The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-05-22

ma king $500 in ALL attempt is made 10 divide the
difference, and to give him $1,000. which ia justified
neither by the law nor by the estimates
wished to call the attention OF the Senate 10 the mat
Ter, because u seems 10 involve most dangerous and
alarming principle II estimates may be placed upon the
files OF the departments and il after officer has asked
for greater compensation than is allowed BY law and
his application has been refused by OF the Con-
gress Of the United States, the head of the department
may 80 on and pay that increased compensation by vr
tue OF an estimate. what becomes OF the provision OF
the constitution that no money shall be paid OF the
treasury except Tor appropriations made by law This
payment has gone through the forms of law II has
the sanction of the Comptroller of the Treasury but let
II have the sanction OF many officers il may, ask
he Senate ask every senator to look al it, and see If
II IS not fragrant violation OF the constitution as
could possibly be perpetra,ed.
But sir, my amendment goes further than that 60
to the eating OH OF all OF this extra compensation II
you look at the document upon the tables OF senators,
you will lind that every one of these gentlemen has re-
ceived his extra compensation in consequence OF some
provision taken upon an appropriation bill One by the
naval appropriation bill OF August g. 1915, has had his
salary raised from $500 to So 600 Another by an ap
preparation act and estimates had his salary raised in
like manner from y 500 TO 5000. Another by the
naval appropriation bill OF 1851 has had his salary raised
from $l,5oo to $4,000 Another by the act has
had his salary raised from 81 500 to SO 900 These items
are stuck into the appropriation bills and nobody knows
anything about hem and thus the thing has goae on,
and these subordinate bureaus are multiplying upon your
hands This thing is unjust and wrong. 1t is wrong TO
the officers Of the navy. They have go abroad and
leave their families and their country, be absent for
years They ought to be the ones, if any, receive the
extra compensation. But, sir, these proceedings are
made IN the first place matter OF favoritsm naval
omcer who does not want to go TO sea-perhaps be-
cause he is inrm in heathgets shore duty assigned
to HIM, and then upon estimate this subordinate
otlcer gets his salary raised. without general law,
up to an equality with some OF these bureaus until
they have raised the salaries OF three officers from
~ 500 10 $4,000, and OF another $4,000 II is TO
remedy this evil tha. have submitted the amendment.
Mr. BADGER have very decided objection to the
amendment which the senator from New Hampshire
Mr. HALE has proposed TO this bill But the objection
have to the amendment is very feeble and small com
pared to the objection have 10 the style OF argumena
tive denunciaon with which he has supported it. That
senator seems upon every OCCASION sir when anything
Is before the Senate, whether directly relates TO the
navy or does not directly relate to the navy, seize
upon that OCCASION in season and OF season. to
impntatons upon the administration OF that department
and under the charge OF every gentleman who has had the
supenntendence Of
II is not long since he entertained the Senate with an
account OF the wonderful, gross abomnabe. and
rageous increase affixed 10 the pay OF officers in violation
OF the act OF 1885 He asserted and again.
the particular things 10 which he referred were increases
OF the compensation Of the officers in direct defiance and
OF the law, without any sanction support
whatever.
Well. Mr. President, believe il was pretty evident
at the time the discussion ended upon that that
the honorable senator was entirely mistaken The hon
orable senator to think, at least argues pretty
strongly that the act of 1885 has become by the subse
quent legislation OF Congress constitutional provision
and that because that law declares that the compensa
ton then given 10 the officers of the navy should be n
full for all their services and that no extra allow
ance should be made TO them it therefore ncompe-
tent forbidden wrong and abuse that any subsequent
act OF Congress should authorize anything to be done
which could not have been lawfully done under the act
of 1895.
Now. sir. think shall be able show that the hon
orabie senator's assault OF to-day upon the
Of the Navy Department is but very little better founded
i at all than the assault which he made in regard to the
furniture OF the government houses What s the state
OF the case, srs II the honorable had read as
asked him TO do the very clear though very brief and
satisfactory, opinion oil the Comp,rollef he had read
the whole OF 1.-THE statement OF that officer would have
refued, and completely refuled the argument which he
has urged and the objection he has made Now sir, al
low me to read it:
81 examined the question involved in the claim or
Lieut. Davis, superintendent Of the Nautical Almanac and
Of opinion that his salary should be allowed at the rate
OF 5000 per annum."
provided that competent officer Of the navy not below
the grade o lieutenant be charged with the duty Of
pairing the Nautical Almanac for publication
The bill also contains an appropriation Of So 600 Tor the
purposes o. me AIM anac including pay o. upern'enden
act amount appropriated specifying $4,000 as the proposed
salary Of the superintendent.
M very clear that this bill provides for the poinment
OF an oheer OF the navy superintendent and also
templates that he should be paid superintendent and
ohcer And though the aniounf Of his salary Is
specified 10 the ac yet as The approximation followed the
cnded this salary $1,000 Is proper infer that the
pay mentioned in the intended 10 be the
called io 10 the estimates or at al eysns that L was in
TO the dceton Of tho Secretary Of the Navy within the
limits o. o. & The sun sPproPIssd And as appears rom the The
for his salary has been approved by him"
Now, sir, little attention and little amphcalion OF
this condensed and brief Argument OF the Comptroller
will be sufficient, think to show that 10 ihe allowance
of the salary he acted rightly and that there ground
Tor the objection made BY the senator from New Hamp
shire, Mr.. HALE
In the first place, an estimate was made by the depart
ment calling Tor appropriation for the preparation OF
the Nautical Almanac, and estimating for the sum OF
$1,000 TO be paid 10 the officer who should have charge
OF IT, Ia the naval appropriation BILL following out this
estimate and call from the department il is provided that
competent ofcer OF the navy, not below the grade OF
shall be charged with the duty OF preparing
the Nautical Almanac, and an appropriation OF 90 900 is
made Tor the purpose OF the Nautical Almanac including
the pay OF the superintendent OF the same. Now, sir il
ed that the officer should be paid superintendent and
not oifcer OF the navy. This is cicar sur, because
the appropriation for officers pay included in the
BILL embraced the pay OF every officer OF the navy-every
and the expressly directing that officer OF the
navy, and other should be selected to supentend the
preparation OF the Almasac and then making appro-
priaon TO pay him superintendent IL is demonsfable
that Congress intended he shoad be paid in bis charac
ter superintendent and not az an officer. Why Be-
cause II he receive nothing bat pay an officer,
entirely useless. There already included IN that bill
appropriation for paying him officer of the navy
well every other officer OF the navy IT, therefore,
that provision OF law not intended 10 authorize his
iion all ough; have been made II should have been
simply provided that the Secretary should assign
peient officer OF the navy discharge this duty and that
tor incidental expenses much should be appropriated
What says Congress "The Secretary shall appoint an
officer OF the navy for which officer OF the navy an ap.
OF that character is made; and we now appropriate
50 900 for the purposes OF the Almanac, including the
paw Of the superintendent Of the same.
Now, sir undertake to say, that upon any other in