The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-03-22
THE UNION.

on the President according to the letter OF the lih section
OF that Il was the Secreiays duty 10 have obtained
the order OF the President for the transfer OF the clerks in
question. The Secretary had not asked Congress for
additional clerks and il had been alleged that the
business had increased. The law provided that the
President shall order from the Office q The Secretary q
the Treasury TO that OF the Secretary OF the Interior such
clerks performed the required duties The gentleman
from Ohio lAir Vkrokl had said that no clerks had
required Of these clerks The law provided. not that
the transferred clerks should have been confined those
duties but that they should be such discharge them.
Mr. regretted much that ia standing out for The due
administration OF the law creating this department. II
might be necessary 10 do act OF injustice TO the
clerks who had performed the labor But il those gen.
emen would resign and Congress for compensa
ton, he doubted not the House and Senate would
promptly pass bill for their relief Nor did he believe
that Congress would for moment refuse TO grant the
Secretary any number OF clerks necessary, however
much members might feel obliged TO vote against his
action in himself adding Unauthorized clerkshps, and
more patronage, in many ways. to his department
duty ct Congress guard with Jealous against such
assumptions OF authority the part OF the Secretary,
arguing that any extra patronage though sane
toned by Congress under circumstances such as those
surrounding the question before the committee, il once
sanctioned, would be fastened the government for all
time.
Mr. JONES argued at length against the amendment,
entering into criticism OF the details Of the duties
quired OF the clerks the amendment proposed to pay
q their respective salaries the night o. ,hs secretary %
rotary had violated the law only their appointment.
but in fixing the amount Of their respective salaries. pa-
cling all higher than usually paid in the other
executive departments for similar grades Of service
Mr.. VlN1ON tinterruptng Mr. J.) quoted from the
Blue Book show that the salaries in question were
those paid the same clerks before coming under the au
thority OF Secretary Ewing.
For the pay Of four Of those clerks appropriations had
been made in the last general appropriation bill, and now
the House asked to reappropate again pay Them
(sad Mr.. j., continuing)
Mr. vlNTON explained that they were to be paid
Nj Mr. JONES insisted that when the bill creating the
Home Department enacted, it with the distinct
understanding that but single additional clerk was
eessary Tor whose pay per annum) an appropra
The Secretary had treated these clerks unfairly BY
taking them from the other bureaus, installing persons in
their places and thus leaving them to be paid only by the
action OF the House, requiring TO sanction his illegal
and dangerous proceedings The probability was, that if
the Secretary would scrutnze the galleries and reporters
boxes OF the hall, be would find less of his clerks
therein ensconced, collecting materials with which TO
concoct ISLANDERS upon the members.
Mr.. PHELPS next spoke against the amendment,
taking the ground that the Secretary had glarngly
stepped his authority in employing the clerks in question
Mr. rehearsed the history Of the passage of the law
creating the Department OF the Interior to prove this po
stion. To legaze this conduct OF the Secretary he
urged would be TO set unfortunate precedent likely to
lead to indscrmnate violations Of similar laws, and for
establish ADDITIONAL when satisfied
cessy and TO vote the appropriations necessary pay
for Them but be could not sanction the action OF the
Secretary in himself establishing them without law and
without necessity for their creation.
Mr.. CARTIER conceived that the amendment was in
tended to steal into the service of the government set
OF cider sucking politicians who could not get there
openly Some short time SINCE Congress had been
called pass the bill to increase the amount to be
pended for the collection OF the TO the present
year, when the same pleas were urged as now-pubhc
necessities. Mr. C.. was willing TO vote for the creation
OF any necessary Offices but would NOT be hoodwinked
into assigning 10 Secretary Ewing the power oil Con-
gress in this connection Here the speaker went into
criticism of the character Of Mr.. E. to show that
be was not the man who should be ntrusted with
any such authority He had been engaged for a
them with lazy, oafng politicians Adopt this amend
ment, lsaid Mr. CD and next year similar demand will
oe a III vh. hv. nar
cent than democrats would require with which TO
administer the government. in consideration Of their
waseful private habits: His colleague from the Mont
gomery dstric, Mr. ScHEscKl had urged that the wings
had been patriotic in sustaining the and that there
tore the Secretary OF the Inferior should be allowed to
make clerks without authority OF the law
MIR C. here argued FIRST, 10 show that the wings had
done their best to embarass the last administration the
prosecution OF the war; and next that il they had been
patriotic, alleged, u furnished Just upon
which the House should endorse Mr. Ewings nfactions
OF the law.
Mr. TAYLOR spoke al some length in defence OF Mr.
Secretary Ewing, holding that the only fault to be found
with his administration oil his department in the two
days debate was. that he had taken the liberty Of APP
pointing clerks which the business OF his Office rendered
necessary. Mr. T. next paid highly, wrought eulogy
upon the character talents, and public services Of MIR
Secretary Ewing declining TO defend that gentleman from
personal asptfsions cast oeng
site. his reputation being too well established to need de-
fence from attacks from such quarters II undgni
fed in the House to be debating for days question OF
paying few thousand dollars 10 compensate clerks who
had rendered services not denied Mr. T. then went on
to argue the importance and necessity for the establish
ment OF agricultural bureau in connexion with the
Department oil the Interior In his report, Mr. Ewing
had explained length his for requiring these
clerks That report had not yet been printed.
MIR. HARRISON, (nterrupting Mr.. To Would il not
be well TO withdraw this amendment until the House has
this information II il justified the demand, he (Mr.
H } would then eheerfully vote for il.
Mr. FULLER, from the Committee Printing, ex-
planned that the delay in the printing OF the document
had been occasoned by the determination OF the House
TO make give precedence TO the California message and
accompany ing documents.
Mr. TAYLOR tcontnuing) went on TO show thai,
without that information, there still sufficient before
the House to satisfy all OF the necessity for making the
appropriation contemplated in the amendment.
Mr.. CR0WELL next obtained the floor when, on
motion, the committee rose, and
The House adjourned
House OF Representatives.
The pressure upon our columns this morning again
compes postpone for day report Of yesterdays
House proceedings, in which the bill 10 carry into effect
the late convention between the United States and Brazil
was duly enacted Most OF the days session was de-