The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-03-23


The purpose OF improving our own system; Bat sur
will not give you my ocious advice in relation TO NE
reorganization OF the Treasury Department ! WISH
merely 10 say that this bill will not remove Inc diniou
ties 10 be For one, SIR am hot coh'i,eeu
that II would relieve that department oil Us enqaf
assnent and lis labor And think, slT thai the OH "a
now drawn will need important amendment TO make
this work efficiently and well as separate department
OF the government. , !,
few minutes Sir. am IN favor OF this bill. should
have no particular obe con to the amendments-indeed
II should have rather inclined TO concur with Them as
suggested by the committee; but on the whole am IN
elned think If is rather the most expedient course. If
the majority of the Senate approve the general tenor OF
the bill to pass it. Sir far back as the time of Mr.
Monroe and up 10 this time, persons skilled and
experienced in the administration of this government
have recommended some new department TO make some
further distribution of the duties Gentlemen will
member what Mr. Monroe, and | believe earlier, what
MIR Madison said upon that subject; and so down.
believe II IL true that the business of The has
ongrown the existing means OF accomplishing them IL
IS said srnot improperly SAID but still not very CEN
clusIyely-hat we create Offices IRON time TO time, and
create additions ts salaries of existing officers Well,
the country IS increasing the business OF the govern
nent is increasingly there is great deal more work TO
be done and do know any department, any bureau,
any cerkshIp in the administration of this government
that may be considered a sinecure-that is not
worked enough but | an fully persuaded that great
portion OF the officers in the departments, and especially
in the Treasury Department, overworket and the
War Department may also be cited a example Now,
sir. the bill may not be perfect II may require future
consideration wish there was some time 10 consider
u
IT, Ii is here In my opinion, II IS the general OF
the country that some such provision is necessary |
see no.hm{ lnconsrnous IN separating the Land Once
from the Treasury Department. because, in the first
place. have land enough 10 occupy the whole at
tenton Of one mans adjudication. agree, that for the
revenue of the country might be we'll that they should
continue under the administration but for all
al purposes is the The public lands brought
into view by the Secretary of the Treasury. and will be
hereafter they have been heretofore in the estimate OF
the income OF the ensuing year see no Inconvenience
in III but twill relieve the head of the treasury from
acting and deciding upon these very numerous and very
important land questions which arise for his decision
Well, sir, will not say anything upon what is very
apparent every upon the Importance OF the Indian
Department, now attached the War Department, and
which is proposed 10 be added TO the Home Department.
upon The duties drawn from the State Department such
the Patent Office. They abundant to supply work
enough for the most intelligent IN the country. Be-
evng this 10 be the case, and entirely agreeing with the
honorable Senator from Mississippi under the present
pressure OF time shall content myself with voting for
the bill, and shall be inclined 10 take Just it is The
subject will be at any time hereafter open TO revision.
This bill will establish rghts-nohing which will not
be subject to revision.
MIR. NILES This sir, is not bill properly before us
for Legislation 1t is not proper subject OF legislation.
You cannot create department by the legislation of
Congress. The departments of this government grow
not out OF the jurisdiction but the duties of the govern
ment The necessity OF the performance OF duties,
would lead n the necessity OF having officers per-
form these duties II we TO have internal
enue, direct tax, any other mode OF raising
enIe within the country, it might require depart
men relating to this internal revenue, and mg include
tile internal trade, and the agricultural interest and sta
tstics OF the country, and be connected with all the
dusal pursuits OF The country. The departments grow
out OF the nature OF the public duties The Department
OF State is connected with foreign relations, with
the business OF the nation federated State The De-
artmen OF the Treasury is connected with the
OF the country. The Department of connected with
the military establishment OF the country The Depart
ment of the Navy is connected with the naval esiab-
lishment OF country; The Postmaster General is con
rected with the mail service OF the country Then sir,
we have an Attorney General, who Is the law officer OF
the Government.
Now, sir, can you by law make ne W department
where there additional public dulles to be dis
charged Why, Sir It Is not department; 1t is
cabinet officer. What his appropriate duties He
has appropriate duties by this bill aud The very fact
that this bill provides for this high officer but one clerk
proves that he has no duties whatever the heal of
department It cannot be called department. This is
only bureau The Office. is have supervision in case
OF appeal but he has no independent department.
1t is important, is said tina, these officers should
be appointed in order TO relieve the Treasury Department
Bat, as understand the BILL there various other du
ties gwen to this officer One OF the bureaus Of that
department given 10 him. is true but he has also
ken a bureau from almost every other department He
has taken bureau from the War Department and from
the State Department. and so of others. He has taken
the Patent bureau, the public land bureau, and number
OF other bureaus He Is then 10 be the head OF these bu
reaas thrown together without appropriate connexon
placed under this officer, and called department,
And what Is the advantage OF making separation OF
these bureaus from the departments 10 which they
attached Why, Sir, il is known that they sub
sanially independent of the departments. They dis
charge their appropriate duties; and the OF
appeal are not very very troublesome They
are merely to settle general principle. All the de-
tails OF The ordinary business OF the bureau may be
sidered Independent of the department This is the
already with most OF The bureaus of the Treasury
Department The accounting bureaus are independent
by law and ought to be- They merely bring general
principles before the proper head OF the department
Question. OF law are referred TO the law officer OF the
government These cases, where appeal is made to the
head OF the department the Attorney General very
few and are not very troublesome
Now, SIR, see no appropriate duties for this new
ofhcer--none at all What, then, is lhe necessity OF
creating additional officer OF this kind who will have
appropriate dues-a officer 10 be placed the
gether without reason Sir, agree with the senator
from Virginia (Mr HUNTER) in what he has said upon
one point have no doubt that the departments gene
rally and the Treasury Department particular need re.
organizations but this bill does provide reOryanza-
ton II will introduce no valuable change in that de.
parment IL will not relieve the Treasury Department
but appehend that IT might rather embaTass the action
OF that department 10 create officer, whose action
might not be IN conformity with the existing
There is strong argument for measure of this kind
from the recommendation OF the Secretary of the Treas
ury. Why his Recommendation higher than
that OF Mr. MADISON OF our first Presidents and ii
that his judgment not very well founded. for
ne recommended IL IN his time, thaR thirty years
ago, and has not been adopted yet The necessity which
he supposed exist doe. TO have existed because
we have gone for than thirty years, and have
found for change There is no necessity for
that law And there the bill is not properly d.
gesed; il is not the bill ought to have.
Sir, the whole tendency of this government is to in
crease patronage, to foster and enlarge the Executive
power which IS becoming a maestrom to swallow up all
the power and all the government The tendency is like
the dark waves OF the Propon,s, setting in direction
without returning tide. If the power is once created
e;r he IF