The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-04-14

enterprise was Of speculation merely and il sssentsd
to by the government matter OF necessity An ndi
yidual comes here from Baltimore or Philadelphia, and
with hsprvaie MEANS erects buildings which, from our
pasimony and narrow policy, s absolutely necessary
Tor the departments TO occupy Heretofore every small
and Insecure building in that neghborhood contained r.
q lie Pson os aSa and q so%s q hs bureaus
were kept in such places, and stranger found NEXT to
impossible 70 ferret out these unsghy hiding places Of
Still such kind Of places were used as depositores
OF important records until these gentlemen kindly step-
ped ~ and erected buildings more suitable and secure
The foundations were laid sufficiently sod-the walls
may be OF sufficient strengh--bu the roof H. seems, was
not quite az substantial Tor recently i proved too fra p
No bsyooS ne "a oa happily
Now sir. il Is beggarly account OF the mistaken policy OF
the government land say i in all Difference that We
cury Of papers to be dependant upon he private en-
terprise of individuals. . VI sS 7ssSs9 I
The goysrnmen! of the United sta.ss-yes. iii. this
mighty republic, whose golfers swollen to such dis
tension that they almost ready to burst
from such policy, made dependant upon the pleasure Of
terror has no other haba,ion than one provided by Al
eminent and munifcent citizen.
Our fathers at an early day. projected this Capitol and
when the country was poor and impoverished Then Il
was that this magnificent edice projected, and is
erection commenced And, sir. whilst accord to them
all paise for their splendid conception their hberality
and their bo!dness Is an example worthy Of imitation
When this building was erected, there were about 10
4W0
now have go, and two more will hope shortly Be added
to our number. These halls found to be too small
for our accommodation and plan is now under the con-
sideraon Of the Committee on Public Buildings to extend
this CAPITOL to meet the public wants. which hope will
be carried out and when it is trust we shall be saved
from the embarrassment Of such pifu appropriation a.
$50 900 dollars to with. shall protest most
seriously against commencing two wings to this Capitol
for the Senate chamber and the other for hall for
anything like s such an % appIopaonp % p-i. Let
the thing be understood The committee believe that Il
would be expedent for the government to adopt some
only be sufficient for the wants Of the Departments
but euch as shall be an ornament to the country.
Now, sir under some such feeling probably, at the last
$4,000 for the erection Of wingsnot for wing, but
oi wngsto the Patent Office. according 70 the original
plan What was that plan is plan for most beau
tful edice, with front 410 feet in length, with wings
27O feet and at some future time to build the north front
SO to complete the quadrangle We must suppose that
room was needed in the Patent Office. our friends
would not have recommended the addition Of So-feet
wings. What was the Secretary OF the Interior to d0l
Here was an Office created at the very close Of the last
tons given except what contained in the appropriation
bill which directed the Secretary to cause to be erected
&c. Now, this high officer must either take upon him
work, in conformity with that law. What does be dol
He takes up this OF the design and he sends
to- ss pa and nos Ran e
charged with duty BY law which be has NO right %
disobey--to construct these wings He is allowed no
!
and he proceeds accordingly Was he to cthe wipgs
and make them commensurate with this small sum Of
$5o000 He supposed he bad right to 90 on, and that
appropriations would be made for At least one wingto
the other he has only prepared the foundation not
TO be presumed that he read the remarks OF members an
the Congressional Globe in relation 10 the passage oi the
law for that valuable report might not have then been
printed Well sir, as regards the Secretary Of the nte
rio he has acted in good failh He has made his con-
tract and s true that the patent fund is wholly inade
Mr. President ask the Senate how long il may be be-
fore the building. extended to its full front OF twelve hum
ded feet will be needed for the 10 which the present
building is applied There models and evidences
tue ingenuity and high intellectual requirements 0f
mechanics and artisans and the various collections Of
scientific explorations abroad added 10 this INSTRUCT
ing of science. The contributions of the genius
OF foieign Countries will there be treasured up Tor the
tended country this concentration Of the ef
ofts OF genius improve their tase expand their thoughs,
and add their contributions to the mass Of science To
estimate i,s value, cannot-to parsimonously count
the cost. we should not To secure its completion we
should almost "coin our blood for drachmas:' The
patent fund can never be more securely invested than IN
these walls. The structure itself will be common Of
ferng and depository 10 the enlightenment OF the age.
The opposite policy is, in my opinion. unsound.
cordnr to law he had done oher wise. now,thsaod
ing the high respect have for him. he would have subject
ed himself censure. Indeed sir would have called him
to account and even joined ia his impeachment For an
executive officer 10 disregard positive law Of Congress,
TO rely upon report OF Debates and what might have
been the views Of member from Pennsylvania, or else
where, would in my Iu igmeui, be inexcnsabe-l may
say absurd He is charged with supervisory power
Whatever but is bound TO rigid execution OF its pro-
visions The blame, il there is any, lies with US
Mr.. President, have proposition to suggest that
may well do II is, that this appropriation shall
be expended exclusively upon the eastern wing OF the
building To this effect, will move an amendment 10
the bill The western wing remain for future consid-
Grafton. have visited this building, and observed its
structure Il is magnificent, and worthy Of the age il
which live. The material is marble, instead 81 he
crumbling sandstone, which daily gives new signS OF
decay. Like old men, the old building Is frittefn8
away, and premaurely giving evidence that the hand Of
time upon IT, Ii is wasting almost in it's infancy and
the Secretary, with sound judgment and good sense ha:
adopted the marble as more enduring MATERIAL instead
OF this miserable sandstone. n 81 sssg
Was he not right in this decision ! Was sandstone
any part OF the original design Of the budingf Csf-
any one after me- should not consrnct il of any such
material The Secretary has therefore. done exactly
right-exactly man executing an ONCE win !us!
and honorable Of duty, should do He has fulned
his duty, not narrowed down by any subservence 70
crumbling material that would not last until the super
structure was completed The eastern wing proErens
ing and should be Gnshed long and 70 feet wide. and
the work is substantial II is certainly far belter q pro-
ceed with completion than 70 go back 70 the pan Of
Mr. Commissioner Burke and undo what u - we'll and
firmly done now No gentleman would do this IN pri
yate concern Of his own II seems TO me and ssy Il
with all respecD il would be dlet would Be Madness
confined TO the eastern wing, there any danger when il
is finished that we shall have too much room There
are now departments of the government which want H.
Your Secretary OF the Interior s Ia rented build.
ing many OF your bureaus in rented buildings and
some. with varied duties, ncOngruously mingled to-