The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-03-19
TIL b r EP u BLIC.
SPEECH OF HON. MIR. STANTON, OF ky.
Delivered IN the House Of Representatives
March - 1879

March II, 1852.
The House being in Committee of the Whole,
and having under consideration the joint resolu-
ton making an appropriation for the extension OF
the Capitol
Mr. STANTON said: have been instructed by
the Committee on Public Buildings and Public
Grounds, of which ! have the honor to be chair
man, to report an amendment to the resolution
now pending, by way OF substitute and insist upon
its adoption.
The amendment was then read as follows:
"That there be, and hereby is, appropriated out
of any money in the treasury not otherwise ap.
propriated, for the period between the passage OF
this resolution and the end of the fscal year ter
minating June 80, 1853, the sum OF $50O,OO0, for
the continuation of the work on the two wings OF
the Capitol"
MIR. STANTON, of Kentucky The necessity
which gave rise to the original resolution has pass
ed. 1t was intended only as a temporary expe-
-dient to prevent total suspension of the work on
the two wings of the Capitol The appropriation
of the last Congress for this improvement was
only 100000, and that was exhausted at the
| commencement of the present year. Since then
the work has necessarily been suspended, the me-
chanics and laborers discharged and the important
object TO be accomplished by the extension OF the
edificc consequently delayed l earnestly hoped
that at an earlier period the House would have
taken up the resolution Of the Senate, passed IT,
and permitted the work to be continued had this
been done, two months OF fine weather would not
have been lost the work would have been III state
of progress and the nation could not have
proac he'd its representatives for refusing to do Tor
SO long period what need not at any time have
occupied more than five minutes.
The appropriation OF $ 5OO,OO0, contemplated by
! the amendment have proposed, ID less than was
asked for by the Secretary OF the Interior and the
accomplished architect in charge OF the work.
! Their estimates made last fall, and a large
portion of the time in which the money WIS to have
been expended having elapsed, IT Is deemed neces-
sary now TO appropriate only this amount which
will be sufficient for the period between the passage
of the resolution and the end OF the hsca year. ter
minating June 30, 1853. The Committee of Ways
and Means have not provided. In any OF their ap-
preparation bills reported to the House. for the ex-
! tension of the Capitol. The House very appropri-
ately referred the subject to the Committee ON Pub
/ lie Buildings, and that committee, after inquiring
into the proprety OF the Appropriation, and In view
/ of the fact that no regular appropriation bll TO
which this can be attached will, in all probability,
be passed before the end Of the session, have direct
ed me to urge II now.
The work has been commenced. cannot doubt
that it is the intention OF Congress TO complete 1t.
One hundred thousand dollars have already been
expended, and, am happy to say, Judlciously ex-
pended. This Appropriation Is needed, and must
be made, and il is wiser TO make II now, and per.
init the work to proceed with full complement of
/ hands, than to make small appropriation which
may not last until the regular appropriation bills
are passed. Ii will be the best economy 10 com
pete the building speedily as 1t can be done
| consistently with proper execution OF the work
! Mr.. WOODWARD. II ! am in order IN making
the inquiry, should like TO know whether II Is
likely that the special committee, relative To the
foundation of the wings of the Capitol, will proba
/ bly, make a report? The question of what is TO be
the amount of appropriation may be affected by
the report from that committee. should like TO in
qure, if il be in order, when that committee may
be expected to report and what i5 likely 10 be the
] character Of the report!
Mr.. McNAiR, chairman of the committee }
We shall report next week, and we are now al
| most ready.
Mr.. WOODWARD. ! ask pardon of the gentle
tleman from Kentucky (Mr. STASToS) for inter
rupting him.
MIR. srASroS. have no objection to the gem
tlcman from Pennsylvania (Mr. McNAIR) max.
/ ing bis statement.
! Mr. McNAIR The investigation has been go
/ ing on regularly, and we are now almost ready TO
report. We have found the wall In dreadful
conditon-in a condition that has astonished us
| all. When we came TO e1amineit, We found that
wall with shells built up the outside, and small
stones thrown in on the inside. We have found IT
In a very bad condition There are no stones rum
ming through the wall to bind 1t. There are no
headers, and there is no bond work.
Mr.. WOODWARD. understand from the gen.
tleman from kentucky (Mr. sTAsToS) that he
had not concluded his remarks. supposed he
had, or would not have made the inquiry.
Mr. SrANToS. II do not lose my right to the
floor, have no objection TO the gentleman from
Pennsylvania (Mr. McNAIR) proceeding.
Mr.. McNArR The mortar that has Deen put
in there we have found TO be entirely insufficient,
as we believe. II has been in there about three
months, and is not yet set Men with picks just
dug out the inside, and threw out the stones with
their hands, and threw out the sand or mortar, or
whatever you callit, with shovel We have, as
one member Of the committee eIpresscd II, real
| lied our very worst anucipations. We had no
expectation that this large appropriation would
! be sprung upon at this time, for the architect
himself asked but S350,000 in his report TO the
President Of the United States. That report ]
have in my possession. We believe this thing
ought TO be investigated fairly, and that all things
connected with IL should be brought before this
House before this appropriation is made. II this
appropriation is once made, we will be powerlcss
TO change 1t. We will be all fastened, and you
will put up building which will cost S5,OOO,OOO,
upon an appropriation Of Sl00 900 made by this
House on the 3Oth day Of September, l550-an ap-
preparation made in three lines and half, giving
TO the President 100000, and power to appoint
an architect; that architect TO produce plan, OF
which he shall approve; and then the money was
to be expended from the commencement Of the
extension of the Capitol That money has been
under the control of the architect himself, who has
drawn it out of the treasury himself IL has been
cypended; how, know not. ] have here a
statement of the money drawn from the Secretary
of the Treasury by the architect binpclf In sums
of sac, 900, and expended or disburscd by him, ]
know not how. This matter requires an inquiry;
and want this House 70 know and 10 understand
how this business isprogrcssingi and whether this
foundation will be 80 frail and go weak that the
4 .uperstructurc raised upon II will fall down. One
| of the beet architects, perhaps, in the State OF
Pennsylvania was here, who has no interest what
. ever in this work, and probably never will have,
b | and nc declared 20 me, when he looked at that
, wall and examined the formation Of u, that he
would venture his life the building would fall down
If built upon it, Now, that lie the opinion OF re-
= sncciabe architect who has no interest in this
matter, and therefore want tho House 10 paus,
before making this appropriation.
MIR DuscAN, Unterrupting.) wish TO nss th'
Uentlenan who that architect from Pennsylvania
is, and whether he has been examined before ih'
committee?
Mr. McNArp No. ] did not say that he hat
been The gentleman is a friend Of Mr.. DfMMIcx
and was visiting him; be may give his name If h
chooses.
fCries Of "Nol" "noi"1
e Mr. DuscAS. As he is represented as gentle
4 man Of such high reputation, VIC want TO kno'
who he is m
YCries of "Namel" "name!"l
NJ. MsMHrRs "No!" "no!"
2 MIR. McNhro. lie was introduced to me by Mr.
DiMMIcH. a, ,,.,,, ,,,o, -
70 onl'l ,,,,,,
M. FLoaEscE Oh no; the reputation Of Penn
. sylvanis Day be at stake
|. TCries of "Grder," and laughtcr.l
J, Many MgMnrRs. "Namel" "name!'l