The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-04-20
SPEECH OF hon II. "a. n. HUNTER,
Delivered II Ae Senate, Aprl 10, 1852.
or VIRGINIA.,


ply deficiencies in the appropriations for the service OF the
hscal year ending June 30lh. 1862.
Mr. HUNTER. Mr. President, il will, perhaps, facil-
iale the passage OF this bill IL explain lie objects and
purposes before we enter upon it, and endeayor de.
nne The relations which Congress and the Executive De-
partmens bear towards IT, So much has been said else
bin at all and much is likely to be said here in rela
on 70 H. that seems to me that II will perhaps save
time Were TO open The consideration OF The bill with
an explanation OF lis objects aud purposes.
IL has been objected that there ought not 10 be any de-
ncency bill that enough ought TO be estimated for in the
beginning and that the government should conne itself
10 the appropriations which then made Experience
will show, II we look back that the government has
never been able 10 conne itself to the originally APP
ana, slr, when we look 10 y we VII hnd thai
this capacity IN Congress TO deficiency bills may be
emnenty useful and serviceable. The deficiency bill
grows out OF change IN the fiscal yeara change made
in the year 1912 Before that tme when appropriations
were made for the fiscal year, we used 10 have con-
slantlycertainly from ls20--,wo bsthe first partial
appropriation, the second an appropriation in full Who
teal index OF the laws will find abundant evde nee OF
this fact The first partial appropriation was made
that The government might be supported until the full APP
preparation was made by Congress, to give them
time 10 discuss It. They then in this order the
partial appropriation hrsi and the full appropriation after
wards But when the fiscal year was altered, and made
to commence on the hrs, OF july this order changed
FIRST comes The appropriation, which purpors 10 be full
appropriation for the year, and then the deficiency
bi--that Is TO say, the partial appropriation.
Now, say that this faculty, this capacity to pass
deficiency bill, IS eminently useful Without Congress
could not trim down the estimates they ought TO do
Without il neither Congress nor 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 mistake or error which would Indeed, the
necessity OF this capacity to provide for deficiencies
not better illustrate than by reference to the history OF
this very bill Whatever is Indispensable in ii ogi.
mates mainly in this-l speak of those items which
most essential and important--namely in the neces-
siy tor the military appropriations. The House of Rep.
reseniatves last year were disconten.ed with the es
Tnr ha nj MAJ 49,.
man OF the Committee of Ways and Means addressed
letter TO the Secretaries OF the War and the Navy Depart
ment' al he request OF the committee requesting them
to diminish their estimates The Secretaries replied that
they could not do They did think their estimates
were too high The chairman of the Committee OF Ways
and Means addressed another letter. saying that the
mtee were determined to reduce and asking them TO des-
gnae the items upon which the reduction could be made
The Secretary of War declined and said that the whole
amount was necessary The Secretary of the Navy did
designate some items IN his estimates, and the committee
made The reductions In relation to the quartermasers
estimates IN the army, the House cut down QUE half
striking as they themselves said, in The dark Now,
never would (although il is true these bills up
the Senate too late to give much time for action)
nave taken the responsibility of recommending the Sen
ate TO pass appropriation bill with only half the es
mated items, If had not known that if any mistake
should occur we would have the power to remedy in
dehcencyblll. knowing that, concurred in the
ment OF the House cheerfuy, for believed tha,
the estimates too large. believed that the admo
milton would be wholesome aud do good. And think
such was the result in point OF fact 1t did good in this
4,
himself within the reduced appropriations The est-
males that are now made for the deficiency BILL added
to The appropriations which made for this fiscal year.
do not quite amount to the estimated in the Quarter
masters department for instance-ihere is one large
sum OF S25O0Oo for incidental expenses stricken out for
which no estimate is made in the deficiency bill
but that is not all think shall show, as proceed
IN the history OF the matter that whatever reforms have
been made-whaever steps have been taken towards
ori(and some have been take )have originated since
the criticism on the estimates of last year, and probably
originated out oil The action oil Congress.
bu lhere IS another objection TO the deficiency bills
ana mat is, that II is sinconng the Executive pursu-
ing course contrary to law We pass law saying
mat we appropriate much and il we allow the exec.
uuVe department to expend more than the thus ap
pied II is said thatwe sanction them in departing from
the law made BY Congress- and thus
dent Ii that were should acknowledge the force of
the objections but had occasion the other day 10 read
the section oil the act OF 1920 in which IL provided
THAT shall hereafter be AIDE by the Sec
,sa les OF State OF the Treasury the Department Of
War or OF tho Navy, except under law authorizing the
same, or under an appropriation adequate ulinen
sud excepting, also contracts for subssng and clothing
the army navy and contracts Tor the uartermastcs
psment which may be made by the Secretaries Of those
departments"
II was obviously necessary that such power should
be eposed IN the heads OF the departments TO keep our
troops from suferng-lo keep then from muny from
the want OF necessary supplies These are the most
essential items in the bill and indeed the public service
would not suffer greatly, though it would what if
you were 10 strike out every other item except those
relation TO appropriations for subsistence and
ton Most oil those items come under that law I
know that there are some things in the deficiency bill
which cannot be deemed indispensaby necessary al
present-some which, IN my opinion. ought not pass;
some again which were put in il by the committee be-
cause they must be paid either in this fiscal year the
next they certainly due, certainly 10 be re-
CURED, during the year the other Some matters
included here omitted in the appropriation last year.
aRd added because we shall Certainly have TO pu
them either in this bill in that for the next scal year
For instance, we now make the appropriation of
$500 900 for the drydock in California instead OF pro-
yidng for il in the regular bill OF the next fiscal year
II is put in this because il will be necessary TO provide
Tor it some time other. The dock finished sooner
than II was expected and we asked to put it here
and take it out OF the general appropriation bill for the
character-and one 10 which am opposed-tha for the
Collins line oil seamersthe essential provisions OF the
bill relate TO the estimates for the depart
ment-for the contracts which they were allowed to
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 II is which induced many gentle.
men vote aganst this bill in the House of Representa-.
uvesthat The expenditures have been extravagant and
ling that the executive departments have made these
penditures properly, and that they economical and
go believing they could not vote for it, II believed that
such was the issue upon tbs vote upon this BILL il would
Affect my in relation to il for | cannot lay my
hand my heart and say that believe that the expendi
lures have been moderate, and proper, and economical
But that not the issue presented to upon the passage
OF this bill What would be the consequence of our
iusing 10 pass IT. Why, the army would be without for
age, or subsistence for the horses and the necessary
means OF transportation. They would have sell the
public property, beasts of burden, horses SC, to get
those means and then, when come to make appro-
prlaon for the hsca shall have buy Them