The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-06-12

the borders OF Texas and the boundary line OF Mexico
along the frontier OF Oregon: lhe western frontier q
Arkansas aud the Territory q Minnesota we lhen VIII
military frontier OF AusuL j, sssly differently siina-
ted know that wAai q ~ e, q IA was speculation
only D.. ,, thought Z lso ns eeoash
on that subsct' though Tie seG seemed 10 think they
had specuIied too much on other subjects.
shall say nothing as he subject OF the reorganization
ohe clerks Of departments or in regard TO the accounts
OF the Quarlemasies department remaining unsettled De-
cause have already stated fully everything necessaryto
be known regard them have shown the cause Of the
arrears in the office OF the Third Auditor have shown
that only il multiplied by increase OF regular
troops but by the addition OF volunteers; by the dssou
ton Of the volunteer corps during the war by the mex
perence OF the accounting officers Of the vounteers by
the necessary multiplication OF the business arising from
the war with Mexico which we were carrying on
have also shown that while all this accumulation OF
business was going on there not correspondent in
of clerical force that in the year 1896 OF the
experienced clerks in that Office were discharged
although the depannent had been asking Tor additional
clerical force, it had never been furnished with what 1t
asked. All this have stated. and all this sufhcentiy
explains the cause OF these arrears.
The important part oil the senator's speech relates
transfers OF appropriations because be sees in them not
small matters OF cav but things OF great and vital I'M
porance the Unionof fundamental and constitutional
importance. He seems TO think that the administration
taking the power of Congress out of their
legislation is departing from u.s. and cenlrng IN the Exc
cutye Now, sir, appfehend that careful inquiry into
the history of this whole power OF transfers Will show
that, whatever the present Executive may do under the
authority of law, they do nothing beyond II and that
under authority OF law, and sometimes, perhaps may
say, under color OF authority OF law, very extraordinary
things have been done by some OF those that have pre-
ceded them 1t is little curious to trace this history
Long before the passage OF the act of 1Si2durng the
operation of the act OF lS09the accumulation OF un-
expended balances in the treasury by no means an
uncommon thing. wish it 70 be understood that DO
not admit that this under the present condition
of the law san abuse, and cannot therefore be charged
with defending abuse by speaking OF another abuse
wish to show, however. that while under the act OF
1912 the Secretaries may properly transfer from one head
OF appropriation TO another IN the same department. they
confined this TO transferring from object appropriated
for by law another appropriated Tor by law, and that
in times past there have been transfers made IRON one
&pbiect appropriated for by law 10 another not appopna
ted for by law mean to show that IN this respect this
administration has been reforming administrator J
mean 10 show too that far from its being anything
unusual-anyhing which any former administration con-
sidered worthy of condemnation-to allow balances OF
appropriation accumulate beyond the two years within
which the senator to think they ought invariably
10 be returned 10 The surplus fund.- they have been allow
ed to be outstanding for extraordinary series OF years
for period OF thiriy-six,y yeaIsand that under aa-
mnistrations not particularly allied TO the one now IN
power.
! Mr. HUNTER. Perhaps the senator did not advert to
the Limitation which mentioned said that unless by
the special terms OF act they allowed TO continue
for than two years. there was no authority since he
act OF 1920 for continuing appropriations beyond that
do not wish to Interrupt him too oen if the trans
fes of which he speaks did not under The acl OF
1909. and before the passage Of the act of ls2ol
Mr.. PEARcE. No. sir; stated that under the act q
l795 all balances OF appropriations unexpended at The end
OF two years TO be carried back 70 the surplus fund.
unless longer duration was specially assigned 70 It BY
law. The senator has one view oil The law as u exists
now. and existed 10 1890 In regard 10 the les, law
have another view The scnaior invoked To his aid the
in1aencs oi M Attorney General Berren. whose opin-
ion am that he rghifully understands con.
fess that understood il as the senator from Virginia
does until recently when hasy glance al II inclined me
to think thai both OF us might have misunderstood it,
In tyhp thn rt nj IVA ION.
ever, the duty OF the administration to carry unex.
pended balances OF appropriations TO the surplus iund,
there were balances outstanding. and which bad been
outstanding Tor Ibiny-six years. | have IN my hand
copy OF surplus fund warrant issued by the Secretary
OF the Treasury in January, ls32 There is on i list
OF balances Of unexpended appropriations and the bfsi
is the balance OF annuity To Indian tribes appro
priated by the OF 9th May, 1885, The senator,
know, is well acquainted with the paper.
| MIR. HUNTER. That comes exactly within the lint
taton which | mentioned. know that unexpended
balances OF appropriations 10 fuihl treaty spualons are
| liable TO transfer.
i Mr PEARCE Not more so in many cases than other
appropriations. Well, sir find that the items in this
surplus-iund warrant appropriations OF 1926, 1897
4 1885, 1902 1910, 1911, and down to 1926. Unex
pended balances OF appropriations made in these years
were carried to the surplus fund in January 1882 find
that afterwards after these balances had gone back Il
the treasury, this surplus-fund warrant was cancelled
aud ihe money restored 10 the ddeen, heads OF ap
preparation TO which it properly belonged By an act Of
the Secretary. III were disposed TO be capious and to
find fault should say that this taking money out o
tne treasury Witbout an apfOiaton Dhl 10 not mean
10 say thsI suppose II carried TO the surplus fund
by mistake and II carried by mistake, that the Secretary
was jushabe in cancelng II as mistaken transaction
But mention TO show that outstanding appropriation
for very long period OF years had been suffered 10
main outstanding and only carried 10 the surplus
fund after lapse OF tbrysx years, and were after
wards restored TO the original heads OF appropriations
One evil OF this practice that the papers simply
cancelled, without any entry showing how, when ant
by whom, and why the Transaction effected Unde
this ADMINISTRATORS proper record is made which dis
closes all that should be known in these respects,
gives complete history OF the cancellation. This is
important reform.
said that funds had been transferred by other admin
straons from an appropriation authorized by law tc
one not authorized BY law; and here find what con
ess looks 20 little extraordinary. | have here
IL letter from the Secretary OF the Treasury, dated
April 22d, 1885, addressed to OF the officers oi th,
treasury. He says;
SIRt have the honor 10 state that, by some omission
believed be accidental appropr made the
last session OF Congress for carrying into effect the o
the relief Of bsovent debtors the United States
and The former appropriation being exhausted ano there
being the credit the appropriation for the payment
claims for properly lost onptufed, destroyed by the
y greater amount Than viii probably be required fo
that object, have request that the sum OF $4,000 bs
transferred from tho ntioned appropriation tn
formcr under the authority vested the President by the
Of the 3d OF March, lS9 further amend the severa
for he establishment and regulation OF the Treasury
| / have the honor 10 be, LOUIS McLANE,
Secretary OF the Treasury.
The PRESIDENT or rHs UGrrKp STATES.
Approved, April z2, 1888
/ ANDREW JACKSON.
I5o6I The payment Of claims for property lost, capared
or destroyed by the enemy DIR.
I213 To tho relief OF insovent debtors the Uni
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