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

The PRESIDING OFFICER then stated the question
upon the sixth amendment OF the committee which Is as
| follows: M ss
.For eon,ngsn. expenses Of the Senate two hundred
Mr.. DICKINSON. in order to let the public know
how the expenses rise stated that upwards OF $4,000 OF
this amount was for public documents distributed among
The question being taken upon the amendment il was
The PRESIDING OFFICER stated the question upon
the seventh amendment OF the committee which sas fol-
lows:
"For defcsncles in the appropriations for the branch
mint at new New Orleans the fiscal fifteen
Mr.. DICKINSON stated that the amount was said to
be proper by the officer in charge Of the mint at New
Orleans and also bv the director OF the mint at Phade
pba and by the Secretary OF the Treasury. who showed
that It was necessary and proper to the efficiency Of that
mint
The question being taken upon the amendment ii was
Ns' The PRESIDING OFFICER stated the question
upon the eighth amendment oilhe committee which is
follows:
.For supplying deficiencies in appropriations for the
val service oi ne fiscal year ending the theth Of June
eighteen hundred and foynine In Of the letter
Of the Secretary Of the Navy, Of December twenty four
thousand five hundred and hiriyhree dollars aud
thirty Genus" FI
Mr.. DICKINSON, That is very large amount. Mr.
President and will perhaps require some further expana
on The circumstances under which the deficiency
arose are theses In ls47, Mr. Secretary Mason made his
estimates Tor vigorous prosecution OF the Mexican
Ile war was then IN progress and there was no mme
date prospect OF its discontinuance His preparations
fourteen millions They were made. let i be remem.
oeea N lsa Inc appropriations under those estimates
United States The Committee of Ways and Means, in
the other House. cut down their appropriation very con-
sderably II impossible for them to have any correct
data upon which to move. They were anxious 10 cut
them down much as was safe And although the es-
Inmates OF the Secretary Of the Treasury consdera
Iu that..r
Congress- proved to be much less For instances upon the
question OF pay alone Congress appropriated from
10 100000 less than necessary When the returns
came IN from Mexico, i was found that much larger
amount had been expended than had been supposed
This deficiency arises from the transfer system, which
now give the Senate and the departments notice that
shall Try to break up when come to the general APP
preparation bill believe to be unsound system of
finance, and calculated to msead Congress and the de-
Partments II is system by which, when one fund is
found not to be large enough, and another fund too
large and not wanted for any immediate purpose, the
departments allowed 10 transfer from the fund
hausted and deficiencies asked for here are 10 supply
funds that have been exhausted by drawing under the
transfer system. made up my mind at time to Of
fer an amendment to this bill to break up this system,
and to throw upon the departments the responsibility Of
making the estimates carefully, that may have
specific estimates, and know what they are and look
them in the face This system defeats the purpose of
making the estimates and leads the public to suppose
that the finances are in condition. when in point Of
fact they in another and very different condition It
leads us to suppose that there surplus in the treasury
when in fact there is deficit This deficiency unques-
tonably exists and can explain il all in detail if il is
| necessary, though apprehend it is not
The question being taken upon the amendment, it was
Mr.. PEARCE moved to amend by adding the follow
ing;
"For the removal of the public green house and the boz
tanical garden in connexon herewith, suita BILE
oil the city, In the public grounds and for the erection
by the Joint COMMITTEES on the Library 1--WE thousand dol
ar to be expended under the direction Of said Joint Com
Public Buildings"
Mr. stated that in consequence OF the extension OF
the Patent Office wings there not enough for
that collection. II warm weather should come there
was not sufficient room 70 put the plants in the open air
There was very valuable collection there, which il
desirable s,L 70 preserve. NJ,
senator from Maryland and the committee which be
is chairman, the proprety OF their offering this amend
ment, as duty OF which they have charge, resist the
amendment upon general grounds, because mean TO
strike al the root OF the whole OF it. The committee
have done their duty do not crticse them for it ALL
But think that, If the government intend to keep up
this SYSTEM they great deal greener than the house
proposed to erect The idea Of the federal
going into the house system matter that can.
not give my sanction TO- do not deny there great
many interesting and valuable plants there. | know
there are. And although not learned in such matters
think there is good deal Of the "woolly horse about
many OF them TLaughierl There are rare and inter-
estng plants doubt not. and plants which from
great distance and great many, too, which might have
been found much nearer home There every variety OF
4
II is well enough for ladies and gentlemen OF to 90
into such business; but for the government of the
American people enter into such matters, introduce
my protest against IT, This is not legitimate function
OF the government II does not belong to il to keep
plants Why not form collection OF rare and beautiful
animals, geological collection and have them fed here
There would be more science and good deal
in IL than in getting up collection oil plants Sir will
vote to-day TO give every one OF them TO some gentleman
OF taste who will take charge OF them. know Of many
Conservatives better than that in private hands. The
great sin that besets this government is patronage
IL is sappng its foundations than all other ques-
ing. absorbing question: which is rolling its
the country 1t should be the business o the gov
ernmeni in the action OF Congress, to lay the al the
root OF patronage wherever IL be done. There is
enough that cannot be stricken off We compelled,
in order TO administer the government under the consttu-
ton, TO give patronage enough TO destroy any admnstra-
ton Them TO setting up the green house system,
or any other system which is not necessary, will
sanction it in any respect form and occupying
position responsible than any other member OF the
body in this respect, TO strike at il, care not
stood, that the Committee the Library did no more than
their duty in preserving these plants, long Con-
gress keeps foot the system sanctions il but wish
10 break up the system itself would have offered TO
give them 10 the Smithsonian Institute but understood
that that institution would not take them They under
stand their business better, should be willing to give
them 10 any gentleman who is willing to take them and
preserve them. should expect to set Congress
to raising wheat any other vegetable prosecuting
any other business, this business OF greenhouse
have stated what have say upon the subject and will
| let IL take iis course.
| Mr. PEARCE Mr. President, am yery much con.
cerned 10 hear the awful foebodn0s nj the ch NJ