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

tons clerks and this bill Is not quite silent on he
subject of clerks Now, BESIDES propose mere 10
create cabinet officer The very last day oil h's aamih-
istraon the very last day. assuming that hose
who to succeed US VIII require more caohe omcefs
than we have had and we doing that thing which
they ought to do, il they think Is required Wheh te
administration comes IN II they ma maj necessity
for this department. doubtless they VIII recommend
il Congress the next session. and recommend when
IL can be fully considered am utterly opposed to taking
upon ourselves the responsibility Of this extension OF the
patronage of the government utterly opposed to il.
The government has got along in peace and with
the present Department. they have got along tri
umphanlly, and never heard till to-day that the Secre-
tary OF the Treasury unable perform all the duties
of bis Office heard till to-day. sir, that was
necessary to add any member the cabinet Sir there
arc two things that never 90 back one Is the increase Of
officers, and the other the increase OF saiares we
never diminish officers, and We never diminish salaries
Aud, sir, ii by this division OF the Treasury De
patment into departments, it will not be five years
before told that there is occasion Tor some ohef
division IN some other department Now, sir ms hau
been proposition merely to create an under sec Feafy
OF the Treasury TO have created this commissioner OF
the customs one or both there would have been some
plausibily in the thing but here Is proposition 10
transfer large part OF the duties OF the secretary OF me
Treasury entirely from the Secretary OF the Treasury to
ne Secretary OF the Home Department, and after hav-
ing diminished his iabors one half then are to create
in his office bureaus to help him perform the
mainder of his duties. wish to repeat VIVA, have said
before. that do not think. at the close Of war; with
national debt upon our hands, and with bill pending,
understand il, for the OF five millions oil treasury
notes, another form of borrowing five six millions
of dollars, DO not think this is the right time 10
mence the augmentation Of the expenses OF the govern
meat know, sir, and every one knows that has hai
any experience the OF public affairs, that II the
tendency OF government 10 expenditure shall continue,
the present tariff will not keep the government of
increase OF her deb-much less supply fund for the
gradual extinction OF the national debt There must be
retrenehmen'. The custom house cannot get enough
70 meet the demands that made upon the public
treasury, tariff be made high enough to
nand revenue to meet those demands. The issuing Of
treasury notes will become permanent resort and the
establishment Ut national debt, without any hope of its
payment extinction will become the permanent policy
OF the country, il retrenchment be not resored to.
made some alusion the other day. sir, to the adding
OF these figures. know, and knows, that
there is less attention paid to the expense OF the
ment now, than perhaps at any period OF our history
want OF that attention that the tendency to increase the
expense OF the government is daily increasing. But ii
behoovss me not to spend any OF the little time of the
Senate that remains, in further discussion.
Mr. DAVIS of Mississippi AS usual, agree very
well with the from Ohio that it is very improper
to increase the of the federal government beyond
what they must necessarily be- But here. the vast
increase OF patronage amounts to addition OF three
officers and two clerks, believe This is all that is
merely to expedite the business and to relieve it from
manual and mechanical labor. The officers would
perform duties which performed by the Treasury
Department, and also duties performed by some
other departments The questions coming up. under the
custom laws, which are now referred TO the First Comp
toller OF the Treasury will be decided BY the Commits
soner OF Customs. They sometimes at present de-
tanned from sixty TO ninety days and then TO the Sec
rotary OF the Treasury himself. If a Commissioner OF
Customs is appointed all these questions growing out OF
custom laws Will be decided promptly by him and thus
a large benefit will be conferred upon engaged in
and the OF the country these Ques
tons involve the revenue OF the country well the
commercial interests of individuals With this brief
answer to the senator from OHIO will say that
DO not intend to defend this bill, because believe has
explanation defence leave it TO The Senate. to be
debated BY those who shall think proper to debate it.
Mr. HUNTER did not suppose, upon proposition
to amend, that the debate would turn upon the bill itself
1t is but due TO the Committee Finance, and myself
member OF that committee to say that we weie so
much pressed with other matters that we have not been
able to give TO this bill that particular and minute atten-
lion which such a subject deserves We thought
saw In reason enough TO induce to hesitate long be-
fore we should make such change in the Treasury De-
partment OF the United States. This is but germ and
we can no more Judge what the result will be in the
lure from the present provisions OF the bill than
JUICE what The will be from the appearance of the
infant. This led us to the consideration, whether it
might not devolve upon the federal government
which properly belonged to the Stae. II is irue SIR
that The bill. now framed, contains such PROPOSE
iion but before recommend it, and rely upon the ar.
guments in support of Home Department, should
consider long whether that may be lis tendency
shall increase. But be that may, throwing il out OF
the question, It to me, notwithstanding the high
reputation oil the Secretary OF The Treasury that the bill
is not well dgested, and not we'll drawn Nor sir,
concur with hle senator from Mississippi [Mr DAvIsl
IN the opinion that take whatever any Secretary
chooses to recommend.
Mr.. DAVIS, Gn his seat) did not express such an
opinion
Mr.. HUNTER. understood HIM to say that we were
10 Jake IL upon BrOund mat he would take
that and tina, it somewha, unbecomng tia, should
raise whisper OF opposition to what the Secretary had
prepared.
Now sir | maintain-and am willing that this should
60 before the natonthat it is well dgesed thing
and that it is not well drawn. Why, sir what is the
meaning OF that provision which takes from the Treasury
Department the supervision OF OF the OF
nue. Are we to destroy the unity OF that department
Are we TO have two treasures and two secreares Are
the treasury generally Why them give this Minister OF
the Interior the supervision OF OF revenue Is
the Secretary OF the Treasury have The custody OF the
pubic money and the Secretary OF the Interior have
the regulation OF that portion OF the derived from
the public lands Sir believe that woald destroy the
unity OF the department must oppose this BILL unless
II be very much modified and changed. We know, sir,
that the two chief of in this government
the custom houses and public lands How important,
them TO the unity OF the Treasury Department. that the
Secretary OF the Treasury should he lodged the power
say TO what extent The public lands should be thrown
into the market and 10 supernend, short the
of the country.
II is said that many other matters involved in which
settlers and the States interested the Office OF
perntending the public lands. admit il, sir, but il you
have an intelligent and able Commissioner Of Pubc
Lands such one the present Commissioner OF Public
Lands you will enable him discharge all the duties by
enlargng his powers. The chief argument for the
Enlistment of this department that will relieve
the Secretary OF the Treasury from the burden of the
duty OF pronouncng judgment in of appeal under
the provisions OF March, 1913 Why not give that
not select for that Office who i, able to pronounce
that uigmeni' believe that the Commissioner who al
present nils that office is able to decide such
any OF the Secrearies This power ought 10 be trans
ieIeo out 10 90 This you have only 10 change 10
extent G tae powers derolvcd upon the Commissioner Of