Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-05-15
SPEECH OF Mr.. HUNTER,
OF VIRGINIA,
ON THE DEFICIENCY BILL,
In THE SENATE, APRIL is, 1852.

In THE SENATE, APRIL 10, 1852.
The Senate having under consideration the bill Of thu
House Of Representatives to supply deficiencies in the
preparations for the service of the fiscal year ending JUNE
30th, 1852
Mr.. HUNTER said: Mr. President it viii perhaps
facilitate the passage Of this bill if explain its objects
and purposes before upon it, and endeavor
define the relations which Congress and the Executive
Departments bear towards it. SO much has been SAID
elsewhere in relation to the proprety of passing any
hcency bill at ALL and much is likely to be said here
In relation 10 it. that it seems 10 that it viii perhaps
time if were to open the consideration of the bill
with an explanation Of its objects and purposes .
1t has been objected that there ought not to be any de-
fcency bill that enough ought to be estimated for in the
beginning and that the Government should conne itself
the appropriations which then made Experience
will show, if we look back that the Government has
been able to confne itself to the originally appropr-
ated; and sir, when we look to it. we will find that this
capacity in Congress pass deficiency bills may be emf
nenty useful and servceabe The deficiency bill grows
out of change in the fiscal yeara change made in the
year 1872 Before that time when appropriations
made for the fiscal year, used to have constantly
certainly from 1S20two bills the first partial appro-
priaton, the second appropriation in full Whoever
viii refer to the bills Of appropriation in the Synoptcal
Index Of the Laws will find abundant evidence of this fact
Government might be supported until the full appropra
ton made by Congress, so as to give them time to
discuss it. They came then in this order-the partial
appropriation first and the full appropriation afterwards
but Wnen nScal year altered, maze 10 COM
the first Of July, this order changed first
comes the appropriation which purports to be full APP
preparation for the year. and then the deficiency
bill, that is TO say the partial appropriation.
Now, say that this faculty, this capacity to pass
deficiency bill is emnenty useful Without it Congress
could not trim down the estimates they ought to do
Without it, neither Congress the Executive could
make those experiments towards economical reform which
would be practicable when we know that can, at any
time thereafter pass deficiency bill to remedy any mis-
take which would occur Indeed the necessity
of this capacity provide for deficiencies cannot better
illustrate than by reference to the history Of this very
BILL Whatever Indispensable in it originates mainly In
thisI speak Of those items which most essen
tal and in the necessity for the mill
tary appropriations The House of Representatives last
dscontented with the estimates for the Navy
and War Departments The chairman of the Committee
Of Ways and Means addressed letter to the Secretaries
of the War and the Ny Departments the request of
the committee requesting them to diminish their est-
mates The Secretaries replied that they could not do
So They did not think their estimates too high.
The chairman Of e Committee of Ways and Means ad-
dressed another letter. saying that the committee
determined to red&ce and asking them to designate the
items upon which the reduction could be made The Sc
cretary of War declined and said that the whole amount
necessary The Secretary Of the Navy did designate
some items in his estimates, and the committee made the
reductions In relation to the Quarermasters estimates
in the army the House cut down onehaf striking, as
they themselves said, in the dark. Now never would
although it is true these bills up to the Senate too
late to give much time for action have taken the
sponsbity Of recommending the Senate to pass an APP
preparation bin with only half the estimated items,
had not known that ifany mistake should would
have the power to remedy it in deficiency bill Know
ing that concurred in the movement of the House most
cheerfuy for believed that the estimates were too
large. believed that the admonition would be whole
some and do good And think such the result, in
point Of fact 1t did good in this The Secretary of the
Navy for the most part, confined himself within the re-
iuced appropriation The estimates that are now made
FOR the deficiency BILL added the appropriations which
ia Teca1 tn he
sum estimated in the Quartermasters department; for
Snce there is large sum Of $3.50 600 for nciden
tai Expenses stricken out for which estimate is made
in che deficiency BILL
But that is not all think shall show as proceed
the history of the matter that whatever reforms have
been made whatever steps have been taken towards
FORM land have been taken have originated since
the criticism the estimates of last year. and probably
originated out of the action of Congress
But there is another objection to the deficiency bills,
and that is that it is sanconing the Executive in pursu-
ing contrary to law. WePass law saying that
we appropriate much; and we allow the Executive
department to expend than the thus applied it
is said that sanction them in departing from the law
made by Congress- and thus set dangerous precedent
If that so, should acknowledge the force Of the
objecton but had occasion the other day to read the
section of the act Of 1920 in which it provided:
hat no contract shall hereafter be made by the secreta
Of State the Treasury the Department OF War; or OF
the Navy except under law authorizing the same or under
appropriation adequate to its fulfmcnt and excepting
also for subsistng and clothing the navy
and contracts for the department which may
be made by the Secretaries Of those Departments"
1t was obviously necessary that such power should be
reposed in the heads of the Departments to keep
troops from suerngto keep them from mutny from the
want Of necessary supplies These are the most essen
tia items in the bill and indeed the public service would
not suffer greatly, though It would somewhat you were
strike every other item except those in relation to
appropriations for subsistence and transportation Most
of those items come under that law. know there
things in the deficiency bill which cannot be deemed
indispensaby necessary at presensome which, In my
opinion ought not pass again which were put in
by the committee because they must be paid either in this
fiscal year the next they certainly DUE or GER
tanly be required during the one year or the other
Some matters included here omitted in the appro
pration last year. and now added, because we shall
certainly have to put them either in this bill or in that
the fiscal For instance, the appropriation
Of $500 900 for the drydock in California instead Of pro-
vdng il in the regular bin of the next fiscal year 1t
is put in this because ii will be necessary TO provide for
ii time other The dock finished sooner than
il expected and asked put here and take
it out Of the general appropriation bill for the next year
say with the exception Of items Of that character and
TO which am opposed-that for the Collins line Of
seamersthe essential provisions Of the bill relate to the
estimates for the Quartermasters department; for the
contracts which they allowed 10 make without any
special appropriation under the law Of 1920 SO much
for that objection.
But there is another objection. II is urged by many-
and believe 1T is reason which induced many gentle
men to against this bill in the House Of Representa-
tivesthat xpenitures have been extravaeant and
that If they vote for this deficiency BILL they are admit
ting that the Executive departments have made these ex
pendiures properly, and that they economical;
so believing they could not for it. If believe,
that such the issue upon the vote upon this BILL
would affect my course in relation 70 it for cannot la
NV hand on my heart and soy that believe that the
pendtures have been moderate and proper, and
nica But that sno the issue presented to us upon III