The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-02-17
THE UNION.
take the 90 rooms that would be occupied but 80 or 40

A SENATOR How many rooms are theret
Mr BRADBURY. II is represented that there are now
hnshed over thirty which occupied, so that the
Secretary OF War would be authorized TO lease some
thirty rooms beyond the necessities of the government,
Again. II Is proposed that the Secretary oil war shall
lease them upon the terms originally agreed upon by
hun. by which phrase suppose is meant the rate OF
SITS per instead of $3.50. the which they
are now occupied object this phraseology, not so
much on account OF the difference between S73 and $50
per room as from the TACT that II TO be an as
seruon that there has been agreement entered into
by the Secretary of War. | apprehend that is worthy
the notice OF the Senate whether by adopting this amend
ment we should not recognise agreement between the
secretary OF wa and the owner OF this buildings which
would be quoted as agreement, hereafter 10 be recog
Missed by US, which would be considered binding us,
and which wsud be referred to obligatory upon us
when future arrangements should be made Ii the propo
son were to rent the number OF needed by the
government at specified rate, not exceeding Sl75 do
not know that should object it, although think ii is
very high. But there an objection and a serious one,
10 adopting this phraseology-io recognising this agree
ment.
this gentleman TO erect this building, by assuring him
that he would occupy in the business OF the depart
ment, and that he would recommend to Congress to make
an appropriation to pay the rent But he SAID that he
would use such rooms should be needed. Now, the
gentleman went forward and built house larger than
the government needed Is there anything in the
gwen by the Secretary from which the would
have right TO claim that the department should occupy
or pay for the whole ling But inasmuch per-
ceive that some Inconvenience would be likely to arise
from the fact that part of the only taken by the
government, should not for that reason, much object
TO the amount, If should be named directly, certain
specified amount. | hope that the amendment may be
modified to this effect for should hope might not pass
Mr. HALE Mr. President, | have but word or two
to say, Sir. Last year | opposed 10 this whole
measure, and | am opposed to it now. | opposed to
paying any rent for this building. II wrong the
part Of the Secretary to hold out any encouragement 1t
wrong for him to do what belongs solely to Con-
gress and Congress has The power to determine all such
expenditures.
Now, sir, when man sets trap and tells the indvi-
dual whom he TO catch to look at it, for he intends
to take him in it, think that fair warning and il
the individual ID caught it is his own fault. Now
this man set trap for us. He got one foot in il,
as far as we agreed to go; and now after having
gwen us fair warning ne comes here and asks an ex-
orbitant rent; We were fairly notified beforehand that
the trap was built for us, and that to pay this
exorbitant But this gentleman did not get quite
much he would like to have. He asks donation of
between IS, 900 and 81 900 year make up the de-
fcency in what he has made out of US That is the
whole of it, sir. II authority to the Secretary OF
War to contract with him, and to pay him $75 year
for thirty rooms do not want, and cannot usc and
ought not to use.
Now. sir il there is any principle upon earth, any prin
cpe that has ever been Acknowledgement IN this time OF
nllasn as has been appropriately termed by my col
league this mornins-to justify such principle this,
should like to hear upon what principle OF reason
ing gentlemen can satisfy themselves OF the Proprley OF
voting give this amount of 5000 year, because this
Investment IS not so profitable as he hoped it would be
There is necessity for this amendment at all or for
any part OF it, 1t seems that the departments have been
renting such they needed for years past
without any provision OF Congress at all Congress have
paid liberal rents for such have been used by
the departments, thus sanctoning thi, practice Why
them shoad not the Secretary of War go in
the regular established course, until this new build
ing is finished; which | hope, will be very soon
of depletion much longer. II, my friend from Con.
nectcu Mr. NMEsl suggested the other day. the city of
Washington is all our own, it seems to me that
property; and nov is proposed to make US pay still
more by Compelling us e pay 70! thirty rooms we
vacant rooms in the city of Washington at the rate OF
81 IS per annum think would much better take the
rooms of the boarding kept by widows, who
to let US have them at that rate and might be an act of
benevoence more IN accordance with the Esprit OF the
at this rate. than TO take the of specua
ting gentleman, who has specuated quite profit
ably as he intended to do.
| Now sir, do not wish to be understood as saying
anything derogaory the owner of this building. We
the goose that lays golden eggs, and he makes nest
for 1t is right for him to do it. But have not
pectatons and he and asks this amendment to
make up the deficiency 1t is fair business transaction
seems that did not want quite many rooms as he
built for 1t reminds me of anecdote which Frank
lin told in France, at the time colony OF Great
Britain. He told them of Frenchman who wanted to
do certain thing with red hot poker, but the for
whom this favor intended having declined, he says,
Then YOU shall pay me for heating the poker"
Mr.. FoorE called the gentleman to order, for the
| OF unparianentary language
| Mr.. HALE. am through, sir
| MIR HAMLlN. desire to vote understandingly upon
this bill II have the right view of the matter, ii seems
TO that the whole amendment entirely and radically
wrong In the first place propose to submit an inquiry
TO the senator from Georgia for the purpose OF learning
definitely what is the number of rooms in this building
If understood the honorable senator, there now
some ninety rooms engaged by the government, some
thirty OF which are not occupied
Mr.. JOHNSON. really do not know what the nun
Der OF in actual may be. There are thirty five
or forty, understand, which ';noccupied.
Mr.. HAMLIN shall be very glad If any senator can
give the exact number of rooms contained in that
building, when they all finished. IA pause but no
reply was heard
understand, sir from various senators, that one hun
drsd and twenty will be contained IN that building
when completed Now, will the Secretary please to read
the amendment
The amendment was accordingly read.
Mr.. HAMl.IN. Now, Mr.. President if understand
the scope of that amendment comPes the Secretary 10
lease these the rates contemplated in the con-
tract to which the amendment aludes, but which, |
think, in fact is clearly contract at ALL and will be
contract unless by that amendment endorse 1t and
make it such That contract, il may be called SUCH
and which we shall make such by action here, if
we pass this amendment contempates the leasing of
these rooms at 81 IS per Or, in other words, the
constructor OF that building says he will construct
building of certain dimen ons for which he will ask
rent Of 3l7 per and the Secretary OF War holds
out, as | understand 1t, no endorsement by his Ian
will give him that amount of rent for these rooms
| if the building should be constructed. Yet, If we
shall, by the adoption OF this amendment, recognise
these two letters contracts the Secretary OF war
would be compelled tapay that sum Tor the whole build
ing, for the whole hundred and twenty and
of the department IT, then, he pays the price Of
81 IS per for the whole hundred and twenty
rooms, it will amount to 81 900 upon building which
they themselves say, believe, cost but 1000. You