The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-09-26


done so as not 70 increase the number Of clerks Tn.
amendment which move is to provide by act OF Con
gress for the requisite number of clerks for this depart
for supply OF clerks We have communication from
the late Secretary Of the Interior lMr McKennan,1 in
which he says he has officially applied to the other de-
parments for clerks and found that they had "a
spare. Weknow very weltha since the passage OF thai
proviso there have been number of clerks voted BY
Congress TO the other departments which is evidence
enough that they had no clerks 10 spare. And under
that provso they will be obliged to surrender portion o
their clerks to that department What is 70 be the effect
81 TINS rs clumsy This
truly said BY the chairman oil the committee, with
out any provision BY Congress for their employment
individual responsibility; but Congress has voted sum
OF money sufficient for their payment They now.
were up TO the 3oh OF June, employed under the pro-
visions Of that deficiency bill Since that time, few
days subsequent 10 that time, know nothing about it
but believe the same clerks there under the
engagement Now, what is to be the operation OF this
proviso Congress here gives clerks at all TO that de-
partment They directed to take their clerks from
the other departments and from the bureaus. Under
is provision an application must be made to the Presi
dent 0t the United States and he must direct the other
departments TO surrender given number OF clerks
many as may be necessary for the transaction Of the
business apPerainng to that department Now, what is
to be the effect oil such an arrangement upon the public
business II the clerks OF the other departments sent
to that department they will be, every man OF Them
which they will be called upon to perform, except it may
be the mere copying OF papers These thai now
employed in the Department Of the Interior disciplined
TO their duty They know what they have 10 do They
have the run Of the business They are acquainted with
the books, and they transact the business much bet
ter than men who are sent there from the other depart
ments And it will take twice as long and twice as much
labor the part Of the Secretary OF the Interior to get
through with the business OF that department as would
ii we were 10 authorize hlm 10 employ his clerks and
thus enable him To retain those who are now engaged IN
that department No matter what may have been said
to the contrary, feel justified in asserting that all OF
those clerks competent and industrious and work
| hfxura Aat .uht IN Ihau
transact the business efficiently There is not arone
among them
But the actual operation Of this poviso will be this
The other departments will be directed 10 surrender
given number of clerks They will be sent over accord.
ngy to this department. and the moment they arrive they
will be dismissed, and The clerks that are now en-
The effect Of it, therefore, will be nothing than 10
require the heads OF the other departments each to dismiss
thing send them the Department Of the Interior,
where they will be dismissed and those already engaged
in The business will be employed This, sir, will be its
operation, and appears be exceedingly clumsy
and improper mode OF proceeding II we wish the
public business 10 progress with proper rapdy we should
remove this nconvenient arrangement and authorize the
employment oil such clerks may be best quafled Tor
the transaction OF the business Of the department With
this view moved this amendment; and if il prevails
shall then 10 repeal the provso in the deficiency
BILL and that will set all things right in relation to this
matter.
Mr.. DICKINSON. Mr.. President, will occupy no
time in regard to this matter. ! wish the Senate TO
transfer OF the clerks was The course contemplated by the
original bill for the establishment of this department. but
if the theory upon which This department was constructed
does not work well, entirely willing to have II
changed know it is apparently small business TO OPP
pose The increase OF clerks and woad rather give them
every clerk they ask for than to resist them. My opinion
that the clerks a all events great many OF them,
altogether poorly paid II should live TO return
here another session, will try 10 inform myself upon the
subject and possible give more efficiency TO this ds,
obtain efficient men, But will not occupy the time OF
the Senate. hope we shall now proceed 10 vote the
Mr. GWIN Mr. President. shall vote for this
amendment am in favor OF increasing the efficiency
OF the Department Of the Inferior There is business
enough sccumuating in that department in reference TO
the affairs Of California TO require additional number
OF clerks think, therefore, that il is indispensable that
sufficient number OF clerks should be employed TO make
the department efficient in the transaction OF the business
that may come before il.
| The question being taken on the amendment, 1T was
adopted
to move for the repeal Of the provisoi
1 Mr.. DICKINSON. Certainly il ought 10 be repesled
| Mr. EWING. will not detan the Senate. l will
Mr.. DOWNS moved TO add after line 500 . for the
salary OF additional clerk in the Attorney Generals
office. 50 600"
The amendment was agreed to.
FOR EXPERIMENTS IN ELEcrRo-M MAGNETISM.
| Mr. BENTON. l will now move the following
amendment:
"For containing and completing the experiments to test
the capacity and usefulness Of the eecomaenetc power
mechanical agent, for the purposes OF navigation and
locom otion, and the probable cost Of using the same IN
driving ship at boat river, or Iailroad car OF
either ln engine OF hundred borsc powrt
according te invention OF Professor Page, The sum oil
$4,000 Including the balance remaining from the appro-
puaon Of March 3, 1873 Tor the same objects 70 bc ex.
pended under the opefvsion OF the Sec reay the Navy
In making practical experiments OF said invention accord
plan TO bs prepared and conduet,d by Professor
Page and the Secretary Of The Navy b author zed 20 allow
the said Professor Page lo his services
ingivng h whole time such experiments, sum equal
1 a u examining clerk the Patent Once.'
| MIR. BENTON. do not propose 10 say much in favor
OF that resolution, because the subject OF II has spoken
best ior itself Professor Pdge brought his machi9e into
Washington city two months ago. and exhibited "
for four successive evenings 10 all persons who would
20 and examine II, and its operaon-learned and
unlearned, mechanical and unmecbanica Besides thai,
be has had his machine subject 10 inspection al his own
house, two or three miles out OF this city, Tor almost
every evening that time, and great many per-
sons-members OF Congress and ohers-have gone out
10 examine it, do not, therefore, propose 70 say more
about II than TO explain the amendment as offered.
The amendment is but continuation OF one OF the ap.
preparation adopted al the last session OF Congress AZ
the Last session OF Congress, Congress appropriated
900 for these experiments the money TO De expended
aud applied this amendment proposes under the super
vision OF the Secretary oi the Navy Professor Page
then and now is clerk 10 the Patent Omce. Like
most other persons In country he has 10 support bis
lamiy by following some pursuit Everything that ne
has done under thai $40 appropriation has been done
In the Patent Office, from o'clock, TO O'clock m
After he has worn out this six hours labor 10 the Patent
Office, he then devoes bs the perfection OF bis IN
venon His labor al the Patent Office is the most difhcut
part OF the labor there he is Of the examiners in
the Office He has in the course OF that time brought up