The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-06-10

|
recoived their pay in the same way, THAT Tbos
4, Hornor did, at times when they were absent
from this city" "One of the Clerks messengers
was absent from some time in April till the 30h
| of November, (much longer than L. C.. Hornor
was, and received ms regular pay all the time"
! Third. The evidence further shows, that during
the absence Of T. G. Hornor. himself, wife and fam
lily We're, during the prevalence of the cholera for
a considerable time seriously III. and that he had
not entirely recovered from his illness when he re-
turned 10 his duties here in the fall.
The evidence Of the Hon. Daniel p. King, Of
Massachusetts, Chairman of the Committee of Ac-
counts, shows that it has been The inpdriabie prac-
fice Of Congress to pay its officers ohen sick, with
out the ofhcer being required to pay employ any
| substitute.
HOW MS DUTIES WERE DISCHARGED
In further justification of r. f. Hornor, and as
| evidence Of the careful economical and faithful
manner in which he has discharged the duties Of
Doofkeeper, Mr. King, who has been Chairman of
the Committee of Accounts during the whole time
MIR. Hornor has been officer Of the House of Rep
rcsentatives, states 'that all the of the
| Doorkeeper pass under the supervision and al
lowance OF that committee )" ''that Mr. Hornor
| has been careful and economical servant of the
House, and not willing that any money should be
improperly expended - ''He has manifested
| general desire to abridge the expenses of the
House in his particular department-in the fold
ing room, funeral expenses, and other things
" That the committee had great con fdence in Mr..
Hornor, as correct and faithful agent of the
Government" That the question of his brothers.
absence (and also one Of the Clerks messengers,
who was absent longer than t. C. Hornor) was be-
fore the committee, and, after an examination of
evidence, it was dropped by the committee
la further evidence of the economy and business
Improvement adopted by the present Doorkeeper,
the evidence of Mr.. Clements shows, from the re-
cords OF the House and the foldng-r room, that
ONE MILLION more documents, speeches, Sc, were
received and folded during the two years that r. E.
Hornor has been in office, than the whole four Years
preceding, and at less than half the expense thereby
saving some THOUSANDS Of dollars instead of fsquan-
frad fhA .harcr
might seem to imply
HOLDING TWO OFFICES JUSTIFIED BY CONGRESS.
In reply 10 the last clause of the Charge that +.
c. Hornor held ftco Offices Ii has never been de-
MED that for Jec months, he did hold, (by the ap
poltnent oil the Secretary oil the Treasury, but not
by X. l.. Hornor's appointment,) a second paltry
office, the pay Of both of which together did not
amount to the emoluments of subordinate clerk
ship OF this House the Senate The duties Of the
second office the Government authorised and gave
him tcriffen permission 10 hare performed by subs
tdte For all of which r. E. Hornor is certainly
not responsible. He did not give him the second
appointment, or leave Of absence from il. It. &.
Hornor has months since resigned the appointment
he held under the Doorkeeper; he holds but one
now and that pays him less than dollar per day
But why single out this solitary case for invest-
cation, when IL has been usual, for than forty
years, Tor the same individual to hold two more
Government offices at the same time, and receive
pay for both 10 the amount of THOUSANDS of dollars,
instead of a few hundredi And Congress sanctions
the same yearly, by voting the pay Of these Of
fcers.
The collectors of New York and Boston each hold
two or more offices; the pay of one is $1,000. the
other S4o0. As also the Superintendent OF Coast |
Survey, whose salary is S4 500, and he receives
> 800 more as Superintendent of Weights and
Measures. The Blue Book and records Of The Trea-
sury Department show many other cases OF less
amounts.
In l522. committee was raised in Congress to
investigate the subject Of holding ftco offices, and
after thorough examination OF numerous cases il
W n 0cfg ed bfy f,ppwr
THE TWO REMAISISo CHARGES.
On the charge that X. r. Hornor had "made false |
statements in regard to the manner Of dschargng |
his official duties'-
This charge appears to have been virtually aban.
doned, with but slight effort TO sustain II by |
single witness, while there is strong evidence TO |
offset against that one by the testimony Of highly
respectable members OF Congress Of both parties in
favor OF Mr.. Hornor.
The committee report, that ''the evidence pre- \
sented in support Of this charge shows nothing
than that Mr.. Hornor was much importuned in re-
laton 20 the appointment Of the pages Of the House,
and feeling his situation embarrassing, as he was /
only tenant at teiH, made some implied promises /
in relation TO appointments; which not being able
fulfil, the committee Of opinion that the charge
Is not sustaiHed."
In regard to the next charge. chat ne ma, dismiss
Ell page tcIbotf cause" ample evidence IL given
by large number Of witnesses, to show that there
was than sufficient for the removal OF the /
page. bcfors be dismissed.
The committee report, on the chargc-"that he |
has dismissed page without cause" ''is utterly |
Icifhoui foundation. The page la question, az ap.
pcars from the concurrent testimony of nearly all /
the witnesses, inattentve aud troublesome /
boy, and had given Mr.. Hornor abundant reason for
Diminishing him"
The report then proceeds with long statement i
of conflicting testimony in relation 60 report Of /
the taking OF three four pair Of gloves by Of
the pages, at Mr.. Calhoun's funersi-too unimpor-
tant 10 be repeated, or TO occupy the attention Of
SUMMARY, ETC
The whole may be briefly summed up thus;
lst. Although more work WIS 10 be done during
the last recess, yet more force employed,
that erfra expense was incurred by the Govern
ment in consequence of Tbos G. Hornor's abscnce.
I'd. Although IL had not been usual for abscntecs
70 employ substitutes, yet r. r. Hornor required a
suBsTITorE 20 be employed in all case, Of obsenee.
without any extra expense tO the Government.
30. Sickness has always been deemed by Con
gress justifable excuse for absence
4th. Although n. =. Hornor did not give his bro
ther SECOND oiioe. and should not be censurcd for
what was done by others; yet,
5th. Congress and the Government have long
sanctioned persons holding TWO more Offices az
the same time.
oncrate r. r. Hornor from both the remaining
charges
In conclusion, It remains only 10 be said that the
DoOrkeeper's position has been made sufficiently
uncomfortable by the long continued and untiring
efforts OF interested persons TO dsplsce tho present
bot he will still indulge the hope that
(all parliamentary attempts having failcd) these
efforts are not TO be finally crowned with success
by fixing an undeservcd stigma ppcn bis private
md official character
sTATEMEST woRK AND THE COST.
The statement of the work done, and the ex-
pense OF the same, during the past six years. as
shown by the Clerks official report Of the expenses
oi the House Of Representatives, and the books of
The folding-room, is fair exhibit Of the good
agemcnt and economy Of Mr. Hornor, the present
Doorkeepor;
During thc 2sth Congress there was re.
ceivcd and folded OF public documents
speeches, Sc, 3, ,260, boo, at a cost Of S4,9A rs
During the 29th Congress 1862 900, alta
cost Of. of...................... 44i6 70
During the 3Oth Congress 6,s96,O0O, alta
fogi Of ........................ 1851 %
Thus it will be that al ne same ratio paid for
folding IN The 29h Congress. the folding OF $50 900
copies Of the Both Congress would have cost the Gov,
nrnment. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, Sl2,gs2
Whereas by care and good management
they only cost. ........................ 1851
Thus showing clear saving in this branch
Of r. '. Hornor's department alone Of ssa25
The above statement also shows that there have
been ,21 900 copies folded during the last two
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