The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-03-23

account Of the items for which this deficiency bill de-
signed making appropriations. Many OF them were for
extra rendered necessary by the condition OF
the public business They from OF two
the want Of wisdom or forecast in Congress, or the
want Of capacity in the heads Of departments making the
estimates No one would charge the failure on Con-
gress. but on the latter
The creation OF the Department OF the Interior
experiment The clerical force necessary for il could
moi be ascerained when the bill enacted Such APP
propations had heretofore always been made cheerfuy
Mr. ANDREW JOHNSON did not intend TO make
party speech, TO araign the administration but rose to
call the attention of the House TO an important provision
OF the BILL He wanted to know where the Committee OF
Ways and Means obtained its authority 10. report
600 for the completion OF the Patent Once Perhaps
information asked Here Mr.. j. read the item OF
the BILL appropriang 100000 for the extension OF the
Patent Office building Al the last session $4,000 had
this purpose. Should not the Committee on the
Patent Office have reported whether this extension
Of the building was necessary for the business OF the
Patent Office proper! He should, at proper tne
move to strike out the 100000 and insert $4,000
II had been said that there were many mechanics who
had been some time working. on this building without
pay awaiting the enactment OF this clause Of this bill for
their wages He was Of course in favor Of paying these
mea which could be done with $4,000. Il was said that
the patent fund was heavy creditor Of the treasury
h a ne nd be j on
contrary, $4,000 Itwould be bestfar best throw
away the money spent already on the extension OIL this
building and to stop the work forthwith paying the men
port, and also the Commissioner OF Patents IN his had
declared that the wings being built were not necessary
for the accommodation of the business OF the Patent
Office.
They had recommended that the sum to be appropra.
ted should be taken from the treasury rather than the
patent fund, which fund was required Tor other purposes
Mr.. ]. here went at some length TO show that they
wanted for the accommodation OF some business or
branch OF the public business which the friends and adj
vocates 81 the Department Of the Interior dared not now
avow Originally the estimate for these wings was some
100000 Now. on the plan adopted OF late they would
cost some one million Of dollars Mr. next urged, al
considerable length the necessity for economy IN such
expenditures showing that the present administration, in
their communications to Congress, acknowledged the me-
cessity for strict economy.
Atdavts were on file to prove that there had been
fraud committed in giving out the contract This charge
should be investigated before making this large appropr
alton He would however put his objection on the ground
that the extension Of this building was not necessary
Mr.. CALVIN joined issue with the gentlemen from
Tennessee. He for the appropriation, but desired at
a proper time to move an amendment to provide
that the $4,000 should be taken from the treasury,
not from the patent fund.- These wings were necessary
for other departments OF the government, as the
gentleman from Pennsylvania went on to show. The
patent fund should be devoted TO it's legitimate pur-
pose-to scatter to the whole community information
concerning patents Inventions &c. already granted or
made and according to the recommendation OF the Gem
missioner, to giving premiums TO inventors The SPIN.
Here MI G. delivered highly wrought eulogium upon
The value OF invention, and the necessity Tor Its encour
agement. He next went to show that the fund had
been msappied in appropratng any portion OF il in the
construction Of the building
Mr. BROWN, of Indiana, IN voting all appropriations,
should vote for them without party views, He should
know nothing but the Department Of the Interior in
ting upon i--not Thomas Ewing. The objection urged
was, that the clerks had been appointed illegally, and
answered that their employment was absolutely
cessary Ii should be recolected that no additional la
bors created in creating the department He should
vote against the amendment because the salaries il pro-
posed 10 pay higher than those paid in the other
departments for similar grades Of services
Here Mr.. went on to cTiticse the various salaries
and the duties connected with each, to prove that the
cordng clerk TO be paid 81 800 per annum. One OF
these clerks occupies much OF his time in the reporters
desk in this House, writing letters for the press. He
duct OF clerk, however, having every to be-
heye that they competent and faithful His expert.
ence public office here led him to be satisfied that,
general thing, the 81 900 cerkthe young men, not
broken down politicians. but clerks by tade-who
employed in these Offices, the best under the gov
eminent He did not place confidence in the statement
politics OF the clerks Let them sign paper explaining
their politics. and il would surely be found that
large majority were wings.
Mr. b. here went into defence OF the provision OF the
bill making appropriation for clerks in the Post Office
Department to show that IL was absolutely necessary.
The clerical force therein employed was physically
able 10 keep up WIN the ACCOMMODATION Oh business.
For years the Post Office Department had been well
known be the Office in which most labor done for
the number OF clerks employed He should vote 10 strike
out the appropriation for the extension OF the Patent
Office, that the subject-maiter might be duly investigated
before the appropriation thus asked accorded.
MIR. HUBBARD should, at a proper time, offer an
amendment TO require the dismissal OF any in the
public employment who should hereafter make gross un-
der. estimates for the action OF Congress, the evils OF
which he went on 10 show in few remarks.
Mr.. MOORE defended the item for the extension OF
the Patent Office urging the necessities OF the workmen,
who were really the creditors OF the government for
work done the building He should, however, vote
for the amendment of his colleague Mr.. CALvTSl TO
charge the $4,000 the treasury, not on the patent
fund
Mr. HARRISON would vote to pay these mechanics,
but not in this bill He opposed to the assumption
OF right, by the Secretary OF the Interior, TO appoint
clerks without authority OF law, the improperly and
danger Of which he went on TO prove;
Mr. Il also criticised the salaries paid TO each, 10 show
that when compared with the salaries paid others in
Washington they too large; and next that il was
not proper to appropriate pay for those clerks for whom
appropriations had been made in providing for the expend
lures OF the Indian land, and other bureaus He regret
ted that the Committee OF Ways and Means had not pro-
posed in this bill appropriation for additional tempo
rary clerks for the Third Auditors Office He did not
believe the clerical force OF that Office sufficient TO dis
charge lis duties Claims which he had presented fifteen
months since had yet been acted by that Office its
head alleging that the want OF clerks caused the de-
Mr.. JACOB THOMPSON remarked that the gentle
man from Tennessee Mr. JoHSsoSl had expressed pretty
much the opinion OF OF the Committee OF Ways and
Means on the Patent Office extension affair Il is said
sA.ft H.. II.