The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-05-19


indeed, YOU viii have to remodel your whole system
What is the Of the impossbily Of ascerianing
dusg any year the expenditure proper for that year
Il merely disregard Of duty by these
Il is not their neglect Of the law which imposes upon them
the duty Of reporting at particular times but Il Is the char
acter Of the law itself Now what is l The qaarermas-
tes returned quarterly but then each quarter
master has certain period Of grace allowed him. and that
period Of grace is another entire quarter Now suppose
that quartemaser expends money In the month OF Jan
uary in given year. which is at the beginning Of quarter
The accounts Of that quarter ought to be made at the end
Of the quarter OF but then he has three months more
allowed him by awthst is to say the accounts ought TO
be made up TO the last of April Of any given yearand after
the close OF June in the year. he ought dispatch his
accounts to the Qaartermasters department. Well he
Is ut distant post may take weeks before the accounts
reach the department Thus II might be months
before the vouchers for expenditure made in January
would reach the department. il the officer complied strictly
with the requirements of The law. say then, that il is
impossible while that remains the condition Of the law that
you should be able establish system balances
such the senator from Virginia desires, and such
admit TO be desirable, If practicable.
But then if you amend the law, do not know how you
would be able any given period of the year TO ascertain
the exact of your liabilities and of your expend
lures. This great country sir tits not little republic
Of San Marine, over which walk in the Of
aday is country Of more than millions Of square
miles, with thousands OF dsbursng officers scattered all
it,with expenditures amounting many millions year. with
operations of great extent and importance constantly going
on How possible that, at any given time govern
mon in country such this ascertain precisely what
its fiscal condition is Why, man, of varied and extern
sive business accompish No lawyer who has
unsettled and in progress merchant, who has argoses
on every nobody engaged in business Of any descp
ion which very extensive and carried points,
cam at any time what his condition s Some
approximation to it may be effected be sure. think,
therefore, however desirable may be
possible the accomplishment of the purpose which the
senator from Virginia chershes, is not possible arrive
at IL, even to approximate very to it, In truth, ii
very often happens that the expenditures of year prior
the current year. in during the current year. and
paid out Of the appropriations for that year. if the appro
priaiions Of the former year be deficient Gentlemen may
hat in WI
that services should be paid out Of fund especially APP
proprated for them but little observation into the practice
and workings of this government will show that this
thing that is unavoidable and absolutely necessary.
Why if Congress were to refuse to make appropriations
for any one branch of the army supplies take that the
military service ID not to STOP Suppose Congress should
think proper appropriate dollar for the subsistence
Of the army, would it not be the dutyof the military
thores to subsist the army, notwithstanding Should the
army be dsbanded staryed Should the country be left
defenceess Should the frontiers be desoated by predatory
ndisns because Congress had omitted TO provide for the
subsistence Of the aryi The soldiers must be fed they
must be discharged What authority would the President
Of the United States have discharge the army under such
circumstances How would he fulfil the duty which, as
commanderinchef of the army and navy, he de-
fend the country everywhere with all The means in his
power if he failed supply the army with that subsistence
which Congress had either intentionally uninenonaly,
withhold Sir under the general authority given by acts
of Congress- about the construction of which the senator
and myself differ, the President and Secretary Of War
would have the power if there sufficient appropria-
tons for other branches Of tho SERVICE provide for the
subsistence Of the army and would be their duty do
Mr. HUNTER. never disputed the right Of the Sec
rotary Of War provide for subsistence and transportation
stated expressly that there special act passed in
1870, which allowed such contracts to be made.
Mr. PEARCE. | am Of that. But great deal
has been said about transfers and the propety Of transfers
appropriations My remarks intended to show the
necessity Of transfers. Cases may in which the gov
eminent would desert its positive duty, it did make
these transfers But however, go into the subject of
ers there few other opcsraher odds and ends than
things of very large consequencewhch perhaps had bet
ter gather up as go along.
New Mexico spoken Of both by the senator from CAL
orna and the senator from Virginia, being very large
Undoubtedly they Besides being very large there
circumstances which might perhaps, justify
picon to their proprey. speak guardedy upon this
subject because the under whose authority
these large expenditures were made is in this city, his
undergoing investigation; and do not wish
to say anything which may look like preudgng preu-
dcng his The mentioned several small abuses
accidental and perhaps isolated instances Of abuses which
discovered as occurring in that branch Of the service
For example, the senator from Virginia reced the Of
receipt given by clerk which signed by him,
HIS own proper handwriting, but with his cross-mark
That gross abuse. But a single instance. In
regard that may be allowed say that the voucher for
that account now suspended am informed that has
not been admitted proper voucher. Then there
another receipt signed by the teamser in the
And the from Virginia says there also
of S25 900 IN addition Well, mistakes in addition
everywhere IL is not fair TO infer the existence of syse-
matte abuse because there single instance Of mistake
in addition. understand in fact, however that that is
rather different transaction from what the sup
| two quarermasters.
Now relation to the receipts signed by
stead Of the proper ndwrng of the parties Where did
those vouchers go To the Generals bureau
There they undergo the first examination Then they
to the Third Auditors Office where they undergo final
animation TheSecretay Of War has nothing all do with
matter Of that unless hs attention specially called
such Of abuse by those whose bureaus
and where the duty Of the employed examine
and detect all such practices The Secretary cannot be held
responsible If system OF abuse of that should be
discovered TO prevail, because might prevail without his
knowledge IL is not the business Of the Secretary In
vesgote IL would be utterly impossible for him
TO do So Do gentlemen know that single quartermasers
account sometimes comes in accompanied by FIVE six
bushels ofvouchers No Secretary Of War; supposine
he had nothing else do could accomplish the business
looking the accounts the most cursory manner No
not even If he had the eyes Of Argus and hands
Bnareus IL ~, however, part OF his duty. | do
suppose that the from Virginia charge this
as derelcton Of duty the part of the Secretary.
very far from thinking But am making this reply not
merely for the benefit OF the Senate confess but because
said yesterday, know how the slightest fact mentioned
in speech Of this Sort coming from gentleman Of the
character OF the senator from Virginia. would be seized upon
by those persans who pervet the TRUTH when there
IS no opportunity 10 discover anything like shadow Of just
\ suspicion.
few words now upon the subject or transfers. The
senator thinks that in regard transfers. abuses have pre-
vailed and he has been candid in Saying he thinks
those abuses originated before the period Of this admins
traton, that OF General Taylor He lays the door
OF his own political friends That is fair and candid But
then he thinks there other abuses regard that
tenn, which originated with the present administration. In
that he mistaken There great many acts OF Con-
gross IN regard TO transfers but there only which
wish particularly call the attention Of the Senate. One
the act Of 1885, under which, thinks that when
ho n