Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1850-01-19

nsh ships OF commerce with money and provisions the first
instance If we may expend money for this purpose, why
not for any and every other commercial facility The only
legitimate for such vessels for the maintenance OF the
laws-a purpose which may be accomplished far
they aid the object with expenditure probably less
than that OF this service in the last fiscal year by about
p24O, ,OOO Mr. Walker, in his estimates submitted on this
subject two years ago. Supposed thai might readily
$500 900 under this head Of expenditure AS the precise
amount speak from meey, not having the report before
But will here take occasion norm the Senator from
Maryland that this bill not framed by guess, but upon
report and estimates furnished by the Secretary of the Tea
sury think it probable Mr. President that if these
sells not employed beyond the necessity which exists for
them, that the service ought be reduced below the estimate
made either by the former Secretary of the Treasury
self Bot this is moi the only item Of expense upon which
large reduction be made The Secretary of the Trea-
estimates the expenses Of the waehousng system beyond
its receipts at 1884, 634. This arises entirely from the mis-
taken policy OF embakng the in the business OF
storing goods.
There three classes Of warehouses authorized by the
existing Treasury regulations First rented by the
Government and superintended by its officers. Second
licensed stores Of private individuals who make business
of storing goods And, thirdly the warehouse Of the mpor
ter licensed for the OCCASION under certain regulations estab
shed by the Department The expenses in the last
betrayed by the importer The whole loss of the Govern
men is upon warehouses Of the first class This part OF the
systenoaght to be abandoned for variety of In
the first place. it is against principle and experience for Gov
into competition with individuals in the bus-
OF storing goods The British Government with
perence upon this subject larger and longer than has left
the business to private enterprise Our experience teaches
the same lesson.
In your city of New York. Mr.. President, the
chants reluctant 10 store in the public warehouse. The
amounts stored there are so large that the insurance Offices
refuse to INSURE and this together with the fact of the inca
pacy of Government machinery to adapt itself to the
times delicate and often rapid vibrations in commerce. makes
this branch of the system emnenty unpopular Nor these
the only objections to this branch of the system Goods
sometimes lost the public warehouses No provision
for compensang such losses But, without doubt
pensaton will be demanded Our private calendar will be in
numbered with such cases. and legislang attempting
amount involved Let get rid of this part Of the system
have from high authority that could probably sell out
the leases which have taken without loss in all cases,
cept in the city of New York
The leases there amount to about 81 600 per annum
and had better submit whatever loss upon
them at once. What this will be know not. But the
have been mproviden indeed if the loss is
than Is per cent At this rate should something
more than S70 of the Sl94 900 referred by the Sec
etay Upon the items alone Of the cutters and
the warehousing system ought least $500 0O0
This subtracted from 200 900, the expenses of the last
fiscal year, would leave ST $780, 000 These reductions might
be made by Treasury regulation There no law of which
aware, prevent it, and the and measure Of
reduction especially matters for Treasury regulation
But, Mr. President asyet only the threshold Of the
inquiry into the reforms proper to be made End an i'm
personneP in the revenue service which maniesty
ought to be reduced. ..,.. ILL., ~"
The act of March last requires annual report Of the
persons employed and expenses incurred in the collection of
the from customs in the several collection districts of
the United States This sir was provision introduced in
committee upon my notion and the facts developed by this
report curious and startling enough. Sir invite public
attention it, The report is to be found in the letter of the
Secretary containing the estimates OF appropriation find
from this report that there employed in the New Gk
custom house persons besides Is bargemen Bargemen
by the way, who gel $500 ~hss saanaen
ed the port n the cutter service receive but ls2 by
the year. This number is exclusive Of the revenue cutter
NJ. Voxb have at Rpefnn at
Philadelphia l65, Baltimore 92 at New Orleans 2o7
making these five ports persons employed exclusives
ly Of those engaged in the revenue cutter service.
Now, sir, had the curiosity to compare these numbers
with those engaged here in the Departments Accordingly
procured statement, compiled by excellent clerk, Mr..
Hickey from the Blue Book, and giving the number of Off
GERS clerks and messengers the several Executive offices
the Government of the United States at Washington,
the 3Oh September ls49 The entire nber counting heads
of Departments coproers auditors Clerks and messengers
amounts to $40. Many less than the number OF en-
pIoyes New York aone and not half the number at the
five ports to which have just referred. And yet sr all
the of every description embracing the whole oper-
aons of receipt and disbursement Of the Government have to
be audited and settled here Will any pretend that
large reduction might not be made in the numbers engaged
collecting the from customs This, again. pro-
pey matter Of administration Noaw is required to efiecit
Without doubt immense saving might be made by re-
ducion Of the personnel in this service. believe, Mr. Pre-
den that with udcious reforms the whole expenses OF col
ecting the might be met with the originally aP-
l
which understand the chairman of Finance will probably
propose, allowing expenditure at the OF $500 600
than that poposedby the act OF Machlas Secretary
would thus have at his disposal OF between seventeen
and eighteen hundred thousand dollars would vote for this
increase because would extend the limitation far enough to
enable the Secretary operate without embarrassment and
difficulty think there be doubt but that he would
have quite enough if this limitation law imposed. II he
could $780, 900 upon the two items to which have re-
erred that sum alone deducted fom the expenditure of
300 900 for The last fiscal year, wond leave v eighteen
hundred thousand dollars Deduct from this again what might
be saved by the other reductions which have REFERRED and
there be little doubt of his ability meet all reasonable
expenses in collecting the with ST. $780, 000 know
that the Secretary of the Treasury has estimated for 5000 600
additional expense the service in California There
is also small for other collection districts But to
be remembered that $780, 900 proper and moder
estimate for collecting the in that district still the
whole of additional charge upon the expense for the
this very service The expense OF repairing and fitting out the
cutter Lawrence during the last fiscal year to be
charged the California district. She fitted out and
that district during that suppose, too that the
custom house officers appointed for California also received
something during the year ending June 30th, ls49 But
sir be this it may, there ought be offset to these
in Districts in what is saved by aboshng old
districts that useless any Senator will take the trouble
deduct from the annual expenses of collecting the
from 1910 to ls45, the amount spent in the revenue cutter
service than 900 per annum be will find the aver
annual expenditure thus compHted to have been less than
the appropriated in the act of Sd March, is4s. (see
Report Secretary Of Treasury, Dec 80, lS45.)
These Mr. President the which induce me to
desire in this bill Limitation which will define the
beyond which the Secretary Of the Treasury shall not be
allowed to CO. shall sustain such an amendment in no
cspous spirit from wish embaass the Secretary in the
administration Of his department. On the contrary, be-
lieve shall render him service if succeed shall smooth
his path towards reform, reform, too, which would reflect