The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-05-11

sucn sales are made ny the Navy department., the
amount must 90 into the Treasury Although the
deficiency of this last year ran through the year,
and into the year. still, II is explained by what
| have read before, and shall say no more about
| ii.
| Then, for the year ending June 80, 1851, the
estimates were S3,Sl3 900, which amount was
appropriated by the act of September %, 1850.
Before that year was out, however, it was discoy-
| cred that much larger expenditures had been made
in California than was anticipated when the estl-
mates were made-a great part of which was for
| barracks, and other buildings, undertaken TO be
built without the previous authority of the Depart
| nent. Application was made 10 the Committee on
Finance of the Senate, last year, before which the
1 appropriation bill was then pending, to insert an
additional sum of $751; 72. presume the Sena-
tor from Virginia has copy Of that letter; have
That would make the appropriations for the year
ending June 30h, 1851, amount TO S4,542 900,
which was the amount expended for the previous
| year. This, however, was not done. In order TO
| supply the deficiencies, II was found necessary 10
transfer sundry balances of old appropriations TO
the amount of $3.50 900, making the available
means of the Department, s4,543 900. In justice
to the Committee on Finance, should state that
! they were entansed with difficulties almost inn
! possible TO unraveI; believe the bill came to us
only the day before the close of the last session
! We found such condition of things in the House
of Representatives us made it extremely doubtful
| II
east in any important particular, it might not be
defeated altogether. The honorable Senator from
Virginia, the chairman of that committee, did feel
1t 10 be his duty To amend II in one particular.
think he had an additional appropriation made for
the clothing department. Is it not so,
Mr.. HUNTER. | think so. believe lmoved
an amendment, which was adopted, making All
additional appropriation for clothing.
! Mr.. PEARCE. That conforms with my recol-
| lecuon and believe the Senator, under the cir
cumstances, would not have consented to report
the bill il was, if he had not known that at the
ensuing session of Congress, the deficiency could
have been supplied by deficiency BILL There
was an additional reason why this letter of the
Secretary Of War should not be acted upon bya
Appropriation being inserted in the appropriation
| bill
The Senate will recoIect that the bill which was
introduced by myself III relation to the civil fund
| Of California, had passed this House. and gone to
the House of Representatives, and had the bill
passed the House Of Representatives as il did this
body. there would have been ample authority of
/, law for bringing this money, derived from the
civil fund of California; into settlement at the
Treasury, which, without some law, was not pos
| sbe. Such bill has passed this body and gone
To the House of Representatives, where il is now
pending. Should it not pass that House, how
ever, hope the chairman of the Committee on
Finance viii consent, when the general army APP
preparation bill. or some some other general appro-
priatlon bill shall be under considerations to intro
duce single clause 10 provide for the settlement
of these accounts, which ought to have been set
tied long ago, but which cannot be settled for the
want of legislation.
| \ few words now in regard 10 the appropri-
atoms for the present year for this Department
lhereguar estimates for this year were 81 $50 600
The appropriation act of March the Sd, 1851 ,
under the circumstances explained, appropriated
s., AS, 000a reduction by Congress of 60 3l5 900
from the estimates. In preparing the deficiency
estimates which were submitted at the present
session of Congress, the Quertermaster General
| thought the expenditures for this year would not
equal those of the past year, and he reduced his
estimate 10 S2,066,000 And there is proposed 10
| be appropriated in the deficiency bill now under
/ the consideration of the Senate, the amount of
Sl,944 900, making, with the appropriation here
tofore allowed, something like s31l 900 less than
the. original estimates of last year If so, that
would bring the expenditures for the year down
10 about S4,379,00 | speak in round numbers.
no; having made the calculation minutely But
IT anl correct in this and there should turn out
Ia be no unexpected Deficiencies, the expenditures
| of this Department during the current year will he
less than those of the year before as according TO
the statements which | have made to the Senate
was the case successfully for each year up TO
| lS49.
The Senator spoke Of the necessity of modify
ing the organization of the Departments in regard
10 the clerks. lie spoke Of resolution which he
had submitted at the last session of the Senate
and which he thought ought 70 have been answered
before now. a Ia that subject | have 10 say
that various projects for organizing the clerks in
the rariogs Departments. classifying them prop
! erly, providing proper system Of salaries and
iperhans. for Gpght know, holding ont regular
plan promotion. have been suggested heretofore
| recoi.eci that when the Senator from Virginia
was member Of the other House such project
was attempted, and report was called for in the
time of Mr.. Van Buren,. Reports were submitted
to Congress by the heads Of Departments Of that
day. They were never acted upon. They met
the common fate of such things. They went Ia
The tomb Of the Capuets, where believe went
the project Of Mr.. Mckay, which originated in
thnt House some years since.
! Mr.. HUNTER. McKay's bin PASSED the
! House, bu, failed here.
! Mr.. PEARCE. Al all events it did not become
= law. J agree with the Senator that there is
great evil will not say IN the system Of appoint.
] lng cerks-bnt there in evil prevalent IN regard
to clerks ~ the Departments | believe IL springs
] out Of the doctrine which was promulgated here a
good many years ago, that " TO the yciors belong
\ the spoIis "a doctrine, | am sorry To say, that
has gained considerable ground Ii used to be re-
podiaed 10y my own political friends, but they
have no; been able 10 withstand, entirely the out
ward nrcssu.e; and although we do not practice
prescription, as much IA our opponents, we have
INDUCED ~ " 10 some extent. Ii is a practice
. more honored in the breach, than in the observ-
ance. " should he exceedingly happy to see
return to the condition Of things which prevailed
before the year 1923 ] should be very glad 10 see
q practice prevailing in the various Departments
by which appointments should be made according
to merit, and not according political influence
| and by which promotions should he made accord
ing to efficiency and fidelity ! am very glad to
say that IN some of the Departments, there is an
approximation TO such system ms that know
that there clerks Of both political parties in the
\ Department Of War, and in the office Of the Ser
rotary of the Treasury who have been there for
nearly twenty years. They are efficient and val
liable men--men who are not only to be respected
as clerks, but who have character M gentlemen,
AZ men ofhonor, and persons ofiniegence, which
would make y a pleasure 10 anybody to enjoy
their association ! should be very reluctant al
any time to see such a rnan--no matter what were
4 his politics-removcd from office because he diff
/ fered from me 10 opinion. ! have never sought 10
remove a single individual Of that character, and |
never will.
know the pressure ofpolitical influence On these
Secretaries. know that, through political infu.
ence persons entirely incompetent are foisted into
these Departments as clerks, aud That the public
service saiiers IN consequences Of IT. But whether
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