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

work was abandoned; and believe million Of dollars
paid for avoiding and terminating the contracs Yet
has been found necessary toresume this enlargement
West; and with this increased facility we hear The hon
orable senator from Illinois say that his constituents
quue greater facilities for transporting their produce 10
necesslties Will the government OF the United States
pay nity thousand dollars, MORE for breaking con
Tract or budings, which already needed and wncns
Wnen done, will be ornament 10 the country tnsse
are the considerations which lead me 70 ne conclusion
that this appropriation should be made ana o'neis LIE
from the patent Iand wns i sns sn s o ns
and Congress viii be called upon to make iafsnsr appo
praons Ia the general bill for the wants OF the govern
%sn hoPs e. sha with the House d Repre-
senjayes as think il right and proper TO DO mas re-
ceivsd the searching investigation Of that House, and j
M HUNTER. Mr.. President. | do not intend to enter
into this discussion length after all that has been said
upon but merely to present one or two additional views
The two gentlemen who Immediately preceded have
shown, very concusively think, not only that this
building is being constructed according to law and the
original plan. but also that is necessary for the wants
Of the public service The senator from Rhode Island
prepared, as understand him, to offer amendment
combining the appropriation to the east wing; and, with
that provision think the appropriation will be defens
BILE, only upon considerations relating TO the wants
Of the public service but also upon those Of economy
The senator from New York has quoted from Mr. Ew.
banks report the expression OF an opinion that this
addition to the building is not necessary for the pur
poses Of the Patent Office itself And yet, with all
Difference for this authority, submit whether i be
probable that the present building can afford such ac
scum - American genius may require as repository
for those monuments OF its inventive skill which have
aleady accumulated and likely hereafter to be accu
mulated, in the Of the future progress OF in
dustry But suppose that the building should be
eessay for these purposes is i likely that we should not
d rs
Rhode Island, are now renting Offices for the public
service. at great expense and it would seem TO be both
proper and expedient to build other more suitable
ic these purposes and entirely under own control
IT, then, Mr. President require this building for the
public service is there moi manifest economy in devotng
should save ia this way. not only from absolute waste,
but Perhaps prevent its being devoted to purposes posi-
lively mischeyous have heard, from good authority,
establishment Of an agricultural bureau Shall offer
any facilities temptation for thus drawing this most
important OF all our interests within the supervision OF
the general government On the contrary il would
to be manifest duty TO remove this temptation BY de-
voting the fund to such use is proposed in this bill
. use which all must feel to be legitimate and proper
purposes iheoetc and speculative proposed
the objects which it is 10 be appropriated pro-
given BY some board to be appointed BY politicians and
possibly be perverted to political purposes. 10 such in
venons that board may deem worthy Of public patron
stimulated to the widest flights, and the conservative
Of pubic utility which under the present system hap
PLY these would longer be applied
uleCOtcIltb.
system Of rewardng inventors by monopoly of the use,
for limited period Of time, seems to the hap
piss which could be devised and 10 depart from It would
be most mlschevous believe, not only to the public,
but to inventors themselves.
These sir, the purposes to which, think, the fund
viii be devoted unless we appropriate 1t in this way
Can there be doubt which would be the most prof.
table mode Of using this money! But it may be said
that the senator from New York proposes to apply the
fund to this building ALSO but according to different
plan. He would add smaller wing and actually pull
down much that has already been constructed The ques
ton then, after ALL il between the two pansthe
adopted BY President Jackson and twice sanctioned by
Congress and the other proposed upon the faith OF some
old Recommendation. by the senator from New York l
have hesitation, myself rs to the choice; prefer the
former not only account OF the wants OF the public
service for room, but also upon considerations oil arch
tectura symmetry and proprey The sole question,
seems TO me, il between the two plans for IT has
been shown that the plan upon which the building is con-
sructing 10 according law, and there nothing there
FORE in the idea Of rebukng wrong BY refusing this appro-
praton if there be wrong, il in the act OF Con-
srsss which designated The plan Mr. President fully
Is wisely anxious to introduce spirit OF economy into
legislation and wish to sustain him in those efforts
But 70 tins particular instance .n.n t ne En- - mistaken
must oppose him in this instance hope sir, that the
amendment reported by the committee will not be adopted
Mr. PHELPS. Mr.. President, have always found
that the most uninieresng topic which be made the
subject Of discussion upon this floor the treasury and
the finances have generally felt, when have risen to
address the Senate upon that subject much as did in
my youthful days. when rehearsiAg my commencement
oraiions in the woods But, sir there Is principle in
volved in this matter which think calls for the serious
attention OF the Senate Ii is whether the Secretary
Of the Interior has been IN fau is not whether others
have been in ault-but whether practice which
to have prevailed from the outset OF this government TO
the present day shall be arrested not We have been
told Of various instances Of expenditure org
mating II the start in tring estimates This very Patent
Once building which estimated in the outset TO cost
but e0s has already cost 500 900. and
now about taking leap which is 10 add at least 81 000
600 that We have been told OF the custom house
in Boston. for which but 900 appropriated in the
outset, but which cost usin the end $500 000 Now
the question which is involved this discussion Is this
whether under these circumstances, Congress will insist
upon the agents who employed in the erection OF the
public edfces keeping strictly within the intention Of
Congress, or whether they shall be permitted, BY any
course OF proceedings 10 involve through the expen
diture OF one dollar in the necessity OF expendng ten
more Sir let advert concsely the history Of these
Patent Office appropriations. In the outset $685.
were appropriated, which was 10 be considered the
maximum OF expenditures The Executive fl TO pro-
tia execution involved expenditure Of four times the
amount OF that maximum. There plan drawn up,
and submitted in 1896, which is denominated "he
original plan" This plan received, II is said the
ZION Of Gen. Jackson but the sanction OF Gen Jackson
not appropriation OF money TO carry out IL
received the qualified sanction OF Congress- is also
serted. by appropriation to pay the architect for his
TO carry into eject Congress made appropriation for
the erection OF the present building and the residue Of
the plan was left Tor future consideration. Well sir,
what f0llowedi This followed: the Commissioner oil
Psteus considering the original plan iranscending al
together the Of his bureau, submitted another and
more limited plan, which estimated to cost sl50ooo
only. This plan. estimated TO cost this limited sum- was