The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-05-14

officers OF the treasury amount for the labor OF sign
uar salary as officers Of the treasury. making an aug
menation of $500 or 81 600,
think the whole thing is totally wrong. In my opn-
Which as T
this labor II the salaries not large enough, pass
law to augment them but do not smugge in ain augmen
sns
the contingent fund OF the Senate for such purposes
would ask The yeas and nays the question: but in order
I SoDsy sy s goS g hs senator a
New Hampshire Mr. HALEl will consent 10 withdraw
his motion for few moments, to allow 10 make few
remarks.
Mr.. HALE Certainly, sir
MIR, BADGER, am opposed TO both OF the amend
mens proposed to this resolution, and am IN favor OF the
resolution as was originally introduced into the Senate
In the first place, is obvious that these entitled
to be paid They have performed services not belonging
70 their official connection with the government. and
there Is no better reason that can be assigned why they
should not be paid for such services than there would be
II they had been in way connected with the govern
ment When an officer Of the government is occupied
in discharging special duties called for by resolution Of
the Senate and not connected in any way with his o
cia duties, cannot understand the reasoning by which
is said that he has claim for compensation for such
services Therefore think that these individuals ought
There is some difference in estimating the amount
which they ought TO receive am in favor OF retaining
the amount originally proposed in the Iesoluton-name-
y $75o-reectng the proposition to reduce, and rejecting
the proposition to enlargeit
Now, respects the fund, il seems to me that the only
appropriate mod mode 9 paying these is out Of the
duty at the instance OF the Senate not under the direc
ton Of Congress they have performed i under resou-
ton OF the Senate not under the authority or
OF law; they have done that which their official duties
did not demand OF them, at the request and under the au
horty, by the direction and for the benefit of the Senate
Now sir would like to know il the contingent fund Of
services what it is intended for Iis fund for the
press purpose OF paying demands precisely OF this charac
ter for services rendered under the order OF the Senate,
for the benefit OF the Senate and which ought therefore,
TO be paid for by the Senate and If paid for by the SEN
ate how can II be paid for except out Of the fund which
is under the control OF the Senate beg pardon OF the
Senate for taking little more time than intended. But
think there prevalent upon this subect and
wish 70 call attention TO what consider the mistaken
view OF it. the view OF the senator from New amp-
shire Mr. HALE] be correct them Il the Senate call upon
body TO perform service Tor them the Senate cannot
pay for the service performed without the consent OF
the House Of Representatives We are placed in this at
others, we have TO depend upon the concurrence of the
House OF Representatives TO enable pay for what
has been ordered and performed on our demand. mean
only that II the Senate has the right to call upon an in
divdua to discharge duty in their behalf they certain
ly have the right to compensate such individual for the
performance OF such duy and II II is 10 be paid at all,
must be paid out OF the contingent fund OF the Senate as
this is the only means at our command, without being
trammeed by the necessary operation OF the House of
Representatives.
the smallest proposed do not regard this claim
much in the light OF claim for extra services
tors around 10. Nothing more common than to
pass law referring accounts 10 accounting officers to be
settled in accordance with principles OF equity and have
heard that doing regarded laying the foun-
dation OF claim the part OF such accounting officers
for extra compensation was willing to pay them an
extra 800 per month, which, addition to their reg uar
salaries will make their compensation amount TO more
than eleven dollars per day do think that the sum
which has been asked TO be paid hem$l 900 for these
extra services in addition to their regular salaries OF
000is entirely too much hope therefore, that the
lowest sum named will be agreed to.
Mr. DODGE, of Iowa. said that the laborer was wor-
thy of his hire" He knew something about this matter
and OF the labors which those gentlemen had performed
He had been frequently at their Office at the usual hours OF
attendance upon their duties and having asceained the
amount OF labor performed by them, he Of opinion
that the sum proposed by the Committee OF Claims
not sufficient compensation for their extra labor
He would therefore vote for the amendment OF the
Tor from Virginia, believing that the sum proposed BY
him was no more than an adequate compensation Tor the
labor done
these gentlemen were, TO his certain knowledge, very
laborous, and he had become satisfied long since that
they entitled 10 than the amount claimed He
thought that 81 500 would be no more than sufficient
allowance for the work performed.
Mr. HALE wished TO be informed concerning the ma
ture OF this claim. The honorable senator from North
Carolina said that IT was Tor service done Tor the Senate
eminent Of the United States.
Mr.. HUNTER explained that the service perform
ed by order OF the Senate upon motion OF the chairman
of the COMMITTEE oil Calms lhe reason oil referring the
particular claim to these gentlemen was, that the papers
vouminous that II was impossible Tor any CON-
mttee TO devote the necessary time TO the investigation
The investigation having been made by order OF the Sen
ate he thought the compensation should be paid out OF
the contingent fund Of the Senate
Mr. HALE. This, sir. is, then, a claim upon the gov
ernmen OF the United States; and the Senate, as one
over these claims, directed this examination 10 be made
for their own sasfacton not as Senate, but as part
OF the legislature OF the country. cannot any dif
ference between this and the mentioned by the SEN
aior from Indiana where have claims coming up ev-
cry day. and they referred TO the appropriate officers
OF money involved in the claims REFERRED these officers
and claim extra compensation, where shall
we begin draw the distinction between those which
to be paid and those which not We have heard
great deal about the Gaphn claim which is some seventy
old and should not be surprised extra compen.
these claims for investigations to come up here and be
paid out OF the contingent fund OF the Senate What is
the business OF the auditors but 10 audit and investigate
claims against the government understand this to be
part OF their regular, appropriate, and legitimate duties,
coming directly within their appropriate sphere do not
said here is thing that within the sphere OF our
appropriate duties, for which we are paid $4,000; but
here is another thing that outside the $4,000. and
wewant extra compensation" Sir, this is dangerous
precedent; and il is doaby dangerous when we under
lake TO pay hem as in this out OF the contingent
thus affair than the Supreme Court the Executive. or
the House OF Representatives We are part oil the ma
tonal legislature and is because part OF IL,
and because have deemed this information necessary
the appropriate discharge OF duties, that we have
referred the investigation 10 these officers II does seem
cedent to pay such claims and especially pay them out
of the continQent fund of the Senate.