The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-03-18

Ia I'm
TO make every bull perfect can; not indeed 10
adhere so tenaciousy 10 opinions refuse
The House IN proper spirit OF concession in OF
difference, but TO surrender Opinions upon the
presumption that the House will not concur and thus |
abandon share OF legislative duty and rerponsl
biy II this be So and We must pass bills just they
u.s. because the House denies practically any
participation in legislation. the this is known the
better that constituents may apply the proper remedy
by changing their members OF BY changing their political
organization As the senator from Georgia Mr. DAw-
sokl well said, must not dot o. or cross g. be
cause the House will not permit this attack upon their
authority.
The honorable senator from Kentucky tells us, sab
staniiay. Take his. take nothing Surrender your
rights and duties to the House. and their DEGREES
will hold you responsible 10 the country. For
SIR | yield to such inuncions ! lake my full share
OF the responsibility OF striving To look into The prime piles
and facts of this bill. and to make i in conformity with
some legislation. would not hold seat here for one
hour upon any other terms,
This bill important in its amount and still more i'm
porlant III the principles II involves, taken up yes
erday when but three days oil the session remained and
with the authoritative enumeration OF the senator on
Kentucky that must take IT, and take as il. For
myself, acquiesce in no such proposition. will not
thus surrender the rights and duties OF this body, and
convert il into chamber for registering the DEGREES
of the House But what right has the honorable senator
declare that the House will reject every amendment,
and with such certainty as to leave us alternative be-
tween the surrender OF our duty and the loss Of the bill
No, sir man has the right to urge this ground OF &C
ton, rather OF naction, upon the American Senate
Let amend the bill wherever may think il requires
charge of its own duty, upon its own responsibility
But sir, are amendments necessary! have already
said that no one has denied this believe it is unver.
sally admitted. and, admitted not shall now proceed
In the first place. think the amount appropriated is
much 100 argear larger than was ever before assigned
similar objects in year and, after making all just
allowance for the length OF time which has elapsed since
the last appropriation was made, believe the sum IN
this bill Tar exceeds what IS necessary, and that the
amount cannot be udciousy expended within the sea
SON. and in the right place, even all the objects were
clearly constitutional and necessary. The state OF the
treasury and the great demands already authorized and
the still greater anticipated, should warn to keep
expenditures within reasonable limits possible
Many OF the members are experimenting an empty ex-
cheQuer and think within day or two heard report
read from the Secretary OF the Treasury in which he told
us that there is already alarming falling of in the
cepls OF the year. calling for great caution 10 our expend
lures did not hear the document distinctly but the
chairman of the Committee on Finance, Mr. HUNTER
who discharges honorably for himself, and ably
for the public, the responsible functions which devove
upon him, ~ tell US if am right in this npr ession
| Mr. HUNTER The senator from Michigan asks me
If the Secretary Of the Treasury did not state in
ncaon to me, which has been read here, that the re-
ceips from customs were beginning to decline The sen
aor h right IN his understanding OF that letter. The
Secretary did state, and founded upon it, in part,
concentration for authority 10 issue five millions IN stock
or treasury notes.
Mr. CASS So, sir, it that, do the best we can
IN danger OF having expenses exceed IN
be placed but in time OF war. Members hardly wish
either TO increase the debt to levy additional taxes and
the only remedy is TO cuuail TIL oulgoings and
lncomngs balance each other.
But, sir there grave objections to this bill, viola
ting does The established practice of the government
and leading to system Of approximations without exam
pie IN our legislative annals II Will be observed that the
practical application of the question of appropriation for
a given object OF this kind, is made up OF ts
sy and it's probable COST acr its constltuonay is set
tied II it does not come within the established category
10 constitutional power, and is not national 10 its
importance, and if it cannot be accomplished without
sacrifice OF the true principles OF action or without an
Itsnr n n IN ha oh1n
doned To ascertain it's true character previous
nation is indispensable, by experienced and trust.
worthy officer and the receipt Of his report with proper
plans surveys and estimates showing the nature of
work contemplated, the excavation, dredging, piers,
wing dams. or whatever else is proposed together with
estimate oil the various items detail and the probable
eventual cost Of the work, and exhibiting such topo.
graphical information the officer may be able pro-
cure Upon this system have proceeded both in the
leg isative and executive departments OF government
nor do believe that single instance be found
upon the statute book where appropriation has been
made without these preliminary operations. So far as
know-and have had my share OF experience IN this
work-,hs is the FIRST attempt TO sweep away all the
means OF information, well as all the established
guards against abusethe first effort induce Congress
L. commence system OF appropriation without the
slightest knowledge OF the true character of the work
proposed, without any plan OF operations and without
any esumaes even me most conlee'uai the expense
into which the government must be led before The i'm
provementis completed Sir, prepared for such
state OF thIngs If are. sure the public is not
and we shall receive the condemnation due 10 the reck-
less II not the unjust steward If persist such
course. This system, If carried out from this day. vii
enable any one member OF Congress TO procure the
sertion OF any appropriation he pleases, without a
shadow OF responsibility, and the same privilege will
pass round To any other member who chooses to
else IT. II ~ easy TO see what kind OF operations, as
well legislative typographical, all this will lead TO
and does not explain how this bill has been passed
with its enormous load, 1t must be because mental
vision is shut in by Egyptian darkness,
do not PRETEND sir, that the most
veys and the most carefully prepared estimates fix
with accuracy the annual eventual cost OF work
From the very nature OF the elements which necessarily
enter into the calculation, and from the accidents OF
ton towards the object Still, with all these accidents
the plan - highly usefulinds indeed,o dis.
Greet legislation as well to faithful administration
And besides the department responsible for any gross
errors, and Its character committed TO the result But
make loose ap preparation, without inquiry and who IL
responsible Years after, the department and the bu-
rean when you become alarmed al the consequences oil
your own course may say, and would We know
nothing OF the origin OF this work We have only been
obeyng the will of Congress, who did ask
upon ths subject The fault is not ours.
1T IL obvIous. slT, that system thus prone TO abuse
instead OF being relaxed, should be surrounded with still
stronger barriers The greatest danger lies the tcmpa
ton TO barter work for another by which means il
not their respective claims TO real improvement which
decides their introduction into BILL but the mutual sup
port they 10 each other upon the question OF its pas
sage One obvious remedy for this state of things would
be TO conslder every object separately, and in bill by
itself Such understand to be the acquisitions of the
proposition Of from that State made when he
was The chairman OF our Committee Commerce. and
now retired to private life. Another check would be BY
including new and old works in separate bs, and also
by grouping together the several objects proposed for the
various great sections OF our counryfor the Atlantic
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