The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-03-26
It since the commencement Of the last Congress,

It since the commencement Of the last Congress,
"a, 900.
Now, sir, that appropriation to which the
proviso was attached, does not apply to all the
public grounds, but it is specific appropriation
for this particular piece Of ground, specified in
the clause itself. And say that the proviso
which is now attached to the bill under consid-
Grafton, that this $4,000 shall complete this
work, is no safeguard that it will be done. |
would say to the gentleman from New York,
that the $460 SO in this bill is not going to COM
plete the Improvement Of franklin square, in
the northern part Of the city. They will come
and ask for more approximations.
Mr.. DUNHAM. 1t shows that the object
for which that $4,000 was appropriated has not
been carried out, and it remains for this House
to decide whether, when you appropriate GER
tain sum OF money to accomplish particular
purpose, that money shall be diverted to anoth-
the parties expanding this money, to come in
and ask us to supply the deficiency, or to pay
the debts which have been contracted without
any authority whatever. Now, everybody knows
that $4,000 is sufficient to erect building of
temporary character, such was cOntem-
plated by the language of the act by which that
$4,000 was appropriated. 1t should have ac-
complished the purpose but, instead Of erect
ing such building, they have gone on and
erected one of different kind, with the view
of laying foundation for permanent estab-
lishment in the government. They have gone
on, and without authority Of law--I care not
whether it has been done by the library CON-
mittee of this II Ouse, or by whom it has been
done-and contracted these debts. | say it
comes home to this House with more force than
anything which has been discussed here for the
last two days, upon this deficiency bill, whether
you intend to control the purse Of the nation,
or not.
Mr.. AVERETr. | am opposed to this
amendment 1t will be recollected by those
who were here in the last Congress, that when
the appropriation of $4,000 was asked for this
green house establishment, its friends utterly
repudiated the idea of making it permanent.
They stated that the rare plants and shrubs
which had been brought here by the exploring
expedition, must be removed to give way for
the extension of the Patent Office; that they
ought to be preserved until descriptive cata.
logue could be made of them, and until they
could be presented to some botanical establish
ment repeat, that the idea of the government
gaging permanently in the greenhouse bust
ness was utterly repudiated.
Now, sir, neither your constituents nor mine
care a fig for these shrubs and weeds. Some
may consider this appropriation mere picayune
affair, as not worth even five minutes speech
but in voting for it we would sanction a prin-
ciple, which would lead, yea, is leading, to the
lawless expenditure of millions. We appropri.
ate $4,000 for a specific and temporary purpose.
Those having charge Of the money, without any
lawful authority, run beyond the amount which
we appropriate. and then demand that we shall
&c foot the bill" We see in this small affair that
we ought to be cautious in putting even new
cog in wheel of this government. We put in
the cog, and are taxed for a whole wheel. Sane
ton that, aud We must pay for as many wheels
as those whom we confide in to execute our
laws, choose to add to the machinery of this
government. hope the committee will vote
down this amendment, and that this Congress
will put an end to the now fashionable system
of spending money, or contracting debts, with
out authority of law. Sir, would give these
plants and shrubs to the corporation of Wash
ington, to the Smithsonian Institution, to any
body who has a taste for botany, yes, would
let them 90 to ruin rather than sanction this
amendment. | am against this greenhouse
concern.
Here the hammer fell.