The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-06-11

spEECH OF HON. n. NJ. n. HUNTER

Oats Deficiency Bi delivered m the Senate ofhe United
StGiss, Nay 81, 1852
The Senate having under consideration the bill entitled
IAN act 70 supply deheeneies IN appropriations for the
service OF the fiscal year ending 3oth oil June sJ2"the
QUESTION being, " Shall the bill pass s"-
7Mr HUNTER said
MI PREaDEsr: ! am very reluctant TO delay action
upoa this bill even Tor an hour neither am anxious.
personally, TO speak the subject bu, il has been srg
gesled to me that perhaps is duty which owe to
myself and 70 The party with which act. say
hing in reply TO the speech OF the senator from Mary
land [sr PEARcE am impeed TO II, also, by higher
motives than desire for mere personal vindcaion l.
am unwilling that sach abuses Of those which
have pointed out should be passed lightly the
senator from Maryland Mr. PEARcEl seems disposed 10
lo for IN my opinion. They touch the framework OF the
govenmentthey affect The vital energies OF the consti-
luton need not say that shall speak Of the senator
from Maryland with the kindest and most respectful
feelings Indeed, sir as shall be iorcei 10 express my
dissatisfaction with tue mode in which he has treated
Of the evils to which have adycrted feel il 10 be
lue 70 him 10 say, that in the general have found him
Disposed 10 retrench exrayagances and to reform abuses
believe that if the Finance Committee had had the
benefit OF bts assistance In preparing and presenting
The Senate this bill for IFS consideration he would have
taken very different view OF my objects and the pur-
port Of what said in relation 10 H. believe, in that
event. that he, too, would have warmed the work and
that should have had not hisopposton but his assist
ance, in the efforts which werc making to reform
abuses
he my duty accompany IL with remarks TO the
Senate Il had been opposed in The House oil Represent
atves By many OF my own personal and political friends
il opposed by leading and distinguished friend OF
the administration ITSELF and objections had been made
it. which, II well taken, fatal IN their character
and, inasmuch as believed that some deficiency bill
ought to pass il appeared 10 that ii behooved me to
meet these objections II urged that If passed
deficiency b the Executive might, without authority of
law, appropriate money, and compel US to make good
the deficiencies thus created and it also fgrher
urged, that ii made good this deficiency, occasioned
in part at least, was believed, by The extravaganza OF
the administration, Congress would become responsible
Mt yIra Il al hon
up, that IN relation to so much OF il absolutely
necessayhatis 10 say the appropriation for the Quar-
efmaseE's depar,ment--ihe Executive authorized,
BY The law OF 1920, 10 contract obligations beyond the
amount appropriated that relation 10 the other objects
oil the b II was not indispensable ha, they should be
passed nor had any expenditures been made for
them as yet BY the Executive without authority law, but
that perhaps, under the circumstances, better for all
paes seeing that had the money in the treasury that
should pay them raher than put Cd these
10 the next fiscal years that il did appropriate the
money, the Executive would not pay these demands To
illustrate heproposiion still further nstanced the appro
pration for dry-dock in California, for which, if DO
mol make provision now the demand will not be paid
until next year out Of the regular appropriations which
will be made for the service OF that fiscal year In order
to meet the objection, that Congress would become
sponsibe Tor ihe extravagance oil tee administration, II
they supplied these Deficiencies, endeavore 10 define
the relations oil Congress and OF the Executive to the
subject OF appropriations showed that appropriations
which proper in their character might be made BY
Congress, and yet that these appropriations might be
wasted and abused by the mode which the Executive
all cases il would be our duy-but that there might be
cases, such shown in eonnexfon with this bib. 10
which il would be our duty 10 make good Deficiencies
thus occasone, az, for instance, would be better 10
supply deficiencies in order enable the Quarienasers
department 10 perform lis legitimate functions and duties
than 10 deny them the means OF transportation forage
and subsistence And 10 selecting the Instances by which
illustrated my theory OF the responsibility OF the Execu
tive and Of Congress the subject OF appropriations,
selected them not IRON imagination, but IRON history
and referred 10 facts which only undispued
which lndl@Dulahle.
But il has been said that II ii any thus make
good The dehciencies when they occasioned by
uayagance IN the administration, what shall
have restrain the Executive from the preparation OF
sailar abuses heTeatterl did not pretend TO give all
the remedies, bat suggested of them. stated that
the abuses could be exhibited 10 the people, and that
believed we ne yer aad had Executive who would be
laseBsble 10 public opnion did not suppose that
hus giving the slightest cause uf offence TO the Executive
Neither did mean 10 be understood holding up the
conduct Of the Executive with invitation The people
to turn them out OF Office did not suppose that the only
motive which operated on the mind OF the Executive 10
attempt 10 meet the requirements OF public opinion
desire to seek something al their hands bat
presumed that all persons who were elected 10 Office
would feel some respect for the opinions and wishes OF
hose who had pat them there, Why should appeal 70
any one with such view to be intmated, and
10 whom should ! appeal 10 pat them out of office Its
own party seems 10 have repadaled A. Should appeal
10 The democratic party There surely no danger
thai the democrats would insist upon continuing thus 0d-
mnisuauoa in power. Bat IL not with such views
hai referred TO that fact, bui II 10 illustrate what
the relations Of the Executive and OF Congress TO The sub
lect OF appropriations
Bot ln the prosecution Of my subieci-and confined
myself 10 the topics Of the deficiency BILL stated that
thought saw crcumstanal and positive evidence OF
exuaV7gance IN The disbursements OF the Quartennas
ters department | pointed out that evidence, and
stated that endeayored ascertain, as il my duty
70 90, what was the amount OF the deficiencies Tor which
we ought 10 provide and that. prosecuting this
seaieh, found there nsuperahle obstacles IN my
way ound that the public accounts NJ IN
stances hge years in and that 1t impossible
ma oFany one could state the real amount OF the de-
hcences ior which provision may have be made also
stated the fact that IN my investigations OF this subject,
had discovered system OF abuses and of prac.
hces relation 10 the surplus fund and the power oil
uanser, BY which, N my opinion, ine power Of Congress
over the appropriations being taken away and vested
10 he Executive; and considered il my duty 10 point
out these abuses. | did not seek 10 make any par.
ucuiar administration responsible for them on the
contrary, where they occurred hTst among my own
iuends, | mentioned the fact Upon this subject I
striking not at administrations bat at what conceived
. be system OF abuses, and what | hiak can demon
aae before done 10 be practices OF toe most alarm
Jog character. But had 70 sooner taken my seat than
Zoe senator from Georgia Mr. BERRfES,l whose absence
We all much regret, with vehemenee uuwonied 10
mn, told that the administration had friends which
we're able TO defend Il, both here and elsewhere SIR, he
need not have said that We knew that il had him for
lriend and that he able to defend whatever was
deitnslble, both here and else where.
Ihe senator from kentucky also Mr.. UNDERwooDl
ose, with warmth not common 10 MIN, but before be
Concluded his natural candor led him hing very
xe confession Of judgment IN the case and last,
hough not least the from Maryland Mr. PEARcEl
made long, elaborate, and able defence OF the gem
ga conduct OF the administration.
Well, Mr. President, had made simple narrative OF
hcs INDUCED in no harsh and inyldious spirit OF
pnmeni but stated facts which und,sputed and 10