The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-04-16

You'd, but they went on with the work on the faith OF
Congress- There 10 no doubt but that expenses will be
incurred, il this work is arrested but. in my view,
there will be much less useless expense than there will
be in going on that by removing part i will bring i
do not suppose that any damages viii be claimed II one
wing shall be extended the length of 100 feet buttha
the contractors will have opportunity Of using all
asf aO At any rate WI r. h able .
which they would be justly entitled, in my view, would
Dc nconsdeEable, compared with the outlay to carry
on.
Mr.. PEARCE What is the motion To strike out.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The motion is on an
amendment offered by the senator from Rhode Island.
Mr. PEARCE II my opinion, Mr. President, that
amendment is not at all improper. II u.s. as understand
IT, to confne the application Of the greater part OF the
appropriation to the completion oil the east wing; and
the senator proposes ALSO at the same time application
Of much of the appropriation as shall be necessary 70
the putting of the foundation Of the western wing N
state of security. Now, sir. the effect OF that will be
somewhat different from what the chairman OF the COM
mittee supposes II will be 10 prosecute with more ra-
pdy the completion OF the east wing Il the west wing
be left in its present condition. shall lose what we
have done. By-the-by, portion OF the structure now
erected will be exposed TO injury if the west wing be le
as il now is The object OF the senator from Rhode
island to carry on so much OF the work OF the west
wing will be necessary TO secure il and confne the
rest OF the appropriation 10 the completion OF the east
wing which think is perfectly proper have no idea
that there will be any claim for damages whatever.
know that the contractors who have been expecting to
furnish the granite for the west wing have been quarry
e winter aas % q
that they quarrying II the west wing be left in its
present condition, they might then have claim for dam
ages whereas the amendment OF the senator from Rhode
Island would require that the granite be used think
il, is very proper and hope the amendment will be
adopted.
Mr.. CLARKE Mr. President wish to say one word
in TO inquiry of the senator from Indiana
MIR WHITcoMBl The contract that understand was
made by the Secretary OF the Interior was, to lay the
foundation OF the and construct The east
wing, as it is now going on from the front street. lF
street, 270 feet in DEPTH and taking 70 feet OF the old
structed about onethird of the east wing. They
have now upon the ground they say, much material
as VIII be required to construct and complete that eastern
wing And according the contract that has been made
by the Secretary OF The Interior preparations have been
going to lay the foundations OF the western wing.
Excavations have been made granite brought upon the
ground, and, as the senator from Maryland saysa fact
that was not before aware ofthe contractors have
been getting out the granite to complete the foundation,
as the contract has been made by the Secretary OF the
Interior My amendment proposes to conne him to that
contract According to the contract the work upon the
eastern wing has been prosecuted to such extent as
% render i impossible, in my opinion. 70 take down I
portion OF that wing 10 construct the other wing While
they go with the east wing, confines the appropra
ton, with the exception OF much will be needed TO
secure Inc west wing to ne completion q NE east wing
the contract that he has made This the best expa
nation that can give.
Mr.. DAVIS, of Mississippi Mr. President, am very
sorry differ from my friend from New York in relation
to this amendment. | agree entirely with the senator
from Rhode Island. in relation 10 amending the clause
coming from the House of Representatives, and hope
that the amendment will be adopted Ipresume that, in
the first placeand il cannot be contradcted-the work
has been prosecuted upon the original plan The founda
necessary to complete it at least 10 the level of the ground
and to throw the dirt back and fill up the excavations
and conne the rest OF the money to the eastern wing
II is necessary for the completion OF that wing Ii has
been announced here, in the first place. that the patent
fund was not properly directed to the construction of this
Mr.. DICKINSON. Iwish that it should not 90 beyond
the wants OF the Patent Office.
MIR. DAVIS, of Mississippi. What the wants of the
Patent Ohice are now, and what they will be IN few
ditional building; and, II understand the report of the
present Commissioner and of the Secretary of the INTERIOR
the work is based upon the supposlon that all that now
belongs to the National Institute all collected by the Ex
porng Expedition, to be transferred to the Smithsonian
Institution Now wish to state TO the Senate, that Con-
gess has no power to put upon that institution the duty
OF taking charge OF these things Congress never did
but only gave TO the institution the right TO take such
things as they wished. And | now further inform the
Senate that il is not the intention OF the present Board oil
Regents TO take charge OF the museum in the Patent O
hce In the mean time we require the extension OF the
Patent Oce for the purposes OF the Patent Office itself
and The patent fund is properly applied TO that purpose
Should II not be needed for the Patent Office when
peied IL will furnish for the government Office that IL
requires On examination into the amount OF rent paid by
the government find that it is about $4,000 year,
being the interest upon sum great deal more than is
required TO finish the eastern wing think that IL would
be very bad economy, indeed to tear down the building,
the chairman OF the committee asks, TO finish the other
wing.
One word more answer 10 what the chairman OF the
committee said in relation to the material.
do think would be very bad economy, indeed, to
steps, to tear down the building proposed by
the chairman OF the Committee on Finance, in order TO
begin and that the better way would be 10 protect
the wing and complete the other for the general
purposes OF the government | would simply remark in
answer 10 what The chairman oil the Committee FL
nance has said in relation 10 the kind oil stone that he
that the OF freestone part OF the plan
think il not but. IL IL was, il very well 10 get
is nothing which makes striking building marble
and few durable; whereas the gray sand
stone used in The construction OF the Patent Office is
defective absorbing large quantities OF water wherever the
rain falls upon IT, andthen expanding the water freezes.
and crumblng away as those pillars are now doing.
think the only way preserve that stone is TO bind the
building with paint; and let that paint be white paint
which will be necessary for the preservation OF the
centre.
Mr. DICKINSON said that the Secretary OF the In.
terror his report had stated that he had contracted
and 80. | was in error. | should have said that he
stated IN his communication 10 and not IN his public
report.
Mr. WHITCoMB have one other inquiry to make
and that is whether, under any existing legislation any OF
the executive officers have power make contracts in.
yoving expenditure beyond what we have made APP
propr ,aone for.
Mr. DAVIS, OF Mississippi would state. In reply to
the senator from Indiana, that there is provision
slrainng The government officers IRON making contracts
not authorized by law. But do not understand that IL
is applicable TO this case As understand the case the
Secretary OF the Interior, when the funds were exhaust
ed, informed the contractors. In the mean time, as
have M they