The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-05-08
THE UNION.

OF the peoples such suspicious even should ever al
attach 10 u.s. We would place Congress almost beyond
the reach OF suspicion BY the arrangement contemplated
in this bill They would hardly appropriate for claims
not by The board and there would be ite
room for sinister Influences il their grants confined
TO cases regularly tried and affirmed BY body having the
qualifications and qualities of a court OF justice. Mr.
fresldeel iheIe y yet another argument 70 be urged IN
favor OF the bill mean the superior economy OF the
proposed arrangement The whole machinery OF the
board Of accounts will cost comparatively little. Three
entire personnel would aav them beiay. ssoeciav
the commissioners. To make the tribunal Efficient the
salaries should be large enough 10 command the best tai
ents and rs men ct the country They should be men
with judicial qualifications. with reputation enough to
sure respect, and with OF the special knowledge
appropriate to the subjects with which they will have TO
deal They should be working -men, too-men who
able and anxious to win reputation in the Offices
which they FILL We may such men, We may
NIL the few Offices with fit persons and the whole ex-
pcnses OF the board will probably not exceed $4,000 per
annum AT this expense, probable that board may
be secured which would give prompt intelligent, and
satisfactory decisions in the cases presented Tor its
atordng such imperfect justice Congress could render,
IT il were TO attempt to hear and determine all the cases
presented to IT, The rules OF the House Of Representatives
devote two days in every week. onethrd OF the work.
OF the session, the consideration OF the private
calendar. They do not devote the whole of this time
to that subject is true but then they do not act upon
half the petitions. Whoever has served there will not
doubt but that two days in the week would not afford
the House more than time enough TO act upon all the
claims presented to IT, Such is the estimate Of the time
own rules Il would be fair then, TO state that the ex
pense Of trying these by Congress would be equal
to onehird OF its whole expenses sir, the
pense not only Of the members, but Of the whole
chinery by which operate legislative bodies Now,
find. by statement furnished me by Mr. Hickey that
the entire expense of Congress for the two last
81 976 ,339; third of this for the two sessions
would be than $500, 900 and for each session
should have something more than 100000 as the ex
pense OF trying these claims by Congress In point OF
economy therefore, there be comparison between
the two methods But it consideration far beyond
this that private claimants would have their tried
speedily aud satsacorilyan advantage which Il s diff
cult to estimate, because to be measured not merely
| by the money which it would save to those who now
waste it in the Ruthless effort to be heard, but also by
what we should save in reputation by doing speedy and
! full justice to all who have dealings with US.
Mr.. President, have said that the system proposed in
this bill is not without example; 80 far as the duties Of
the board to be connected with the departments,
have quoted you precedent, and striking precedent in
the administrative organization OF France have also at
by The S NV
up the report in my hand, publishes letters from all the
foreign ministers in this country with the exception OF
the British who replied 10 heterogeneous propounded by
him in reference to the modes known abroad for trying
such They all replied that they were tried by
bodies OF Judicial character with the forms, as well
recoect, OF judicial proceeding. The experience OF
Great Britain on this subject may Be supplied by refer
ence to Hatsel. Early in the eighteenth century the
House OF Commons found itself much embarrassed by
private claims that they determined TO hear which
had not been previously examined and recommended by
officers OF the Crown This mode OF proceeding
what similar to that proposed in this bill As far as
know, the first attempt made here afford tribunal
other than Congress for the investigation and deermna
ton OF these cases was by predecessor OF mine upon
this oor, Colonel John Taylor, Of Carone) who pro-
posed scheme BY which they to be heard and de.
cded by the United States courts He borrowed the ea
doubtless, from his State, which permits herself to
in the cases OF private individuals So far as our expe-
rience has gone, the Commonwealth suffers injury
from the privilege thus given to private individuals
whilst il affords them speedy justice and entire satsfac
o. Al hls n
oered by him do not propose to give the board oil
accounts final jurisdiction in claims founded upon equi-
aiming the cases. and stating to Congress the facts
and principles upon which their opinions based
and il will be for Congress 10 appropriate or not,
for the satisfaction Of these claims, IT may think
proper Mr. President, believe that such institution
this board OF accounts would prove Of great service
TO the country, and become, in the end, OF the mos
valuable features in the organization OF our departments
II would promote the despatch of business in our federal
legislature, and remove from them fruitful oil
corruption L would relieve private claimants from the
expense and the anxiety of what is now, in fact most
tedious and costly species OF litigation before Congress
and take away from that body the great reproach oil
delaying and denying justice TO the ruin Of those who
ence be more sautary and purifying than in the
tive departments themselves u would give uniformity
and system the decisions OF claims in the departments
II would promote the despatch Of public business, by
j suggesting Improvements in the system OF accounts
and seeing that all connected with the machinery OF
public accounts performed their duties faithfully The
good would thus be stimulated the faithful perform
OF their duties and the idle and worthless would be
exposed and il is to be hoped, dismissed after they
thus brought to the notice OF the appointing power.
Mr. President, II to check this system oil
prescription from which the public service suffers
much--desroy il, | fear eannot-the process will
commence through such body this The invest-
cations and reports OF such men, il is hoped these will
bempartia experienced, with much special knowledge
OF the subject and, above ALL independent Tor unless
independent OF political influence, they will be almos,
worthess-woud do much TO reward and encourage
merit and 10 force the expulsion of drones and unfit men
from Offices OF which they unworthy Upon the trust
10 be reposed in such boiy and upon their reports may
be hereafter based, perhaps, most valuable refoa
reform which former distinguished member from North
Carolina MIR Mckay was the first 10 propose in this
country and which borrowed from system that is
tenn OF examination and promotion amongst the clerks,
as have in the army and navy Give them the privi
lege OF trial before such court this, before the ap.
pointing and removing power acts upon any suggestion
OF either appointment, promotion removal, and you
will rear corps OF administrative agents and officials as
valuable and efficient IN their sphere the officers of
our army navy in their respective departments With
such board this, the system OF which speak would
gradually introduce itself Incompetent men would grad
for which they unfit, because the examining board
would itself be exempt from such influences and bring
TO the discharge OF their duties weight o experience,
knowledge, and character which would give them the
public confidence Ii may be said that this may be all
done by the heads OF the departments and that these
are duties which they might appropriately discharge.
Not so, Mr. President have said before, our Secre
es may be good administrative officers, and yet entirely
unsked matters OF account, aud the machinery by
are to be collected and condensed Indeed il would
hardly ever bappen that they would have this Of