -" You are the owner of house
now if the government will rent of you and give you
such will make for your interest TO your
house to the government then by all means do But
II government is not willing to give you such terms as
you can approve, by contract then resumeth house
My experience in my connection with the government
satisfies me, that the government occupies The house.
not under a contract, and you come with guantum
meru for your rent, you will get in the end, but not
until after ten or twenty years" That is the advice
gave and to that extent | am mixed up with the case
| understand the facts to be these. That gentleman
built house. because he had some capital TO invest and
had determined, IN his own mind that he could better IN
vest that amount of capital in that house than in any
other mode which presented itself to him He thought
he could do better to rent his house the than
to individuals for he though that would bring him the
largest amount OF money The Secretary OF War agreed
far as it was IN his power to make agreement to
occupy as many OF the rooms in the house would be
convenient to him, at stipulated rate and he told the
power to make a contract; will occupy as many of
those may be convenient for the purposes of the
department. and will ask Congress to appropriate money
to pay the rent; that is all | can do.
That he did, and it that he did not occupy the
whole house He occupied as many OF the rooms
as he chose leaving great many vacancies,
as | learn from the owner OF the house-a very
worthy gentleman, whom | have known several
years-and this gentleman also inform. that the gov
eminent, by occupying these pecuded him from
renting out the rest of the building can very readily
understand from the rasre OF the purposes for which
the department wanted the rooms They are not of a
character that will admit any joint occupancy;
Such the stale OF the he presented it, and the
result OF it, he sad must inevitably be, that he must be
subjected TO loss, or must terminate the engagement
| very well, SAID IL mat Is the True position you must
ask the government to occupy the whole house to
abandon II, that you may make other arrangements.
at the end of the present year, unless contract
is made with him that he would be satisfied WITH and
from which he would derive an amount which would
pay him adequately for the of the house Why. sir,
all know perfectly WELL who conversant with the
public departments here, that all of them driven TO
the necessity of finding houses here there, and every
where through the city, as well as they can, to accommo
date their clerks. We know that the whole range OF
buildings fronting the War Department used, and
they are very inferior. too We know that buildings
used which are in contact with private houses and sub
ject to the risk OF fire. The Secretary of War, under
stand has transferred all the valuable records of that de-
partmentto this building. for the that il is fire.
proof building was built fire proof in order to give it
greater value for the purposes Of the government
| How, then, stands the case The Secretary of War
has informed this gentleman that he has power to
occupy this building under the government 1t is true
and yet he does occupy them now, he has been
plying rooms for ten or fifteen years in the neighbor-
hood He therefore agreed with the of the house
will rent the property provided that it will satisfy you
10 trust to Congress to appropriate money to pay the eL
that is all can do Now, understand that the present
amendment to the bill offered by the senator from
Georgia gives authority to the Secretary OF War to rent
that building for five years paying the annual sum for
rent agreed upon originally alternative to pur
chase it. concur with the honorable senator in ac-
ceptng the modification to strike out that part of his
amendment which relates to the purchase of the building
by the government.
| think | have shown to what extent have been
mixed up in this matter. can the Senate that
have disposition to this individual any further
than can serve him consistently with the service owe
to the government, which is paramount am unin-
formed the proper amount TO be paid for rent of that
building any other public building. am willing to
leave that to the discretion of the Secretary of War.
| Mr.. JOHNSON. The amendment specifies the amount.
| Mr.. MASON. AS the terms originally agreed Upon
Mr.. ATHERTON. But the Secretary OF War never
agreed to any.
MT MASON. The Secretary of War recommended
TO the House OF Representatives, certain to be paid
much per room but they cut ii down. The Secretary
OF War; them did agree to pay stipulated price per room
for so much he occupied The House Of Representa-
tives cut il down. The owner of the building placed
himself within the power of the House of Representa-
tives by trusting, for his rent to the discretion OF Con-
yress, to whom he was to be referred
The principle proposition, however is to authorize the
Secretary of War TO rent that building upon the terms
originally agreed upon by him. As the proper amount,
have no information whatever to guide my judgment,
excepting that take for granted that the Secretary OF
War did not stpulate for unusual rate and as have
better guide for my Judgment am ready to submit it
TO the Secretary of War All that desire is that the de-
partment should not be put to the necessity OF vacang
that house, and going back to its former quarters, it
must inevitably do, unless Congress should make sufii-
cent appropriation. do not know that the Secretary of
War has considered himself imposed upon in regard
to the amount No information OF this kind has ever
reached me. He never has made any complaint As far
as am informed, he satisfied with the amount Orgi
naly agreed upon. By the bill you place the OF
the budiag in the situation that he must either submit TO
have his rent cut down. that he must request that the
building be vacated.
And where shall we go' When the government will
build do not know. We that the treasury building
remains unfinished, and has remained for the last
five six years; and yet hear OF proposition to
finish it, We find that the War Department and the
Treasury Department, to whom this building was
appropriated. are now renting rooms in the city OF
Washington, where they find them, to accommodate
he puhlic still there