The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-03-23

Webb was appointed and received it, and unless
an additional outfit be now provided no charge
can be sent there. IL was very important there
should be diplomatic agent there Our business
Ia large and increasing; and he was surprised that
gentleman representing the tobacco interest
should object TO intercourse with nation which
takes from US 80 much tobacco, and cotton, too
MIR. McLANE withdrew the amendment; and it
was renewed by another gentleman.
II was rejected, and the amendment OF Mr..
BAyLY was agreed to.
PATENT OFFICE BUILDING.
The following clause of the bill having been
read, viz: Edwards the erection Of the wings of
the Patent Office building, according to the origi-
nal plan, under the direction of the Secretary of
the Interior, ninety thousand dollars to be paid
of the patent fund.-
Mr. OTIS moved to strike out the words :" To be
paid out of the Patent Office fund" As the building
was not for the use Of the Patent Office, he no
reason for taking the money out of that fund which
should be for the use OF that bureau.
! Mr. BAYLY remarked, that last year il was re-
presented that these wings were necessary for the
Patent Office, and fifty thousand dollars APP
| propriated for the commencement of the work out
to continue the erection of the building at the ex-
pense OF the federal treasury. He knew they meant
to ask Congress TO refund the fifty thousand dol
lars, that the money may be offered as rewards for
scheme Of premiums, and build up the patronage
of the Patent Office until il shall overshadow this
Government. If the amendment be made, he meant
] To resist 1t as long as he could.
| Mr.. JOHNSON, of Tennessee, moved an amend
ment to the amendment, striking out 800 900, and
appropriating $4,000, to pay the debts due to
mechanics and laborers on the Patent Office wing
| to be paid out of the Patent Office fund.
Mr.. SCHENCK hoped that inquiry would be
made into the propriety of reducing the charge of
patent fees SO that surplus might not accumulate,
but merely enough money collected to carry on the
operations Of tho Office 1t was evident that the
Departments were like schooiooys, who had out
| grown their clothes, and should have larger cos
tunes. Where are your Departments? They are
| roosting about. One part is in Corcoran & Riggss
building; another in Winder's. II is not consist
ent with the dignity of the Government to rent
from private individuals. 1t should have proper
buildings, erected with its own means. He was in
| favor of the amendment of the gentleman from
Maine We ought not to overcharge patentecs,
and erect our public edifices with the surplus.
Mr.. CONGER was likewise in favor of the amend.
ment. In his Judgment if it becomes necessary,
he believed is that buildings should be erected
in order to supply the wants of the government the
| appropriation should be made out Of the treasury,
as other appropriations made. II was said BY
the Secretary of the Interior, and by the Commits
soner of Patents, that no portion of the build
ing is required for the Patent Office. That being
so, he was utterly opposed to taxing the inventive
genius Of the country to erect great palaces
Mr.. SACKETT thought that it was wrong to
accumulate money from the inventors to build
houses. Government, however, has 200 900 be-
longing to the Patent Office fund; and what was to
be done with it, He could see no better mode now
than to appropriate the money for building the
wings. He was perfectly willing TO go for a law
which will prevent so large fund from accumula-
ting in future.
MIR. STANTON, of Tennessee commended that
the fund was not tax the patentees, but on
those to whom the patentees sell their rights; and
| il is a tax on the whole community With refer
to the charges brought against the contractors
for the building, he said he had been waited by
twenty or thirty of the mechanics, and been told
that the charges had been made by disappointed
bidders, and the object was to prevent appropria-
tons from being made by throwing doubts on the
work. But he assured that there was no truth
! in he e ntrac he
perintendent. He understood that every man,
from the highest to the lowest laborer, challenged
the strictest investigation.
MIR. VENABLE, in noticing remarks of GENTLE
men, said il was right to make men pay for pa
tents, because they put money into their own
pockets. man who has special privileges is
| taxed everywhere. He objected to this course of
| legislation. 1t like letting out water and will
/ come down like the old man Of Snbad, the sailor,
| upon the treasury. The money for the erection of
the building should come out of the Patent Office
| fund.
Mr.. CLARKE understood that the building was
necessary for the purposes of the Government and
| not for the exclusive use of the Patent Office.
Therefore the money should come out of the trea-
sury, and not from the pockets Of the patentees.
Gentlemen say it is great privilege for inventors
to have the benefit of their inventions for fourteen
years. The inventions much the children
OF the patentees as the natural offspring OF gentle
men are the children of their lons. parents are
entitled to the children of their PERSONS are not in
ventors entitled to the children of their minds?
How many of the inventors have been ruined? He
who invented the horse-rake, by which thousands
and millions OF dollars inurc to the benefit of the
| agricuturists, ruined. What would the nav
igaton on the western waters now be if il had not
been for the invention Of Fultonl The inventor is
like the poet in the garnet; he is poor. He OPP
posed to taking the inventors money, and erect
| ing buildings for the common benefit.
Mr.. HARRIS, of Illinois, thought that the rates
| charged to inventors for patents were too high.
A large sum had already accumulated, and it APP
| peared to him that the fees ought 10 be reduced
| The gentleman from New York, who had lust
taken his seat, said that invention was as much
child Of mans brains as the offspring of his
loins. For this new idea, the gentleman ought 10
take out patent as soon as possible.
| MIR. MATTESON remarked that the wings are
| for purposes other than thos, connected with the
Patent Office; and he authorized by the Com
missioner to say that If the collections Of the Ex-
| ploring Expedition were removed from the upper
story of the main building there would be room
enough TO exhibit all the models which now lie
buried in the cellar. II not right that the
money paid in by poor mechanics and inventors
should be appropriated for Government purposes.
IL should be disposed OF, as suggested by the Com
missioner, Tor the encouragement of inventive ge-
MUS
Mr.. JONES opposed the amendment of the gen
tleman from Maine.
Mr.. HUNTER inquired what difference was
there between the Patent Office money and the
| other money Of the Government One gentleman
said there we're models in the cellar which cannot
be exhibited for want Of room, and another gentle
man said there was more room than was wanted.
As the money had accumulated, and nothing
was proposed TO be done with it, he thought Il
ought TO be applied to the building.
| The question taken the amendment of
| MIR. OTIs, and IL was decided in the negative.
| Mr.. JOHNSON, of Tennessee, again offered his
| amendment, merely appropriating $4,000 (strik-
| ing out the S9O,OOO) to pay the laborers and me-
chanics the amount now due to them for work per-
formed on the Patent Office building. He wanted
an investigation Of the charges made against the
| contractors and superintendent. He wanted to
know whether his colleague MIR. STASToS) did not
himself derive his information from interested
source II more public buildings required for
the Government use, let the recommendation come
from the appropriate committeeman from that Of
| Ways and Means
Messrs. STANTON of Tennessee, THOMPSON
OF Mississippi, and other gentlemen, spoke upon
the subject, when the amendment Of Mr.. JoHssoS
| was disagreed To-.
Several additional amendments offered and
rejected; among them offered by Mr.. ScHENcK,
that when the wings Of the Patent Office shall have
been completed, they shall be appropriated TO the
use Of the Department Of the Interior including the
| Office Of the Commissioner of Patents.
An amendment offered by Mr.. HARRrs, of ILL
- r.